Top Two Police Spots Will Be Held by John Jay Graduates
Chief James P. O’Neill, the highest ranking uniformed officer in the New York Police Department and a two-time alumnus of John Jay College of Criminal Justice, will become the NYPD’s next commissioner next month after Police Commissioner William J. Bratton steps down on September 1 to take a post in the private sector.
O’Neill, 58, who has been the NYPD’s Chief of Department since 2014, earned his B.A. in Government from John Jay in 1988 — five years after launching his career with the old New York City Transit Police — and then went on to receive a master’s in public administration in 1993. With O’Neill’s appointment, John Jay alumni will hold the top two executive posts in the NYPD; First Deputy Commissioner Benjamin Tucker received his B.S. in Criminal Justice in 1977.
John Jay President Jeremy Travis offered high praise for the incoming Commissioner. “Our city will be well-served by the leadership of our new Police Commissioner, James O’Neill,” President Travis said. “He has an impressive range of experiences in a variety of command positions in the department throughout his career. Of particular importance is Chief O’Neill’s role in designing and implementing the Neighborhood Policing Program that is making a difference in police-community relationships.
“Of course, the John Jay community takes particular pride in pointing out that Chief O’Neill has earned two degrees at John Jay. We wish him every success and thank Commissioner Bratton for his contributions to our city.”
O’Neill’s 33-year career has been marked by a rapid rise through the ranks and a diversity of assignments. He has served in three Transit Districts, four precincts, and such special units as the Firearms Training Section, the Police Academy, Warrant Section, Vice Enforcement Division, Narcotics Division, SATCOM Detective Narcotic Operations, Fugitive Enforcement Division and the Office of the Police Commissioner.
He was named Chief of Patrol by Bratton in 2014, and later that year was promoted to Chief of Department. Associates have described O’Neill as a fair leader who is tough on crime when he needs to be while understanding that policing depends on the trust of the community.
O’Neill will become the fourth John Jay alumnus to serve as New York City Police Commissioner, following in the footsteps of Michael J. Murphy (MPA, 1961), Donald F. Cawley (B.S., 1971), and Richard J. Condon (M.A., 1978)
MEDIA COVERAGE
The New York Times
August 3, 2016
NYC’s Next Top Cop Touts Strategy to Repair Rift With Public
Officers can be trained to bring "softer skills" to resolving problems, but "they're not social workers, they're not camp counselors — they're law enforcement," Eugene O'Donnell, a professor of police studies at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, said Tuesday.
The Wall Street Journal
August 3, 2016
New York Police Commissioner William Bratton to Depart
http://www.wsj.com/articles/new-york-police-commissioner-william-bratton-to-depart-1470198513
The Marshall Project
August 2, 2016
The End of the Bratton Era
Professor David M. Kennedy discusses Commissioner Bratton’s era and what is to come.
https://www.themarshallproject.org/2016/08/01/is-the-internet-endangering-criminal-informants
ABC7 – Eyewitness News
August 3, 2016
Incoming NYPD Commissioner O’Neill Attends ‘National Night Out’
"Policing is about legitimacy, being legitimate to the public, if you don't have it, crime can go down and you are still not going to do your job," said Prof. Maria Haberfeld, of John Jay College.
http://abc7ny.com/politics/incoming-nypd-commissioner-oneill-attends-national-night-out/1454747/
NBC News
August 2, 2016
New York’s New Top Cop Owes Job to Man He is Replacing
O'Neill, who has a bachelor's and master's degree from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, was one of the first New York police commanders to put neighborhood policing into practice.
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/new-york-s-top-cop-candidate-owes-job-man-he-n621676
DNA Info
August 2, 2016
Meet Your New NYPD Commissioner, James O’Neill
O’Neill also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in government and Master of Public Administration degree from John Jay College of Criminal Justice.
https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20160802/civic-center/meet-your-new-nypd-commissioner-james-oneill
US News
August 3, 2016
NYC’s Next Top Cop Touts Strategy to Repair Rift with Public
Officers can be trained to bring "softer skills" to resolving problems, but "they're not social workers, they're not camp counselors — they're law enforcement," Eugene O'Donnell.
The Guardian
August 2, 2016
Profile: Bill Bratton Steps Down as NYPD Commissioner as Race and Policing ‘in crisis’
“I don’t think he had a single good day in 31 months – it was just all hellishly bad for him,” said Eugene O’Donnell, a professor of law and police studies at John Jay College of Criminal Justice.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/aug/02/bill-bratton-resigns-nypd-commissioner
Irish Central
August 3, 2016
New York City’s New Police Chief is a Proud Irishman and a “cop’s cop”
He is a master’s graduate of John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Manhattan.
The Guardian
August 2, 2016
Jimmy O’Neill: Reform Advocates Skeptical NYPD Vet Can Bring Change
Giacalone, now an adjunct professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, said the new commissioner would need to address increasingly low morale among officers before implementing new practices.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/aug/02/jimmy-oneill-nypd-commissioner-bill-bratton-new-york
Fox 5 News
August 2, 2016
Who is Chief James O’Neill
Chief O'Neill holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government and a Master of Public Administration degree from John Jay College.
http://www.fox5ny.com/news/184421343-story
CBS New York
August 2, 2016
James O’Neill: 5 Fast Facts
O’Neill graduated from John Jay College with a Bachelor of Arts in Government and a Master of Public Administration.
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2016/08/02/james-oneill-5-fast-facts/
ABC 7 News
August 2, 2016
Who is NYPD's James O'Neill, New York City's new police commissioner?
O'Neill holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in government and a Master of Public Administration degree from John Jay College.
http://abc7ny.com/news/who-is-nypds-james-oneill-nycs-new-police-commissioner/1453792/
AM New York
August 2, 2016
James O’Neill to become NYPD commissioner: What to know about the chief of department
The former chief of department graduated from John Jay College, earning a bachelor's degree in government and master's degree in public administration.
Gothamist
August 2, 2016
Get To Know NYC's New Police Commissioner, James O'Neill
O'Neill has a B.A. in government and a master's of public administration from John Jay College.
http://gothamist.com/2016/08/02/james_oneill_nypd.php
The Detroit News
August 2, 2016
NYC’s police chief to resign, become security adviser
But “there’s no way Bratton could have foreseen the firestorm he walked into,” said Eugene O’Donnell, a former NYPD officer who’s now a John Jay College of Criminal Justice professor.
http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/nation/2016/08/02/nyc-commissioner-resigns/87965038/
IB Times
August 2, 2016
Who is James O’Neill, Bill Bratton’s Replacement? 5 Things To Know About New NYPD Commissioner
He’s Highly Educated: O’Neill has a Bachleor’s degree and a Master’s degree from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice.
CBS New York
August 2, 2016
James O’Neill To Take Over As Commissioner With 33 Years’ NYPD Experience
He graduated from John Jay College with a Bachelor of Arts in Government and a Master of Public Administration.
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2016/08/02/james-oneill-nypd-commissioner/
SI Live
August 2, 2016
Meet your new commissioner: 6 things about James O'Neill
O'Neill holds a bachelor of arts degree in government and a master of public administration degree from John Jay College of Criminal Justice.
http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/08/meet_your_new_commissioner_6_t.html
VICE
August 2, 2016
Bill Bratton is Leaving an NYPD Under Fire
"O'Neill is completely capable of taking over the department and moving forward," says Joseph Giacalone, a former NYPD detective sergeant and professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice.
