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Read the press release here.

New Commander Replaces Former UES Precinct Leader Who Was Stripped of Badge

 Deputy Inspector Clint McPherson, who took over command at the 19th Precinct in April, said he'll focus on quality of life issues and cutting down grand larcenies on the Upper East Side.
Deputy Inspector Clint McPherson, who took over command at the 19th Precinct in April, said he'll focus on quality of life issues and cutting down grand larcenies on the Upper East Side.
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DNAinfo/Shaye Weaver

UPPER EAST SIDE — A new commanding officer is taking the reins of the 19th Precinct, following his disgraced predecessor Deputy Inspector James Grant, who was stripped of his gun and badge as a result of an on-going federal corruption probe.

Deputy Inspector Clint McPherson, who officially took charge of the Upper East Side precinct on April 8, said cutting down the number of grand larcenies would be one of his first priorities.

Roughly 70 percent of crime in the neighborhood is grand larcenies, McPherson told residents during a Community Council meeting at the precinct on Monday night.

"Seventy percent of any crime is very high for a precinct," he said.

Scams are the biggest driver of grand larcenies, according to McPherson.

In April, an Upper East Side resident reported an incident where she was sold fake Pearl Jam tickets for $500. In a separate case, a victim received a call from someone claiming to be from Con Edison and demanding $1,500, according to police.

"There are so many cons going on now," he said. "The only way to solve it is through education."

McPherson, 46, served as the commanding officer for Midtown East's 17th precinct from 2014 to 2016 and led the NYPD’s Counterterrorism Division before that.

He said he also plans to take aim at the congested commercial corridor on East 86th Street by addressing issues with street vendors and cracking down on cyclists who don't obey the rules.

"From the time I got here, I heard 'bikes' and '86th Street,'" he said. "Give me a little time and I'll take a walk over there and see what we can do. 86th Street is one of our main concerns."

He added that he's excited for the new community policing program to get to the 19th Precinct.

"I can’t wait for it to get here," he said. "It's a very good program where you can identify your officer and they stay in your area on a regular basis. Any issues go straight to him."

Right now it's only been applied to a few select precincts around the city.

Grant, the precinct's former commanding officer, was put on modified duty after a federal probe revealed allegations that Grant accepted cash from a wealthy Brooklyn businessman with ties to Mayor Bill de Blasio

McPherson, who joined the NYPD in 1993, previously worked in precincts across Brooklyn, along with the Internal Affairs Bureau, the Brooklyn South Narcotics Squad and in the detective squads at the 63rd and 61st precincts.

"I enjoyed my two years in the 17th precinct and knew my two years was coming to an end," he said. "I look forward to improving the quality of life in this area."

He moved to Crown Heights from Guyana when he was 12 years old and lived there until he got married about eight years ago. He currently lives in Queens with his wife and two children.