In an unprecedented sweeping action, New York City’s latest Police Commissioner, Jessica Tisch, has quickly set about restructuring the department at 1 Police Plaza. Less than a month into her tenure, she is already making significant changes. As the second female leader of America’s biggest police department, much of her efforts in December have been directed toward dismantling the entrenched ‘boys’ club’ within the NYPD.
The newly appointed commissioner swiftly removed the Chief of the Internal Affairs Bureau due to his inadequate management of an intense scandal related to ex-Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey. Along with that, she terminated the additional privileges of two senior executives who were exploiting their drivers for excessive overtime and also discharged a spokesperson with a disrespectful demeanor.
An inside source from the police department revealed how Tisch is determined to disrupt the frat-boy culture that had become normalized within the NYPD. The environment under the new leadership is vastly different from prior commissioners, with substantial oversight and a no-nonsense tolerance for misconduct. This time, there’s no behind-the-scenes protection from the mayor’s office.
Jessica Tisch, previously the city’s sanitation commissioner, has brought similar fervor to her role within the NYPD, spearheading a reform-minded agenda since her inauguration on November 25. Interestingly, on a recent Friday, she compelled the departure of Internal Affairs Bureau Chief, Michael Iglesias, in response to his refusal to examine Jeffrey Maddrey’s outsized overtime distribution.
Lieutenant Quathisha Epps, the complaintant in this case, raised an Equal Employment Opportunity discrimination case against the city. She accuses Maddrey, previously the highest-ranking uniformed officer in the NYPD, of exploiting quid pro quo sexual agreements in exchange for excessive overtime. The far-reaching ramifications of the case, implicating additional women, resulted in Mayor Eric Adams initiating a comprehensive review of department personnel.
Alongside this controversy, Iglesias had been known for disregarding Tisch’s authority and maintaining hostile relations with NYPD Deputy Commissioner for Management and Budget, Kristine Ryan. After Ryan warned Iglesias about the spending associated with revamping his office, he reportedly rebelled and invasively berated her in her own office, showcasing an unprofessional demeanor.
Simultaneously, Commissioner Tisch has also withdrawn personal drivers and minimized security details for certain department executives. A graduate of Harvard University, Tisch is set on reinstating integrity and discipline among her employees at the NYPD.
In a strategic move, she has reassigned 600 policemen and detectives, previously tasked with administrative duties, back to active street patrol. This decision aligns with Mayor Adams’ intent to strengthen the city’s police presence.
The commissioner is striving to bring professionalism and accountability back into the NYPD. She intends to foster a culture of responsibility and decorum, ensuring every officer’s actions align with these values, according to an internal source.
In a recent interview with the Post, following her inauguration, Tisch implied her determination to shake up the system. She expressed her belief in the city’s exceptionalism and voiced her refusal to tolerate an ineffective status quo that did not serve the New York City populace well.
The mother of two affirmed her focus remains on the significant aspects of her work rather than the internal politics. She voiced her lack of concern for ‘palace intrigue,’ focusing instead on the substantive outcomes of her work.
Jessica Tisch becomes the fourth police commissioner under Mayor Adams in less than three years. The Mayor appointed Tisch as the NYPD commissioner to effectively lower crime rates and bring about required changes to enhance the NYPD’s performance, thus maintaining a fresh perspective towards the department.