Rudy Giuliani knows who he’d like to see as the city’s next police commissioner: He’s already hired and fired him.
The former mayor threw his weight behind Bill Bratton on Thursday during a breakfast hosted by the National Law Enforcement and Firefighters Children’s Foundation at Bryant Park Grill.
“Bill has been active in law enforcement and security without interruption since the time he was police commissioner,” Giuliani said.
“It’s something he loves. It’s something I know that’s deep in his soul. It’s a passion. He’s an exceptional law enforcement leader and I see why he’d be considered.”
Bratton, who served as NYPD commissioner from 1994 to 1996, is most famously remembered for the “broken windows” approach to policing that aggressively cracked down on minor crimes.
He also instituted the CompStat system of tracking crime. Both are credited with cutting in half the out-of-control crime rate in the city where murders exceeded 2,000 a year.
After only two years Giuliani forced out Bratton. It was widely acknowledged Giuliani felt the commissioner was becoming too much of a celebrity receiving all the credit for the city becoming safer.
But Giuliani made it clear his feelings about Bratton — who served as the LAPD’s police chief from 2002 to 2009 — had changed.
“Would he make an excellent police commissioner? Of course he would. He already has,” Giuliani said.
The former mayor also had kind words for Chief of Department Philip Banks, who is said to be on the short list of potential commissioners.
“He’s a terrific candidate,” said Giuliani.
“You have a choice between someone that’s newer and has a bunch of new ideas like Chief Banks — who’s an excellent choice — or someone like Bill Bratton who’s been in New York and Los Angeles.”
Rumors have been swirling for months about who Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio will select to run the NYPD.
De Blasio has already met with Bratton. First Deputy Commissioner Rafael Pineiro is also rumored to be under consideration for the job.
De Blasio has been tight-lipped about the search for the city’s next top cop, but has said he is confident in the quality of candidates.
Throughout his mayoral campaign de Blasio made it clear he would not retain Kelly, in large part because of Kelly’s support of controversial stop-and-frisk police tactics.
For his part the outgoing commissioner wasn’t interested in the speculation about who will take over his job.
“I have no thoughts on my successor,” he said.
