Williams queries Sewell’s sudden departure

New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams on Monday questioned the sudden departure of New York Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner, Keechant Sewell, who broke barriers as the first woman, and first Black woman, to lead the largest police force in the country.

“The sudden departure of Commissioner Sewell leaves open questions to be answered about what it means for public safety and policing in our city,” said Williams, the son of Grenadian immigrants. “While I have many areas of disagreement on issues with her and the administration she was appointed by, I found her to be attentive and responsive to some of these issues raised.

“Commissioner Sewell was brought into an environment where crime was up, public distrust of law enforcement was high, and department morale was low,” he added. “Her appointment, especially as a Black woman, was inspiring for many, but it was not a panacea. That these challenges did not immediately resolve in her tenure says more about the pervasiveness of these problems than her leadership.”

Williams said “it is clear that, from One Police Plaza to Rikers Island, there are longstanding patterns, which enable damaging practices around transparency, misconduct, misuse of tactics, and an inability to address this harm.”

He said he hoped that Sewell’s successor is “ready to be a true partner in public safety, who recognizes the role police play without inflating it, and is willing to sincerely adopt greater transparency and meaningful accountability.

“Unless there is real commitment to building new systems, rather than reviving failed ones, the next commissioner will be bound by the prevailing and repeated patterns of unnecessary tension around public safety, violence and how law enforcement is used,” the public advocate warned.

On the other hand, Speaker of the City Council Adrienne Adams thanked Commissioner Sewell for her service to New York City.

“I empathize with the unique challenges she faced that are so familiar to many of us in positions that have not traditionally been held by those who look like us,” she said.

“Despite differences about NYPD disciplinary policies, we shared a bond and mutual respect as professionals,” the Speaker added. “I wish Commissioner Sewell all the best in her next chapter.”

Mayor Eric Adams also expressed gratitude to Sewell for her “devotion over the last 18 months and her steadfast leadership.

“Her efforts played a leading role in this administration’s tireless work to make New York City safer,” he said in a statement.

“When we came into office, crime was trending upwards; and, thanks to the brave men and women of the NYPD, most of the major crime categories are now down,” the mayor said. “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.”