Former NYPD Police Commission Bill Bratton, who was hired under Mayor Giuliani and is widely credited with stemming the city's reputation for crime through the broken-window theory and Compstat, has been appointed as an unpaid "consultant" to Scotland Yard. Bratton was personally chosen by British Prime Minister David Cameron, who told Parliament that the UK "should be looking beyond our shores to learn the lesson from others," with regard to the widespread rioting that has gripped London in recent days. "He thanked me for accepting the engagement," Bratton told the Daily News, "I thanked him for the opportunity." more ›

When last we talked about the Rangers' Sean Avery the fashion-forward, fight-happy left wing was in Albany pushing for gay marriage. Today we find him getting arrested in LA after taunting the LAPD and, according to TMZ, calling them "fat little pigs." more ›

According to CNN, the LAPD is once again actively pursuing leads into the 1997 slaying of Christopher Wallace, aka Biggie Smalls/The Notorious B.I.G. One law enforcement source told them that the unsolved case was "reinvigorated" months ago due to new information, although they didn't reveal any other details about said info. But in addition to the LAPD and the L.A. County District Attorney's Office, it seems that the FBI is now involved with the case. Might that imply there's some sort of conspiracy afoot? more ›

Now that former NYPD commissioner William Bratton is leaving his post as LAPD commissioner to be CEO of a NYC security company, there's plenty of speculation that he could return to the public sector—even back as NYPD commissioner. Bratton told the Daily News, "Oh sure. I'm only 61. That's a possibility down the line. Those that know me know I never close any doors. Well with some exceptions: I've closed the door on politics to show my sanity. I'm not crazy." The News explains why another Bratton era might happen, "A source familiar with Mayor Bloomberg's thinking said Bratton would be on the short list for commissioner if Kelly moved on to another post, most likely a federal one." Bratton left the NYPD in 1996, apparently because then Mayor Rudy Giuliani was jealous of the credit that Bratton was getting for NYC's efforts fighting crime (example: this 1996 Time cover). Of course, credit for NYC's plummeting crime rates also goes to Jack Maple, the NYPD deputy commissioner behind CompStat (Maple died in 2001). more ›

Former NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton, now LAPD Chief of Police, offered his blunt assessment that a paparazzi taskforce was a "waste of time" since, for one, favorite paparazzi target Lindsay Lohan "has gone gay." While LA City Council members were disturbed by Bratton's remarks--and outing of the Mean Girls starlet--Bratton refined his remarks, saying Lindsay's relationship with Samantha Ronson apparently "quieted her down...nobody is more of a supporter of gay rights than I am." Naturally, there were paparazzi were on hand to ask Lohan and Ronson how they felt about being outed by Bratton; we doubt Police Commissioner Ray Kelly will be discussing Lohanson any time soon. more ›

William Bratton, the former NYPD Commissioner who introduced CompStat and helped oversee a dramatic reduction in crime (and then was dismissed when Rudy Giuliani got jealous), is now dealing a different kind of scourge: The paparazzi in Los Angeles. An LA City Council member has proposed restrictions on paparazzi and even convened a regional "paparazzi task force," with testimony from celebrities. Bratton, who has headed the LAPD since 2002, feels it's a "total waste of time," saying, "If you notice, since Brittany started wearing clothes and behaving; Paris is out of town not bothering anybody, thank god; and, evidently, Lindsay Lohan has gone gay, we don't seem to have much of an issue." more ›

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Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: a stabbing on 168th St. and Hillside Ave. in Queens, a sexual assault at Stanton and Attorney Sts. in Manhattan, and a missing child on Himrod St. in Brooklyn. Artist Eve Mosher is outlining in chalk the high water lines that floods will reach every four years by 2080 if global warming continues unabated. The project can be seen at her site highwaterline. Six-year-old Natalie Shea is now a... more ›

A look at some noteworthy programs this week:
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There's so much going on across the Ist-a-Verse that it's almost impossible to keep track these days. Fortunately, we do it so you don't have to! more ›

A look at some noteworthy television programs this week: more ›

Austinist gets arty with an interactive guide to SXSW, loved some local art galleries and a new art exhibit and lamented the possible loss of "Friday Night Lights" production to New Mexico. more ›

An interesting turn in the post-Sean Bell shooting NYPD: The NYPD has hired the RAND Corporation to examine NYPD weapons-use records and firearms training. The independent review will take 6 months and cost $500,000 (paid out of funds from the NYC Police Foundation). Police Commissioner Ray Kelly announced the study, but said that the review will "not directly investigate" the Bell shooting, though it will look at the phenomenon of "contagious shooting." more ›

The -ists this week had politics on the brain. And what goes better with politics? Partying-- that's two great tastes in one. Oh, and Kevin Federline...can't forget about Kevin Federline. That's three great tastes in one. more ›

In February 2005, the first Pinkberry opened on a quiet street in West Hollywood by 32-year old Korean entrepreneur Hyekyung (Shelly) Hwang. The frozen yogurt fiends came in droves, forced the LAPD to write 1,000 parking tickets because the store's neighbors couldn't find a place to put their cars amidst the visitors' SUVs, and now Hwang has signed more than thirty leases for yet-to-be-opened Pinkberry stores around the country. more ›

may or may not have caused the shooting of an associate of The Game totally confuses us. First, the media reported that one of 50's crew was shot in the lobby of Hot 97 where 50 Cent was on the air dissing The Game (photo left, AP). But then the victim, who was shot in the upper leg-groin (ouchie), turned out to be a friend of The Game's. Or something like that. Though police aren't sure if the shooting was related to the 50 Cent-The Game beef (The Game claims 50 didn't help him with his No. 1 album; 50 Cent says he wrote at least half the material), last night shots were fired into the building where 50's management company is located on West 25th Street. The NYPD is working with the LAPD to see if there's a connection between these shootings and an L.A. incident. And rapper Fabolous wants the rappers to make peace, which makes us wonder who can broker the peace process? Dr. Dre? more ›