NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell to Resign
As commissioner, Ms. Sewell was an enigmatic figure, hardly straying from her script at news conferences and revealing little of her personality, in contrast to her voluble predecessors. Instead, Philip Banks III, the deputy mayor for public safety, gave weekly briefings on the state of crime and safety in the city.
Ms. Sewell also had to navigate difficult politics within the department. Last month, she set a proposed punishment for one of the department’s top chiefs: She moved to strip Jeffrey Maddrey, the highest-ranking uniformed officer, of 10 vacation days, after accusations that he interfered with the arrest of a retired officer who chased three boys while he was armed.
Chief Maddrey was said have planned to fight the charges in a department trial, setting up a battle over what constitutes unacceptable use of power for the officers he oversees.
In her short tenure, she had made a strong impression on the rank and file. Patrick J. Lynch, president of the Police Benevolent Association union, said she made a real impact in a short time.
“She cared about the cops on the street and was always open to working with us to improve their lives and working conditions,” he said in a statement. “There are still enormous challenges facing the N.Y.P.D. Her leadership will be sorely missed.”
Source: The New York Times
