Keechant Sewell, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department, United States, is stepping down on her position, after 18 months on the job. The former commissioner, who was appointed by Mayor Eric Adams as the first woman to head the country’s largest Police Department, made her resignation public through an email to the department staff on Monday, June 12. The statement reads:
While my time here will come to a close, I will never step away from advocacy and support for the NYPD, and I will always be a champion for the people of New York City,
It was Mayor Eric Adams who thanked Commissioner Keechant for her work, on behalf of all New Yorkers, and highlighted her accomplishments in reducing crime in the city in all its forms. “The commissioner worked nearly 24 hours a day, seven days a week for a year and a half, and we are all grateful for her service. New Yorkers owe her a debt of gratitude,” Adams said. Similarly, Sewell shared a message to her coworkers, in which she expressed gratitude and acknowledged the great job they do to protect people. She affirmed she will always be ready to support the New York Police and defend her people.
In spite of crime and insecurity levels reducing in the city, a sense of unsafely remains among the residents of The Big Apple, especially in the subway, which is used daily by about 2.4 million residents. In addition, speculations regarding Sewell’s quitting mostly include her autonomy as a chief. In the past, the Mayor has been questioned on whether Sewell has been granted the same autonomy as other New York Police Department commissioners or not in the past.