NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton has one of the hardest jobs in the world right now, trying to bridge the deep divide between the NYPD and Mayor Bill de Blasio's City Hall. Things were a little bit tense even before de Blasio seemed to show support for the hundreds of protestors walking through various parts of the city in support of Ferguson and Eric Garner. The fact that he allowed it, making the NYPD's job even harder didn't sit well with the department and then when two Brooklyn officers were assassinated in retaliation, it turned uglier yet. Bratton has tried to bring both sides together but now it seems that his attempts are beginning to backfire.
Bratton has expressed his disapproval at NYPD officers turning their backs on de Blasio when he speaks in public and now those officers feel unsupported by their own commissioner as well as by City Hall.
According to a report by New York Magazine, rather than pulling everyone together, Bratton is alienating himself from his officers.
"Right now the commissioner is getting the benefit of the doubt, but if the tone he has continues in lockstep with the mayor, he is going to lose his beloved cops as well," the official said.
"Right now, morale is even lower than it was under [Raymond] Kelly, which I thought was impossible," another union official said.
"But no one expects de Blasio to change his position. It's not in his DNA. However, we are giving the commissioner the benefit of the doubt. Things are very fragile, and [Bratton] has been getting dangerously close to losing us," said another union official.
It seems that no matter what steps are taken to try and ease tensions it simply isn't working. Do you see any way for the NYPD and city hall to put aside their differences in order to better protect the city? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!
