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Friday, Feb. 13, 2026

Dear New Yorkers,

Federal prosecutors charged the former head of the NYPD’s School Safety Division yesterday with soliciting and accepting bribes in a bid by a Florida-based tech company to snag a multi-million deal with the city.

What did the NYPD chief allegedly get from the Saferwatch executive? Vacations, $70,000 in cash and a helicopter tour, prosecutors say.

The alleged bribes were part of a broader scheme by Saferwatch to snag a major city contract, the details of which were first reported by THE CITY.

And that’s how a link to our reporting ended up in the indictment — texted by the NYPD chief who expressed concern that Saferwatch’s CEO “could incriminate [him] if approached by law enforcement.”

Weather 🌤️

Sunny, with a high near 37 and a slight chance of snow at night.

MTA 🚇

In Brooklyn, no Manhattan-bound J trains between Chauncey Street and Kosciuszko Street. Find all the MTA’s planned changes and the latest delays here.

Alternate side parking 🚙

It’s suspended today, Feb. 13 due to snow.

By the way…

Monday is Presidents’ Day, and there will be no trash, curbside composting or recycling collection in observance of the federal holiday.

Our Other Top Stories

The mayor nominated a former federal prosecutor to serve as the city’s top anti-corruption watchdog. She served as the top assistant U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of New York for more than a decade, leading the team who brought down R&B singer R. Kelly. After THE CITY reported that ICE is using secretive holding cells to detain immigrants in Lower Manhattan, Rep. Dan Goldman visited the site unannounced to investigate. Here’s what he found.

SPONSORED In 2025, Uber riders took nearly 180 million trips in New York City. More than just a ride, Uber has become a reliable lifeline for New Yorkers and visitors, providing essential access to critical services like doctor’s visits and bridging the gap in outer-borough transit deserts. Over the course of last year, Uber drivers completed almost 180,000 Access-A-Ride trips, and close to 500,000 trips in Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles, while the average wait time in the outer boroughs was about three and a half minutes. Uber is committed to keeping New York connected and accessible, and supports the City through more than $700 million in taxes and fees, including more than $260 million to the MTA in congestion pricing fees.

Things To Do

Here’s what’s going on around the city this week.

Friday, Feb. 13: See songs from Shakespeare’s works brought to life in a quartet with the performance "True Love Never Did Run Smooth” at El Barrio's Artspace PS109. Free, at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13 and Saturday, Feb. 14: The New York Classical Players performs its 16th concert season with shows featuring works by Tchaikovsky and Wagner at St. Luke and St. Matthew in Clinton Hill and W83 auditorium on the Upper West Side. Free, at 7:30 p.m. both nights.  Sunday, Feb. 15: Celebrate Lunar New Year in Queens with a parade following a cultural fair and Chinese variety show at Flushing Town Hall. Free, 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

THE KICKER: Birds of a feather … Six bald eagles convened on a Hudson River ice flow yesterday morning — the perfect platform for reaching fish in the water. Work smarter, not harder.

Thanks, as always, for reading. Make it a great Friday.

Love,

THE CITY

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