NYPD’s First Black Woman Commissioner Keechant Sewell Resigns After 18 Months

The first woman police commissioner for the New York Police Department (NYPD), Keechant Sewell, resigned after 18 months.

Sewell did not give a reason for her resignation. Mayor Eric Adams appointed the police commissioner after promising to put a woman in the position when he became mayor in January 2022, per the Associated Press. The official website of the city of New York shared Adams’ statement on Sewell’s departure. He began, “I want to thank Police Commissioner Sewell for her devotion over the last 18 months and her steadfast leadership. Her efforts played a leading role in this administration’s tireless work to make New York City safer.” Adams ended the statement with, “The commissioner worked nearly 24 hours a day, seven days a week for a year and a half, and we are all grateful for her service. New Yorkers owe her a debt of gratitude.”

Managing the largest police force in the nation is a big task. In January, Sewell spoke to CBS2 about Adams’ influence on the NYPD as a former police captain. She said, “The mayor’s experience is invaluable and I talk to him often about what his experiences were.” She remarked that Adams was not a hindrance. Sewell stated, “You have to be able to take experience and advice from all corners. And I do that, and he has a public safety mandate that he imposed upon me and I intend to actually fulfill it.”

BLACK ENTERPRISE reported Sewell made history as the first Black woman to lead the NYPD. She told the New York Post then, “I’m very humbled to even be considered for this, and it’s an extraordinary opportunity. And I take it very seriously, the historic nature of this.”

Sewell had 25 years of law enforcement experience before being named police commissioner of New York City.