News 12 Interview: Chief of Detectives Rodney Harrison talks elimination of NYPD plainclothes anti-crime unit

Protesting has been seen across the city for the 20th day against racial injustice, police reform laws being passed and now major action being taken within the NYPD.

News 12 Staff

Jun 17, 2020, 2:09 AM

Updated 1,702 days ago

Share:

Protesting has been seen across the city for the 20th day against racial injustice, police reform laws being passed and now major action being taken within the NYPD. 
The NYPD has eliminated the plainclothes anti-crime unit. 
Chief Harrison, who used to be an anti-crime sergeant in Brooklyn, says it’s a new strategy and that the officers will no longer be carrying out plainclothes operations--instead working with communities in neighborhoods to help solve problems.
They will also either be on one of his investigative squads, bringing their intimate knowledge of who the criminals are. 
News 12’s Jessica Cunnington sits down with NYPD Chief of Detectives, Rodney Harrison, and talks more about what this means. 
“It was a very very difficult decision and it's absolutely a humongous change within the department,” Harrison tells Cunnington in an extended interview. 
FULL INTERVIEW: 
However, Harrison says he is optimistic and says this is what the department does--it reflects on how it can be even better and makes necessary changes. 
“It's definitely going to strengthen relationships, once again Jess - we got to be more transparent and that's another reason why I think the commissioner made that decision but I strongly, strongly believe that we're going to do what we have to do, be it precision policing, neighborhood policing but we're going to do what we have to do to fight the violence that unfortunately plagues the communities we protect,” said Harrison.