NEW YORK – Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced the implementation of the Bronx’s new two-borough patrol structure – the first division of the borough into separate patrol commands in NYPD history. The Bronx will now operate under Patrol Borough Bronx North (PBXN) and Patrol Borough Bronx South (PBXS), creating a more focused and effective approach to fighting crime across the borough. The new structure will deliver nearly 200 more cops, create the physical space for new commands, and modernize systems across the department, including CompStat. PBXN and PBXS will each have dedicated personnel and specialized units, including homicide squads, evidence collection teams, Neighborhood Safety Teams, narcotics teams, and auto crime units. The restructuring builds on the NYPD’s successful strategy to drive down crime in the Bronx, with major crime down more than 15% in April and 11% year-to-date according to the city.
“Today is long overdue for the residents of the Bronx, for the officers doing this work, and for a borough that has carried one of the heaviest public safety burdens anywhere in this city,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. “For years, the Bronx continued operating under a single patrol borough command while the demands placed on this borough continued to grow. The creation of Bronx North and Bronx South is one of the most significant operational changes to policing in the Bronx in decades, and it is about equity, ensuring that Bronx residents receive the same level of oversight, resources, and operational support that communities in other boroughs have had for years. This restructuring will bring more specialized units, more oversight, and nearly 200 additional cops into Bronx communities. And importantly, this is not a response to failure — it is a decision to build on success. The Bronx is already leading the city in crime reduction, and this restructuring will strengthen the precision policing strategies driving those historic declines.”
“Our city is experiencing historic declines in crime and violence, and the creation of a second command center in the Bronx will help us build on that progress,” said Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani. “I want to thank the men and women of the New York City Police Department and Commissioner Tisch for their partnership and continued hard work to keep New Yorkers safe. Alongside an Office of Community Safety focused on preventing violence before it happens by connecting New Yorkers to the support they need, we are taking a whole-of-government approach to public safety.”
The Bronx handles the highest volume of police work anywhere in New York City. Last year alone, the Bronx received nearly one million 911 calls – the most calls for service citywide – while continuing to operate under a single patrol borough structure. The creation of Bronx North and Bronx South will allow the NYPD to deploy resources more effectively, strengthen borough-level oversight, and tailor policing strategies to the specific needs of individual communities. The Bronx now joins Queens, Brooklyn, and Manhattan in operating under a North/South patrol borough structure.
Assistant Chief Benjamin D. Gurley will oversee Bronx North, and Assistant Chief Brian C. Hennessy will oversee Bronx South. Bronx North will be headquartered at the current 48th Precinct and will be comprised of Precincts 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, and 52. Bronx South will be headquartered at the newly renovated former 40th Precinct, and will be comprised of Precincts 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, and 45.
This announcement comes as major crime in the Bronx is down for the month of April and year-to-date, with a 15.5% and 11% decrease, respectively. The Bronx had its fewest murders in recorded history for the month of April with four. Shooting incidents were down 58% in April, the second fewest in recorded history for the borough and only two behind the record set in April 2018. Shooting victims declined a whopping 65% in April as well. Year-to-date, murders are down more than 15%, shooting incidents are down 9%, and shooting victims are down 9.5%. At the end of April, the NYPD dismantled a major auto theft ring in the Bronx that stole more than $1 million in auto parts. Since that takedown, the Bronx has experienced a dramatic decrease in auto crime. In the first two weeks of May, tire and rim thefts were down 76% compared to the first two weeks of April.
Assistant Chief Benjamin D. Gurley joined the NYPD in March 2000 and began his career on patrol in the Bronx’s 41st Precinct. In August 2023, he was promoted to his current rank of assistant chief and appointed commanding officer of Patrol Borough Bronx. Assistant Chief Brian C. Hennessy joined the NYPD in August 1998 and began his career in Queens’ 111th Precinct and later served as the commanding officer of the Bronx’s 40th Precinct. In December 2024, he was elevated to his current rank of assistant chief and appointed commanding officer of Patrol Borough Queens North.
