Embattled NYC Corrections Chief Of Department Set To Retire

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- The embattled top uniformed officer in the New York City Department of Correction announced Monday that he will retire on Dec. 1.

Chief of Department William Clemmons told The Associated Press Monday that he was not asked to resign. He declined further comment.

Clemmons almost immediately came under scrutiny following his May promotion by jails Commissioner Joseph Ponte.

Clemmons was one of two supervisors in 2012 who omitted hundreds of inmate fights from statistics turned over to federal authorities investigating violence on Rikers Island.

Lawmakers were outraged when he didn't attend an Oct. 8 oversight hearing. He was on vacation.

One lawmaker told Ponte that Clemmons' promotion didn't instill confidence in change.

In a statement, Ponte said Clemmons was an able leader who helped institute reforms. He called him ``a model of stability in a tumultuous time.''

Check Out These Other Stories From CBSNewYork.com:

(TM and © Copyright 2014 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2014 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

Read more
f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.