Federal Authorities Investigate Sexual Misconduct and Overtime Abuse Allegations Following NYPD Chief’s Resignation |
Top NYPD Officer Resigns Amid Sexual Misconduct Allegations as Federal and Local Investigations Unfold
The New York City Police Department confirmed major shake-up after its highest-ranking uniformed officer, Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey resigned unexpectedly on Friday night.
Maddrey resigned as serious allegations surfaced that he had forced a subordinate into sexual favors. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch confirmed that Chief of Patrol John Chell would take over Maddrey on an interim basis. Yet, Tisch did not mention Maddrey by name in her official statement. An NYPD spokesperson said, “The New York City Police Department takes all allegations of sexual misconduct seriously and will conduct a thorough investigation of the facts.”.
Lieutenenant Quathisha Epps was an administrative clerk in Maddrey’s office, who said she had Maddrey pushing her for sexual favours since his promotion to department head. She also told The New York Post, which further reports that her lawyer will submit a formal notice of claim to the comptroller’s office with such an outline of accusations against him.
Such reports of an internal affairs investigation into allegations against Epps’ over-earnings overtime amounts have increased to over $400,000 last year.
Maddrey’s attorney, Lambros Lambrou denied all of the sexual misconduct accusations, claiming that there was no improper encounter at all, much less the ones concerning overtime compensation. Lambrou added further that Maddrey was to retire shortly after finishing his law degree and chose to get out early to avoid the additional disruption of the accusations.
Federal agencies, in this case, the Department of Justice, and the Southern District of New York, have stated that an investigation into the overtime pay given to Epps, along with claims about sexual harassment, is underway. It has also been confirmed from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office about its own ongoing investigation related to the case, terming it “extremely serious and disturbing.”.
Mayor Eric Adams expressed deep concern over the situation, stating, “These allegations are extremely alarming. Commissioner Tisch is conducting a full review, and we’ll determine the appropriate next steps.”
Maddrey was a chief of department for two years, working for four different commissioners in the time he spent there. Maddrey joined the NYPD in 1991 and promoted in rank to Chief of Housing in 2021, then to Chief of Patrol. In 2022, Maddrey became Chief of Department.
Earlier this year, Maddrey was cleared in an administrative disciplinary trial related to a 2021 incident where he was accused of having an arrest warrant of a retired policeman who then had personal relations with him vacated.
Following Maddrey’s retirement, Commissioner Tisch stated that Chief of Transportation Philip Rivera would serve as the acting Chief of Patrol.
“These leadership positions are vital to the safety and trust of our public,” Tisch said. “The interim chiefs will continue to focus on reducing crime, addressing quality-of-life issues, and building strong relationships with the community.”
The Chief of Department is the rank of chief that oversees strategies in the department for combating crime, operational plans, and initiatives for engagement with the community.
