Former Police Commissioner Bill Bratton says Dermot Shea’s biggest challenge in taking over the NYPD is keeping New York City safe.
Bratton told WOR’s “Len Berman and Michael Riedel in the Morning” that most New Yorkers don’t remember the bad days of high crime.
“The city was a hell hole in 1990. It was falling apart,” Bratton said.
Bratton said a lot of progress has been made the last 30 years, but most New Yorkers weren’t here then, so they appreciate the turnaround. As a result, he said Shea faces “high expectations.”
Bratton said O’Neill has had a “very successful tenure.”
There’s been some criticism that Mayor Bill de Blasio chose Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea as the new commissioner, rather than a minority candidate. Bratton said de Blasio chose the person he feels is best positioned to keep the momentum going and to keep crime down.