Cheers and tears echoed across the NYPD Police Academy in Queens Friday as devoted cops saluted Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell on her last day as the department’s top cop.
Sewell wiped tears from her eyes as she received a bouquet of flowers, two standing ovations — one lasting nearly a minute — and watched a three-minute video of cops and New Yorkers thanking her for her leadership.
She gracefully accepted the accolades, but made no mention of her departure, or the decision leave the NYPD a year and a half into Mayor Adams’ administration.
Sewell resigned on June 12 after having a private meeting with Adams. Over the last three weeks, police headquarters has been rife with speculation as to what made Sewell, who was loved by the department’s rank-and-file, want to leave.
Most speculated she grew weary of micromanagement from Adams and Deputy Mayor of Safety Philip Banks — both former NYPD officers who have strong connections to the chiefs under Sewell.
Sources said Sewell had to run every decision by Adams and Banks, including low-level promotions and transfers.
Even former Police Commissioner Bill Bratton speculated that there may have been too many cooks in the kitchen.
“Normally everyone in the [NYPD] should be responsive first and foremost to the police commissioner, who is then responsive to the mayor,” he said on Len Berman and Michael Riedel’s morning radio show earlier this month.
A rift between Sewell and Adams may have formed when she decided to go forward with departmental charges against Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey, a close ally of the mayor, after the Civilian Complaint Review Board substantiated a complaint that he abused his authority by voiding the arrest of a retired cop accused of pulling his gun on three teens in Brownsville.
None of this was mentioned in her remarks. Instead of dwelling on her departure, she honored a handful of key promotions, including Barry Driscoll, the son of NYPD Sergeant Steven Driscoll, who died…
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