NYC police commissioner confirms 'widespread' police slowdown

NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York City's police commissioner conceded for the first time on Friday that there has been a widespread work slowdown by police officers after the number of arrests plummeted in recent weeks, although he suggested it was coming to end. "We're coming out of what was a pretty widespread stoppage of certain types of activity, the discretionary type of activity, by and large," Commissioner William Bratton said in an interview with National Public Radio, an excerpt of which was published online. Bratton and Mayor Bill de Blasio had repeatedly said this week it was too soon to tell if a slowdown was underway, saying other factors may explain the drop in arrests and court summonses. (This story corrects to show Bratton interview with National Public Radio and not WNYC, paragraph 2) (Reporting by Jonathan Allen; Editing by Chris Reese)