Attorney General Jeff Sessions is changing his tune when it comes to policing in the city.
"I'm a big admirer, as I'm sure you are, of the New York Police Department," Sessions said Friday.
It appeared to be an attempt to walk back a statement the Justice Department made last week, in which it said New York City is soft on crime and suffering from gang murder after gang murder. In fact, the city's crime rate is at a record low.
"They've led the way in community-based policing, they've proven the broken windows strategies work, they have other CompStat procedures and all that involves, been very successful in reducing crime and making this nation safer," Sessions said. "The last thing we need to do is have court orders that block and prevent our police from using those kinds of tactics."
Sessions visited nearby Suffolk County on Friday, promising to tackle Long Island’s growing gang problem.
The Attorney General vowed Washington will "demolish" the MS 13 gang, which authorities believe is responsible for the deaths of 11 young people in Central Islip and Brentwood.
Sessions said gang violence could be prevented with tighter immigration policies to prevent criminals from slipping through.
Washington has threatened to strip federal funding from the City for refusing to comply with immigration authorities, but a federal judge recently blocked that effort.
Mayor Bill de Blasio says that money is vital for New York’s counterterrorism efforts.
The mayor has argued that cracking down on illegal immigration only sows mistrust between police and immigrant communities, which he says would make the city less safe.