LAPD Chief William Bratton Letter To Department Employees

 Chief Bratton speaks on Resignation 

Los Angeles: Earlier today, Wednesday, August 5th, I met with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to inform him of my intention to resign my position as Chief of our great Department effective October 31st, so that I may pursue new professionalization of policing opportunities in the private sector.  There is never a good time to leave a job and a Department that you love and enjoy, but there is always a right time.  That time has now come for me professionally and personally to seek new career challenges.

Since my appointment as Chief of this extraordinary Department in October 2002, by then Mayor James Hahn, we have travelled together on an exciting and successful journey - through good times and bad - meeting crises, challenge and opportunity with consistent optimism, confidence and resolve. 

You and I committed to five overarching goals in 2002, and as of today, we can all take justifiable pride and satisfaction in knowing that we have in large measure met and continued to expand their impact in our ultimate purpose for being: to protect and to serve all the residents of this great City.   We committed to reduce crime, fear, and disorder, and we have done that.  We committed to keeping the City safer from terrorism and we have done that while establishing national best practices and initiatives.  We committed to full implementation of the Federal Consent Decree, and while it took longer than originally anticipated, we have done that.  We campaigned to grow the Department by 1,000 officers and with the focused leadership of Mayor Villaraigosa and the support of the City Council and voters we are doing that.  We also committed to Bias-Free Policing, to ensure that all the residents and visitors to our City of Angels would be the benefactors of constitutional, compassionate, consistent policing in every neighborhood.  The recent Harvard Study and Los Angeles Times poll have conclusively shown that a significant majority of all Angelinos feel that you are succeeding.  It will not be easy to leave because, while much has been done, there is still much more that can be done.  But having met the personal and professional challenges that I set for myself, I feel that this is an appropriate time for new leadership to move the Department forward and meet the challenges that lie ahead. 

Thank you for the honor, the privilege and the enjoyment of working with you, and for the opportunity to tell your story during these past seven years.  I hope that each of you in some way, no matter what your position, felt that you were part of what I believe will be a very special time in the history of the Department – our Department – a Department that is without question second to none.  It has truly been an honor and a privilege to be your chief.

All the best,
WJB

Comments

[CITIZEN]

Ed O'Shea for chief.

[Jack Dunphy]

Chief Bratton,

Benefactors provide benefits, beneficiaries receive them. You could use a better writer.

Good luck in the new gig.

All the best,
Jack Dunphy

[Richard A. Hansen]

Chief Bratton , Your time with us was short ,but successful.Thank you.

The Command Staff you put together,within the LAPD is outstanding! The Assistants & Deputies to your office are the best of our home town Son's. Thanks Chief for showing us the way, and good luck!

R.A Hansen/ San Pedro

[Kevin J. Carberry]

Brooklyn Heights is a great place to live in NYC

[Blu9ght]

Let's hope that whomever the new Chief of Police is, he or she strives to bring back respect and dignity to all the men and women of this Department in uniform, who despite all the negatives associated with it, continue to choose to serve and protect on the front-line. Let's not forget that without the Patrol Cop, this Department is all ego and no substance.

[whereIStheBEEF]

Ed O'Shea for chief sounds like a good idea, at least he won't be a weak sauce.

[Adam]

Thank you Dunphy for making us blue suiters look like ungrateful jerks. Please have your phone booth retirement and fade away.

Chief Bratton was the finest leader in the past 20 years I've been here and I appreciate all that he has done with us and for us. I sincerely wish him all the best and much success in his new career.

Adam

(bad grammar used for emphasis)

[dl]

I'm glad he's leaving, now maybe the City of Los Angeles will get someone who cares about this city. Someone to get rid of the gangbangers, the homeless situation and racist police officers. Now all we need is a new Mayor and Governor.

[kamalo]

Dear Chief:

Congratulations and happy trails. Thank you for your extraordinary service. May you live long and prosper.

[Pete Malloy]

Ehhh, I can take it or leave it. I'm looking for a chief who will tell the media to pound sand and isnt afraid to educate the mayor on safe police tactics when things turn ugly on camera. Im looking for someone who foundly remembers what its like to push a blk & wht around for endless hours but had the brains to promote out of it. Im looking for someone who will show the ACLU where the door is but will promote the best hard hitting tactics and professionalism to keep their heads spinning. Im looking for someone who isnt afraid of admitting there is too much paperwork and too many cops standing around waiting to book their arrestees. Im looking for a Chief who isn't afraid of looking at how the smaller but more efficient LA Co agencies work and take the best from them. Im looking for someone who isnt afraid of offending a group who throws up the card of the week.

I think what im looking for is a Chief that no longer exists. . .

[Ed O'Shea]

Thank you my friends. I would take the job, but I won't be licking any boots, so I'm afraid that puts me out of the running. But boy, wouldn't that make for some entertaining city counsel meetings. I wouldn't let those johny-come-lately's get away with a thing.
The LAPD Chiefs position needs to be given civil service protection. And taken away from the hack politicians. These Chiefs could make this city far safer with the protection of civil service. I'm sure Bratton wishes he didn't have to kiss the tailpipe of every incompetent city counsel member, to get things done either. The only city counsel member who gave a squat about the people in his district was Dennis Zine. The rest of these malcontents just wanted to mug up for the cameras and spend our money.
I have disagreed with you quite often, but Good luck Chief Bratton, you're leaving us better than when you joined us. I will say that was not a very difficult thing to accomplish, heck Mickey Mouse could have done a better job than Parks. Not that you didn't have a touch road to hoe, but l wanted to apply a little context. And I have my concerns about you and KRULL bleeding the city dry and not being in any major rush to end the CD until the "$$$$$ well" was dry. But, I digress, good luck and enjoy the cold weather back east.
Sheriff Joe Apraio for Chief of the LAPD!

[CITIZEN]

Ed would get the pencil pushers out from behind there desk. Ed would "walk his post from flank to flank and take no flak from any rank".

[CITIZEN]

Anyone but Parks. I can't even get him to help with two cars on my block with no plates. I'v called parking Enf. but it's like they don't care. They only give tickets on street cleaning days. It's like they are blind or just don't care.

[Ezra]

Come on Ed at least get his name right. Joe Arpaio, in your dreams but what a wonderful idea. Stay safe Ed and all your LAPD brethren.