NYPD Plainclothes Units Disbanded Amid Calls For Police Reform

NEW YORK CITY — The NYPD will disband plainclothes units as pressure mounts to limit the power of police forces across the nation after the death of George Floyd, Commissioner Dermot Shea announced Monday.

"This is 21st century policing," said Shea. "This is a seismic shift in the culture of how the NYPD polices this great city. It will be felt immediately."

Roughly 600 officers in precinct-level and Housing Bureau anti-crime teams will be transferred to the Detectives Bureau, Neighborhood Policing unit and other assignments, Shea said.

Surveillance and Narcotics bureaus will keep their plainclothes officers to continue longterm investigations, Shea said.

Shea has shown support for several police reform policies currently being considered, including cutting the NYPD's $6 billion budget by $1 billion.

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The units were not disbanded because of any fault of the officers, but in hopes of improving relations between police and New Yorkers, Shea said.

"This is no reflection whatsoever on the men and women of the police department that are out there doing the work," Shea said. "This is a policy shift coming from me personally."

The city’s largest police union criticized the move, which they argued would put New Yorkers at greater risk of facing gun violence.

“Anti-Crime’s mission was to protect New Yorkers by proactively preventing crime,” said Police Benevolent Association President Pat Lynch.

“Our city leaders have clearly decided that proactive policing isn’t a priority anymore. They chose this strategy. They will have to reckon with the consequences.”

This is not the first systematic change the NYPD faced Monday.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed legislation Monday requiring New York law enforcement officers to immediately report firing their weapons and provide health care to people in custody.

"Police reform is long overdue in this state and this nation," Cuomo said. "These critical reforms will help improve the relationship between law enforcement and the communities they serve."