Keechant Sewell will become first woman to lead New York City Police Department
Keechant Sewell will become New York City's first female police commissioner and lead the country's largest police force, New York City Mayor-elect Eric Adams announced Wednesday The NYPD will be led by a woman for the first time in its 176-year history.
On Wednesday morning, Adams introduced Sewell, who is currently the Nassau County chief of detectives on Long Island. The 49-year-old grew up in a public housing development in Queens, where she gave remarks at her introductory news conference.
"It is said that the NYPD is the best of the best, we're about to get even better," she said. "My shoes are laced up, I'm ready to get to work."
Sewell, who is the third Black person to lead the NYPD, said she was "mindful" of the history behind her appointment and pledged to bring a "different perspective" than her predecessors.
She said she's "committed to make sure the department looks like the city it serves, and making the decision, just as mayor-elect Adams did, to elevate women and people of color."
Sewell ran a 351-member Nassau County detective squad, but now she will take command of about 35,000 uniformed officers and 18,000 civilian workers. Adams said at the news conference that he wasn't worried about her lack of experience in managing a larger force and credited her leadership skills in her time at Nassau County.
"This is a real winner," he said. "We have a real winner in our city."
Sources told CBS New York and the New York Times that Adams, who searched across the country for candidates, was impressed by how, in her interview process, Sewell handled a mock news conference about an unarmed Black man by a White police officer. The decision to pick Sewell was first reported by the New York Post.
Sewell joins the NYPD at a time when statistics show an overall index crime increase by 21% in November 2021compared to last year, CBS New York reported. Robbery increased 24%, felony assault increased 11%, transit crime rose 106% and hate crimes were up 97%.
Outgoing NYPD commissioner, Dermot Shea, wished her congratulations.
"I want to wish her a warm welcome to the NYPD family. And I know the people of NYC and all the brave men & women in blue are in good hands with her at the helm," Shea tweeted.
