New York City Police Department

File:NYPD Police officer (48529090452).jpg

NYPD Police officer in uniform at the US Women's Soccer Team ticker-tape parade in 2019

The New York City Police Department (NYPD), officially the City of New York Police Department, is the primary law enforcement agency within New York City. Established on May 23, 1845, the NYPD is the largest, and one of the oldest, municipal police departments in the United States.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The NYPD is headquartered at 1 Police Plaza, located on Park Row in Lower Manhattan near City Hall. The NYPD's regulations are compiled in title 38 of the New York City Rules. Dedicated units of the NYPD include the Emergency Service Unit, K-9, harbor patrol, highway patrol, air support, bomb squad, counterterrorism, criminal intelligence, anti-organized crime, narcotics, mounted patrol, public transportation, and public housing units.

The NYPD employs over 40,000 people, including more than 30,000 uniformed officers as of September 2023.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> According to the official CompStat database, the NYPD responded to nearly 500,000 reports of crime and made over 200,000 arrests during 2019.<ref name=":1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2020, it had a budget of Template:US$.<ref name="budget" /> However, the NYPD's actual spending often exceeds its budget.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }} </ref>

The NYPD has a history of police brutality, corruption, and misconduct, which critics argue persists till the present day.<ref name="Kane 2012">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="McArdle">Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Due to its high-profile location in New York City, the largest city and media center in the U.S., fictionalized versions of the NYPD and its officers have frequently been portrayed in novels, radio, television, motion pictures, and video games.

History

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}}

The Municipal Police were established in 1845, replacing an old night watch system. Mayor William Havemeyer shepherded the NYPD together.<ref>The Wall Street Journal, May 13, 2017, p. C6</ref> The NYPD appointed its first Black officer in 1911<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and the first female officer in 1918.<ref name="Brenwall 2023">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

File:Rescue worker reaching into a New York Police car covered with debris (28802606564).jpg

NYPD sergeant searching a cruiser covered in debris during 9/11

During Richard Enright's tenure as commissioner, the country's first Shomrim Society, a fraternal organization of Jewish police officers, was founded in the NYPD in 1924. At the time, NYPD had 700 Jewish officers on the force.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 1961, highly decorated NYPD officer Mario Biaggi, later a US Congressman, became the first police officer in New York State to be made a member of the National Police Officers Hall of Fame.<ref>Template:Citation</ref><ref>Template:Citation</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In the mid-1980s, the NYPD began to police street-level drug markets much more intensively, leading to a sharp increase in incarceration.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

In 1992, Mayor David Dinkins created an independent Civilian Complaint Review Board for the NYPD. In response to this, some NYPD officers violently protested<ref name=":02">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and rioted.<ref name=":12">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> They blocked traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge, demonstrated at City Hall and shouted racial epithets.<ref name=":02" /><ref name=":12" /> The protests were sponsored by the NYPD union.<ref name=":02" />

In 1994, the NYPD developed the CompStat computer system for tracking crime geographically, which is now in use by other police departments in the United States and Canada.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Research is mixed on whether CompStat had an impact on crime rates.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Throughout the mid to late 1990s, several mergers took place which changed the landscape of policing in New York City. The New York City Transit Police and the New York City Housing Authority Police Department merged into the NYPD in 1995, becoming the Transit Bureau and Housing Bureau respectively.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 1996, the New York City Department of Transportation's Traffic Operations Bureau was merged into the NYPD, becoming the Transportation Bureau. In 1998, the New York City Department of Education's School Safety Division became part of the NYPD's Community Affairs Bureau.

In 2021, the NYPD ceased enforcement of marijuana crimes other than driving under the influence.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 2024, the NYPD changed its motto from "Courtesy, Professionalism, Respect" to "Fighting Crime, Protecting the Public".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Organization and structure

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}}

The department is administered and governed by the police commissioner, who is appointed by the mayor. Technically, the Commissioner serves a five-year term; as a practical matter, they serve at the mayor's pleasure. The commissioner in turn appoints the first deputy commissioner, numerous deputy commissioners, and the Chief of Department (the most senior uniformed officer). By default, the commissioner and their subordinate deputies are civilians under an oath of office and are not sworn officers. However, a commissioner who comes up from the sworn ranks retains the status and statutory powers of a police officer while serving as commissioner. This affects their police pensions, and their ability to carry a firearm without a pistol permit. Some police commissioners carry a personal firearm but also have a full-time security detail. Commissioners and deputy commissioners are administrators who specialize in areas of great importance to the Department, such as counterterrorism, support services, public information, legal matters, intelligence, and information technology. However, as civilian administrators, deputy commissioners are prohibited from taking operational control of a police situation (the commissioner and the first deputy commissioner may take control of these situations, however). Within the rank structure, there are also designations, known as "grades", that connote differences in duties, experience, and pay. However, supervisory functions are generally reserved for the rank of sergeant and above.

Office of the Chief of Department

The Chief of Department serves as the senior sworn member of the NYPD which before 1987 was known as the chief of operations and before that as chief inspector.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> John Chell currently serves as Chief of Department.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Bureaus

Template:Convert to prose The department is divided into 20 bureaus<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> which are typically commanded by a uniformed bureau chief (such as the chief of patrol and the chief of housing) or a civilian deputy commissioner (such as the Deputy Commissioner of Information Technology). The bureaus fit under four umbrellas: Patrol, Transit & Housing, Investigative, and Administrative. Bureaus are often subdivided into smaller divisions and units. All deputy commissioners report directly to the Commissioner and bureau chiefs report to the Commissioner through the Chief of Department.

• New York Police Department officers.jpg

  Officers from the Emergency Service Unit

• NYPD police boat, Brooklyn Bridge and Downtown Brooklyn at sunset.JPG

  Police boat patrolling the East River

• NYPD police motorcycle.png

  A Highway Patrol officer speaks with a passerby

• NYPD One Police Plaza.JPG

  1 Police Plaza, NYPD headquarters

Bureau	Commanding officer	Description	Subdivisions
Patrol Services Bureau	Chief of Patrol	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>|| There are currently eight borough commands (Manhattan North, Manhattan South, Brooklyn North, Brooklyn South, Queens North, Queens South, Staten Island, and The Bronx), with each command headed by an assistant chief. These are further divided into 78 police precincts, which are commanded by a captain, deputy inspector, or inspector; depending on size.
Special Operations Bureau	Chief of Special Operations	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>|| The Special Operations Bureau is responsible for the Emergency Service Unit, Aviation Unit, Harbor Unit, Mounted Unit, Strategic Response Group, Crisis Outreach and Support Unit.
Transit Bureau	Chief of Transit	The Transit Bureau Oversees NYPD transit officers in the New York City Subway. It is under the command of the Chief of Transit.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>|| This Bureau is responsible for 12 transit districts, each located within or adjacent to the subway system, and overseen by three borough commands: Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Bronx/Queens. Specialized units within the Transit Bureau include Borough Task Forces, Anti-Terrorism Unit, Citywide Vandals Task Force, Canine Unit, Special Projects Unit, and MetroCard Fraud Task Force.
Housing Bureau	Chief of Housing	The Housing Bureau Oversees law enforcement within New York City public housing. It is under the command of the Chief of Housing.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>|| There are nine police service areas, each covering a collection of housing developments.
Transportation Bureau	Chief of Transportation	The Transportation Bureau Manages highway patrol and traffic management in New York City. It is under the command of the Chief of Transportation.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>|| Traffic Management Center, Highway District, Traffic Operations District, Traffic Enforcement District
Counterterrorism Bureau	Chief of Counterterrorism	The Counterterrorism Bureau counters, investigates, analyzes, and prevents terrorism in New York City. It is under the command of the Chief of Counterterrorism who is subordinate to the Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence & Counterterrorism.	Critical Response Command, Counterterrorism Division, Terrorism Threat Analysis Group, Lower Manhattan Security Initiative, World Trade Center Command
Crime Control Strategies Bureau	Chief of Crime Control Strategies	The Crime Control Strategies Bureau oversees the analysis and monitoring of trends across New York City, develops strategies targeted to reduce crime, and applies strategies to the NYPD. It is under the command of the Chief of Crime Control Strategies	CompStat Unit, Crime Analysis Unit
Detective Bureau	Chief of Detectives	The Detectives Bureau oversees NYPD detectives. The Detectives are in charge of preventing, detecting, and investigating crime in New York City. It is under the command of the Chief of Detectives.	Borough Investigative Commands, Special Victims Division, Forensic Investigations Division, Special Investigations Division, Criminal Enterprise Division, Fugitive Enforcement Division, Real Time Crime Center, District Attorneys Squad, Grand Larceny Division, Gun Violence Suppression Division, Vice Enforcement Division
Intelligence Bureau	Chief of Intelligence	The Intelligence Bureau oversees the collection and analysis of data to detect and disrupt criminal and terrorist activity in New York City. It is under the command of the Chief of Intelligence who is subordinate to the Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence & Counterterrorism.	Intelligence Operations and Analysis Section, Criminal Intelligence Section
Internal Affairs Bureau	Chief of Internal Affairs	The Internal Affairs Bureau investigates police misconduct within the NYPD. It is under the command of the Chief of Internal Affairs.	N/A
Employee Relations	Deputy Commissioner of Employee Relations	Employee Relations oversees the fraternal, religious, and line organizations of the NYPD, as well as ceremonial customs. It is under the command of the Deputy Commissioner of Employee Relations.	Employee Relations Section, Chaplains Unit, Ceremonial Unit, Sports Unit
Operations	Deputy Commissioner of Operations	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>|| Operations Division, NYPD Joint Operations Center
Community Affairs Bureau	Deputy Commissioner of Community Affairs	The Community Affairs Bureau works with community leaders, civic organizations, block associations, and the public to educate on police policies and practices; it is also responsible for NYPD officers in schools and investigates juvenile delinquency. It is under the command of the Deputy Commissioner of Community Affairs.	Community Outreach Division, Crime Prevention Division, Juvenile Justice Division, School Safety Division
Information Technology Bureau	Chief of Information Technology	The Information Technology Bureau oversees the maintenance, research, development, and implementation of technology to support strategies, programs, and procedures within the NYPD. It is under the command of the Chief of Information Technology.	Administration, Fiscal Affairs, Strategic Technology, IT Services Division, Life-Safety Systems, Communications Division
Legal Matters	Deputy Commissioner of Legal Matters	The Legal Matters Bureau assists NYPD personnel regarding department legal matters; controversially, it has a memorandum of understanding with the Manhattan District Attorney to selectively prosecute New York City Criminal Court summons and court cases. It is under the command of the Deputy Commissioner of Legal Matters.	Civil Enforcement Unit, Criminal Section, Civil Section, Legislative Affairs Unit, Document Production/FOIL, Police Action Litigation Section
Personnel	Chief of Personnel	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>|| Candidate Assessment Division, Career Enhancement Division, Employee Management Division, Personnel Orders Section, Staff Services Section
Public Information	Deputy Commissioner of Public Information	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>|| Digital Communications Section, Public Information Section
Professional Standards	Chief of Professional Standards	Professional Standards oversees the performance of police officers and identifies officers who may require enhanced training or supervision. It is under the command of the Chief of Professional Standards.	Enterprise Risk Management Section, Enterprise Risk Management Civilian Complaint Stat Unit, Enterprise Risk Management Early Intervention Unit
Strategic Initiatives	Deputy Commissioner of Strategic Initiatives	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>||Office of Management Analysis and Planning (OMAP), Management Orders and Directives Section (MODS), Management Analysis Section (MAS), Office of Research and Evaluation (ORE), Project Management Office (PMO)<ref name=":0" />
Training	Chief of Training	The Training Bureau oversees the training of recruits, officers, staff, and civilians. It is under the command of the Chief of Training.	Recruit Training Section, Physical Training and Tactics Department, Tactical Training Unit, Firearms and Tactics Section, COBRA Training, In-Service Tactical Training Unit, Driver Education and Training Unit, Computer Training Unit, Civilian Training Program, School Safety Training Unit, Instructor Development Unit, Criminal Investigation Course, Leadership Development Section, Citizens Police Academy

Rank structure

Template:More citations needed Officers graduate from the Police Academy after five and a half to six months (or sometimes more) of training in various academic, physical, and tactical fields. For the first 18 months of their careers, they are designated as "Probationary Police Officers", or more informally, "rookies". There are three career "tracks" in the NYPD: supervisory, investigative, and specialist. The supervisory track consists of nine ranks; promotion to the ranks of sergeant, lieutenant, and captain are made via competitive civil service examinations. After reaching the rank of captain, promotion to the ranks of deputy inspector, inspector, deputy chief, assistant chief, (bureau) chief, and chief of department is always at the discretion of the NYPD commissioner. Promotion from the rank of police officer to detective is discretionary by the police commissioner or required by law when the officer has performed outstanding investigative duty for eighteen months or more.

Badges

Badges in the New York City Police Department are referred to as "shields" (the traditional term), though not all badge designs are strictly shield-shaped. Some officers have used "Pottsy" badges, "dupes", or duplicate badges, as officers are punished for losing their shield by also losing up to ten days' pay.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Every rank has a different badge design (except "police officer" and "probationary police officer") and, upon change in rank, officers receive a new badge. Lower-ranked police officers are identified by their shield numbers, and tax registry numbers. Lieutenants and above do not have shield numbers and are identified by tax registry numbers. All sworn members of the NYPD have their ID card photos taken against a red background. Civilian employees of the NYPD have their ID card photos taken against a blue background, signifying that they are not commissioned to carry a firearm. All ID cards have an expiration date. Although the First Deputy Commissioner and Chief of Department share the same insignia (four stars), the First Deputy Commissioner outranks the Chief of Department. The Deputy Commissioners, Bureau Chiefs/Bureau Chief Chaplains and Chief Surgeon have three stars.

Rank	Insignia	Badge design	Badge color	Badge number	Uniform
Police Commissioner	File:5 Gold Stars.svg	File:NYPD Commissioner.png With requisite number of stars and rank	Gold, with silver star(s)	No	White shirt, dark blue peaked cap, gold hat badge
First Deputy Commissioner	File:4 Gold Stars.svg
Chief of Department	File:4 Gold Stars.svg
Deputy Commissioner (has no operational command; however, has a rank equivalent to a bureau chief)	File:3 Gold Stars.svg
Bureau Chief & Bureau Chief Chaplain †	File:3 Gold Stars.svg
Assistant Chief & Assistant Chief Chaplain †	File:2 Gold Stars.svg
Deputy Chief & Deputy Chief Chaplain †	File:1 Gold Star.svg	File:NYPD Deputy Chief Badge.png Chaplain and Surgeon badges differ
Inspector & Chaplain †	File:Colonel Gold-vector.svg	File:NYPD Inspector Badge.png Chaplain and Surgeon badges differ	Gold
Deputy Inspector	File:US-O4 insignia.svg	File:NYPD Deputy Inspector Badge.png
Captain	File:Captain insignia gold.svg	File:NPYD Captain Badge.png
Lieutenant	File:US-OF1B.svg (shoulder & collar)	File:NYPD Lieutenant Badge.jpeg
Sergeant	File:NYPD Sergeant Stripes.svg (sleeve)	File:NYPD Sergeant Badge.jpg		Yes	Navy blue shirt, peaked cap, gold hat badge
Detective	None	File:Badge of a New York City Police Department detective.png
Police Officer		File:NYPD badge.png	Silver	Yes, matching hat badge	Navy blue shirt, peaked cap, silver hat badge with matching number
Probationary Officer
Recruit Officer				Yes	Slate grey, black garrison cap
Cadet		None

Department composition

As of October 2023, the NYPD's current authorized uniformed strength is 33,536.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> There are also 19,454 civilian employees, including approximately 3,500 traffic enforcement agents, 4,500 auxiliary police officers, and 5,500 school safety agents, are presently employed by the department as well as being deployed on the streets. The Police Benevolent Association of the City of New York (NYC PBA), the largest municipal police union in the United States, represents over 50,000 active and retired police officers.

The entire police force in 2023: 47% are white and 53% are members of minority groups. Template:More detail needed

Of 21,603 officers on patrol:

• 43% are non-Hispanic white
• 57% are black, Latino (of any race), or Asian or Asian-American.Template:More detail needed

Of 5,164 detectives:

• 52% are non-Hispanic white
• 48% are black, Latino (of any race), or Asian or Asian-American.Template:More detail needed

Of 4,376 sergeants:

• 52% are non-Hispanic white
• 48% are black, Latino (of any race), or Asian or Asian-American.Template:More detail needed

Of 1,635 lieutenants:

• 59% are non-Hispanic white
• 41% are black, Latino (of any race), or Asian or Asian-American.Template:More detail needed

Of 360 captains:

• 62% are non-Hispanic white
• 38% are black, Latino (of any race), or Asian or Asian-American.Template:More detail needed

Of 101 police chiefs:

• 57% are non-Hispanic white and
• 43% are non-white.Template:More detail needed

Place of residence

As a rule, NYPD officers can reside in New York City as well as Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Putnam, Suffolk and Nassau counties and approximately half of them live outside the city (51% in 2020, up from 42% in 2016).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Women in the NYPD

On January 1, 2022, Keechant Sewell became the first woman to serve as the NYPD Commissioner.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Juanita N. Holmes, appointed Chief of the Patrol Bureau in 2020, was the first black woman to hold this command and at the time of her appointment, was the highest-ranked uniformed woman in the NYPD.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> On June 12, 2023, Sewell announced that she was stepping down as commissioner. No reason was given for her departure.

On November 25, 2024, Mayor Eric Adams appointed Jessica Tisch as the NYPD Commissioner. She is the second woman to serve in the job.

Line of duty deaths

The NYPD has lost 932 officers in the line of duty since 1849. This figure includes officers from agencies that were later absorbed by or became a part of the modern NYPD, in addition to the NYPD itself. This number also includes 28 officers killed on and off duty by gunfire of other officers on duty. Gunfire from adversaries has resulted in the deaths of 286 officers.<ref name="odmp.org">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The NYPD lost 23 officers in the September 11, 2001 attacks, not including another 247 who later died of 9/11-related illnesses.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The NYPD has more line-of-duty deaths than any other American law enforcement agency.<ref name="odmp.org"/>

Services

The NYPD has a broad array of specialized services, including the Emergency Service Unit, K9, harbor patrol, air support, bomb squad, counter-terrorism, criminal intelligence, anti-gang, anti-organized crime, narcotics, public transportation, and public housing units. The NYPD Intelligence Division & Counter-Terrorism Bureau has officers stationed in eleven cities internationally.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 2019 the NYPD responded to 482,337 reports of crime and made 214,617 arrests.<ref name=":1" /> There were 95,606 major felonies reported in 2019, compared to over half a million per year when crime in New York City peaked during the crack epidemic of the 1980s and 1990s.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Reported number of major felony offenses

Crime	1990	2000	2010	2019
Murder	2,262	673	536	319
Rape	3,126	2,068	1,373	1,755Template:Efn
Robbery	100,280	32,562	19,486	13,371
Assault	44,122	25,924	16,956	20,696
Burglary	122,055	38,352	18,600	10,783
Larceny	108,487	49,631	37,835	43,250
Auto theft	146,925	35,442	10,329	5,430
Total	527,257	184,652	105,115	95,606

Public opinions

File:Public Approval of NYPD since 1997.png

Public approval of the NYPD over time

The Quinnipiac University Polling Institute has been regularly measuring public opinion of the NYPD since 1997 when just under 50% of the public approved of the job the NYPD was doing. Approval peaked at 78% in 2002 following the World Trade Center terrorist attacks in September 2001, and has ranged between 52 and 72% since.<ref name="qu15">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Approval varies by race/ethnicity, with black and Hispanic respondents consistently less likely to say they approve of the job the NYPD is doing than whites.<ref name="qu15" />

In 2017, the Quinnipiac poll found that New York City voters approve of the way NYPD, in general, does its job by a margin of 67–25%. Approval was 79–15 percent among white voters, 52–37 percent among black voters, and 73–24 percent among Hispanic voters. 86% of voters said crime is a serious problem, 71% said police brutality is a serious problem and 61% said police corruption is a serious problem.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

A 2020 poll commissioned by Manhattan Institute for Policy Research reported that the public approved of the NYPD 53% to 40% against, again with strong racial differences: 59% of whites and Asians approved, as did 51% of Hispanics, whereas 51% of black residents disapproved.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Brutality, corruption, and misconduct cases

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} The NYPD has a long history of police brutality, corruption, and misconduct as well as discrimination based on gender, race, and religion.<ref name="McArdle"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="Kane 2012" /><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Critics, including from within the NYPD, have accused the NYPD of manipulating crime statistics.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2009, NYPD officer Adrian Schoolcraft was arrested, abducted by his fellow officers and involuntarily admitted to a psychiatric hospital after he provided evidence of manipulation of crime statistics (intentional under reporting of crimes) and intentional wrongful arrests (to meet arrest quotas). He filed a federal suit against the department, which the city settled before trial in 2015, also giving him back pay for the period when he was suspended.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The Knapp Commission found in 1970 that the NYPD had systematic corruption problems.<ref>Template:Citation</ref> The Civilian Complaint Review Board is a civilian-led 13-member panel tasked with investigating misconduct or lesser abuse accusations against NYPD officers, including abuse of authority, discourtesy, excessive use-of-force, and offensive language. Complaints against officers may be filed online, by mail, by phone, or in person at any NYPD station.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> On June 8, 2020, both houses of the New York state assembly passed the Eric Garner Anti-Chokehold Act, which provides that any police officer in the state of New York who injures or kills somebody through the use of "a chokehold or similar restraint" can be charged with a class C felony, punishable by up to 15 years in prison.<ref name="garnerlegislation">Template:Cite news</ref> New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the police reforms into law on June 12, 2020, which he described as "long overdue".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="garnerlegislation" />

In 2020, during the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic, many NYPD officers refused to wear face masks while policing protests related to racial injustice, contrary to the recommendations of health experts and authorities.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> During the George Floyd protests, The New York Times reported that more than 60 videos showed NYPD police attacking protesters, many of whom were attacked without cause.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Included in these attacks were the 'kettling' of protesters,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> an officer removing the mask of a protester and pepper spraying him,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and an incident where police vehicles were driven into a crowd.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> An investigation by New York City's Department of Investigation concluded that the NYPD had exercised excessive force during the George Floyd protests.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 2024, the NYPD tossed out more than 400 civilian complaints about police misconduct without reviewing the evidence. All of the cases had been investigated by the Civilian Complaint Review Board.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In March, NYPD commissioner Edward Caban said that the force had exceeded its overtime budget by $100 million, spending $2.5 million a week on overtime alone amid political demonstrations throughout the city and increased deployments in the subway system.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Police overtime spending went from $4 million in 2022 to $155 million in 2023.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In September, the NYPD was also accused of extorting a Brooklyn bar owner. The owner said that associate director Ray Martin of the mayor's Office of Entertainment and Nightlife told him that he could pay Commissioner Caban's brother for better treatment from police.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Caban resigned his commission shortly after, following a federal investigation into the NYPD's nightclub enforcement.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Three days before resigning, Caban watered down the NYPD's misconduct rules, reducing penalties for officers "guilty of abusing authority, using offensive language, failing to take a civilian complaint, and conducting an unlawful search."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The NYPD has been persistently criticized by safe streets community advocates for endangering cyclists by parking their vehicles in bike lanes,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and for misapplying the law when ticketing cyclists riding outside blocked bike lanes.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> According to a 2021 FiveThirtyEight analysis, New York City spent at least an average of US$170 million annually in settlements related to police misconduct over ten years.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Between 2023 and 2024, Lieutenant Thomas Fabrizi stole $64,000 in overtime compensation for shifts he spent at home and working for McCann Protective Services, a security contractor.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In December 2024, the Chief of Internal Affairs, Miguel Iglesias, was forced out amid criticism of his handling of sexual abuse allegations against former Chief Jeffrey Maddrey, prompting a leadership shake-up and a department-wide personnel review.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Technology

In the 1990s the department developed a CompStat system of management which has also since been established in other cities. The NYPD has extensive crime scene investigation and laboratory resources, as well as units that assist with computer crime investigations. In 2005, the NYPD established a "Real Time Crime Center" to assist in investigations;<ref name="Schmidt2">Michael S. Schmidt, Have a Tattoo or Walk With a Limp? The Police May Know Template:Webarchive, New York Times (February 18, 2010).</ref> This is essentially a searchable database that pulls information from departmental records, including traffic tickets, court summonses, and previous complaints to reports,<ref>Joseph Goldstein, If Son of Sam Were on the Loose Today Template:Webarchive, New York Times (March 10, 2011).</ref> as well as arrest reports.<ref name="Schmidt2" /> The database contains files to identify individuals based on tattoos, body marks, teeth, and skin conditions, based on police records.<ref name="Schmidt2"/>

NYPD also maintains the Domain Awareness System, a network that provides information and analytics to police, drawn from a variety of sources, including a network of 9,000 publicly and privately owned license plate readers, surveillance cameras, shotspotter data, NYPD databases, radiation, and chemical sensors.<ref>Ángel Díaz, New York City Police Department Surveillance Technology Template:Webarchive, Brennan Center for Justice (October 4, 2019).</ref> The Domain Awareness System of surveillance was developed as part of Lower Manhattan Security Initiative in a partnership between the NYPD and Microsoft.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It allows the NYPD to track surveillance targets and gain detailed information about them. It also has access to data from at least 2 billion license plate readings, 100 million summonses, 54 million 911 calls, 15 million complaints, 12 million detective reports, 11 million arrests, and 2 million warrants. The 9,000 CCTV cameras consist of data text records that will be kept for 30 days. The system is connected to 9,000 video cameras across New York City.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

In 2020, the NYPD deployed a robotic dog, known as Digidog, manufactured by Boston Dynamics.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The robotic dog has cameras which send back real-time footage along with lights and two-way communication, and it is able to navigate on its own using artificial intelligence.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=pix11/> Reaction by locals to Digidog was mixed.<ref name=wired/> Deployment of Digidog led to condemnation from the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project and the American Civil Liberties Union due to privacy concerns.<ref name=pix11/><ref name=wired/> In response to its deployment, a city council member has proposed a law banning armed robots; this would not apply to Digidog as Digidog is not armed and Boston Dynamics prohibits arming its robots.<ref name=wired>Template:Cite news</ref> On April 24, 2021, U.S. Representative Ritchie Torres proposed new federal legislation requiring police departments receiving federal funds to report use of surveillance technology to the Department of Homeland Security and Congress.<ref name=pix11>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The NYPD states that the robot is meant for hostage, terrorism, bomb threat, and hazardous material situations, and that it was properly disclosed to the public under current law.<ref name=pix11/> Following continued pushback against Digidog, including opposition to the system's $94,000 price tag, the NYPD announced on April 28, 2021, that its lease would be terminated.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In April 2023, Mayor Eric Adams announced the revival of the Digidog program in a reversal of his predecessor Bill de Blasio, saying "Digidog is out of the pound." Two robots were purchased at that time for a total of $750,000 using funds from asset forfeiture.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Vehicles

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}}

File:2020 Ford Explorer Police Interceptor Utility NYPD RMP 5063 (FSD), front NYIAS 2022.jpg

NYPD Ford Police Interceptor Utility

[[Template:Not a typo|alt=|thumb|NYPD Dodge Charger]]

File:2022 Ford Mustang Mach-E GT NYPD RMP 3000 (FSD), front NYIAS 2022.jpg

A Ford Mustang Mach-E with the New York City Police Department

Firearms

New NYPD officers are allowed to choose from one of two 9mm service pistols: the Glock 17 Gen4 and Glock 19 Gen4.<ref name="thefirearmblog.com">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> All duty handguns were previously modified to a 12-pound (53 N) NY-2 trigger pull, though recruits were being issued handguns with a lighter trigger pull as of 2021.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The Smith & Wesson 5946 semi-automatic 9mm with a double action only (DAO) trigger, was issued to recruits in the past;<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> however, the pistol has been discontinued.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> While it is no longer an option for new hires, officers who were issued the weapon may continue to use it. Shotgun-certified officers were authorized to carry Ithaca 37 shotguns, which are being phased out in favor of the newer Mossberg 590. Officers and detectives belonging to the NYPD's Emergency Service Unit, Counter-terrorism Bureau and Strategic Response Group are armed with a range of select-fire weapons and long guns, such as the Colt M4A1 carbine and similar-pattern Colt AR-15 rifles, Heckler & Koch MP5 submachine gun, and the Remington Model 700 bolt-action rifle.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> NYPD ESU Officers also use the Ruger Mini 14 556 rifle.

Discontinued weapons

From 1926 until 1986, the standard weapons of the department were the Smith & Wesson Model 10 and the Colt Official Police .38 Special revolvers with four-inch barrels. Female officers had the option to choose to carry a three-inch barrel revolver instead of the normal four-inch model due to its lighter weight. Before 1994, the standard weapon of the NYPD was the Smith & Wesson Model 64 DAO, a .38 Special revolver with a three- or four-inch barrel, and the Ruger Police Service-Six with a four-inch barrel. This type of revolver was called the Model NY-1 by the department. After the switch in 1994 to semi-automatic pistols, officers who privately purchased revolvers before January 1, 1994, were allowed to use them for duty use until August 31, 2018. They were grandfathered in as approved off-duty guns.<ref name="thefirearmblog.com"/> Before the issuing of the 9mm semi-automatic pistol NYPD detectives and plainclothes officers often carried the Colt Detective Special and/or the Smith & Wesson Model 36 "Chief's Special" .38 Special caliber snub-nosed (two-inch) barrel revolvers for their ease of concealment while dressed in civilian clothes. The Kahr K9 9mm pistol was an approved off-duty/backup weapon from 1998 to 2011. It was pulled from service because it could not be modified to a 12-pound trigger pull.

Affiliations

The NYPD is affiliated with the New York City Police Foundation and the New York City Police Museum. It also runs a Youth Police academy to provide a positive interaction with police officers and to educate young people about the challenges and responsibilities of police work. The NYPD additionally sponsors a Law Enforcement Explorer Program through Scouting America (formerly the Boy Scouts of America).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The department also operates the Citizens Police Academy, which educates the public on basic law and policing procedures.

See also

• Detectives' Endowment Association
• Law enforcement in New York City
• New York City Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings
• Police Benevolent Association of the City of New York
• Police surveillance in New York City
• Sergeants Benevolent Association

Further reading

• Darien, Andrew T. Becoming New York's Finest: Race, Gender, and the Integration of the NYPD, 1935–1980. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013.
• Template:Cite magazine
• Miller, Wilbur R. Cops, and bobbies: Police authority in New York and London, 1830–1870 (The Ohio State University Press, 1999)
• Monkkonen, Eric H. Police in Urban America, 1860–1920 (2004)
• Richardson, James F. The New York Police, Colonial Times to 1901 (Oxford University Press, 1970)
• Richardson, James F. "To Control the City: The New York Police in Historical Perspective". In Cities in American History, eds. Kenneth T. Jackson and Stanley K. Schultz (1972) pp. 3–13.
• Thale, Christopher. "The Informal World of Police Patrol: New York City in the Early Twentieth Century", Journal of Urban History (2007) 33#2 pp. 183–216. {{#invoke:doi|main}}.

External links

• Template:Official website
• Police Department in the Rules of the City of New York
• Template:NYTtopic
• Template:Cite Google Maps
• "With the Sky Police", Popular Mechanics, January 1932 article about the NY City Police Air Force and the Keystone-Loening Commuter in service at that time, photos pp. 26–30
• NYPD Annual Reports 1912–1923 (digitized books) from the Lloyd Sealy Library on the Internet Archive
• Historical images from the NYPD Annual Reports, 1923–23 from the Lloyd Sealy Library Digital Collections