US crime crisis has been created by politicians: Bratton
Former NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton paints the U.S. crime wave as ‘largely political’ on ‘Your World.’
Former New York City Police Department Commissioner Bill Bratton revealed that his wife was assaulted in Manhattan in broad daylight as crime continues raging in the city.
"My own wife was assaulted 11:30 one morning at 57th and Third. Crowded corner on a busy day. So many emotionally disturbed people . . . that this fear is talked about a lot," Bratton said, according to a New York Post opinion piece published Sunday.
Fox News Digital reached out to the NYPD inquiring about a police report for the undated incident, but was told "there is nothing on file" with the available information.
Bratton served as the NYPD’s commissioner twice in his career, from 1994-1996 and then again from 2014-2016. He also served as Los Angeles’ chief of police during the early 2000s and as Boston’s police commissioner from 1993-1994.
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New York City Police Commissioner Bill Bratton speaks at a press conference following an active shooter drill on Kenmare St. on November 22, 2015 in New York City. (Michael Graae/Getty Images) (Getty Images)
Bratton continued in his comments that New Yorkers are being "punished by those they voted into office" for the increases in crimes, singling out disgraced Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
"With maybe a thousand disturbed people in a state of millions, Cuomo reduced the number of beds so a judge could put an emotionally disturbed person into custodial care. Politicians refuse to expand that. New Yorkers are punished by those they voted into office and are returning us to insanity," he said.
Large cities across the country are struggling with increasing crime rates that are on track to break 2021’s levels of violent crime halfway through this year.
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New York City has recorded a 25.8% jump in violent crime as of mid-June this year compared to the same time in 2021. Rapes are up roughly 15% in the city this year compared to last, while robberies are up 39.7% and felony assaults are up 19.6%.
Homicides in the city, however, have fallen this year compared to the same time period in 2021 by about 13%.
"For small shops steel gates are coming back. Empty storefronts have homeless living in doorways. Legislative action is such that you can shoplift over and over. And the DA won’t prosecute. Steal under a certain amount and you won’t get arrested. There’s no punishment for crimes," Bratton said according to the New York Post.
Police detain a man at a Times Square subway station following a call to police from riders on April 25, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
New York’s former top cop also lamented that the department needs more officers and training for cops to protect both residents of the city and law enforcement members.
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"For all New York’s issues now, the police department is not large enough. Cops have a hard time protecting themselves for fear of being sued and maybe wrongful arrest. It’s a mess. Law enforcement also has not enough civilian captains — people who see something and say something," he said.
"Officers need training. It’s like not wanting a doctor to give too much chemo or radiation. You want just the right amount to cure you. Same in terms of our risk. You don’t make the patient sicker — just what’s correct."
JULY 14: Police converge on the scene of a shooting in Brooklyn, one of numerous during the day, on July 14, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
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New York’s subway system has been the site of numerous violent crimes this year, including a woman named Michelle Go who was fatally pushed onto the tracks at Times Square in January and the fatal shooting of Daniel Enriquez in Lower Manhattan last month on the Q train.
Mayor Eric Adams rode the subway system for more than three hours last week, the New York Post reported, and admitted he was "shocked" to learn after taking office just "how bad this [city] is."
Bratton said in his remarks that the subway system needs "more officers," while noting that technology can also help patrol the subway.
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"Technology today helps. I’d advocate cameras that monitor in real time from a control room or the conductor’s cab so you’re not reviewing a crime after it happens but before it happens. From the conductor’s cab you can’t see the curve in these trains. It’s a major defect," he advised.
Fox News' Michael Lee contributed to this article.
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