New York City: Chief William J. Bratton named Man of the Year by the New York City Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association (PBA) for his internationally recognized contributions to the law enforcement profession.
New York City PBA President Patrick J. Lynch announced today that Chief Bratton had been chosen as the 2009 PBA “Man of the Year.” President Lynch said, “Bill Bratton is a progressive and inclusive police manager who is recognized around the world as a true leader in professional policing. He has reduced crime and improved safety in America’s largest cities by empowering the police officers under his command to do their jobs. We honor him today for those accomplishments and for his willingness to testify on behalf of 23,000 New York City police officers during two very difficult and contentious pay disputes. We believe that his sworn testimony during those binding arbitration hearings played a major role in their successful outcomes for our members. We are proud and honored to name William J. Bratton as our 2009 Man of the Year.”
Chief Bratton will accept the Man of the Year award and deliver the keynote address today at a luncheon for the 115th Annual Convention of the PBA in New York City. Chief Bratton said, “It is a profound honor to receive this award from the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association. It is because of the collective effort of professional police officers that any one chief can be man of the year. I am also very proud to be among such an esteemed group of recipients.”
Previous recipients of PBA Man of the Year Award include New York Governor Mario Cuomo, United States Senators Alphonse D’Amato and Charles Schumer, New York Daily News columnist Stanley Crouch and New York Secretary of State Randy Daniels among many other notables.