NYPD Officer Attacked With Hatchet Receives Warm Welcome Back From Commissioner Bratton

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Police Commissioner Bill Bratton and fellow members of the NYPD welcomed an officer injured in a brazen daylight hatchet attack last year back to the force with a standing ovation.

During a promotion ceremony on Friday, Bratton said the NYPD is really glad to have 25-year-old Kenneth Healey back.

Bratton said Healey has made an incredible recovery after an initially poor prognosis, WCBS 880's Ginny Kosola reported.

"Over these last number of months has fought valiantly to come back to this department and on Nov. 30, he returned to duty with this department and I want to acknowledge his courage, his bravery in fighting to come back into our ranks once again," Bratton said.

In October of 2014, Healey and three other officers were attacked by a man wielding a hatchet on Jamaica Avenue and 162nd Street in Queens. Healey, a rookie at the time of the incident, suffered a skull fracture.

Suspect Zale Thompson, who was killed by police, had ranted against America. Commissioner Bratton called the incident a terror attack.

Thompson was a convert to Islam who had been visiting websites affiliated with terror groups. Police believe he was self-radicalized.

Healey is now back in uniform at the 103rd Precinct and is limited to desk duty.

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