NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell Abruptly Resigns, Blindsiding City Hall

(Photo : John Lamparski/Getty Images for Concordia Summit)
New York Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Keechant Sewell announces her resignation but does not provide a reason for her stepping down.

New York Police Department Commissioner Keechant Sewell abruptly resigns from post
Sewell's departure allegedly caught City Hall off guard after she announced in an email
The commissioner was the first woman to lead the NYPD after being appointed by New York City Mayor Eric Adams

New York Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Keechant Sewell abruptly resigns after a year and a half on the job, blindsiding City Hall but not providing reasons for her departure.

The Monday announcement was made in an email Sewell sent to the department in the afternoon. The commissioner said that while her time at the department was coming to a close, she would continue her advocacy and support for the NYPD while also being a champion for the people of New York City.

NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell To Resign

The 51-year-old was sworn in on Jan. 1, 2022, after New York City Mayor Eric Adams appointed her to the position. As per the New York Post, Sewell's resignation announcement did not include her reasoning, and it was not immediately clear who would become her successor.

For now, the individual who would lead the largest police force in the United States is still up in the air. But in the absence of a commissioner, the top cop's first deputy, which in this case is Edward Caban, would step in to fill the role.

In a memo to the NYPD's roughly 55,000 members, Sewell said she joined the force nearly a year and a half ago. She added that they have faced tremendous tragedy, challenges, and triumphs together since then.

Sewell added that she had seen daily the department's compassion, heroics, and selflessness. She noted that what she observed reaffirmed to her what people worldwide have always known, that the NYPD is an extraordinary collective of hard-working public servants.

In response to Sewell's resignation announcement, Adams thanked her for her "devotion" and her "steadfast leadership" over the last year and a half. In a statement, the New York City mayor said that the commissioner's work played a key role in his administration's continuous efforts to make the city safer, according to Fox News.

Addressing New York City Crime

Adams argued that at the beginning of Sewell's leadership of the NYPD, crime was trending upwards. However, he noted that with the help of the brave men and women of the department, the majority of major crime categories have gone down.

The New York City mayor added that the commissioner had worked nearly 24 hours a day, seven days a week when she served in the position. The president of the Police Benevolent Association, Patrick J. Lynch, added that Sewell made a real impact during her short time with the department.

While at the NYPD, Sewell also had to navigate difficult politics within the agency. Last month, she set a proposed punishment for one of the department's top chiefs.

Sewell worked to strip the highest-ranking uniformed officer, Jeffrey Maddrey, of 10 vacation days. The decision followed accusations that he interfered with the arrest of a retired officer who chased down three boys while being armed, said the New York Times.