WORLD WORLDWIDE USA New York NY New York City NYC thecity THE CITY News Journal Update - THE CITY SCOOP: NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell Resigns After Reports of City Hall Micromanagement

 

View this email in your browser If you know anyone who might like this newsletter, send it to them. If this was sent to you by someone else, subscribe here — it's free!  Dear New Yorkers, Commissioner Keechant Sewell will step down from her role leading the New York City Police Department — the latest high-profile resignation under Mayor Eric Adams.  Sewell was the first female police commissioner in the NYPD’s history. She announced her resignation on Monday in an email circulated to members of the department.  Her letter came just days after the New York Post reported that City Hall had ratcheted up its micromanagement of her decisions after she sought to discipline a top NYPD Chief with close ties to Adams. The Post reported that City Hall was newly requiring Sewell to get approval for any internal promotion decisions she wanted to make, such as appointing officers to the role of detective. In April, Sewell had sought to strip NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey of between six and 10 vacation days as discipline for a finding by the Civilian Complaint Review Board that Maddrey had abused his authority by overturning the arrest of a retired cop in 2021. (That incident was first reported by THE CITY and detailed in an exclusive video investigation.) Her proposed penalty for Maddrey — which he will challenge in an upcoming administrative trial — was in line with the discipline recommended by the CCRB. But Adams made it clear that he stood by Maddrey, twice saying that he believed the chief had acted appropriately. Hours before Sewell’s resignation letter went out, Adams told the media that oversight from City Hall wasn’t solely confined to the police department.  “Let’s be clear on one thing, because this is so important: The people of the City of New York elected one Mayor, Eric Adams. That’s who they elected,” he said. “Every agency in the city comes to me with a proposed leadership.”     Read more here. Sponsor message A third scathing report from a federal monitor has blasted the city’s Correction Department — on the eve of a pivotal federal court hearing about the department’s future. In his latest report, Monitor Steve Martin questioned security lapses and bungled reporting on a pair of incidents in which one detainee was paralyzed and another jumped to his death. After more than three decades, Steinway Billiards in Astoria has shut down, on the same day that a lawsuit over nonpayment of rent concluded. Now, longtime staff members at the iconic pool hall say they’re scrambling for a job. City Council primary elections are coming later this month, in redrawn districts. Look yours up in our Know Your District tool, which includes candidates as well as information about how redistricting shaped your area. Did you know? The Bronx’s District 14 no longer extends to the Mount Eden neighborhood. Reminder: Early voting starts this Saturday, June 17, and you can find your voting sites and look up what will be on your ballot here. For the latest local numbers on COVID-19 hospitalizations, positivity rates and more, check our coronavirus tracker. Weather scoop by New York Metro Weather Tuesday’s Weather Rating: 9/10. BACK AT IT. High temperatures reach the low 80s, with lower dew points and a nice breeze. It’s a bit warm at times, but we can’t really complain too much. The vibes are very good! THE KICKER: In case you missed it, our reporter Katie Honan dished on one of NYC’s best culinary secrets: the artichoke parm sandwich. One place to find it is at Mama Louisa’s Hero Shoppe in Prospect Lefferts Gardens.   Thanks, as always, for reading. Make it a great Tuesday. Love, THE CITY P.S. If you liked something about today's newsletter, or didn't, let us know at zshah@thecity.nyc Sponsor message THE CITY's work is made possible, in part, through the support of our sponsors. Interested in becoming a sponsor of THE CITY? Contact us here.  Copyright © 2023 THE CITY, All rights reserved.