New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced on Wednesday, Nov. 20, that he is naming Jessica Tisch to be the next commissioner of the New York Police Department. Tisch is currently commissioner of the city’s Department of Sanitation.
In selecting Tisch, Adams is naming just the second female commissioner in the department’s 179-year history. Tisch is also the fourth person to helm the largest police department in the country since Adams became mayor three years ago.
Adams, a former NYPD officer, is facing federal charges on bribery and campaign finance violations after the Justice Department indicted him in September.
The two previous NYPD commissioners, Edward Caban and Thomas Donlon, have been investigated as part of the probe into corruption in the Adams administration. Caban resigned from the role in September while Donlon will leave the role in the coming days.
Tisch is an heir to the Loews Corporation fortune and spent over a decade working for the NYPD, including as its deputy commissioner for information technology.
As sanitation commissioner, Tisch successfully led the mayor’s “Trash Revolution” initiative, getting more than 70% of the city’s trash placed into bins instead of in loose bags placed on city streets.
The New York City Police Benevolent Association, the largest union representing NYPD officers, signaled a willingness to work with Tisch when she assumes the role.
“We are critically understaffed, massively overworked and completely unsupported by a justice system and an oversight regime that care more about punishing cops than helping us get dangerous criminals off the streets. We hope to partner with Commissioner Tisch to make real progress on these issues as quickly as possible,” NYC PBA President Patrick Hendry said in a statement.
Tisch will officially assume the role of commissioner on Monday, Nov. 25.
