NEW YORK, NY March 09, 2007 —Later today, the NYPD's top internal affairs brass will appear before City Council committees examining how well the department disciplines its own. WNYC's Bob Hennelly has more.

Today's appearance by NYPD's Internal Affairs Chief Charles Campisi is part of the council's push to put the department under closer scrutiny, following the Sean Bell shooting last November. Currently, the entire force is subject to an internal trial system that includes disciplinary measures ranging from docked pay to dismissal. 160 such trials took place last year and 40 officers were fired.

The New York Civil Liberties Union will testify that over the last few years the department has backed off on disciplining officers who have been named in substantiated civilian complaints. The NYPD counters the more serious allegations like the use of excessive force are on the decline and that the policy of instructing officers on how to change their behavior when dealing with lesser infractions is working.

For WNYC, I’m Bob Hennelly.