New Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch received support from a predecessor Sunday as news emerged that she continues to shake up the department — removing a slew of police officials.
As the New York Post reported, Tisch expelled dozens of honchos within the NYPD, including those responsible for picking out bad apples within the force. Days after former Chief of Department Jeffery Maddrey resigned following a sex scandal with a subordinate in which he allegedly demanded sex in exchange for overtime write-offs, Tisch removed Deputy Chief Chris Morello, the second in command at the internal affairs Bureau as well as Inspector Joseph Profeta.
According to the Post, a slew of other officials from the Internal Affairs Bureau were also given the boot, along with members of Maddrey’s office who were sent to patrol housing. This came days after police insiders told amNewYork Metro that there was fear inside the department regarding who exactly would be given the axe next.
Former Deputy Commissioner of Public Information (DCPI) Tarik Sheppard, who was responsible for media relations and famously clashed with several outlets over unfavorable NYPD stories, was also removed from his post along with several of those he personally handpicked to bring into the office.
“Leadership is the cornerstone of the NYPD. Good, strong, ethical leadership,” Tisch said during an NYPD promotion one Police Plaza days earlier, which in hindsight appears to have foreshadowed the shakeup.
Meanwhile, the 48th police commissioner of New York is also receiving praise from the 37th Police Commissioner. On Dec. 29, former top cop Ray Kelly appeared on 77 WABC radio, where he praised her choices.
“We’ve had some tough times in the department, we had the overtime scandal, and people are leaving in big numbers. But I have a lot of confidence in the new police commissioner, Jessica Tisch. She worked directly for me, she’s headed two major city agencies, and she’s, I think, an excellent manager, and she can be a pretty stern taskmaster,” Kelly told host John Catsimatidis.
Kelly went on to say that he is optimistic for the future under the helm of Tisch.
“The Department, having 54,000 people, is always going to have some issues, some problems. But as I say, I’m positive about what’s going to happen in the next year,” Kelly added.
