New York City Police Department


The New York City Police Department, officially the City of New York Police Department, is the primary law enforcement agency within the City of New York. Established on May 23, 1845, the NYPD is one of the oldest police departments in the United States, and is the largest police force in the United States. The NYPD headquarters is 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. The NYC Transit Police and NYC Housing Authority Police Department were fully integrated into the NYPD in 1995. The NYPD services include the Emergency Service Unit, K9, harbor patrol, air support, bomb squad, counter-terrorism, criminal intelligence, anti-organized crime, narcotics, public transportation, and public housing.
The NYPD employs around 55,000 people, including 36,000 uniformed officers. Public support for the NYPD is generally favorable, although critics highlight instances of police brutality and corruption, as well as discrimination on the basis of race, religion and sexuality. Due to its high-profile location in the largest city and media center in the United States, fictionalized versions of the NYPD and its officers have frequently been portrayed in novels, radio, television, motion pictures, and video games.

History

The Municipal Police were established in 1845, replacing an old night watch system. Mayor William Havemeyer shepherded the NYPD together. In 1857, it was replaced by a metropolitan force.

Demographics

In June 2004, there were about 45,000 sworn officers plus several thousand civilian employees; in June 2005, the number of officers dropped to 35,000. In December 2011 that figure increased slightly to over 36,600, helped by the graduation of a class of 1,500 from the New York City Police Academy. As of fiscal year 2018, the NYPD's current authorized uniformed strength is 38,422. There are also approximately 4,500 auxiliary police officers, 5,000 school safety agents, 2,300 traffic enforcement agents, and 370 traffic enforcement supervisors currently employed by the department. The Police Benevolent Association of the City of New York, the largest municipal police union in the United States, represents over 50,000 active and retired NYC police officers.
As of the end of 2010, 53% of the entire 34,526-member police force were white and 47% were members of minority groups.
Of 22,199 officers on patrol;
Of 5,177 detectives;
Of 4,639 sergeants;
Of 1,742 lieutenants;
Of 432 captains;
Of 10 police chiefs, 7 were non-Hispanic white and 3 were non-white.
In 2002, non-Hispanic white accounted for 60% of members in the rank of police officer. Between 2002 and 2010, the number of minorities in top-tier positions in the force increased by about 4.5%.

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. The NYPD Intelligence Division & Counter-Terrorism Bureau has officers stationed in eleven cities internationally.

Rank structure

Officers graduate from the Police Academy after five and a half to six months 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, chief and chief of department is at the discretion of the police 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 eighteen months or more of investigative duty.

Badges

Badges in the New York City Police Department are referred to as "shields", 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.
Every rank has a different badge design, and upon change in rank officers receive a new badge. Lower-ranked police officers are identified by their shield numbers, and tax registry number. Lieutenants and above do not have shield numbers and are identified by tax registry number. 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.

Organization and structure

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 numerous deputy commissioners. 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 they also have a full-time security detail.
Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners are administrators who supersede the chief of department, and they usually 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. 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. Terence Monahan is the 40th individual to hold the post, which prior to 1987 was known as the chief of operations and before that as chief inspector.

Bureaus

The Department is divided into twenty bureaus, which are typically commanded by a uniformed bureau chief or a civilian deputy commissioner. The bureaus fit under four umbrellas: Patrol, Transit & Housing, Investigative, and Administrative. Bureaus are often subdivided into smaller divisions and units.
BureauCommanderDescriptionSubdivisions
Patrol Services BureauChief of PatrolThe Patrol Services Bureau is the largest and most visible bureau in the NYPD, overseeing the majority of the department's uniformed officers on patrol.The bureau is divided into eight borough commands, which are further divided into 77 police precincts.
Special Operations BureauChief of Special OperationsThe Special Operations Bureau was created to enhance the department's coordinated response to major events and incidents that require specifically trained and equipped personnel.The bureau oversees the Emergency Service Unit, the Aviation Unit, the Harbor Unit, and the Mounted Unit. The bureau is also responsible for the Strategic Response Group and the Crisis Outreach and Support Unit.
Transit BureauChief of TransitThe Transit Bureau is responsible for the safety and security of the 5.6 million passengers who use the New York City subways each day. Members of the Transit Bureau patrol the subway's 25 lines, 472 stations, and nearly 250 miles of passenger rail line.The bureau comprises 12 transit districts, each located within or adjacent to the subway system, and overseen by three borough commands: Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Bronx/Queens. District personnel are supplemented by members of several specialized units within the Transit Bureau—including three borough Task Forces, Anti-Terrorism Unit, Citywide Vandals Task Force, Canine Unit, Special Projects Unit, and MetroCard Fraud Task Force.
Housing BureauChief of HousingThe Housing Bureau is responsible for the safety of nearly a half-million residents, employees, and visitors in the city's housing developments.The bureau is divided into nine police service areas, which each cover a collection of housing developments.
Transportation BureauChief of TransportationThe Transportation Bureau is responsible for the safety and security of motorists, passengers, pedestrians, and cyclists on the streets and highways throughout New York City and manages traffic control.The bureau oversees the Traffic Management Center, Highway District, Traffic Operations District, and Traffic Enforcement District, in addition to several units.
Counterterrorism BureauChief of CounterterrorismThe NYPD Counterterrorism Bureau is the city's primary local resource to guard against the threat of international and domestic terrorism in New York City.The bureau contains the Critical Response Command, Counterterrorism Division, Terrorism Threat Analysis Group, Lower Manhattan Security Initiative, and World Trade Center Command.
Crime Control Strategies BureauChief of Crime Control StrategiesThe Office of Crime Control Strategies analyzes and monitors trends across the city and develops strategies targeted to reducing crime, ensuring that these strategies are applied across all units of the NYPD.The bureau is divided into the CompStat Unit and Crime Analysis Unit.
Detective BureauChief of DetectivesThe Detective Bureau is responsible for the prevention, detection, and investigation of crime, and its work often complements the work of police officers assigned to the precincts.The bureau oversees the 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, and Vice Enforcement Division.
Intelligence BureauChief of IntelligenceThe mission of the NYPD Intelligence Bureau is to detect and disrupt criminal and terrorist activity through the use of intelligence-led policing.NYPD Intelligence operations are divided by functional responsibility: Intelligence Operations and Analysis Section and the Criminal Intelligence Section.
Internal Affairs BureauDeputy Commissioner of Internal AffairsThe Internal Affairs Bureau detects, investigates, and brings to justice New York City police officers and civilians who engage in misconduct and corruption.N/A
Employee RelationsDeputy Commissioner for Employee RelationsThe Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Employee Relations, formerly the Deputy Commissioner for Administration, was created in early 2014 and acts as the liaison to the department's fraternal, religious, and line organizations.DCER oversees the Employee Relations Section, the Chaplains Unit, the Ceremonial Unit and the Sports Unit.
Collaborative PolicingDeputy Commissioner of Collaborative PolicingThe Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Collaborative Policing, partners with other city agencies, non-profits, community-based organizations, the faith-based community, and other New York City stakeholders on a wide variety of public-safety initiatives.N/A
Community Affairs BureauChief of Community AffairsThe Community Affairs Bureau partners with community leaders, civic organizations, block associations, and concerned citizens to educate them on police policies and practices.The Community Affairs Bureau oversees four divisions: Community Outreach Division, Crime Prevention Division, Juvenile Justice Division, and School Safety Division.
Information Technology BureauDeputy Commissioner of Information TechnologyThe Information Technology Bureau develops and implements technology to support strategies, programs and procedures that promote safety, efficiency, and effectiveness.ITB has six divisions: Administration, Fiscal Affairs, Strategic Technology, IT Services Division, Life-Safety Systems, and the Communications Division.
Legal MattersDeputy Commissioner of Legal MattersThe NYPD Legal Bureau provides assistance to law enforcement personnel regarding department legal matters. Controversially, the Legal Bureau also has a memorandum of understanding with the Manhattan DA to selectively prosecute New York City Criminal Court summons court cases.The bureau comprises the Civil Enforcement Unit, Criminal Section, Civil Section, Legislative Affairs Unit, Document Production/FOIL, and the Police Action Litigation Section.
PersonnelChief of PersonnelThe Personnel Bureau is responsible for the recruitment and selection of personnel and for managing the human resource functions of the NYPD.The bureau oversees the Candidate Assessment Division, Career Enhancement Division, Employee Management Division, Personnel Orders Section, and Staff Services Section.
Public InformationDeputy Commissioner of Public InformationThe Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Public Information, works with local, national, and international media organizations to provide information to the public.N/A
Risk ManagementAssistant Chief, Risk ManagementThe Risk Management Bureau measures the performance of police officers and identifies officers who might be in need of enhanced training or supervision.N/A
Support Services BureauDeputy Commissioner of Support ServicesWhile the bureau handles a wide range of equipment and storage-related functions, the bulk of its operations center on the NYPD's vehicle fleet and its evidence warehouses.The Support Services Bureau oversees the Fleet Services Division, Property Clerk Division, Central Records Division, and the Printing Section.
Training BureauChief of TrainingThe NYPD Training Bureau provides recruits, uniformed officers, and civilians with academic, tactical, and technological information.The Training Bureau's training section includes: 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, and Citizens Police Academy.

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 which assist with computer crime investigations. In 2005, the NYPD established a "Real Time Crime Center" to assist in investigations; this is essentially a searchable database the pulls information from departmental records, including traffic tickets, court summonses, and previous complaints to reports, as well as arrest reports. The database contains databases to identify individuals based on tattoos, body marks, teeth, and skin conditions, based on police records.
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 surveillance cameras, license plate readers, ShotSpotter data, NYPD databases and radiation and chemical sensors. The Domain Awareness System of surveillance was developed as part of Lower Manhattan Security Initiative in a partnership between the NYPD and Microsoft. 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 data from the 9,000 CCTV cameras is kept for 30 days. Text records are searchable. The system is connected to 9,000 video cameras around New York City.

Corruption and misconduct

The NYPD has an extensive history of police brutality, misconduct, and corruption, as well as discrimination on the basis of race, religion and sexuality. Critics, including from within the NYPD, have accused the NYPD of rampantly manipulating crime statistics. In 2009, NYPD officer Adrian Schoolcraft was abducted by his fellow officers and involuntarily admitted to a psychiatric hospital after he provided evidence of manipulation of crime statistics and intentional wrongful arrests.
The Civilian Complaint Review Board is an all-civilian, 13-member panel tasked with investigating misconduct or lesser abuse accusations against NYPD officers, including use of excessive force, abuse of authority, discourtesy and offensive language. Complaints against officers may be filed online, by mail, by phone or in person at any NYPD station. On June 8, 2020, both houses of the New York state assembly passed the Eric Garner Anti-Chokehold Act, which makes it so 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. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the police reforms, which he described as "long overdue", into law on June 12, 2020.
During the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, many NYPD officers refused to wear face masks. During the George Floyd protests, The New York Times reported that there were more than 60 videos showing NYPD police attacking protestors, many of whom were attacked without cause.

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 positive interaction with police officers and to educate young people about the challenges and responsibility of police work. The department also provides a citizen Police Academy which educates the public on basic law and policing procedures.

Fallen officers

According to the Officer Down Memorial Page, the NYPD has lost 930 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 officers killed on and off duty by gunfire of other officers on duty. The NYPD lost 23 officers in the September 11, 2001 attacks, not including another 136 who died of illnesses related to the attacks.

Vehicles

Firearms

On duty

New NYPD officers are allowed to choose from one of three 9mm service pistols: the SIG Sauer P226 DAO, Glock 17 Gen4, and Glock 19 Gen4. All duty handguns are modified to a 12-pound NY-2 trigger pull.
The Smith & Wesson 5946 was initially issued to new recruits; however, the manufacturer stopped producing the weapon. It is no longer an option for new hires, though officers who currently utilize the weapon are grandfathered in and may continue to use it. After the switch in 1994 to semiautomatic 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.
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.

Off duty

The firearms approved by the NYPD for off-duty carry are the Glock 26, Smith & Wesson 3914 DAO, Smith & Wesson 3953TSW, Smith & Wesson Model 640, Springfield Armory XD-S, Smith & Wesson M&P Shield and the Beretta 8000D Mini Cougar.

Discontinued from service

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. Prior to 1994 the standard weapon of the NYPD was the Smith & Wesson Model 64 DAO .38 Special revolver with a three or four inch barrel. This type of revolver was called the Model NY-1 by the department.
Prior to 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 barrel revolvers for their ease of concealment while dressed in civilian clothes.
The Kahr K9 9 mm 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.