https://qns.com/story/2019/11/05/cou...l-era-at-nypd/
Over his three years as the NYPD’s top cop, outgoing Police Commissioner James O’Neill faced one challenge after another — including crises of homeland security and responses to allegations of police misconduct.
His tenure as commissioner began with a bang. On his first official day at the post in September 2016, the “Chelsea bomber,” Ahmad Rahimi, injured 30 people with pressure cooker explosives that exploded on Manhattan streets...
Separately during his time, the commissioner made efforts towards amending what he identified as wrongdoings of the department’s past, especially against the LGBTQ community. Earlier this year, O’Neill issued a formal apology to that community on the department’s behalf for its handling of the Stonewall Riots in 1969...
It was also O’Neill’s responsibility to handle disciplinary actions against NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo for his fatal chokehold against Staten Island man Eric Garner while resisting arrest in 2014...
Adding to the strain, in 2019, the NYPD faced a different crisis: a sudden spike in police officer suicides. The commissioner worked with the city to bring about additional mental health programs for officers and public pleas that any officer in dire need seek help...
Days before announcing his retirement, O’Neill also took Governor Andrew Cuomo to task after Cuomo mentioned that subway crime was on the rise.
“We get about six major crimes per day and there are six million riders per day, so that is not a system that is out of control,” the former transit cop said, while noting that overall crime in New York is down during his tenure.
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