Metro

Bratton OKs de Blasio’s call to bishop buddy

Top cop Bill Bratton has no problem with the mayor calling his NYPD troops behind his back – or with his cops not following the patrol protocols.

“I have no issue with him contacting anyone on my staff,” the police commissioner said Tuesday, after being asked about being kept in the dark about Mayor De Blasio’s late-night, Jan. 10 phone call to an NYPD honcho about the arrest of political ally and Brooklyn preacher Orlando Findlayter.

Bratton didn’t learn about the call until 6:30 am January 11, seven hours after Findlayter, who had outstanding warrants, had been sprung — and spared a night in the slammer – by NYPD Deputy Inspector Kenneth Lehr, who also is friendly with the pastor.

“I have no problem with it whatsoever,” Bratton said of de Blasio’s phone call to NYPD spokeswoman, Deputy Chief Kim Royster. “He can call anybody he wants, anytime he wants. I call my people anytime I want, and I call his people anytime I want. You need a free flow of communication in governance.”

“I’m known as the ‘great delegator’ — there was nothing I needed to be notified of immediately. It could wait until 6:30 am,” Bratton said.

The commish also didn’t seem concerned that Lehr, commander of the 67th Street precinct where the scofflaw preacher was busted, broke NYPD protocol in letting Findlayter go despite his active warrants. According to the current patrol guide, arrestees who have open federal, state or local warrants must remain in custody until they can be brought before a judge.

Findlayter is the clergy liaison for the 67th precinct. He also delivered the invocation at the City Council’s first meeting of the year.

“The police commander knows [Findlayter] quite well,” Bratton said. “The commander felt there was no great risk. He had no concern that he would show up in court. I believe [police discretion] was used appropriately and I have no problem with it.”

Asked whether a phone call from the mayor on Findlayter’s behalf created a perception of a double standard, Bratton said, “That may be their perception but it’s not mine. There is nothing about this incident that required my involvement.”

The NYPD has not responded to repeated requests to release the police report from Findlayter’s arrest.

“Issuing police reports is not what I do,” Bratton said when asked about the public information stonewall.

Findlayter – who was instrumental in delivering the black vote to de Blasio last year – was pulled over January 10 in East Flatbush for making a left turn without signaling. Cops found he was driving with a suspended license and had two open warrants for failure to appear in court in relation to an October protesting arrest.

A testy DeBlasio has brushed off his phone call to Royster, saying it was “an unusual situation where … a very prominent member of the clergy was experiencing a very unusual situation.”

“I thought it was appropriate to make an inquiry, and I got a response. And that’s the end of the story.”

DeBlasio said he didn’t ask for special treatment for Findlayter and that the decision to let him go was made by Lehr.

Hours after his release, Findlayter and De Blasio were photographed yukking it up at a breakfast with 200 other pastors and the Rev. Al Sharpton.

The financially-troubled Findlayter, pastor of the New Hope Christian Fellowship, is a preacher without a bricks-and-mortar church. He was booted from his Church Avenue building after failing to pay rent. He’s had at least two home foreclosures and also has filed for bankruptcy.