Outbursts protesting police briefly disrupt NYPD budget hearing at City Council meeting

Demonstrators protesting New York Police Department policies briefly halted a City Council meeting Thursday as security guards cleared the public from the chambers during Commissioner William Bratton's budget talk.

About two dozen people shouted that the NYPD was racist and City Council members were "sellouts" for working with the department. At least one person was dragged away from the room by security.

"Bratton should be fired!" one woman yelled. Others shouted: "Just in case you didn't know, Broken Windows has got to go!" a reference to Bratton's signature policy that has officers go after smaller crimes in an effort to prevent larger ones.

The police commissioner took the outburst in stride. He quipped: "As Jimmy Durante used to say, 'Everybody wants to get into the act.'"

People were let back in about 30 minutes later and the seats were once again full. The council chambers were last cleared in late January, during an anti-Israel protest.

The new NYPD budget is $4.8 billion, down $11.7 million from the last fiscal year's budget, due mostly to a shift in civilian personnel, but it includes additional allotments for bullet-resistant vests, more money for cadets and a wage increase.

Bratton said he would like more officers and is working with Mayor Bill de Blasio on exactly how many, and that he would present a number later.

"For the NYPD, 2014 was a year of great accomplishment, great challenge and sadly great tragedy," he said. "And through it all, we have remained true to the ultimate role of the police: To prevent crime and disorder."