Mayor Wants NYPD in Charge

In a move to assert the NYPD's role and to ruffle some feathers, the Mayor is proposing that the NYPD would lead all regional authorities during emergencies. Newsday reports that this means "Ray Kelly would take charge at all big incidents in city train stations, ports, airports, bridges or tunnels run by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Port Authority," which then means that both NY Governor Pataki and NJ Governor Codey would need to agree. Mayor Bloomberg has ratcheted up the NYPD's power during his term, giving the NYPD control of emergency situations instead of the FDNY, which has brought him a lot of FDNY-resentment. In this case, the MTA's reaction to the Mayor's request was "The extensive discussions that the city had on its own protocol demonstrate that negotiations on these things are complex, and we shouldn't discuss them via press release." On the face of the situation, it seems like a good idea, as the NYPD's network is probably much bigger than the other smaller agencies. But there do need to be checks and balances, and other agencies might have their own areas of expertise. The best quote is from Jerome Hauer, who worked in emergency management under Rudy Giuliania: "Since the mayor has no understanding of public safety, he defers to Ray Kelly. And Ray Kelly's idea of public safety is, 'I run everything and I'm the only one that can do it.'" Snap!

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By Jen Chung in News on September 30, 2005 7:57 AM

Comments [rss]

Blike = Jump to conclusion (ma

Who said NYPD is going to rush in? Can't you read?

"take command of hundreds of officers who work for regional authorities during city emergencies"

y

Shit! Ferrer can't even write his own blog or follow campaign laws let along handle disaster management.

Blike Moomberg

There should be a head above the NYPD that has full authority over one thing: to oversee emergency operations.

Let's say a terrorist blows himself up and a 10-story building with him. People are dead, lost limbs, blinded by shrapnel. People are trapped under rubble. Flames everywhere. Toxic chemicals in the basement are releasing fumes.

The first responders should be EMT with medical equipment, and the FDNY with hazmat suits, ladders, and debris removal equipment.

Definitely don't send in the NYPD first, armed only with handcuffs and guns.

Bloomberg's plan is for the NYPD handle it first. Ferrer's plan is to have a single authority for emergency management, to best decide who should first respond.

This is serious life-or-death stuff, and should be seriously considered when going to the voting booth. Bloomberg's businessman experience obviously didn't include disaster managment.

Zac

I think the point is, as we saw in the aftermath of Katrina, someone has to be in charge. It would be better to name the toll booth collector for the Henry Hudson Bridge as the point man in the case of an emergency than to just have a complete power vacuum.

If you think about it, the police or fire commissioner for the City of New York are probably your two best options. Can you really imagine the NYPD taking orders from the Port Authority PD?

As far as jurisdiction tiffs, you just have to go with the best of all options. Hopefully, the NYPD is comfortable with the fact that the Port Authority and MTA PDs knows their tunnels and bridges (or at least should) best.