Transcript: Mayor de Blasio Swears in Police Commissioner William J. Bratton, Hosts Media Availability at 1 Police Plaza

January 2, 2014

Mayor Bill de Blasio: Thank you so much, everyone. Well, I want to start by saying I am truly honored to be here among you all. I'm very glad that on this dais is Commissioner Bill Bratton and his wife, Rikki Klieman, and as I've gotten to know them over these last months, I can tell you – and I'll say more in a moment – but I can tell you the city of New York is in good hands.

[Applause]

I want to thank the first lady of the city of New York – unfortunately, now she insists I call her that at home too. I find it a little formal, but I'm going with it. Chirlane McCray.

[Applause]

Three truly great leaders of this state and city – one who is now a veteran compared to the rest of us, Attorney General Eric Schneiderman – thank you.

[Applause]

And my classmates, my partners in government, Public Advocate Letitia James and Comptroller Scott Stringer.

[Applause]

I want to thank a man who I've come to know and have deep appreciation for, and I have deep appreciation that he – in a previous time, in a previous place – chose Bill Bratton to be a police commissioner, and it happened to be in LA. I want to thank the honorable James Hahn, the former mayor of Los Angeles, for being with us.

[Applause]

I want to thank all of the elected officials who are here, my colleagues from the City Council, and all of those present today, thank you for being a part of this ceremony. And I want to especially acknowledge and thank a true New York hero. If there's anyone in this room who deserves that moniker, if there's anyone in this room who has earned our respect and appreciation, it is Detective Steven McDonald. Thank you, detective.

[Applause]

Now, in this room are some of the leaders of the NYPD, some of the officers that have the longest service in our department. And there are some officers joining us who are brand new, and just starting on their journey in the greatest police force in the United States of America – if you don't mind, Commissioner Bratton, I might say the greatest police force in the entire world – and so if you're –

[Applause]

So, whether you're a newcomer or a wise veteran, everyone in this room who is associated with the NYPD I know feels the same pride I do today, as we prepare to bring new leadership to this extraordinary organization. And we're here at One Police Plaza. And you know, in the past, some of the swearing-ins of commissioners have occurred elsewhere. Commissioner Bratton and I talked about it, and we thought it was so important to be here for the swearing-in, for several reasons – one, it was important to show the respect that all of us have for the men and women of the NYPD, and when I say all of us, I mean all 8.4 million New Yorkers. And there are elected officials here and community leaders and clergy, who really understand and connect to the lives of all of our fellow citizens. And we are here to show our honor and respect for those who protect us. We know how hard the work is. I want each and every one of you to know we truly understand how hard the work is. It is also the hardest police mission in the world. But you do it with extraordinary talent and ability, and you make us proud every day. Let's have a round of applause for everyone associated with NYPD.

[Applause]

We also thought it was important – for the elected officials, for the community leaders, for the clergy – to be here in this building, to bring in people who are the voices of all of our communities, to connect more deeply with the people who work so hard, here in this building. Remember, I've said very clearly, and I've try to exemplify that these last days, that City Hall is the people's house. Gracie Mansion is the people's house. And One Police Plaza is the people's house as well. And the people are here today to celebrate with us this great moment.

[Applause]

Now, for every one of you who wears this uniform, we owe a tremendous debt of gratitude for what you've done over these last years. I want to say, I think so much of this extraordinary progress began over two decades ago. It began with the amazing innovation of CompStat, that Commissioner Bratton brought to us. It began with providing the resources to turn our problems around and make us the safest big city in America. Many, many people in this room contributed profoundly to that progress. It's something that we don't take stock of often enough. It's not just what the statistics say. It's not just what people experience every day on our streets. And they know how different it feels than the past. It's also that so many people worked cooperatively, over almost a generation now, to achieve these changes – an extraordinary collective effort. Again, so many people in this room played a role. Not everyone got all the attention and all the credit, but so many people in this room played a role in making this the safest big city in America. So many people at the community level were your partners in that effort. And we want to build upon that success.

We also know that we have a challenge – greater than any city anywhere. We know that we are the number one terror target in the world. We never have any illusion about that reality, and we comport ourselves with that in mind. We are ever vigilant. We will spare no effort to protect our people. We have to continue that progress and we have to build upon it. 

So we honor everyone in this room for their service. We thank you for it. And I know I can speak for Commissioner Bratton when I say you will always have the respect and support of all of us in leadership in this city – the respect and support you deserve for all you do to keep us safe.

Now, it's our job to have your back, to make sure we can move forward together in this crucial work. At this moment, it's also important to say a deep appreciation, a profound thanks to our outgoing leader, Commissioner Ray Kelly, who served the city with extraordinary distinction and integrity. And we have so much to thank Commissioner Kelly for his achievements. Let's give him a round of applause.

[Applause]

Now I've been in public service quite a while, and I've had the honor of working with the men and women of the NYPD for over 20 years in different capacities. I've felt throughout that time that we have to focus both on the need to keep our streets safe, but also on the fact that we must be proactive and visionary in our approach to public safety. 

I've talked about the need to protect civil liberties, to treat people with respect, and to follow the United States Constitution. And these principles are not contradictory. Safe streets and respect for individual liberty go hand-in-hand. They are complementary ideas. And we're going to build upon that notion as we go forward.

Something I've learned, from all the time I've had the honor of working with the members of this organization – whether they were beat cops or precinct commanders or the brass higher up – that I understand, not only is the work so difficult, and not only is your success so extraordinary, but I know how much you make a priority of building that bond with the people you serve, in each and every community. I've talked to so many beat cops, so many precinct commanders, who focus every single day on deepening the connection to the people they serve.

And I know there's been frustration over some of the policies that might have stood in the way of deepening that relationship, and we're here to make sure as we move forward, that wherever there's been a rift, that we heal it – that we make sure that members of every community of the city know the NYPD is on their side, and that they are on the side of the NYPD. We have a monumental task to perform together. And we will perform it ever more effectively by deepening that partnership. And we begin that work today. And it starts with having the very best leadership. I have to say, we've entrusted this department with someone who loves this city deeply, who loves this department deeply, and loves this profession with all his heart – Commissioner Bill Bratton.

[Applause]

I have to say, as I spent time getting to know the commissioner over the last year or two, that I made it a habit to talk to people who had served with him – experts from around the country. There's a point at which it became clear, there's literally no more talented police leader in the United States of America – or dare I say the world. And since we in New York sometimes have the feeling that we might, in fact, be the center of the world, it made sense to bring the greatest police leader anywhere in the land back here where he belongs. 

And wherever he's gone, success has followed – in Boston, obviously in his earlier stints in New York, in Los Angeles. But it's not just the results that he achieved, it's how he achieved them – because Bill Bratton, at his essence, is a progressive crime fighter. He recognizes that the streets will be safer and the residents will be safer, and the officers and detectives will be more effective and safer, and crime will be reduced even further, when police and community work together. 

My charge to Commissioner Bratton is clear. And we are here to make sure he has what he needs to fulfill this charge. He is called to use the finest technology, the best tactics, to focus law enforcement efforts on the criminals that we know are out there – to reduce crime even further, to make our streets and neighborhoods safer, to make sure we are safe from the threat of terrorism which lingers over us every day. And to continue, at the same time, his groundbreaking work in progressive policing, to make sure the NYPD is at the cutting edge of innovation and pioneering police strategies, to foster and deepen relationships between the police and the communities they serve, including the reform of stop and frisk. And I know that Commissioner Bratton is more than up to the task. And if you'll indulge me one moment, this section will be for our Spanish-speaking colleagues and Spanish-speaking media. This will be a chance for you all to brush up on your Spanish if you happen not to speak it as your native language.

[Mayor de Blasio speaks in Spanish]

...a esta profesion, a esta cuidad, que Bill Bratton.

Your name is a little different in Spanish.

We are honored that Bill Bratton has chosen to serve this city, and we welcome him back. We welcome him back with open arms to the department he loves so dearly. Commissioner Bratton, will you please step forward to receive the oath of office. 

[Mayor de Blasio administers the oath of office to incoming Police Commissioner William J. Bratton]

[…]

Police Commissioner Bill Bratton: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Please, please. 

Who says you can't come home again? [Laughter] And it is home, and it's great to be back. I have one regret – as I look out at all of you, and as I've now spent a few hours back in this magnificent building – is that there is one who is not here with us. And I regret that deeply, because he was so much a part of my getting here the first time. And I'd like to acknowledge him, and I think the police officers in this room will remember him with great fondness. And that's the late great Jack Maple.

[Applause]

I get a lot of credit for a lot of the things that have been done over the years, but that credit always has to be shared – always. I've been greatly fortunate in my life to have been surrounded by exemplary men and women, who collectively, together – collaboratively together – have done great things. 

I'd like to start my remarks by first – some thank yous. Thank yous are always appropriate, but today, they're essential. To my wife Rikki, to beautiful Rikki.

[Applause]

Believe me that I would not be here, we would not be here – despite the mayor's extraordinarily persuasive powers – but for all that she was willing to give up and sacrifice, not only here but going to Los Angeles a number of years ago. And that adventure, with that great police department – Mr. Mayor, I have to take exception sometimes, I usually say second to none – that, because we have some extraordinary departments represented in this room, and the NYPD is privileged to certainly feel that it is an immense part of the collective police family. 

And I want to thank, in addition to the others that I would give, the many members of the police profession who are here today from all around the country, because we are a profession that is stronger because of the bonds that we have with each other. 

Rikki, in terms of my love, that I cannot thank you enough for the trust and faith you placed in me, to basically allow me to once again accept this challenge. And it will be our challenge together, and we will do it together, and that is the promise and the commitment. 

Rikki, this morning, greeted me – that, when I got up, and came in with a cup of coffee – I was shaving – and handed me a card. And I opened the card, and the card reads "'Be the change you wish to see in the world.' –Gandhi." It is one of my favorite expressions. To create change, you must become the change. And I certainly think of myself as a change agent, and once again, thank you for allowing me to pursue that passion. 

Mr. Mayor, to you and your lovely wife, I say thank you for welcoming back to the city, allowing me to work with you and the team that you're assembling, and to work with this magnificent police department – to continue the work of keeping this city safe, and making it even safer. That – my commitment, and the commitment of the NYPD that I'm privileged to lead, will be to work with you to ensure that at all times, policing in this city is done constitutionally, respectfully, and compassionately. That is what we are all about, that is what we must be about, and that is what we will be about.

Thank you also to the transition team, the many men and women over the last several weeks who have labored and toiled for countless hours, headed up by a 40-year professional colleague, Bob Wasserman. They have done extraordinary work. There are many of them in the room – too many to acknowledge individually – and I will do that separately, but thank you for making this transition go so smoothly.

So, the group working on this ceremony today, the hard work that went into this – assembling 800 people with email addresses that change from time to time, to Kathy Perez who basically led her group to ensure that you were all here today. Thank you for the hard work that you performed.

To the police foundation, whose leadership is represented here in the room – for all that you have done going back to the dire times of the 1970s, when police did not even have bulletproof vests to protect themselves against the countless murders that were being committed against them. And how with that beginning, that you have continued through the years to be there for the New York City Police Department, and even today do so much, paying totally for the many members of department who are around the world ensuring that the efforts that Commissioner Kelly has created to keep the city safe from terrorism continue. We thank you for that continued support, and we encourage that you continue to give it, because I will continue to ask for it, believe me.

To the many invited dignitaries who are here – the mayor has already acknowledged the city officials, and the state officials, the Attorney General. I would like to thank the five district attorneys for the magnificent city of New York who are here. I would like to thank the two U.S. attorneys who are here, Eastern District and Southern District, the special narcotics prosecutor, also, a former colleague and somebody who knows full well how significant this position is, former Commissioner Howard Safir I understand is in the room here with us, so I'd like to acknowledge Howard. Thank you.

[Applause]

And friends, family, professional colleagues, community members, the media – all of the world that I get to interact with and this department gets to protect and to serve. I thank my professional colleagues and friends, some who have come from as far away as Los Angeles. Imagine flying into a snowstorm to be here. So you get the award for basically the greatest effort to be here. But friends from Baltimore and Washington DC and Boston, that – I cannot thank you enough for coming today. And we will hopefully get to spend some time with you at the end of this speech and celebration.

And certainly, the mayor referenced earlier, the 10 youngest members of the department, coming out of the most recent recruit class, and representing some of the members of the department who are from another generation, that like myself, have been around for a while – we purposely had them here today, to my left and to my right, to reinforce the idea of the continuity of this department. The idea, through its history, of over now 150 years, that this department continues to attract the best and brightest. And so I thank those of you who are about to begin their careers, and I envy you. Because I am toward the end of mine – not too toward the end of it, I have a few years I want to go. For any of you waiting in the wings here, that – okay.

[Laughter]

– or out there, or down here. And then certainly to those who know what it's like to toil for many years – how great it is, how great it is to have lives of significance, and lives that matter every day. And so you represent the department that continues to move forward and serve.

And certainly, behind me on this stage, this is the most extraordinary group of men and women in American policing, in the sense of what they deal with every day, which I am once again beginning to experience as I get my briefings. The talent, the commitment, the expertise that they represent, the leadership of this extraordinary department of 50,000 men and women – 35,000 cops, 15,000 civilians who we could not work without – they are your police department. They are your leadership team, committed to keeping the city safe. So I need to certainly acknowledge them.

Here's another group that I need to acknowledge, and the mayor began with introducing one – but one of the terms I use in describing police is the idea that they are guardians – the guardians at the gate, to keep the fear and the crime and the disorder outside the gate, to keep us all safe. And it requires commitment, it requires expertise, and oftentimes it requires extraordinary bravery – bravery where they put their lives on the line, and unfortunately sometimes lose their lives, or receive injuries that will affect their lives, for the rest of their time. 

And I'd like to acknowledge, certainly, there are a number of individuals in this room who have, in fact, been guardians at the gate, and kept you safe, while they receive the blows that might've been meant for you. Certainly starting with Detective First Grade Steven McDonald – and if you would hold your applause until the end, so I can acknowledge the full group, please – on duty, shot while apprehending a perpetrator in Central Park, in 1986. 

Detective First Grade Tony Senft, on duty New Year's Eve, 1982, bomb in front of One Place Plaza, placed by the terrorist network, FALN – exploded while detectives Senft was trying to defuse it – 1982. 

Detective Second Grade Donald Rios, on duty while pursuing a robbery suspect on foot – the suspect turned and fired one round, striking Detective Rios – 1981 – severed spine during that incident. 

Sergeant John Assam, on duty while apprehending perps of stolen vehicles, shot once in the chest – ballistic vest saved him – fortunately for him, no permanent injury – traffic enforcement agent.

We tend sometimes to focus all of our attention on our cops. But that's not the NYPD. They're the most visible. We are well served by our surveying groups, including our safety officers in the schools, the traffic agents that you encounter on our civilian workforce. Traffic enforcement agent Tara Lee, while directing traffic, TEA Lee was struck by a motor vehicle – severe injuries, 2005, and just within the last several weeks, a traffic agent lost his life when struck by a vehicle while performing his duties.

We also have Officer Ed Carroll, formerly Nassau County Police Department, who is here with us. So if I could, just an additional round of applause, acknowledging the guardians at the gate.

[Applause]

And I would add my comments to those of the mayor about the man who I am succeeding, Commissioner Ray Kelly. For over 40 years, he has committed himself to public service – Marine Corps veteran, Vietnam, every rank in this department – gave his life and continues to love this city. And over the last several days, I've had the opportunity to learn about the department that he has created over these last 12 years, since the horrific events of 9/11. Coming in immediately after that event, when we did not know the extent of the dangers of the new fear – terror – a police force that was severely injured and damaged, and certainly the fire department along with it. 

Over these 12 years, he has committed himself to keeping this city safe. And he has in fact done that. This year, 2013, this past year, lowest crime rates ever, in so many categories – the men and women of the New York City Police Department delivered those under his leadership. The idea that we have not had a successful terrorist attack during that period of time, the effort has gone into the creation of what is certainly, along with the federal government, the foremost kind of terrorism capability in the world – has to be acknowledged and applauded. So I do applaud and understand the shoes that I am stepping into, and the extraordinary department that I have been privileged to now, once again, be given the opportunity to lead by this mayor.

I also want to thank Commissioner Kelly for his personal attention to my coming into this position once again. The transition went incredibly smoothly, as it must, because public safety has to be the first obligation. And the department was totally opened up to my transition team, to ensure that there would be no hiccups in this incredibly important area of public safety. But it went beyond that. To give you a sense of the man, when he came into the building on December 31st, January 1st, to be, like the mayor, sworn in officially – waiting for me, and waiting for my wife Rikki, compliments of Ray Kelly, was a bottle of champagne, with a personal note, "Happy new year, good luck. Ray Kelly." The idea that he would take the time to basically leave that for us, myself, Rikki and I – it's just a reflection of the man that he is. So, I understand who I'm coming in behind.

[Applause]

And now, if I may, if I could speak to our elected leaders, many here, to the public, to the media, and to the cops – and what I want to speak about is shared responsibility. The policing of any community, of any city, is not the sole responsibility of the police. It is a shared responsibility. It is something that we all benefit from, something that we all must contribute to. And in a democracy – and we live in the greatest democracy in the world and we are privileged to do that – the first obligation of government in commitment must be to public safety. But it is not totally the government's responsibility, because democracy is about a shared responsibility.

My commitment to the residents and visitors to the city, to the men and women of this department, to the political leadership which we serve – and in a democracy, make no mistake about it, the police do not act independent of the political leadership – our commitment, my commitment, is that we will do all that we can to ensure a collaboration unlike any that we've ever seen in this city – an essential collaboration, where we all accept responsibility to keep our city safe, to keep our children safe, to keep our families safe. 

I love this profession of policing, but I'm not blinded by the love of that profession to the realities. It is extraordinarily difficult to be a cop in America today. Awesome responsibilities – so that you young people who are just joining, and to those who represent the talents and veterans of this organization. One of the obligations when we take our oath is to ensure that, as we go about the duties and the responsibilities, as the guardians, is that we do it in a way that we – like a doctor, in the oath they take – to the best of our ability, do no harm. 

It is unfortunate – and the mayor has spoken to this certainly during his campaign, it's an issue that I am very concerned about also, and one of the reasons he selected me as police commissioner – that even as this department can celebrate its tremendous record keeping the city safe against terrorism, reducing crime to historic lows, removing so much of the disorder and the chaos that the city exemplified in the 1980s – that we have not really achieved the collaboration that all of that success should have brought about. And it's to the end of trying to find out what happened, why didn't it happen, what is the retraining, what is the refocus, what is the prioritization? How do we go about doing that? But we are not, in the New York City Police Department, going to do that alone.

We are committed to getting it right – to getting a community, all communities, that look to this department as their department, that trust it, that respect it. And to getting every member of this department to look at all communities in this city – no matter what their class, their background, their race – as also deserving of respect. Mr. Mayor, that is my commitment to you. That is my commitment to the residents, the citizens, the visitors to this great city, and that is my commitment to the cops – to the men and women of this department – that we will all work hard to identify, why is it that so many in this city do not feel good about this department that has done so much to make them safe? What has it been about our activities that have made so many alienated? 

And also the cops – as I moved around the department, and I've lived here for the last four years – you really are not celebrating the successes that you have achieved in the way that you should. And I want to find out, why is that? Because you've accomplished so much, and I think some of it is this mystery, if you will, of how – with so much positive occurring – reduced crime, safety from terrorism – where did we disconnect? 

The challenge for all of us is to find that disconnection, and to heal it, and to collaborate together. And that's why I came back. That's why I'm giving up as much as I am – and God knows what my wife is giving up to allow me to do this – but I love this profession, and I love this city, and I love this department. And I want to work with all of you to reach a point in time, with this mayor and his administration, where we can all celebrate together, and we will. I have no doubt about that. I am committed to that, and I'm going to work very hard to ensure that happens.

I am going to close with a paraphrasing of one of Sir Robert Peele's nine principles of policing. He had it so right over a hundred and some odd years ago, in London, when he created the Metropolitan Police, and I referenced it when the mayor announced my appointment. And the words in that nine principles are so true, but let me paraphrase the last, because I think it speaks to the controversy that we are engaged in about stop and frisk – the amount of it was objected to so strongly by so many in the city, that this mayor certainly responded to in his campaign. And I think many of the men and women of this department felt that there was something wrong in that, as we're trying to go about our business, it just was not happening the way it should have. I think we can find the right amount, where we have a safe city, and communities and police that respect each other.

And this ninth principle of the nine principles – the test of police efficiency is the absence of crime and disorder, not the visible evidence of police action in dealing with it, and also the measure and level of trust between the community and its police force.

In Los Angeles, Connie Rice, who's in the front row here, and Chief Beck from Los Angeles – we had an expression in that department that had an incredibly bad history with its minority communities – that we came to understand that you cannot arrest your way out of the crime problem. Certainly, there needs to be a focus on the criminals among us, to keep us safe from them. But we need to look at so many other remedies that are now on the shelf – so many other prescriptions that many of the chiefs in this audience today are experimenting with around the country. We intend to look everywhere to see what everybody else is doing. We intend to share everything we are doing, and we will get it right for this city, for this profession, and this country, and we will achieve the dream that this mayor campaigned on – the idea, instead of two cities, that there is one. And that we are all one together in enjoying the benefits of the greatest city on this planet, and the safety offered by the men and women of the New York City Police Department, which increasingly looks and is like the population of New York City.

Mr. Mayor, thank you for this extraordinary opportunity that you are giving to me. To the men and women of the New York City Police Department, my commitment to you is to tell you our story – to create that story, and to create a story that we can all be proud of, and that at the end of our careers – like the men and women to my right – that you can see that you had a life of significance, that you had a life that matters. And to the men and women to my left, as you begin your careers, to understand that every day you come to work, you can have a life of significance, a life that matters, because every day, you get the opportunity to do good. It doesn't get any better than that. Thank you.

[...]

Mayor: Well, I just want to say – at the end the Q&A about today’s ceremony, I look forward to just taking a few moments to talk about the storm and where we stand. But, first things first, it’s been such an honor to be a part of this swearing-in today. I – you know, I had experience in the last 24 hours in being sworn in, so it’s nice to be on the other side now – swearing a great man in – and I just want to thank the Commissioner once again, for agreeing to serve the city of New York. And I could see in the eyes of folks around the room the warmth and the respect that the men and women of the NYPD have for this leader. So, Commissioner Bratton, welcome home.

Commissioner Bratton: It’s good to be home, sir. Thank you, thank you.

Mayor: With that, we welcome your questions. Yes.

Question: Yes, hi. Commissioner, welcome back, congratulations. 

Commissioner Bratton: There's a few familiar faces in the audience.

Mayor: That’s right.

Question: Yes, Juliet Papa from 1010 WINS. My question is, in your remarks, you talked about the good things the police department does and then the alienation seen in the community and you want to get to the bottom of that – what do you think the problem is there?

Commissioner Bratton: Well, my perspective – a perspective that the Mayor and I share – that, and I used a medical analogy in conversations with him during the campaign – that, because we had similar experiences in Los Angeles, as it relates to the stop-question-frisk issue, which is the issue that crime is down to such extraordinarily low levels in the city versus what it was, that there should – there’s an expectation, or there should be an expectation, that the intrusion of police into citizens’ lives should also diminish. But we have the reverse happening, and this is where Commissioner Kelly – and I’ve got the greatest respect for the commissioner – but we have a divergence of opinion about this issue. I am quite comfortable that we can have less, and achieve the same results. We’ll focus – and Operation Crew Cut is an example of more focus, an extraordinary operation that is really helping to deal with the levels of violence. So it really is a difference of opinion, and the former commissioner, his opinion was that Stop, Question, and Frisk and Operation Impact were the way to go. There is an absolute need for some level of Stop, Question and Frisk. It’s the basic tool of police – your tool is questions – tool of police are also questions. And the mayor and I are in complete agreement on that issue.

Mayor: Let me add one quick thing, and I want to fill out the medical analogy, because I have to say over the last year or two, I’ve turned to Commissioner Bratton for advice and I found him to be a really great teacher. And when he said to me that stop and frisk is like chemotherapy – used in the right dose, it saves lives; used in too strong a dose, it can be dangerous. And I think that is just a beautiful summary of the reality of how we have to get it right. And we will get it right. I have absolute confidence we’re going to get it right. But that’s one of the things that he helped me to understand about where we need to go in policing. All right, I’ll call on others. Yes.

Question: [When you [inaudible] given the NYPD [inaudible]?

Mayor: Yep.

Question: Now that you are in charge, how are you going to expect change that maybe –

Mayor: I’ll start – and then the commissioner knows a lot about this, because he has really been one of the great leaders in this nation on the idea that we have to deepen the connection between police and community, and we have to be up front about the challenges we face. So obviously, within the limits of the law and within the limits of confidentiality, we’re going to look to be as transparent as we can be with every agency. I think it’s not just the methodology that matters – it’s the attitude behind it, it’s the strategic point. We need the people of this city to know that we’re leveling with them. When we do something that isn’t as good as it should be, we need to be comfortable saying we’ve got to do better. When we have more work to do, we have to be comfortable saying that. So I very much believe in transparency when it comes to this agency and every other. Would you like to add?

Commissioner Bratton: If I may, in terms of – I think many of you who I’ve worked with in the past appreciate that I am committed to the greatest degree of interaction, transparency with you as possible. Some things we – you know – just kind of talk about from time to time. But I’d encourage you to check with your colleagues in Los Angeles in the sense of, in that once very secretive department, the relationship between the media and the police department – take a look at its website, the information that’s on that website. I am a great believer in transparency, accessibility. Many of the press in Los Angeles had and still have my personal cell phone number. It was never really abused. Some of you have it. Is Lenny Levitt in the room here? I actually wanted to point out that the fact that Lenny was here – well, there’s a change in and of itself that Lenny – Lenny would be let back in the building. That – and one of the first things I’ll do next week is stop down and stop into the Shack and have a number of you up to the upstairs – take a look at the 14th floor, come up and see what it looks like. It’s a lot to be proud of up there in terms of a lot of the things that have gone on. 

Mayor: Yes.

Question: Lisa Evers from FOX-5. Commissioner, congratulations. And you talked about healing the disconnect between the community and the police department. What do you plan to do to accomplish that?

Commissioner Bratton: Actually, a lot. That – the mayor has made it quite clear, and I’m reinforcing that – that the concerns about a progressive mayor coming in that, basically reining in the police – he has made it quite clear that his concerns are around the issue Stop, Question, and Frisk – and that in all things, we want to do it constitutionally. You’re going to hear this ad nauseam from me: constitutionally, respectfully, compassionately – because that’s what it’s all about. And the idea with the cops – and I like cops, at the same time, I think I know how to talk with them, I know how to lead them – that right now we have a force that really is uncertain about what should it be doing. Should it in fact be engaging? Should it in fact be disengaging? In some respects it’s like the force that I inherited in 1994, which, as you know, many of you that were covering the biz, had become risk-averse for 20 years. They focused all their effort on staying out of trouble. And we asked them to go in harm’s way and they went in harm’s way and they made the city safe. We’re continuing to ask them to go in harm’s way, but to do it in a way that we’re not alienating huge portions of our population. And I think we can, in fact, do that – better training, more focus on the criminals among the general population, and also the public accepting responsibility, that this is a shared mission. Police cannot do it alone. Public safety is not the total responsibility of the police. The public have an obligation – working within their communities, with their kids, with their families – to help us, so that – I think in Los Angeles, one of the reasons I think the mayor hired me was I think we began to really get it in that department, and I’d look to bring many of the things that worked there, here.

Mayor: Okay, go over to this side for one, and then we’re going to go over to this side for a while. Yes?  

Question: [inaudible] 

Commissioner Bratton: Oh sure –

Mayor: Don’t get him started.

Commissioner Bratton: No, and the mayor was – this morning, I had an opportunity to meet a number of them that, some of the chiefs that are up here that – Cathy Lanier from Washington; Chuck Ramsey from Philadelphia; Ed Davis, former commissioner up in Boston; Garry – Garry McCarthy; Charlie Beck, my successor in L.A. – imagine flying 3,000 miles into a snowstorm to be here, so I really credited him with coming in – Connie Rice, who – one of the leading civil rights advocates in California who we worked closely with. She likes to brag to Charlie and I are the only two L.A. police chiefs in the last 40 years she hasn’t sued, because we get along with them. So what are some of the ideas – technology, for one. LAPD’s got some incredible technology. We’ve got incredible technology – Cathy Lanier, things she’s been doing. But more importantly is what they’re all doing to deal with the issue of community. All of those cities have significant minority populations, ethnic populations that – traditionally police and those communities have been at odds with each other. Every one of them is making gains – L.A., Chicago, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia. Every one of them this year had record amounts of crime reduction. And it’s not just because the cops are getting better at solving crime – it’s because the communities in those cities are beginning to work with them. So there’s a – we can have great pride in this city in terms of the things the NYPD does, but it’s only one of many departments. So we are going to be actively sharing and including as we go forward.

Mayor: Let’s go over to this side for a little bit. 

Question: [inaudible]

Mayor: Louder please.

Question: Yeah, hi. Jamie Schram, New York Post – what did you think about all of the anti-Bloomberg rhetoric –?

Mayor: Can we stay on this? I’m sorry, I should have said that. Let’s stay on the topic of the events today and then we’ll go to off-topic after. Yes.

Question: Mr. Mayor, you set yourself up hard during the campaign as the only candidate who supported the Inspector General bill, both parts of the CSA. Where are we on that – along in that process of finding an IG bill, and to what extent will Mr. Bratton play in helping you figure that decision out?

Mayor: Well, you know, I am very much a believer in the legislation that was passed, and we’re going to find an effective inspector general. We’re going to find someone who, by definition, commands public respect and the respect of the men and women of this department. I’m certainly going to discuss the situation with Commissioner Bratton before we make any choices, and seek his input. I want this to be a choice that we all feel good about. Of course, I want to emphasize, the law is right. This individual will serve independently from the commissioner. At the same time, I expect a good and respectful relationship. The commissioner did extraordinary things in Los Angeles. Anyone who has not yet looked into – with some detail – into what he achieved in Los Angeles really needs to, because it is in many ways a model for some of the things that we’re going to be able to do here. But one of the things to remember is he had an independent police commission, he had a mayor, and he had a monitor – and all of that, he worked with very gracefully, very positively, very communicatively. I’ve talked to some of the individuals involved. I’ve heard from their own mouths how positive the relationships were and how everyone made each other better, and that’s what I’d like to see here. Let’s go to the middle. Yes?

Question: Commissioner, congratulations. I’m Marcia Kramer from WCBS-TV. During the last several years there have been a number of – a lot of criticism about the NYPD’s gathering of intelligence and anti-terrorism intelligence, especially in the Muslim community. I’m wondering what your views are about how you can gather that intelligence and how you’ll put your own stamp on anti-terrorism, counterterrorism and things of that nature?

Commissioner Bratton: I think we all agree that the city has been kept safe, in many respects, because of the improved intelligence gathering and analysis capabilities. But like the issue of Stop, Question and Frisk, it is important to understand the parameters that – one, legally you need to operate with – under, here in the city. We have the Handschu issues, and there are certainly the national issues. That’s one of the areas that the mayor has asked that I take a very close look at as I reassert myself back into the NYPD. All that we’re doing, we need to do all of it. That – so, I can’t answer your question in an informed way until I actually get a sense of – and even then, it may take a little while because I have to get my clearances before I can be exposed to – there’s a room in this building I cannot go into because I don’t have the appropriate clearances.

Mayor: We’ll make sure you get that. But I do want to note just –

Question: [inaudible] clearance?

Commissioner Bratton: I’m sorry?

Question: I’m just curious how you get clearance?

Commissioner Bratton: In the process of filling out those applications, my level of clearance will be upgraded fairly quickly, but it – be confident that the appropriate clearances for the exchange of information at all levels of government are, in fact, there. But having had the same experience in New York, in my case, it's a matter of just reactivating the clearances that I once had. 

Mayor: Just to add – I think that the words the commissioner constantly invokes are exactly the right words. This is true of all that we do in policing, and it also refers to the question of our relationship with the Muslim community of this city – large community in this city, growing community in this city. Our efforts will be constitutional, respectful, and compassionate – and that’s going to be the watchword. Let me go over to this side. Yes?

Question: Hello, mayor, Commissioner Bratton. Mario Diaz of WPIX – you described yourself as a change agent during your speech inside of the room beside us. This said, as the stop and frisk discussion obviously goese into the change moving forward. There are currently a number of high-ranking chiefs who helped craft and implement stop and frisk in the city under the previous administration. So change moving forward for you, will it be internal, will it be policy, or all of the above?

Commissioner Bratton: The changes that will be necessary – actually, this is a great question because this is a department that has been in a city administration in terms of its law offices, et cetera, that has been really moving in one direction. Clearly, you have a mayor that has been elected on the idea he’s going to go in another direction, and policing necessarily follows – in terms of some of the policies and procedures that we practice – in those political directions. That’s the way it works in a constitutional democracy. So what we’re going to have to look at very closely is just that issue, in the sense of how do we refocus in a way that we still remain effective, keeping the crime numbers low, keeping the city safe from terrorism – while at the same time ensuring that the concerns of many who feel that they’re being over-policed are in fact addressed in a way that the officers feel that they’re still empowered to do what’s necessary to do, but the community also feels empowered to ensure that they’re not being abused in the process. 

Mayor: Now let’s go to this side, way back.

Question: Commissioner, welcome back to New York. I’m Mitch Lebe from WOR Radio 24/7 News.

Commissioner Bratton: You sound like you – 

Mayor: Yeah, he really does sound like – he’s got the perfect radio voice. Go on.

[Laughter]

Question: Commissioner, just a follow up, with your voice on the monitor – the fact that you'd working with two people looking over your shoulder, a federal monitor and an IG – how do you plan to deal with that? And is that in any way [inaudible]?

Commissioner Bratton: Piece of cake.

[Laughter]

Commissioner Bratton: No, facetious remark – but in Los Angeles, understand, I worked for seven years under the most significant consent decree. The one here in New York, if it goes forward, would not be a consent decree. It’s an imposed monitorship. But the – that one in Los Angeles was huge – 170 some odd some paragraphs. Almost every operation of the department was covered by the consent decree. I had a police commission of five commissioners appointed by the mayor that I reported to. They had their own independent inspector general. And as the mayor has alluded to – that you talk to any of them and our relationship was transparent, it was inclusive. The inspector general – we actually initiated increase of his powers, that he was invited into every crime scene, he was invited into all of my senior staff meetings, he was invited into my disciplinary discussions. He was so successful as inspector general he’s now the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District in Los Angeles, so that – if you commit to make it work, it will work. And the mayor and I, in our discussions – that we will commit to work very closely with this inspector general, and if there is a monitor we will work closely with the monitor. You have to look at it from my perspective – they are shields in some respect that I’m able to stand with. That my police commission, my inspector general, when there were controversial shootings or incidents, the fact that they represented the public and not just the police, it gave great credibility, oftentimes, to our findings, having – relating to shootings or other incidents. Similarly, here – if there are people in those positions that the public comes to trust, that works to the benefit of the Police Department.

Mayor: That’s right. Rich.

Question: Police commissioner, this is Rich Lamb –

Mayor: You have a good radio voice too, Rich.

[Laughter]

Question: Thank you so much. But it's nothing like Mitch’s. Anyway, Mr. Commissioner, given the way that you left this building the last time, what – 

Commissioner Bratton: [Laughs]

Question: – are [inaudible] be back in this building as commissioner? I mean, it's got to be a little mind-blowing.

Commissioner Bratton: It’s – it’s like being away from a home that you were intimate with for 20 years, and then coming back and the place has been totally remodeled. What Commissioner Kelly did in the aftermath of 9/11 in this building, and in this department, is phenomenal. I don’t know how much access that you’ve had to the Real Time Crime Center, the [inaudible], or even up in the commissioner’s office, the conference room capabilities – this is a phenomenal operation, something that I will open up to all of you, because I want the public to understand what has been done. All credit to Commissioner Kelly in terms of his efforts on crime. When I visited the Real Time Crime Center in 2006, I think, as chief of L.A., I immediately flew back and created one in LA. So LA now has, next to New York, the strongest Real Time Crime Center in the country – spent millions of dollars on it. This is a very different place than it was. Terrorism was not an issue when I was commissioner last time. I don’t think I spent 1 percent of my time on terrorism in 1994. Now, based on my briefings last couple of days, it’s 30, 40 percent of my time.

Question: Right, so just to follow up, when you left last time, there was sort of [inaudible] between you and the mayor – Mayor Giuliani. And now you’ve come back in at the top. I mean, is this mind-blowing, surprising, to you?

Mayor: You want him to say mind-blowing, don’t you?

[Laughter]

Commissioner Bratton: It’s – one of the things I pride myself on is always moving forward, and learning from my mistakes. That’s – there’s no denying that the mayor – the previous mayor and I – had our contretemps, that some of which were created by me, that – and I understood going into Los Angeles. The first question that Mayor Hahn asked me – am I going to see a repeat of what happened in New York? Because he was very edgy about that. And I promised him that would not occur. And the fact that he flew 3,000 miles today to be at this ceremony, I think, was reinforcement that I learned from the events of '94, '95. And that’ll help strengthen the relationship with this mayor, because I understand more fully the importance of working collaboratively together so that there are no surprises, that the job gets done much better when we’re working together than when we’re seemingly working in different directions. 

Mayor: Yes.

Question: Kathy Horan, WNYC – how soon do you expect to drop the Floyd appeal and to possibly settle the case?

Mayor: Well, we have to get now to the work of the legal specifics, but I’ve said throughout that we intend to drop that appeal. We just have to figure out the best way now to proceed. But we’ll have certainly word for you on that in the coming days. Yes.
Question: [inaudible] New York Times. We've seen some – very dramatic decrease in crime over the last [inaudible]. But there are still remaining pockets of high crime in the city, particularly in certain neighborhoods in the city. What are your plans for driving crime down further in these areas? What [inaudible] focused on in your first months in the job?

Commissioner Bratton: With the understanding that – literally just getting back into the NYPD, but over the last couple of weeks, the transition, the briefings I’ve been receiving – that in terms of trying to keep the crime levels low, there will be spikes. I’m sorry – it’s going to go up from time to time, but one of the great strengths of the CompStat system in this department is the ability, when it spikes, you get in there very quickly, and find out what’s causing the spike and deal with it – the ability to push it down. That the issue of – for example, the 75 Precinct, I think last year they had 18 homicides. I think in 1990s, they might have been up into the 150s. It was called the killing fields, the 75. It was one of the first precincts I went to do a community meeting in 1994. What I was encouraged by in 1994 in that all-minority – literally all-minority precinct – that the commanding officer was Joe Dunne, a white police inspector. And when I was introduced, I got a nice round of applause. When the congressman of the area at the time was introduced, he got a nice round of applause. When Dunne was introduced, he got a standing ovation from the 500 people in the audience. Why – because he was committed to doing something about the crime issue there. And the idea of going to 150 to – about the figure in 1990 – to 18, I think there were – the average precinct here in Manhattan had that many homicides in 1990 – 18. Some of the precincts here in Manhattan this year had none. So, that – there’s a lot that can be done, and it’s the focus – the Operation Crew Cut, you’re going to see a lot more of that. That is the focusing on these crews who are very different than the gangs I had in Los Angeles. The Crips and the Bloods in Los Angeles and Chicago are very different than the entities creating the crime – violent crime problems, so many of the murders and shootings, particularly in the housing developments in the city. They’re crews. And you’ve given a lot of attention to that and it’s appropriate because that is a magnificent program that will certainly be expanded upon. It will be interweaved more significantly with the narcotics entity. I’ve got about 1,800 detectives working narcotics, a couple hundred detectives working crews. We will grow that initiative, but we will do it very carefully and selectively because it requires a great deal of skill to do those types of assignments. And so there’s a lot of creativity that can be applied here, building on what Commissioner Kelly has already created, and there’s some of the creativity that I can bring in from Los Angeles, Chicago. Garry McCarthy has been doing some phenomenal work in Chicago, not only in knocking his crime numbers down with the gangs, but building community involvement. He’s really into a lot of the new wave of policing, in terms of dealing with the issues of constitutionality and legitimacy. So we’ll be sharing experiences with departments around the country. 

Mayor: I just want to add one point. I really appreciate the fact that the commissioner is focused on some of the challenges we face when it comes to pedestrian fatalities and traffic fatalities. He’s a big believer in the direction that we’re going to take the city in, the Vision Zero concept. He gave a really fantastic speech on – just days before we made the final selection down at – I think it was NYU – on that very topic. And I had the honor of naming our new transportation commissioner, Polly Trottenberg, a few days ago, and I can tell you that Commissioner Trottenberg and Commissioner Bratton are going to become fast friends as they focus on –

Commissioner Bratton: She already lassoed me to the ground last night.

Mayor: See? She’s a forceful leader. And so there’s going to be a real focus on taking on that challenge. It’s not crime necessarily. Some end up being considered criminal incidents, but others are not. But it is a huge public safety problem and an area where we’re really going to focus a lot of energy.

Commissioner Bratton: In reference to that, Mr. Mayor –

Mayor: Please.

Commissioner Bratton:  – just looking at the reports this morning that we’ve had, you know, the beginning of the year, two homicides, and we’ve also had two traffic fatalities. So last year I think the figures were pretty close. I haven’t seen the end-of-year figures – the number of people whose lives are lost in traffic-related incidents – but a life lost is a life lost, that a family grieves, so that intensive focus on traffic issues is going to be one of the areas the mayor has asked us to prioritize.

Mayor: Okay, we’re going to do two more on-topic. I emphasize on-topic.

Question: Commissioner, another one of the criticisms from the department past is misuse of CompStat. You know, the idea that CompStat has been kind of a good idea turned on its head. Numbers have been fudged, misdemeanors have been – sorry, felonies have been labeled misdemeanors. Do you think that the system needs to be looked at? Do you – do you think –

Commissioner Bratton: Coming in as – into an organization, one of the first things you do is  –basically, you audit everything, you take a look at what’s working, what’s not. So even CompStat, something I certainly have an intimacy with from the many departments I’ve worked in, that it has built in checks and balances. If there’s a 3 percent variance either way, there’s an audit team that goes in and looks at every report in a precinct. Have there been precinct captains and maybe some officers that have been foolish enough to play games with the numbers at great risk to their professional careers – unfortunately, that’s occurred, but none of it to the extent that I believe that it would actually impact the overall crime numbers. But you need to keep putting additional safeguards. One of the things I will look at in CompStat is, it’s like – in some respects, it’s like the combustible engine. Can it be refined, can it be improved, can I use less gas to power it, if you will? And you know, I’ve had the opportunity to advise departments around the country these last number of years, so there’s different ideas I can bring back to take a look, is –everything going on under the hood, can we refine it even more? 

Mayor: Sally.

Commissioner Bratton: I’m sorry, Rikki just entered the room, so my eye naturally went off in that direction.

Mayor: That is correct. You did the right thing. Sally.

Question: Hi. What sort of instructions do you plan to give officers regarding stop and frisk, there's been a lot of talk about that. Are you planning any reforms, or any specific things that they’re going to have to do differently? 

Commissioner Bratton: Several things – as the mayor has already indicated, he’s moving to identify an inspector general. That – the uncertainty of the monitor that, although, I’ve met with the individual that was named by the judge that was taken off the case – that we’re going to move as quickly as we can to reassess the policies and procedures, the training that we’re giving. And the quicker there’s an IG – and if there’s to be a monitor, the quicker the monitor – because I don’t want to get three months in, and then the IG comes in and says, oh geez, I don’t think you should be going that way, you should do it that way. Or a monitor coming in with a judge looking over his or her shoulder. So we’ll take a look at what is the current practices, what is the current supervision, what is the current training, and see what refinements we can make. But the quicker we get a resolution of what are the oversight mechanisms going to be, the better for all, because then we’re working together and we can say to the public together that these are the best systems in the country – the police inspector general representing the city government, and if there’s a monitor. 

Question: But do you have any instructions before all of that happens?

Commissioner Bratton: My instructions to the cops, echoing – and the mayor already indicated that – do it constitutionally, do it respectfully, and do it compassionately. You’re dealing with human beings. And that’s what I ask of my cops in anything that they’re doing. And if they make a mistake, we’ll correct it. If they basically do something intentionally wrong, well, we’ll deal with that in a different way.

Mayor: I just want to add to that. I have to tell you, sometimes in life you make a decision, it takes a while to know if it was the right decision or not, and sometimes you find out very quickly. I cannot tell you how many men and women of the NYPD have come up to me spontaneously and thanked me for selecting Bill Bratton as commissioner. He commands tremendous respect from the men and women of this police force. And there is a warmth they feel, because I think it’s quite evident in everything he’s done in his life that he loves being a cop and he believes in the cops and it’s something he’s devoted his life to. So I think the fact that he is going to send that message about doing things in a constitutional fashion, doing them respectfully, doing them compassionately. And I also know something else about him, because I remember talking a day or two ago to you about what your plans were, and it was clear you were raring to go to get out to the precincts, to meet directly with the men and women at the local level, the men and women who make this department work every day. So I know he’ll be doing that. I’m looking forward to joining him on some of those trips. And I think the commissioner is going to get the word out.

Commissioner Bratton: You can come too.

Mayor: You can come too! We’ll even invite you. But I think the commissioner is going to get the word out very clearly. Even before any formal new training efforts are put into place, he’s going to get the word out about what he, as the leader of this agency, expects. All right, now just choreography here, we’re going to do – I have a credit on an off-topic question over here, so we’re going to start over there. We’ll do a few off-topic questions until Phil Walzak says we’ve done enough, and then I’m going to ask at that point – I’ll ask Commissioner Doherty of Sanitation to join Commissioner Bratton and I, and I have a couple words to say. Just hang on a sec, we’ll do that in a moment. I’ll have a couple words to say up front on the storm, and then we’ll see if there’s any immediate questions. So now we’re off-topic for a few minutes, and who do I owe? Okay.

Question: What did you think about all the anti-Bloomberg rhetoric yesterday at the inauguration, and did you know it was coming?

Mayor: I don’t accept the question as stated, respectfully. I made clear my real respect for Mayor Bloomberg. It’s not a secret that I’ve had some disagreements with him on policy, but I honored with a whole heart what he did for this city. And there’s also some areas where I very much agree with him and look forward to continuing his policies, and I delineated that a bit yesterday and I’d done so more beforehand. I appreciated President Clinton’s warm comments about Mayor Bloomberg as well. But I think everyone who spoke at the inauguration spoke from the heart and talked about their own understanding of our city and what we need to do to move our city forward. I’m very comfortable with all that was done. Yes, Grace.

Question: Mayor, we heard from Commissioner Bratton that he hasn’t gotten the full security clearance yet at this point. He was appointed several weeks ago. I’m wondering if there are other members of the staff, newly appointed members, that are still waiting on a security clearance? And then for people who haven’t been officially announced as hires, people in your Press Office who are obviously working with you today, have they gotten the clearance that they need?

Mayor: Grace, I can simply say it this way, everything – as you can see, I’m standing next to one of the great police leaders of this country, and I think what he – he was not trying say to you, he doesn’t have access to the information he needs to do the job – there’s just some formalities that have to be gone through. And different members of the administration will go through that, and it will happen very speedily. So we’re absolutely comfortable that people are getting the information they need, people are doing their work well from the jump here. You’re going to hear about that a little bit more in a moment regarding the storm preparations. But in the first days of the administration, a lot has to happen very quickly. But we’re very proud of the fact that everyone is at their station doing their work and everything is functioning smoothly right now. Yes?

Question: Mayor de Blasio, Susan Candiotti from CNN. Nice to see you, and welcome to Commissioner Bratton. There’s been a lot of talk about this, especially in light of the inauguration yesterday, from people who are wondering when you’d begin implementation of many of your initiatives and social initiatives. There are a lot of – and this applies really to police policy – policing policies as well – a lot of liberals and progressive liberals, Democrats, will be watching very closely to see how your success may help candidates in future years and those seeking higher office in years to come, depending on how well your initiatives perform. Can you respond to that? 

Mayor: I want our initiatives to perform well. I mean, I see it the other way around. I respect the question, but let me just put it the other way around. We have a job to do. And what I was talking about yesterday is the very tangible work we have to do. Yes, I framed it in a larger vision. I framed it in moral terms as well, but it’s about actual, functional work we have to do every single day. It’s about keeping people safe, bringing police and community back together. There’s a lot of very tangible, practical things that will allow us to do that. It is about, for example, I mentioned the paid sick leave law that we’re going expand upon. That’s going to be a high priority to get that updated law passed so people who are sick don’t lose a day’s pay or a week’s pay, so families are not dislocated. It’s not about the theory, it’s about the practice. And so people in this city – I’ve got one, simple constituency – 8.4 million New Yorkers. And if they see us moving forward, if they’re feeling the effects of this change, that’s what it’s all about. If others elsewhere take some good lessons from us, that’s gratifying. I’ll tell you another thing, all you have to do is listen to this man to recognize we’re all learning from each other all the time. And I look forward to – as I did in Washington a few weeks ago – learning from other mayors around the country, what’s working well for them and how we can get this job done practically for the people in New York City. Michael.

Question: Mr. Mayor, could you give us a flavor of your first morning in City Hall today? I was wondering –

Mayor: The flavor was strawberry. Oh, no, wait, you didn't – you meant it a different way. I actually did have strawberries in my breakfast, so that – I was more apropos than I realized. Look, it’s a powerful moment. I went to sleep knowing exactly what was ahead of us. I went to sleep, as Commissioner Doherty will appreciate, with visions of snow in my head, and especially aided by Monsignor Romano’s constant invocation during his invocation of – or evocation in the invocation of snow. So I woke up thinking about the immediate task at hand. We had a senior staff meeting at City Hall this morning with the deputy mayors and with our incoming Corp Counsel, Zack Carter, our incoming – or our now Budget Director Dean Fuleihan and some other of our City Hall staff, and we got right to work talking about what we had to do this week, talking about the preparations around the snow storm. And then I went over and visited the sanitation department command center. So we’ve been in a very operational mode already today.

Question: Are there any mementos you brought in to start personalizing space or are you working out of the office –

Mayor: We’re in such an operational mode that we have not had time for mementos yet. I’m thrilled I was offered the opportunity to bring Fiorello LaGuardia’s desk back into City Hall, and I gratefully accepted, so I’m honored that in my office, I have the very positive influence of the desk of the greatest mayor that this city has ever known. But really, honestly, from moment one this morning, it is about getting the job done operationally. There’ll be a day for decorating. There’ll be a day when things calm down, but I’ll be a lot calmer when the storm system blows out to sea, I’ll tell you that much.

Phil: One or two more, guys.

Mayor: One or two more. Yes? Right there, yes, young lady. I’m going to call you young. You have a lovely aquamarine scarf there. 

Question: [inaudible] Congratulations.

Mayor: Thank you.

Question: John Miller is coming back to serve [inaudible] – what will his role be exactly?

Mayor: I just want to start by saying I’m very excited that he’s joining us. I think he brings tremendous expertise. And I also know that the partnership that Commissioner Bratton has with Mr. Miller is extraordinary, and I believe in that kind of teamwork, so I’m really excited that he’s joining us. But let me let the expert speak.

Commissioner Bratton: We are very fortunate that John is coming back in. He’ll be coming in – starts on Monday, actually, as the deputy commissioner for Counterterrorism. He’ll also be working very closely with the intelligence entities in the department. And he’ll be more than that – he’ll be one of my key advisors, as you might expect. John and I have known each other now over 20 years, in a number of professional and personal capacities. He was the deputy commissioner for Public Information here. I brought him out to L.A. where he created a very formidable counterterrorism operation. Next to the LA – excuse me, next to the NYPD – probably the most significant counterterrorism operation in the country. And he did that in a very short period of time. He was then recruited by the head of the FBI – Bob Mueller at that time, to become an assistant director at the FBI, where he spent several years. And then he was recruited by the head of DNI to go to work at DNI. So to give you a sense of – 

Mayor: Tell them what DNI is.

Commissioner Bratton: The Department of National Intelligence – so, John was in the inner, inner sanctums of government on the issues of gathering of intelligence and the analysis of it. So he’s extraordinarily conversant with inside and outside. His role will actually be the envy of any one of you in the sense that there’s really nobody that doesn’t take his call. He’s going to be a phenomenal addition to this department and to this city’s security.

Mayor: And you cannot have his rolodex. One more to this side, yes.

Question: Thank you Mr. Mayor. Commissioner Bratton, first, Jonathan Dienst from NBC. I wanted to ask Commissioner Bratton if he has an update on the threats coming from the Pakistan Taliban, that they have been plotting to strike New York, at least their leaders are claiming that, in retaliation for recent drone strikes. And Mr. Mayor, if I can follow up with you regarding the question here, there were some critics who say that some of the rhetoric like the use of the plantation term was somewhat offensive. Do you have any concerns about that, and were these speeches vetted by your staff in advance? Thank you.

Commissioner Bratton: That – I had – continuing in the tradition of Commissioner Kelly in that – both yesterday and this morning I had the briefings by the Counterterrorism Deputy Commissioner, Intelligence Deputy Commissioner, that I can’t speak to – as you might appreciate – of the specifics of what you’re referencing. But, I have in fact been briefed on the state of the world, if you will, that – and we’ll continue to follow that practice. Miller will be very involved in that coordination when he gets back on Monday. And so again, no direct threats at us at this juncture, but- 

Question: [inaudible]

Commissioner Bratton: I’m sorry?

Question: So that’s just rhetoric then, coming from –

Commissioner Bratton: I’m not going to speak to the validity, if you will, at this time, in terms of the discussions I’ve had about it. 

Mayor: Yeah, just to state very clearly – you know, the individuals, the clerics, who gave remarks, I want to thank them all for their service to our city – each and every one of them serves as chaplains to city agencies that protect us. And I respect each and every one of them, and their right to say that which they feel is appropriate. So again, I am very comfortable with everyone’s remarks yesterday, and I think the ceremony represented the positive aspiration of New Yorkers for a more just city. 

With that, I’m going to ask Commissioner Doherty to come up and join us. We’ve got the dream team here. We can take on any storm anywhere. So let me give you a couple updates. Commissioner, if there’s anything I leave out or could say better, you will jump in, and then we’ll welcome some questions. 

So, as I said, it would have been nice to have a nice, calm first day, but we have snow on our mind, and we are focused like a laser on protecting the people of this city and getting everyone ready. 

We’re going to have a more detailed briefing for you a little later in the afternoon at the Office of Emergency Management. But I want to say from the beginning, the meeting I had this morning with our deputy mayors and other key leaders of the administration, and we were very focused in that meeting. I have to commend Commissioner Doherty and his extraordinary team at sanitation. You just have to spend a little time in that command center to see some tremendous professionals at work. They are focused, they are ready, they had their game faces on and it’s extraordinary how much is already being done on the ground to prepare for this storm. 

We, of course, want to say from the outset – we understand that weather conditions are unpredictable. In the last hours we’ve heard a little progress. The numbers seem to be going, in terms of the number of projected inches, going down a little. We sound like now we’re in the five inch to 10 inch of snow range. That’s a lot better than what we were hearing a few hours back. But that could change again, so we’re going to be ready for that and more.  We’re talking regularly with state government. I’ve spoken to Governor Cuomo yesterday about the situation. We’re in touch with regional transportation agencies. The Department of Sanitation did call a snow alert beginning at 1 am this morning.

 And just a couple of very practical updates. I don’t drive myself anymore, but when I used to drive myself this was the one update I wanted to know the most – alternate side of the street parking is suspended today. Can’t say that enough times in this city – alternate side is suspended today. But do note that Sanitation crews not required for snow clearance and snow-related activities will continue to collect garbage and recycling today. Again, commissioner, you’ll correct any – with any updates when you come up.  And as always, sanitation is making its best efforts to continue its everyday responsibilities while preparing. 

As everyone knows, children everywhere need to know that schools are open today and buses have been running as normal. 450 large and smaller salt spreaders have been loaded – 450 salt spreaders have been loaded – have been out salting in the appropriate locations today. Salt spreaders are being deployed whenever there is accumulation of up to two inches, and they can both salt and, of course, be turned into plows when needed. Plows have been attached to 1,700 collection trucks in order to clear snow from the city’s 6,000 miles of streets. That will keep you up at night – 6,000 miles of street. And PlowNYC, on the website- on the city website, PlowNYC is activated today, so the public can track where snow-clearing equipment has serviced in their area.

Now, some updates for the people of our city – and I asked my friends in the media to please help get the word out to the people on these important points – regardless of the number of inches of snow we get, one thing we know for certain, it’s going to be very cold – unusually cold. And we have to be cognizant of what that means for a number of New Yorkers. I want everyone to please keep an eye out for their neighbors. If you have neighbors, particularly senior citizens who might need a little extra help, if you know of anyone who is disabled and might need a little extra help, please look out for your neighbors. Please make sure they’re warm. If they need extra help, please do what you can or alert the city so we can help. 

The homeless population that’s on our streets faces special threats in these coming days. If you have contact with anyone who is homeless and is not in a shelter, encourage them to come into shelter in these next days. Encourage them to get to someplace where it is safe and warm. And we’ll be working closely with the Department of Homeless Services – and I have to say this is an area where the NYPD does great work every day – try and make sure the homeless individuals realize that shelter is available to them. 

I want to remind people, anyone who’s commuting this evening, if you’re commuting home, please take extra care. It’s going to be cold. It could be icy. We want people to take extra care, take it slow getting home. If you have the option of mass transit, please use that option. If you have the option of leaving a little earlier, please do so. I want to note – and I got a great example of this earlier at sanitation – the best thing we can do as New Yorkers is to get off the streets this evening so sanitation has the optimal conditions in which to work. This is the finest sanitation department anywhere in the country. They do extraordinary work in emergency situations, but the one thing they need us to do is to get out of the way so they can do their work. So if you don’t need to drive this evening, don’t drive. Stay home, and let these professionals get to work to make sure everything will be good for tomorrow morning. The Office of Emergency Management will be fully functional and ready.  Again, not only snow expected but ice, snow drifts, strong winds – a lot of different features that we have to be ready to deal with. 

n addition to the two agencies represented here, the sanitation department and NYPD – again we’re working closely with the Fire Department, with the MTA, OEM – all of the agencies that respond to crisis. We are closely coordinating with our social service agencies. As I mentioned, the Department of Homeless Services, also the Housing Authority and HPD to make sure that people who are in situations where there may not be enough heat know that they have support and they have options. So we have, literally, all hands on deck. I want to thank our First Deputy Mayor Tony Shorris, who is in the back there, for coordinating all these efforts, from moment one this morning. As I’ve said when I announced his appointment, he is no stranger to crises, including his time as executive director of the Port Authority, so he is leading effectively and ensuring that all of the agencies are closely coordinated and we are ready for whatever hits us. 

Commissioner, if there’s anything I’ve missed, I’d like you to take a moment to fill it in.

Commissioner John Doherty, Sanitation: No, I’d just like to point out the most important thing that was said – and I want to reinforce it – is to get the word out to the public – please, stay off the roads, get home early, and even people that want to go for a walk later this evening should really think seriously about it. With this temperature dropping, and the winds picking up, visibility is going to be very bad out there and temperatures are going to be very low. So I’m not only concerned about plowing the streets and everything open as much as possible for tomorrow morning – we also have to consider lives out there on the street, and people have to be aware of that. Their own safety and the safety of their friends is very important during a storm like this, and it can’t be said strongly enough. Please, stay indoors, stay home, get through the storm. We’ll see what tomorrow brings us and we’ll handle it from that point on. 

Mayor: So again, we feel absolutely confident in the city’s preparations, and we’re going to be ready for whatever comes, but I cannot say that strongly enough – please stay home tonight. If you have any option to, please stay home tonight. And stay off the roads so the people who are here to keep them clear can do their work. With that, let’s take a few questions.
Dave.

Question: Mayor, [inaudible] school in session today. Two things – what is your thought process about possibly closing the schools tomorrow, and also given your criticism a few years ago about how that blizzard was handled in 2010, how much do you feel like we have to get this right, given your criticism, now that it’s your responsibility?

Mayor: I don’t feel we have to get this right because of my past criticism. I feel we have to get this right because I’m mayor of the city of New York and because we’re all devoted to protecting our people. We have to get it right, there’s no question about it. And that’s why there is extraordinary readiness here. We’re not taking anything lightly. We know that a number of inches may go up or it may go down, we know the winds may be stronger or weaker, but we know we have to be ready. And I want to give very consistent messages to the people of this city – take this seriously, make preparations, stay in tonight, get off the roads tonight, so we can make sure that tomorrow will be as smooth as possible. 

Question: What about the schools tomorrow –

Mayor: Schools is going to be, by definition, a game-time decision. We have until the early morning hours to make that final – and I mean early morning hours. Tony Shorris and I may not get a lot of sleep tonight as we want to see, down to the last moment, what makes sense. It’s not something you do lightly. We don’t close schools lightly. We’ll watch as this develops and we’ll make a decision in the early morning hours tonight. 
Grace.

Question: Mayor, you’ve spoken about past snowstorms, you’ve talked about waiting for days for your own street to get plowed.

Mayor: I remember it vividly.

Question: Have you given the sanitation commissioner any specific instructions about priorities in terms of plowing the streets, specifically in boroughs outside Manhattan? 

Mayor: I have tremendous respect for this commissioner and again I was very heartened by seeing the readiness of his team today. We spent a lot of time today, in fact, looking at different parts of the city that we think might be particularly in need of support if this storm hits harder, and we talked specifically about making sure that resources were there – in parts of Queens, for example, that might be particularly important to focus on – the Rockaways, for example. So I have said throughout my recent experiences, I believe government needs to serve all five boroughs equally. And that begins today with this storm. We’re going to make sure the resources are sent where the need is, regardless of which borough that is in. 
Yes, Mark.

Question: Mayor, where do you plan to manage the city from throughout the course of the storm and how constantly can we expect updates from your office? 

Mayor: We’re going to give you an update in a couple hours at OEM, and then as we see anything change and evolve, we’re going to be constantly giving you additional updates. I’m going to be making sure that I’m very close to the action later on tonight as we go into tomorrow. So anytime we think something has changed that we need to communicate to the people of this city, we’ll at that moment immediately alert all of you and give you updates. But this is going to be, for me, a very hands-on experience. 

Question: So does that mean you’ll be here in the city throughout, or will you be in Brooklyn during the course of the storm?

Mayor: Well, you know, some people use the phrase "the city" in different ways. 

[Laughter]

Question: Will you be at City Hall, or will you be in Brooklyn?

Mayor: It will depend on what’s going on at any given hour. It would be nice to go home and sleep a bit tonight in Brooklyn, but it will all depend on what happens. So depending on what we see, I may have a long night in Manhattan. But any way you slice it, I intend to be on top of the action and I intend to be where the problems are occurring so I can see for myself. 
Marcia.

Question: Mr. Mayor, during the snowstorm in 2010, there were problems with ambulances getting out –

Mayor: Yes.

Question: And fire trucks getting out. I wonder if you’ve taken any special measures to guarantee that doesn’t happen again?

Mayor: Well – that's the – please.

Question:  – you’re mindful of the fact that snowstorms have tripped up previous mayors –

Mayor: I didn’t hear about that. 

Question: – I wonder, you know, how you feel about it, what your nightmares are about it, what –

Mayor: Never heard about John Lindsay or Jane Byrne or any of those people. Look, before you even think about the politics or anything else, the bottom line is this is our job. You know, one of the things I said in the inaugural speech yesterday – and I meant it – is a lot of my life has been in the service of New York City. The first thing we do is we protect people’s lives, we keep the streets safe and clear, and we have very fundamental material obligations to the people of the city. So this is – anyone who chooses to run for this particular job I hold now comes here to protect people, just like these gentlemen do, and so we’re going to make sure that the streets are being attended to, so that we have those safe routes for ambulances. That’s why I want to emphasize, and Commissioner Doherty’s team is entirely on top of this, but we need the people of the city to participate. You know, Commissioner Bratton said earlier, that just like public safety, it's a situation of mutual responsibility – we need the people of the city to help us keep the city safe. Well tonight, we need the people of the city to help us keep the streets clear. If the people of the city, to the maximum extent humanly possible, stay home tonight, then the good men and women of the sanitation department will keep these streets clear so emergency vehicles can get by. 
Sally.

Question: In 2010, one of the issues was that there wasn’t an emergency order declared, so cars weren’t told – I guess they were told to stay off the streets in a press briefing, but not officially. What’s the protocol for declaring something like that now? [inaudible]

Mayor: It obviously always depends on specific circumstances. There’s no perfect mathematical formula or algorithm. It’s a combination of factors. Remember that storm in 2010 – the snow accumulated in a particularly fast manner. That was one of the challenges that was – that had not been seen so frequently before. We’re looking at all the factors here – the snow, the wind, the ice, the temperature – and we’ll keep a close look at all those and decide if we think the current measures we’re taking are enough or if we think we have to do more. Again, at this moment, the last couple hours, the news has gotten a little better. But that doesn’t mean we’re not going to be one hundred percent vigilant. So again, commissioner, at any point add, or clarify, if there’s anything I’m missing, but I think the point here is we’re going to look at every measure we have to take. I think an emergency declaration of the type you’re talking about is in the most extreme circumstances. Obviously, we’re hoping here that we do not have one of those situations. 

Commissioner Doherty: One comment I would add, though, is that for the drivers in city – and we’re asking everybody to stay off the road – I fully expect that tomorrow morning there’ll be no alternate side parking either. So people can get their cars parked and leave them there, and not be concerned about moving it in the morning. I mean, even if we get three or four inches, I’m not going to be out sweeping the streets, I’m going to be canceling alternate side parking. So people should be relieved about that. Leave your car where it is. Don’t be driving if you don’t have to. 

Walzak: Last question, guys.

Mayor: I’m going to emphasize that point again. As a very recent former motorist, leave your car where it is. It will be safe. No alternate side parking tomorrow. 
Last question, yes.

Question: [inaudible]

Mayor: Why not? Let’s be different. 

Question: Would you be willing to assess state funding, instead of Albany passing a tax increase?

Mayor: I’ve been very clear about this. This is a five-year plan. It has to be sustained. We need all of the resources that we’ve asked for in order to sustain it, and the only way to do that is with a very specific and dedicated tax on those who make a half million or more. That’s our mission and we’re committed to it. All right. Have we covered it all? Alright, thank you everyone, and very happy new year to you. 

Question: Have you signed any executive orders?

Mayor: We signed some executive orders just continuing the basic function of government and the previous executive orders that had to stay in place.