NYPD Officials Say Department Is Inching Closer to 'Holy Grail' of Policing

DOWNTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — The New York City Police Department (NYPD_ claimed Thursday that it continues inching closer to what Deputy Commissioner Dermot Shea called the "holy grail" of policing: as few arrests as possible, with crime as low as possible.

July's monthly briefing — one of the last presided over by Bill Bratton before he is replaced by Chief of Department James O'Neill in September — was held in a room named for former NYPD head Jack Maple, who pioneered the department's data-driven CompStat system in the early 1990s.

“I'm very pleased that [for] 25 straight years the city has experienced overall crime declines," Bratton said.

CompStat has been critical to making that a reality, Bratton said, making Maple's “an extraordinary life that has benefited an extraordinary city."

Through July 24, the NYPD recorded:

• 183 murders, compared with 200 during the same period last year
• 8,395 robberies, compared to 8,765 during the same period last year
• 7,079 burglaries, compared to 7,964 during the same period last year
• 518 shootings with 621 victims, compared to 643 shootings with 751 victims during the same period last year

This July, major crime was down 7 percent compared to July 2015. There were also 21 fewer shootings, 151 fewer robberies, 279 fewer burglaries and 73 fewer auto thefts. The department said that each total represented the lowest ever recorded in the approximately 20 years that CompStat has been active.

Three more sexual assaults were recorded this July than during the month last year, as well as 76 additional felony assaults. Both categories have ticked up city-wide throughout the year. Through July 24, 42 more rapes were reported in the city than during the same period last year, as well as nearly 600 more assaults.

Reported incidents of domestic violence were up about 4.5 percent as well.

No theory was provided for those increases at Thursday's press conference. Shea said that when it comes to domestic crime, while the city is always working to prevent it, "quite frankly, it is difficult."

The NYPD said it has produced overall crime decreases even as New York's population and tourism numbers have increased. Bratton ticked off the key numbers: in 1990, the city had 7.5 million people, 22 million tourists and 550,000 serious crimes. Today, it has 8.5 million people, 60 million tourists and is on track for 450,000 serious crimes.

At the same time, 11,000 fewer arrests have taken place this year than last year.

NYPD officials said they're more effectively targeting those responsible for the majority of the city's crime, such as gang members, and emphasized an ongoing series of busts — including the Thursday arrest of John Gotti Jr., grandson of the notorious John Gotti. Gotti Jr. stands accused by police of selling oxycodon.

The department's use of community policing is also helping, officials said, resulting in better information and better community relations.

Along those lines, Bratton said the NYPD will soon start surveying New York's population, asking 20,000 people at a time to review the police department's work. The outgoing commissioner said the effort will be the largest such survey of public opinion done by any police force.

Toward the end of the press conference, Bratton quoted Maple, who called for the force to remain "relentless until New York is the safest city in America."

"It is, bar none," Bratton said, "with maybe the exception of San Diego — which is not New York City."

Pictured at top: Bill de Blasio, left, stands with what he called "the dream team." From left to right: Bill Bratton, Benjamin Tucker, James O'Neill and Carlos Gomez.