Jessica Tisch appointed as new NYPD commissioner

NEW YORK — Jessica Tisch was appointed commissioner of the New York City Police Department on Wednesday.
Tisch, who is currently the Department of Sanitation commissioner, is a 12-year veteran of the NYPD and will become the second female commissioner in the department’s 179-year history when she is formally sworn in on Monday.
“The people of this city have been clear that they agree with what our administration has been fighting for since day one in office: a safer city where they don’t need to worry about walking down the street or taking the subway at night,” Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement. 
“To ensure New Yorkers have the ability to thrive in our city, we need a strong, battle-tested leader who will continue to drive down crime and ensure New Yorkers are safe and feel safe, and I cannot think of a leader more up to the task than Commissioner Jessica Tisch,” Adams added.
Tisch will take over for Thomas Donlon, who is serving in an interim capacity following the resignation of Edward Caban on Sept. 13. Tisch will be the fourth top cop of Adams’ tenure, which started with Keechant Sewell getting the nod back in December of 2021.
“For 12 years, I cherished the special privilege of serving alongside the brave women and men of the New York City Police Department.” Tisch said. “I’ve seen firsthand the profound nobility of the policing profession, and I was proud to work shoulder-to-shoulder with both uniform members and civilians to propel the NYPD into the next century of technological advancement.
“I thank Mayor Adams for the tremendous honor to now lead the NYPD, and I understand the solemnity of this great responsibility.”
During her previous tenure with the NYPD, Tisch served as deputy commissioner of information technology and oversaw 911 operations. She also managed the Domain Awareness System, which is the centerpiece of the department’s counterterrorism operations, and managed the implementation of the body-worn camera program.
Tisch, who earned her undergraduate, law and business degrees from Harvard, was appointed sanitation commissioner in April 2022, a job that includes overseeing snow removal for 6,500 miles of city streets. She also played an integral role in the execution of the city’s new policy of containerizing trash, as well its curbside composting service.
“It is now my distinct honor to advance Mayor Adams’ vision of fighting crime and disorder; keeping our great city safe and vibrant; protecting all New Yorkers, including our officers who put their lives on the line every day, so they can live free of fear; continuing to build the most nimble municipal counterterrorism apparatus in the world; and implementing the most forward-thinking law enforcement training and technology,” Tisch said. “We will do all of this with integrity as we continue to build public confidence and trust in the police.”
Prior to Caban’s resignation, federal agents seized his cellphone as part of one of five criminal investigations that involved members of the mayor’s inner circle. Several NYPD officials have had their phones seized in a probe that also involves Caban’s twin brother, James, and allegations that James used his police connections to win favorable treatment of nightclubs facing violations
So it was no surprise that Tisch said her job would include continuing “to build public confidence and trust in the police.”
Then there is the issue of crime. Although it has dropped dramatically since Adams took office — shooting incidents are down 30% in the past two years — the city has been rocked by several high-profile crimes, especially over the last few days. Three people were stabbed by a homeless man in Manhattan on Monday, and a police officer was shot in the leg during an altercation with a robbery suspect in Queens on Tuesday.
She had the following message for the NYPD’s 55,000 uniformed and civilian employees:
“Mayor Adams has been very clear that the priorities are supporting you as you fight crime and disorder, keeping you safe, and bringing the department into the next century,” Tisch said. “I want you to know that I believe very deeply in the nobility of the police and the profession of policing. It is now my privilege to lead you and I’m looking forward to coming home.”
Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Hendry said he wants to partner with Tisch to cope with the problems facing the department.
“We are critically understaffed, massively overworked and completely unsupported by a justice system and an oversight regime that care more about punishing cops than helping us get dangerous criminals off the streets,” Hendry said.
The mayor took steps to help with the understaffing, announcing plans to hire 1,600 new cops starting in January.
The Legal Aid Society, which has often been critical of the NYPD, called on the new commissioner to bring wholesale change to the department and pay particular attention to police misconduct and actions that criminalize poverty.
Tisch said she wants New Yorkers to know, “I hear you loud and clear. The mission is to keep you safe, to make you feel safe, and to improve your quality of life, to restore dignity and order to every street, every neighborhood, every borough of the city of New York.”