In a surprising turn of events, Edward Caban, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (NYPD), tendered his resignation last Thursday. This occurred following revelations that his mobile phone was confiscated during an ongoing federal investigation that encompassed many individuals close to Mayor Eric Adams.
Commissioner Caban, who had overseen the well-being of the country’s largest police force for a duration of more or less 15 months, conveyed his resignation through an email addressed to his staff members. He pointed out that recent developments had caused a disturbance for the department, triggering his decision to step down.
Through the email message, that was later acquired by The Associated Press, Caban expressed his unwillingness to compromise the focus on the crucial work of the law enforcement body, or the safety of NYPD personnel. His decision was driven by wanting to ensure that these central aspects remained the primary concern.
In a press briefing conducted last Thursday, Mayor Adams recognized Caban for his contribution towards enhancing the city’s safety parameters. The mayor also announced his choice of Tom Donlon, a retired official of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), as the acting Commissioner of the New York City Police.
Previous positions held by Donlon include serving as the chief of FBI’s National Threat Center, and a leading role at the Office of Homeland Security in New York, prior to him initiating his security firm back in 2020. Notably, he was a part of the task force that looked into the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and the U.S. Embassy bombings in 1998, besides examining the USS Cole bombing.
Expressing his sentiment about the new role, Donlon conveyed in a statement that he feels ‘honoured and humbled’ to be at the helm of ‘the world’s premier law enforcement agency’. His mission would be centered around eliminating illegal firearms from society.
The exit of Caban signifies the first crucial transition within the Adams administration, that ensued after federal agents confiscated phones of multiple members of the mayor’s confidantes on September 4th. Some of the others affected included two deputy mayors, the schools chancellor and a top advisor to Adams.
It still remains vague as to what the investigation led by the U.S. Attorney’s office in Manhattan, which cost Caban his position, is all about. Is there just one investigation in focus or are there multiple? It’s also unclear whether the authorities were after information related to a single or multiple lines of inquiry.
Amidst the chaos, lawyers representing Caban, namely, Russell Capone and Rebekah Donaleski, put forth a statement on Thursday. It confirmed that according to the information provided by the government, their client is not the target of ongoing investigation spearheaded by the Southern District of New York. They also stated that Caban fully intends to cooperate with the authorities.
In the U.S. legal system, an investigation ‘target’ is someone against whom or whose involvement in a crime, meaningful evidence has been gathered either by the prosecutors or a grand jury. This contrasts to a ‘subject’, an individual whose actions are simply amidst the scope of the inquiry. Nevertheless, there’s ambiguity in these definitions as a non-target today can potentially become a target tomorrow based on emerging information.
Edward Caban’s identical twin, James Caban, who is an ex-NYPD sergeant and currently operates a security business for nightclubs, is also being probed, as per an anonymous source. Any elaboration regarding the inquiry wasn’t possible due to its sensitive and ongoing nature.
James Caban, through his attorney Sean Hecker, firmly denies any transgressions. Hecker stated that his client’s role, both as a consultant and a liaison between the NYPD and a private firm, is completely within legal bounds, particularly taking into account his prior occupation as an NYPD officer.
Notably, the investigation resulting in the confiscation of Edward Caban’s phone is not presumed to have links with the probe that led to the seizure of Mayor Adams’ electronic devices last November, as per two individuals privy to the subject. Open discussion about this was not permissible, leading them to insist on remaining anonymous.