Keechant Sewell, the first woman to manage the nation’s largest police force and commissioner of the NYPD, is resigning.
Sewell informed the department of her resignation in an email on Monday.
First Woman to Lead NYPD
Although Sewell acknowledged that “my time here will end,” she continued, “I will never move away from advocacy and support for the NYPD, and I will always be an advocate for the people of New York City.”
The most recent high-profile departure from Mayor Eric Adams’ administration is Sewell’s resignation. Others who have left recently include his top housing official, Jessica Katz, and the city’s efficiency officer, Melanie La Rocca. Sewell was chosen by Adams 18 months ago, and he congratulated her on Twitter on Monday for her “steadfast leadership” and commitment.
The mayor’s administration was slow to respond when USA TODAY requested a statement about her departure.
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Keechant Sewell’s Impactful Tenure
According to a statement from the city, Sewell spent 25 years working for the Nassau County Police Department before being appointed commissioner when Adams, a former NYPD captain, was elected mayor in January 2022.
Becoming the first Black woman to hold the position of chief of detectives in that division, she served as the director of the large case bureau and the professional standards bureau, according to the statement.
Murder rates dropped under Sewell’s direction of the NYPD, along with some other crime types. She has dealt with a number of high-profile issues, such as the killing of two officers during her first month of employment and demonstrations last month over the death of Jordan Neely from a chokehold.
Patrick Lynch, the president of the Police Benevolent Association, said in a statement to USA TODAY that Sewell made a real impact and her leadership will be sorely missed.
“She cared about the cops on the street and was always open to working with us to enhance their lives and working circumstances. She took over a police department in crisis and faced great hurdles from day one,” Lynch said.
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