The New York Police Department is ending its work stoppage. The controversial move was stopped after a few weeks.
The work stoppage started as a result of tensions between the NYPD and Mayor Bill de Blasio. After de Blasio made comments seen as anti-police and the deaths of two officers, the NYPD instituted a work slowdown as a response. Arrests were down 60 percent and tickets issued went down by double digits as well.
Police commissioner Bill Bratton at first denied there was a work slowdown. Now he admits there was one, but it’s over now.
“The slowdown is over in the sense that the numbers are starting to go back up again. I anticipate by early next week that the numbers will return to their normalcy,” said Bratton.
“We are pleased with the fact that officers are beginning to reengage again,” added Bratton.
One possible reason for the slowdown’s end was a threat that cops couldn’t go on vacation if the stoppage continued.
“Police officers around the city are now threatened with transfers, no vacation time and sick time unless they write summonses,” said a police union source.
Another aspect to the slowdown was financial. New York City was losing $10 million a week as a result of the lack of ticket revenue.
Some critics insist that the slowdown actually was a benefit, since people weren’t being ticketed for minor infractions like double parking, so police could focus on reducing major crimes. Bratton insists the “broken windows” policy of ticketing for small offenses reduces crime overall
“The whole thesis of ‘broken windows’ is: If over time you don’t address an issue, over time it will create a larger issue,” said Bratton.
