Metro

Bratton vows to crack down on ‘squeegee men’

Police Commissioner Bill Bratton vowed to rid the city of the “squeegee men” who represent the bad old days of New York while advocating for “broken windows” policing — after The Post ran a front page story about the aggressive window “washers” on Friday.

“Those will be taken care of very, very quickly … We’re not being overrun [by them],” Bratton said on “CBS This Morning.”

Bratton claimed New Yorkers are split between residents who support the broken windows policy — which cracks down on minor offenders, like the squeegee pests — and those who don’t.

That causes a problem for the police department, he said.

“Here’s the dilemma. You have those who want it enforced and those who don’t want to enforce it. We enforce the law. We enforce behavior, and we don’t go after any class of people,” he said.

“Maybe they’re trying to make a comeback with this soft administration,” said one high-ranking official at a precinct that covers one of the city’s squeegee hot spots.

The sudden return of squeegee men is a reminder of the crime-ridden 1980s and ’90s, New Yorkers said.

Bratton admitted broken the windows police enforcement strategy helped clean up the city back then.

“Make no mistake about it, this city is one of the safest cities in the world today because of that targeting of not only minor crimes but serious crimes back in the 1990s. Serious crime is down dramatically,” Bratton said.

The 114th Precinct in Queens — which covers the 59th Street Bridge entrance ramps — stationed a uniformed cop at Crescent Street and Queens Plaza North, with his captain making a visit around 3 p.m.

Motorists accosted by the squeegee men said they were happy that the publicity — and resulting police attention — were keeping the menaces away.

“The cops should get them off the streets,” said 59th Street Bridge frequenter Steve Rodriguez.

“We’re going backwards instead of forwards,” added another commuter, a 43-year-old ex-cop who asked to be identified only by his first name, Mike.

“Things are going to get much, much worse,” he said. “Mayor de Blasio isn’t protecting the cops.”