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History The New York City Police Department was established in May of 1845, which along with the Boston Police Department, was among the first modern police forces in the United States. The NYPD was closely modeled after the Metropolitan Police Service in London, which in turn used a military-like organizational structure, with rank and order. Throughout the years, the NYPD has dealt with a number of riots in New York City, including the 1863 Draft Riots. Early in its history, the NYPD was used as political tool, with positions awarded by politicians to loyalists. Around the turn of the century, the NYPD began to professionalize under leadership of then Police Commissioner, Theodore Roosevelt. The Lexow Committee made some reform recommendations, suggesting a civil service system. The NYPD also began to emphasize training, and took advantage of technological innovations such as fingerprinting. Scandals and corruption The NYPD has been the focus of prominent scandals. Corruption in the department is investigated by Internal Affairs. From the mid 1990s to the early 2000s, corruption seemed to be less of a public concern than several instances of unnecessary or illegal use of force. Many of these incidents involved black victims, which led to allegations of racism within the department. Difficulties The economic downturn of the 1970s led to some extremely difficult times for the city. The Bronx, in particular, was plagued by arson, and an atmosphere of lawlessness permeated the city. In addition, the city's financial crisis led to a hiring freeze on all city departments, including the NYPD, from 1976 to 1980. This was followed by the crack epidemic of the late 1980s and early 1990s that may have caused the city's homicide rate to soar to an all-time high. By 1990, New York set a record of 2,245 murders, a record that has yet to be broken by any US major city. Petty thefts associated with drug addiction were also increasingly common. On September 11, 2001, 23 NYPD officers were killed when the World Trade Center collapsed due to terrorist attacks. That was more lives lost than in any other year in the NYPD's history. Historically, the NYPD has suffered from numerous allegations of corruption. However, as the many commissions convened to inquire about these matters have shown, these instances of corruption reflect far greater on the individuals involved then they do on a systemic form of corruption. In fact, taking the instances of corruption statistically when compared to the sheer numbers of the department as a whole, the NYPD actually has a lower corruption rate than many other departments. Most commissions convened to inquire about the source of the corruption blame low morale and chronically low salary as largely contributing factors. Gun control problems in the city came to the forefront during the last two weeks of 2005, when two officers were shot to death by criminals using illegal weapons. Most of these weapons come from the south, through the Interstate 95 * which has been called the "iron pipeline". Successes In recent years, the NYPD has overseen a great reduction in the amount of crime in the city. While there are many theories on why the city's and the nation's crime rate has dropped so substantially (see legalized abortion and crime effect and crime prevention through environmental design for examples of alternate theories) many credit the NYPD's CompStat (computerized database of crime statistics) approach. The Compstat program, introduced under then-Commissioner Bill Bratton and Mayor Rudy Giuliani in the 1990s, uses data about crime rates and arrests to evaluate police precincts and commands. COMPSTAT assists the department in understanding where most crimes occur, which allows them to dedicate extra resources to that area. (Critics claim that city officials deliberately misclassify reports or harass victims into not making reports to keep these numbers artificially low.) Other observers credit Mayor Giuliani's strategy to encourage the NYPD to crack down on minor "quality of life" crimes such as turnstile jumping, squeegee men, panhandling, etc. He believed that a crackdown on these types of crime would give the police an opportunity to search more suspects, thereby taking guns and drugs off the street and contribute to the public perception that New York City was a lawful environment where crime was not tolerated. Supporters of this approach say that the reduced crime rate shows his approach to be correct, however others point to the nationwide reduction in crime over the same time period as evidence that demographic changes in the United States caused crime rates to drop, not NYPD specific approaches like COMPSTAT. Salary issues Pay for new officers fell precipitously in the latest contract negotiations, and new hires now earn $25,100, the lowest since 1985. Upon the completion of the Police Academy (six months), the annual salary increases to $32,700. Adjusted for inflation, this is the lowest pay in history for rookie NYPD cops. Top pay for experienced officers is $59,588. Nearby departments pay considerably more, up to $50,000 for new hires or over $90,000 for experienced (see ''Daily News'' article). Over the years, hundreds of city officers have left for higher paying jobs with other agencies, including the Nassau County Police Department, the Suffolk County Police Department, and the Port Authority Police of New York and New Jersey.• Large numbers of NYPD officers have also migrated to the New York City Fire Department, where, even though pay is almost the same, work schedules are more attractive and relations with the public are more amicable. Contract changes in 2006, however, now forbid the prior practice of allowing police officers joining the fire department to transfer their seniority for compensation purposes. With all new firefighters now compelled to begin working at the same starting pay, the number of NYPD officers "rolling over" to the FDNY is likely to fall dramatically. Organization
Ranks of the NYPD
Structure Patrol Services Material in the Patrol Services section is drawn from NY City Website (http://www.nyc.gov/html/nypd/html/bureau.html) - 11/5/05 Patrol Boroughs For management purposes, police precincts are grouped collectively based on their jurisdiction into Patrol Boroughs. There are eight Patrol Boroughs. They are: Manhattan North, Manhattan South, Brooklyn North, Brooklyn South, Queens North, Queens South, Bronx, and Staten Island. Each comprise a number of Police Precincts. Police Precincts Each Patrol Borough is comprised of precincts. Each precinct is responsible for safety and law enforcement within a designated geographic area. Police units based in these precincts patrol and respond to emergencies. Staten Island currently has three precincts: the 120, 122, and 123. A 122 satellite precinct opened in December 2005 adjacent to the Staten Island Mall on Richmond Avenue. Special Operations Division Message from the Chief - The Special Operations Division is here to support, coordinate, monitor and record the activities of its five sub-units. It provides resources, support and staff, enabling them to accomplish their respective missions. The S.O.D. executive staff responds to critical and emergency situations to insure that all units concerned work together to resolve such incidents safely and efficiently. Through our Aviation Unit we provide fast life saving air-borne response, and invaluable aerial observation capabilities. Our Emergency Service Unit is staffed by some of the most highly trained officers and equipped with state of the art life saving and emergency equipment. Emergency Service K-9 is one of the largest and most professional K-9 units in the country. The Harbor Unit responds to waterborne incidents with all the latest emergency equipment and expertise. Their Scuba team is highly respected, and coupled with Aviation give New Yorkers the only air-sea rescue operation ready to respond twenty fours hours a day in the Tri-State area. Anti Graffiti Vandalism Unit has and continues to make great strides to rid New York of the destruction and vandalism of public and private property. We are a resource ready to assist other units of the N.Y.P.D., here to deliver the best police services in the world, to the capital of the world, New York City. Aviation Unit Based at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn, the Aviation Unit responds to various emergencies and tasks, supporting Patrol as well as other units of the N.Y.P.D. From deploying divers during air-sea rescues to placing officers atop hi-rise buildings during emergencies, the Aviation Unit is vital to the NYPD in providing New York City with the fastest and most professional response available. The Aviation Unit consists primarily of helicopters. Emergency Service Unit The Emergency Service Unit and the Canine Unit provide specialized equipment, expertise and support to the various units within the NYPD. From auto accidents to building collapses to hostage situations, "ESU" officers are called on when the situation requires advanced equipment and expertise. The Canine Unit provides assistance during searches for missing persons, perpetrators and evidence. The NYPD does not have a traditional S.W.A.T. unit as most law enforcement agencies in the United States have. The Emergency Service Unit qualifies in the role of a S.W.A.T. unit and much more. The "ESU" is the multifaceted and multitalented element of the NYPD. Members of "ESU" are some of the most highly trained experts of the Department, with abilities that include handling heavy weapons to securing dangerous animals such as full grown tigers kept in public housing apartments. They are also trained in ROCO high angle rope rescue as well as tactical rappelling and fast rope use. 14 of the 23 NYPD officers who died on September 11th, 2001 were from ESU. They are considered the 911 for members of the Department. Harbor Unit On March 15, 1858 five members of the New York City Police Department rowed out into New York Harbor to combat piracy aboard merchant ships lying at anchor. The NYPD Harbor Unit has existed ever since, protecting life and property. Taxi Squad On October 19, 1999, the S.O.D. Taxi Squad was established as a separate unit that reports directly to the Special Operations Division of the New York City Police Department. The general mission of the Taxi Squad is of plainclothes, anti-crime assignment. Task Forces The task forces are organized within each Patrol Borough and specialize in rapid mobilization for disorder control. The task forces can quickly respond to an incident location and mobilize to a precision suppression force to disperse disorderly groups and provide perimeter security. The task forces also assist patrol units in a variety of different elements such as in wide area searches for missing persons, DWI vehicle checkpoints, and supplemental patrol in high crime areas. School Safety Division The mission of the School Safety Division is to provide a safe environment, conducive to learning, where students and faculty can be free from hostility and disruptions which could negatively impact on the educational process. Crime Statistics The Crime Statistics Bureau produces statistics on weekly, monthly and yearly bases. They are organized by precinct, borough and city. NYC Crime Statistics http://www.nyc.gov/html/nypd/html/pct/cspdf.html Auxiliary Police
Transit Bureau The NYPD Transit Bureau is a separate branch of the NYPD that patrols and responds to emergencies within the New York City transit system. Its responsibility includes the NYC Subways in Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens. However, certain units with citywide responsibilities -- such as the Homeless Outreach Unit -- also fall within the purview of the Transit Bureau. The Transit Bureau is divided into Transit Borough Commands. These Borough Commands generally follow the boundaries of the City's geographical boroughs, although there are some notable exceptions. Since there are no subways on Staten Island, there are only four Transit Boroughs: Queens, Bronx, Brooklyn, and Manhattan. Each Transit Borough is further divided into Transit Districts. As a general rule, each Borough is commanded by an Inspector while Transit Districts tend to be commanded by Captains. The NYPD Detective Bureau investigates all crimes that occur in Transit. Each borough office has assigned detectives from the Detective Bureau similar to the Precinct Detective Squad. As of June 15, 2006 all detectives assigned to investigate transit crimes will fall under a unified command Central Robbery of the Detective Bureau's Fugitive Enforcement Division. Housing Bureau The Housing Bureau is responsible for providing the security and delivery of police services to 420,000 residents, employees and guests of public housing (projects) throughout New York City. They are stationed in Police Service Areas (PSA), which are almost identical to police precincts, with nine PSAs in total located throughout the five boroughs. Officers often do vertical patrols, making sure illegal activity does not take place in the halls, stairways, or the roof. Highway Patrol Line of Duty Deaths From Dec 25, 1806 to as of March 19, 2006, the NYPD has lost 745 officers in the line of duty. Those officers were from agencies that were absorbed or became the modern NYPD and from the modern department. The New York City Police Department is composed of the following independent agencies and/or components that have suffered Line of Duty Deaths: The cause of death break-down is as follows: Line of duty deaths and the Black Liberation Army The following Officers from the NYPD were killed by members of the Black Liberation Army: The Black Liberation Army was the military wing of the Black Panther Party. An African American group that attempted to fight for independence from the United States government in the late 1960's and early 1970's. The BLA was responsible for the murders of more than 10 police officers around the country. They were also responsible for violent attacks around the country that left many police officers wounded. Source: The Officer Down Memorial Page (http://odmp.org/agency.php?agencyid=2758) NYPD Medals
Affiliations The department is affiliated with the New York City Police Museum. "United Response: Commemorating 9/11" opens Sunday, September 10th, at the New York City Police Museum, located at 100 Old Slip, between Water and South Streets. Normally closed on Sundays, the museum will be open on the 10th from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission that day, as well as on September 11th, will be free to all. The department also runs a Summer Youth Police academy to provide positive interaction with police officers and to educate young people about the challenges and responsibility of police work. Fictional portrayals The NYPD is behind perhaps only cowboys and gangsters in terms of public fascination, as measured by movie and television treatments. Over the years, countless fictional or fictionalized portrayals of the department have emerged into popular culture See also | |||||||||||||||||
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