NYPD, mayor defend 'broken windows' policing

NEW YORK (FOX 5 NEWS) - New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Police Commissioner Bill Bratton defended the city's so-called "broken windows" policy.

The NYPD insists when police give summons or make arrests for minor infractions like disorderly conduct it can help bring down violent crime. De Blasio said in many cases, quality-of-life issues stopped violent crime.

The two city leaders are responding to a scathing report by the Department of Investigation. The DOI's report, done by the NYPD inspector general, showed that "broken windows" policing does not drive down violent crime.

The Office of the Inspector General conducted an independent examination of more than 2 million quality-of-life criminal summonses and misdemeanor arrests between 2010 and 2015. During that time, the number of quality-of-life summonses dramatically declined but felony crime did not increase.

But Bratton said the report is of "no value" because he said it used flawed methodology and looked at such a narrow widow of time.

In response to Bratton's comments, the DOI issued another statement, saying, in part: "We stand by our report and will continue to make arrests and issue critical reports when needed, without regard to the objections of officials."