Several NYPD insiders confided with amNewYork Metro on Thursday that Edward Caban’s resignation as police commissioner left them stunned and believing that their former boss had become a scapegoat for Mayor Eric Adams.
In several interviews done on the condition of anonymity, amNewYork Metro spoke with a slew of active members of the NYPD following Caban’s abrupt resignation on Sept. 12 amid a federal probe into him and his twin brother.
Rather than pointing the finger of blame at Caban, the first Latino commissioner in NYPD history, over the situation, the cops instead suggested the mayor threw Caban under the bus.
“You got one who wouldn’t bend [Keechant Sewell, who Adams first appointed to the post] and wanted to run the police department as a police commissioner should — but quit because he wouldn’t let her and you might have another one that maybe decided he would bend too much and now somehow found himself in hot water,” one police source said. “They are both great people and I think if they had been commissioners under a different mayor, they would have been fine.”
Asking not to be named out of fear of retribution, the source said they believed the responsibility rests with Adams, a former NYPD captain, who named Tom Donlon as his third commissioner in his first term.
“It’s never been this bad, it is almost embarrassing. Has a mayor ever gone through two police commissioners so fast? It’s unprecedented,” the source added.
Caban and his brother, James Caban, face a litany of serious misconduct allegations that saw police admitting that his cellphone was confiscated by the feds and accusations his sibling was provided with police protection. Caban faced mounting pressure as he and his brother became embroiled in a nightclub scandal in which James Caban allegedly offered to do favors for owners, such as nixing legal issues such as underage drinking.
Despite these hefty claims some within the department continued to say the mayor is the one at fault.
A seasoned police official agreed and alleged that Donlon’s appointment would be a morale killer. This source, who also asked not to be named, told amNewYork Metro that their colleagues were forced to Google Donlon’s name to discover who he is.
“It’s a hit to morale. Sewell left because she couldn’t stand us, you have him [Caban] leaving in a scandal and this guy nobody knows,” the source stated. “We have to work together and I don’t know if we can trust this guy [Donlon], we have to work together.”
Several cops also questioned how swiftly headlines turned from the reported raid on Mayor Adams’ top aides to being solely focused on the NYPD.
“Like, you see your organization in the f**king newspaper every day, negative news, you know, scandals and corruption and it beats on you,” one cop said. “I think it really stems from the top, and I find it to be more Adams and I don’t think it was Caban. I think anybody in Caban’s spot would have found themselves in hot water eventually.”
Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Hendry, on the other hand, released a statement thanking Caban for his service — while pointing out the challenges that lie ahead for Donlon.
“We thank Commissioner Caban for always listening to our concerns and being willing to work with us on the issues affecting our members. We wish him the best in the future. But no matter who is leading the NYPD, this remains a uniquely challenging period for police officers on the streets. The NYPD is severely understaffed,” Hendry said. “Police officers are severely overworked and overburdened. We are constantly assaulted by violent criminals and constantly attacked by anti-police activists who want us punished and prosecuted for simply doing our job. All of this puts public safety at risk. We need the next police commissioner to continue working with us to face those challenges head-on from day one.”
The Mayor’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on this story.
