【Epoch Times, September 13, 2024】New York City Police Commissioner Edward Caban resigned on Thursday, following the seizure of his phone in a federal investigation a week earlier, which also implicated several key members of Mayor Eric Adams’ inner circle.
Caban took office about 15 months ago, overseeing the largest police department in the United States.
In an email sent to the police department obtained by the Associated Press, Caban stated that the recent developments in the news “have diverted our department’s attention,” leading to his decision to step down.
He added, “I am not willing to focus on anything other than our critical work or the safety of all members of the New York Police Department.”
During a press conference on Thursday, Adams praised Caban for “making our city safer” and announced the appointment of retired FBI official Tom Donlon as the interim police commissioner.
Donlon previously served as the director of the FBI National Threat Center and led the New York Office of Homeland Security. In 2020, he founded his own security company.
In a statement, Donlon expressed his honor and humility in leading “one of the greatest law enforcement agencies in the world,” with a focus on eliminating illegal firearms in the community.
Caban’s resignation marks the first high-ranking official departure in the Adams administration.
On Wednesday, federal investigators seized the phones and electronic devices of several members of Adams’ inner circle, including two deputy mayors, the schools chancellor, and one of Adams’ senior advisors.
The investigation, led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan, has unclear targets and the nature of the information sought by the FBI remains undisclosed, whether related to a singular inquiry or multiple investigations.
Caban’s attorneys Russell Capone and Rebekah Donaleski stated that the government informed them he is not a target of any ongoing investigation in the Southern District of New York and urged him to cooperate fully.
According to a knowledgeable source, federal authorities are also looking into Caban’s twin brother James Caban, who runs a nightclub security company.
James Caban’s lawyer Sean Hecker asserted his client’s legality in consulting as a liaison between the New York Police Department and a private company, denying any wrongdoing.
Other officials whose devices were recently seized include the First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright, Deputy Mayor responsible for public safety Philip Banks, his brother and NY Schools Chancellor David Banks, and Mayor’s advisor and former NYPD senior officer Timothy Pearson.
Adams, a Democrat, is in his first term as mayor. Federal agents had previously confiscated his phone and tablet during an event in Manhattan, followed by a subpoena eight months later in July. Authorities have not publicly charged him or any official with wrongdoing, which Adams has denied.
Two anonymous sources familiar with the matter indicated that the investigation leading to Caban’s equipment seizure is unrelated to the probe that led to the confiscation of Adams’ devices in November last year.
Caban, the first Latino police official to lead the 179-year-old New York Police Department, joined the NYPD in 1991 in his Bronx neighborhood, starting as a patrol officer and steadily rising through the ranks.
Before his appointment as commissioner last year, Caban served as the NYPD’s second-in-command. He succeeded the first female police commissioner Keechant Sewell, who resigned after 18 months, raising speculation about her command over the department.
During an interview with his alma mater St. John’s University after taking office, Caban emphasized the importance of public service, citing his father’s teaching that every day of work presents an opportunity to change lives.
From January 1 to September 1 this year, the police department handled 243 homicide cases, down from 279 in the same period last year. Burglary, grand larceny, and auto theft cases have also decreased, but hate crime incidents have surged by 17.8%, with rape cases increasing by 11.1%, and smaller rises in other categories.
Caban faced criticism for his handling of officer discipline, including the lack of internal disciplinary action against two officers involved in the fatal shooting of Kawaski Trawick, a black man in the Bronx in 2019.
(This article was referenced from the Associated Press.)