NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell officially steps down from historic post
NEW YORK - Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell is stepping down from her position today, after 18 months on the job.
In December 2021, Sewell was appointed by incoming Mayor Eric Adams as the 45th Police Commissioner of the City of New York, and the first woman to lead the department.
Usually when high-ranking members of the NYPD leave, they walk out the doors of the department with great pomp and circumstance, surrounded by colleagues serenading them with applause.
Not this time.
According to amNewYork Sewell turned down a formal walkout ceremony at headquarters for Friday.
Instead, Sewell will preside over a promotion ceremony at the police academy in College Point, in what will likely be her final appearance as commissioner.
Mayor Eric Adams, briefly acknowledged the outgoing commissioner at the beginning of a press conference announcing an agreement on the city budget Thursday.
On June 12, Sewell abruptly announced her resignation, after rumors of tension with the mayor, saying, in part, "I have made the decision to step down from my position."
According to insiders, Mayor Adams never gave the police commissioner the power her predecessors had to do her job. There were reportings that said Sewell was losing power to the mayor.
Members of the NYPD have praised Sewell for both supporting them and holding those in power accountable.
PREVIOUSLY: NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell announces resignation
Last month, she pushed to strip 10 vacation days from Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey after accusations he apparently had charges dropped against a retired NYPD officer who chased three boys while waving a gun. Video surfaced of both the chase and Chief Maddrey.
MORE: NYPD Chief Jeff Maddrey voided ex-officer’s arrest, watchdog agency says
The mayor supported Maddrey.
Commissioner Sewell's tenure
New York City Mayor Eric Adams (R) and New York Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Keechant Sewell (L) attend a New York City Police Academy Graduation Ceremony at Madison Square Garden on April 24, 2023 in New York. (Photo by Yuki IWAMURA / AFP)
Despite Commissioner Sewell's friction with the mayor's office, many have praised her for staying true to her word.
Members of the NYPD have praised Sewell for both supporting them and holding those in power accountable.
Last month, she pushed to strip 10 vacation days from Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey after accusations he apparently had charges dropped against a retired NYPD officer who chased three boys while waving a gun. Video surfaced of both the chase and Chief Maddrey.
The NYPD's largest police union released a statement giving strong support to Sewell, saying, "In her short time with the NYPD, Commissioner Sewell made a real impact. Her leadership will be sorely missed."
Top Contenders for NYPD commissioner
The latest person rumored to be under consideration for NYPD Commissioner is city Sanitation Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
She spent about ten years as the NYPD's deputy commissioner of information technology under Mayor de Blasio. However, she was not a police officer who came up through the ranks.
Other names being discussed are Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey, the city's Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Phil Banks, who is retired from the NYPD, and NYPD First Deputy Commissioner Edward Caban who many believe is the likely choice.
Caban is the second highest-ranking member of the NYPD and has been on the job for more than 30 years.
A smooth transition is critical as the city heads into the summer months.
Typically, the city has seen increases in crime rates in the summer.
Promoting from within tends to inspire the rank and file.