William Bratton

Date of Birth: October 6, 1947

Zodiac Sign: Libra

Biography

William Bratton, commonly known as Bill Bratton, is a renowned public servant best known for his transformative roles in law enforcement across several major U.S. cities. Born on October 6, 1947, in Boston, Massachusetts, Bratton’s career in police work began in 1970 when he joined the Boston Police Department. He quickly rose through the ranks, gaining a reputation for innovative strategies and strong leadership. Bratton earned national recognition during his tenure as the New York City Police Commissioner from 1994 to 1996, where he implemented the “broken windows” theory of policing. This approach emphasized maintaining order by addressing minor offenses to prevent more serious crimes. His strategies significantly reduced crime rates in New York City, setting a precedent for other cities. After New York, Bratton served as the Chief of Police for the Los Angeles Police Department from 2002 to 2009, where he continued to apply his successful crime reduction techniques. He returned to New York City as Police Commissioner from 2014 to 2016. Throughout his career, Bratton has been a strong advocate for community policing and has written extensively on law enforcement practices.

5 Interesting Facts about William Bratton

1. William Bratton was a key proponent of the “CompStat” system, a performance management tool used to reduce crime and achieve other police department goals.

2. He has served as the head of police departments in both New York City and Los Angeles, two of the largest cities in the United States.

3. Bratton co-authored a book titled “Turnaround: How America’s Top Cop Reversed the Crime Epidemic” which details his strategies and experiences in law enforcement.

4. He has been awarded numerous honors, including being named one of Time magazine’s 25 Most Influential Americans in 1996.

5. Bratton has also worked in the private sector as a security consultant and served as a commentator on law enforcement issues.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from William Bratton

1. “Cops are not measured by how many times they fire their guns, but by how many times they do not have to fire their guns.”

2. “There are no shortcuts to building a strong and effective police department.”

3. “Crime is down because we changed the way we police.”

4. “The police are the public and the public are the police.”

5. “Success in policing is not just about reducing crime, it’s about increasing public trust.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

At the peak of his career, William Bratton’s net worth was estimated to be around $5 million, accumulated through his public service salary, book royalties, and private sector consulting work.

Children

William Bratton has one son, David Bratton, from his first marriage. David has followed in his father’s footsteps to some extent, working in various roles related to public safety and security.