Former NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton joined elected officials in Paterson Thursday for a roundtable discussion on gun violence and public safety issues.

Bratton said the recent criminal justice reform movement has made for a difficult transition for policing in New Jersey, as well as his home state of New York.

"Crime is up dramatically in my state, disorder is chaotic, and lessons learned from that - reform is necessary, but do it in moderation," Bratton said.

Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh, Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora, and East Orange Mayor Ted Green along with other law enforcement professionals from around New Jersey participated in the discussion.

Bratton remains the only person to have led the police departments of the United States' two largest cities, New York and Los Angeles

The event was hosted by the public policy think tank Garden State Initiative, which continues to bring dialogue, cooperation and fresh ideas to New Jersey's most pressing challenges.