Bratton Says No Savings With Police Merger

A November 15 MTA Board meeting to discuss Mayor Giuliani's proposal to merge the NYC Transit Police into the NYPD saw vociferous opposition expressed by representatives of transit police and transit workers unions and transit riders' and environmental organizations (including the

Straphangers Campaign, Committee for Better Transit, Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA, Transportation Alternatives and the Tri-State Transportation Campaign). MTA Chair Peter Stang] opened the meeting by expressing opposition to the merger and challenging

Administration claims that the merger would save money. NYC Police Commissioner William Bratton was the only speaker supporting the merger. Opponents cited recent gains in reducing subway crime and boosting ridership -- progress which could be lost if the elimination of a dedicated police

force resulted in less policing and declining public confidence in transit system safety -- and Bratton's own opposition to the merger when he was Transit Police Chief several years ago. MTA board members and other speakers referred repeatedly to the lack of a detailed Administration fiscal and

organizational plan for the merger. In response, Bratton admitted that the merger would not save money. During the discussion, a majority of MTA Board members expressed negative reactions to any merger that could hurt ridership and safety and increase overall costs and faulted the Mayor

for broaching the issue with the gun to the head negotiating stance of threatening to withdraw City budget support for the Transit Police. Contact the Straphangers Campaign, 212-349-6460.