Bill Bratton Says He Won't Serve As Police Commissioner If De Blasio Is Re-elected
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) - Bill Bratton says he won't serve as police commissioner if Mayor Bill de Blasio wins a second term.
Bratton told CityAndStateNY.com he's too old to lead the NYPD and serve again.
If de Blasio is re-elected in 2017, or if a new mayor wanted to keep him, Bratton said he would probably not be able to do the job.
"I will not be commissioner for six and a half years. That's the reality. I'll be 75 years old by that time," Bratton said.
As CBS2's Tony Aiello reported, Bratton made the comment at a breakfast sponsored by 'City and State.'
Afterwards CBS2's Sonia Rincon asked Bratton if that meant he wouldn't serve if de Blasio was re-elected in 2017.
"In terms of, I never uh, restrict my options. I love very much what I do and look forward to doing it for the foreseeable future. But I don't limit myself by terms," he said.
Bill Bratton Says He Won't Serve As Police Commissioner If De Blasio Is Re-elected
Bratton says he feels confident he'll be able to achieve his top goal of keeping crime low.
Asked about Bratton's statement, de Blasio was direct.
"I have only this comment," de Blasio said. "He's not too old."
Bill Bratton Says He Won't Serve As Police Commissioner If De Blasio Is Re-elected
De Blasio went on to voice his support for Bratton.
"What the commissioner chooses to do with the future obviously is his choice. But I have immense respect for Bill Bratton, I think he's doing an outstanding job," de Blasio said. "And as per usual with Bill Bratton he has the numbers to back it up. I think he's doing a great job and he should do it as long he feels it's right for him and his family."
Retired cop and former city judge John Walsh said the comments put Mayor de Blasio on public notice. He's got to start planning for life after Bill Bratton.
"Certainly Mayor de Blasio's had to ber very confident having someone like Bill Bratton next to him," Walsh said, " He has an obligation to make sure crime is controlled in the city, that the city runs, so he has an obligation to come up with somebody who can do that job. That's a lot of pressure for him."
Bratton took the helm in 2014 amid calls for reform and new oversight. A federal monitor was tasked with overseeing changes to the department's stop and frisk tactic.
Bratton was also NYPD commissioner in the 1990s.
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