William Bratton

William Bratton
Name	William Bratton
Birth date	6 October 1947
Birth place	Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Occupation	Police officer, consultant
Spouse	Rikki Klieman (m. 1999)
Education	Boston State College (BS), University of Massachusetts Boston (MPA)
Awards	Legion of Merit, Police Star (LAPD)

William Bratton is an American law enforcement official and consultant renowned for his transformative leadership of major urban police departments. He served two non-consecutive terms as the Police Commissioner of the City of New York and was the Chief of Police of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). Bratton is widely credited with pioneering and implementing the CompStat crime analysis and accountability system, a strategy central to the significant crime reductions experienced in New York City and Los Angeles during his tenures.

Early life and education

Born in Boston, he was raised in the city's Dorchester neighborhood. He attended Boston Technical High School before enlisting in the United States Army, where he served in the Military Police Corps. Following his military service, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Boston State College, which later merged into the University of Massachusetts Boston. He subsequently received a Master of Public Administration from the John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies at the University of Massachusetts Boston.

Police career

His law enforcement career began with the Boston Police Department in 1970, where he rose through the ranks to become Superintendent of Police. He later served as chief of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Police and then as Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police. In 1990, he was appointed Chief of the New York City Transit Police, where he first applied aggressive quality-of-life crime policing strategies within the New York City Subway system. His success there led to his first appointment as Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (NYPD) in 1994 under Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.

New York City Police Commissioner

During his first term from 1994 to 1996, he and First Deputy Commissioner John Timoney championed the broken windows theory and fully deployed the CompStat system developed by Deputy Commissioner Jack Maple. This data-driven management model, which held precinct commanders accountable for crime patterns, is credited with dramatically accelerating reductions in felony crime across New York City. His high-profile leadership style occasionally created friction with Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, leading to his resignation in 1996. He was awarded the New York City Police Department's Medal for Valor.

Los Angeles Police Chief

Appointed Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department in 2002 by Mayor James Hahn, he took command of a department recovering from the Rampart scandal and under a federal consent decree with the United States Department of Justice. He implemented CompStat in Los Angeles, expanded community policing, and oversaw continued crime reductions while working to reform the department's culture. His tenure saw improved relations with the city's diverse communities and the Los Angeles Police Commission. He received the LAPD's Police Star before stepping down in 2009.

Later career and consulting

After leaving the Los Angeles Police Department, he became chairman of the security consulting firm Altegrity and later founded the private advisory firm Bratton Group, LLC. He served as senior advisor for the global risk consultancy Teneo and held the position of executive chairman of Teneo Risk. In 2021, he was appointed by President Joe Biden to the Council of Governors to advise on homeland security matters. He has also consulted for police forces internationally, including in the United Kingdom and Brazil.

Personal life

He is married to television legal analyst and former attorney Rikki Klieman. He has received numerous honors, including the Legion of Merit from the United States Army and honorary doctorates from institutions like Boston University and the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. An avid reader of history and leadership texts, his career and strategies are frequently cited in studies of urban policing and public administration.

Category:American police chiefs Category:New York City Police Department commissioners Category:Los Angeles Police Department chiefs Category:1947 births Category:Living people