This week on Monday, four former senior New York City Police Department (NYPD) officers and high-ranking officials filed a lawsuit against New York City Mayor Eric Adams and several former and current police officials, accusing them of favoritism, abuse of power, and retaliating against the plaintiffs who have 30 to 40 years of police experience.
Adams’ mayoral opponent and Republican mayoral candidate Silva stated, “We have the strongest police force in the world, but under Adam’s leadership, the operation of the NYPD resembles more of a gang organization.”
According to the complaint filed in the Manhattan Supreme Court, the four plaintiffs are former Detective Chief Essig, former Deputy Chief of the Internal Affairs Bureau Veneziano, former Assistant Detective Chief McCormack, and former Professional Standards Bureau Director Pontillo, all with over 30 years of experience at the NYPD.
Each defendant stated in the introduction of the complaint, “Throughout my x years of career in the New York City Police Department, I have worked under multiple mayors’ administrations and several police commissioners without any issues. In fact, promotions for officers require passing civil service exams, but beyond the rank of Captain, it is based on demonstrated abilities and merits.”
The plaintiffs claimed that their careers were long and pristine, having received promotions in various government departments, but ultimately forced to resign due to integrity in Adams’ administration of the police department. These former high-ranking officers accused the NYPD of violating civil service laws and whistleblower protection laws. Each lawsuit seeks compensation for economic losses, some amounting to millions of dollars.
Essig, with 40 years of experience as a Detective Chief, claimed that starting from late 2022, an elite unit called the Criminal Tactical Force bypassed internal review standards and was increasingly filled with the mayor’s cronies. The lawsuit also alleged that the then Police Commissioner Caban accepted a bribe of $15,000 to place cronies in positions. Due to Essig’s repeated objections to unqualified officers being promoted to sensitive positions, he faced a choice in August 2023: resign or be demoted. He ultimately chose to resign.
Veneziano, with 30 years of experience, served as the Deputy Commander of the Internal Affairs Bureau (IAB) and was responsible for investigating cases involving Caban, Adams’ close associate, former Chief of Police Maddrey’s subordinates. Despite finding misconduct in an officer, this individual was eventually reinstated by Maddrey. Subsequently, Veneziano faced retaliation, being demoted to the Traffic Bureau, leaving him idle, and he was forced to resign in November 2023.
McCormack, who led the Criminal Investigation Detective Department, stated in the complaint that he clashed with Maddrey and another city hall confidant, Deputy Mayor Banks, when selecting officers, leading to retaliation. He resigned in September 2023.
Pontillo, responsible for the Professional Standards Bureau, claimed that he was fired for exposing the widespread misconduct within the NYPD’s Community Response Team (CRT). The CRT was created by Mayor Adams in 2022 to address quality of life issues. Pontillo was forced to resign in June 2023.
Former Police Commissioner Caban resigned in September 2024 while federal authorities were investigating his twin brother for extortion; subsequently, Deputy Mayor Banks and his brother, Education Director David Banks, along with Deputy Mayor Wright’s girlfriend Sheena Wright, resigned. Maddrey resigned in December of the same year after being accused of multiple sexual assaults against a female subordinate and offering her excessive overtime pay to keep quiet.
“If New Yorkers want to know why the crime rate in New York City worsened under Mayor Adams’ leadership, they just need to read these four complaints,” said the plaintiffs’ lawyer Sarena Townsend to amNY. “These individuals and several other former commissioners were pushed out to cater to Mayor Adams’ appointments and prevent whistleblowers from exposing corruption among the police department’s cronies. Our nation’s most important law enforcement agency lacks qualified leaders and is governed by the ‘Adams family’ dictatorship.”
Republican mayoral candidate Silva said in a statement to our news outlet, “We have the strongest police force in the world, but under Adams’ leadership, the operation of the NYPD resembles more of a gang organization than the professional department New Yorkers expect. Promotions are sold, investigators are punished, honest officers are ousted – this has become commonplace for Adams. If you don’t obey his orders, you’re out.”
Our news outlet reached out to the Mayor’s Office and the New York City Police Department but has received no comment at the time of publication.