New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced on Thursday, Sept. 12, that he had accepted the resignation of his police commissioner, Edward Caban, a little over one year in the role. Caban’s resignation follows the prior resignation of former Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell on June 12, 2023.

 

The suprise announcement came following news of an investigation by federal agents during which the homes of four top Adams administration officials were raided on Sept. 4, Caban’s among them. The other officials were First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright, Schools Chancellor David Banks, and Deputy Mayor Philip Banks, David Banks’ brother.

In a televised address on Sept. 12, Admas said his administration would remain focused on delivering for the people of the great City of New York. “A short time ago, I accepted the resignation of the NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban,” Adams said. “He concluded that this is the best decision at this time. I respect his decision, and I wish him well.”

 

The mayor continued, “Commissioner Caban dedicated his life to making our city safer, and we saw a drop in crime for 13 of the 14 months he served as commissioner. In his time, as part of the NYPD, during our administration, we removed more than 18,000 illegal guns off our streets, had the lowest number of robberies in recorded history in a month of October in our subway system and throughout the entire last few months, had just had the lowest number of shootings above ground ever in the history of recorded history in the city, in August.”

Adams went on to say that to ensure crime keeps going down in the city, he was taking immediate action and appointing Tom Donlon as interim police commissioner. “Tom is an experienced law enforcement professional who has worked at the local, state, federal and international levels,” the mayor said. “He served as New York’s director of the Office of Homeland Security, ran the FBI National Threat Center and the FBI NYPD Joint Terrorist Task Force, and worked as the cold case agent investigating the 1993 Twin Towers bombing, as well as the attacks in U.S. embassy in Africa and the USS Cole in Yemen by al-Qaeda.”

 

The mayor continued, “He is also Bronx native. Tom joins a team at One Police Plaza that is relentlessly dedicated to public safety and protecting New Yorkers. That is why New York is the safest big city in the world, and why it will continue to be. I thank incoming Commissioner Dolan for stepping in during this critical moment. As always, the men the women of the NYPD have my gratitude for their dedication and professionalism. I thank them for their command and their decision making as we move forward and for continuing to service that they deliver to all New Yorkers. Thank you. God bless our great city and a bright future ahead. Thank you.”

It was later reported by various media outlets that Caban said the raid on his home “created a distraction” and the NYPD deserved someone who could “solely focus on protecting and serving New York City.”

 

No charges have been announced in relation to Caban, Wright, Philip Banks or David Banks. Donlon grew up in Norwood, The Bronx. He is the third police commissioner to serve in the Adams’ administration following both Caban and former Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell, who resigned on June 12, 2023, having served around a year and a half in the role. Sewell made history as the first female police commissioner and the first Black female police commissioner to lead the NYPD.