NYPD names new counterterrorism head
The New York Daily News and the New York Sun report today on the naming of Richard Falkenrath as the new Deputy Commissioner of Counterterrorism at the New York Police Department.
It will be interesting to see whether this leads to stronger ties between DHS and the NYPD, which have often seemed more like rivals than partners. The Sun story notes that Falkenrath intends to represent NYC more strongly in the chase for homeland security grant funds:
Mr. Falkenrath told the Sun his priorities for protecting New York City include securing specific terrorist targets, with the subway system “at the top of our list of concerns.” He also said he would work to secure more federal antiterror dollars: “I believe New York is, from a terrorist perspective, the highest priority target in the world. And the federal grants need to reflect that.”
One potential challenge facing Falkenrath will be whether he can rapidly assimilate into the culture of the NYPD and master the operational dimensions of the job. Falkenrath’s expertise on homeland security is unquestioned, but he comes from an academic, policy-focused background, while his predecessors in this job (Michael Sheehan, Frank Libutti) both had military backgrounds, and more extensive management experience coming into the position.
