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September 11th and NYPD: The Legacy

Dozens of journalists and engineers in the WNYC newsroom came together to produce this series for Gothamist and WNYC radio.

The series, which ends on September 11, explores how the terror attacks 20 years ago fundamentally changed the NYPD. The 20th anniversary comes amid another critical moment in U.S. history: a reckoning over race and policing, here in New York City and across the country.

Over the last two decades, the NYPD has undergone a dramatic transformation, growing in capacity, reach, and power. Those changes are evident today in virtually every aspect of policing in New York City -- from the department’s enforcement around street protests, to its vast international network, to its presence on mass transit, to its all-round philosophy of public safety.

Latest Articles Tagged "september 11 2021"

The contrasting responses speak to how the human brain seeks out unity—and the influence of leadership over that desire.


First responders who worked at Ground Zero frequently run into red tape as they develop chronic conditions such as cancer. These long-term illnesses tend to emerge well after exposure to health hazards, making it hard to prove cause and effect.


The most ubiquitous crime-fighting phrase to emerge in the aftermath of September 11th almost never made it into the American vernacular.


Live Memorial  Coverage
On September 11, WNYC's Brian Lehrer will host special live coverage of official memorial ceremonies starting at 8:35 a.m. At 11 a.m., WNYC will air "Blindspot: The Road to 9/11," a two-hour radio documentary adapted from the nine-part podcast hosted by WNYC's Jim O Grady.

New rules governing police surveillance can be traced from 9/11 all the way back to the Black Panthers 50 years ago.


The police monitoring upended one man’s life and left a legacy of trauma.


After the attacks, the NYPD moved rapidly to develop its own global intelligence and counterterrorism capabilities.


New York established its modern police force in 1845, in the midst of breakneck population growth, which came with rising crime and calls to fight it.