De Blasio defends NYPD reforms as Bronx commander retires in protest

Mayor Bill de Blasio said police have a “legit reason” to be frustrated with the criminal justice system — but the NYPD reforms that led to a Bronx precinct commander to retire were the right ones.

“We have a problem with the court system not working… we have the problem of the parole system and individuals coming out of state,” Hizzoner said during his daily press conference Friday morning. “There is a legit reason for frustration on that.”

The mayor’s comment comes just hours before Deputy Inspector Richard Brea, the 46 Precinct commander, is set to walk away from the NYPD after nearly three decades over the department’s lack of guidance over the police reforms.

The Bronx commander wanted direction on how to combat gun violence and drugs without the anti-crime unit, which was broken up last week.

But the mayor brushed off any blowback among the NYPD of the recent changes in policing Gotham, such as disbanding the department’s “aggressive” anti-crime unit, and said more were on the way.

“The NYPD has a tremendous history of making adjustments,” de Blasio said. “Adjustments are being made as we speak. The choice on the anti-crime unit was the right one.”

“We’re in a moment where there are a lot of challenges.”

Brea had also griped about the department’s response to the George Floyd demonstrations.

Brea’s union, the Captains Endowment Association, has also called for the end of a numbers-driven police strategy, CompStat, because it pressured commanders to drum up arrests.

But the mayor touted CompStat, as well as “precision policing,” as a positive policing strategy allowing the department to spot and make changes as needed.

“No one understands that better than [Police Commissioner] Dermot Shea,” de Blasio said.