Bill Bratton Continues To Criticize SBA Head Amid Calls For Resignation
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton criticized Sergeants Benevolent Association president Ed Mullins' role as a leader of the union he represents on Tuesday, claiming Mullins is not as proactive as other union leaders when it comes to standing up for his members.
The recent comments come after Mullins said that Bratton should be held accountable and possibly resign from command after two major police unions spoke out against him amid an ongoing police corruption investigation.
"I'm responsible for the discipline in the NYPD," Bratton said. "It all ends up on my desk. I think I've been very fair in my approach to it."
The police commissioner has since said that he has no plans of stepping down. Speaking in an exclusive interview with 1010 WINS, Bratton said Mullins had "never been up to my office to make an appeal" or to speak on the behalf of his officers, despite his open criticism of the commissioner.
"In the 28 months as police commissioner, he accuses me of being hypocritical," Bratton said. "He makes a lot of noise, but in 28 months, he has never been up to my office to make an appeal on behalf of any one of his members in a disciplinary issue. Every one of the other union leaders have been to my office repeatedly doing what you'd expect a union leader would do on behalf of their members when they get in trouble, try to make the best deal possible for them. He talks a lot, but his membership should be asking, 'What are you doing for us?'"
Bratton also criticized Mullins for not showing up at promotion ceremonies to support his members.
"Ed talks out of both sides of his mouth, unfortunately," Bratton said.
Nine police officials, including four deputy chiefs, have been transferred or stripped of their guns and badges as part of internal and federal corruption probes.
The investigation is looking into whether police officers accepted gifts and trips from businessmen Jeremy Reichberg and Jona Rechnitz in exchange for police escorts and favors.
The two have ties to Mayor Bill de Blasio's campaign. Both served on de Blasio's inaugural committee and either donated or raised money for him.
The probe also involves an investigation of alleged payoffs for gun licenses.
Alex "Shaya" Lichtenstein has been charged with bribing police to give him gun permits without background checks, which he would allegedly sell for a large profit.
NYPD Officer Michael Melici, who refused to cooperate with a federal grand jury, has also been found guilty on departmental charges. He was accused of failing to comply with a supervisor's order. Bratton will decide his fate.
Last week, NYPD inspector Michael Ameri, 44, was found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound in his car in West Babylon, police said.
Ameri was questioned recently as part of the federal probe, according to sources. He was one of many police officers or officials questioned, and was not disciplined by the department in any way, sources said.
On Tuesday, Bratton said that Ameri was cooperating with investigators in the time leading up to his death and was a well-respected and active member of the NYPD. Bratton also said Ameri had not been questioned by investigators since March 18.
"We don't really understand what was going through his mind at the time of his decision to commit suicide, the unfortunate suicide," Bratton said. "The tabloids in particular have been misreporting through their sources an awful lot about the circumstances involving his death, including that the FBI was at his door several days before the taking of his life. The last time he was interviewed was on March 18, that's almost a month ago. At that time, he was cooperating with investigators. He was not the target of the investigation. He was cooperating fully with his attorney. In terms of what was going on in his life during that time, we just don't know. I would point out that he has served this department honorably for many, many years."
According to Bratton, Ameri will be buried on Thursday.
