Day: December 22, 2024

Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch ousted NYPD Chief of Internal Affairs Miguel Iglesias on Saturday night amid sexual misconduct accusations involving former Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey that led to a massive shakeup in departmental leadership precipitated by Maddrey’s resignation.

The top cop announced that Iglesias had been “relieved” of his duties mere hours after disturbing details surrounding Maddrey came to light. According to a report from the New York Post, Maddrey — while chief of department, the highest-ranking NYPD uniformed member — allegedly preyed upon a financially troubled lieutenant, Quathisha Epps, demanding sexual favors in exchange for more overtime in order to help pay for mounting bills.

“He wanted to have anal sex, vaginal sex, oral sex,” Epps told the New York Post. “He was always asking me to kiss his penis.”

According to the New York Post, Epps was the department’s top earner in fiscal year 2024, earning more than $400,000.

After the Post began investigating the story, Maddrey suddenly submitted his resignation Saturday morning. That led to swift and decisive action from Tisch, who became the city’s top cop last month.

Tisch revealed on Saturday that she had accepted Maddrey’s resignation and temporarily replaced him with Chief of Patrol John Chell. Later on Saturday, she announced the changing of guard at Internal Affairs, with Iglesias having been released from his responsibilities as department chief. Iglesias, the NYPD stated, submitted his papers for retirement.

With a massive shakeup currently underway in the department, some NYPD insiders tell amNewYork Metro that they are concerned about who could be next on the chopping block and who else could be involved in the scandal.

Edward Thompson, a 38-year NYPD veteran, will take over as Chief of Internal Affairs. Tisch lauded Thompson’s professionalism, citing his previous experience as the Commanding Officer of the Fugitive Enforcement Division, the Quality Assurance Division, and the Homeless Outreach and Shelter Security Division, as well as the Chief of Enforcement at the New York City Department of Sanitation.

“Above all else, the NYPD Internal Affairs Bureau must always be dedicated to preserving integrity and rooting out corruption in all its forms,” Commissioner Tisch said. “It is an essential function that is crucial to maintaining honor and nobility in the profession and preserving public trust. Chief Thompson is up to the task.”

This comes as a slew of New York politicians weigh in on the scandal that itself only comes mere months after former Police Commissioner Edward Caban himself resigned amid an alleged corruption scandal involving his twin working as a fixer for nightclubs to remove violations in exchange for a financial kickback.

“A man who grows accustomed to abusing his power without consequences will come to be convinced of his own invincibility. A classic case of hubris sowing the seeds of one’s downfall,” Congressman Ritchie Torres wrote of Maddrey on X (formerly Twitter).

Public Advocate Jumaane Williams also chimed in on social media, citing the controversial, much-fought-over “How Many Stops Act” and its potential need for overtime as “the least of any problems” following the bombshell.

“Don’t forget how @NYCMayor & top @NYPDnews brass lied and fear mongered about “The How Many Stops Act” for months. After the first report this November, the biggest complaint was $1.4mil in overtime Now quite apparent that it was the least of any problems. #apologyaccepted,” he wrote on X.

Transit detectives in Brooklyn are investigating a subway station shooting on Saturday afternoon that left two people wounded.

Police said the double shooting happened at about 3:15 p.m. on Dec. 21 at the Avenue U station on the Q line in Homecrest, in the confines of the 61st Precinct.

Officers responded to multiple calls of shots fired and people wounded. Upon arrival, transit cops found an 18-year-old man lying on the platform with a gunshot wound to his left leg. Moments later, they located the second victim, a 21-year-old man with a graze wound to his stomach.

EMS rushed both victims to NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, where they were listed in stable condition.

Saturday’s shooting occurred just days after Gov. Kathy Hochul added another 250 National Guard members into the subway system to assist police in keeping the system safe during the holiday season. Transit crime has fallen for much of 2024, but Hochul said the additional National Guard presence — mostly assigned to helping with random bag checks — would help reinforce a sense of security in the subways.

Nevertheless, the double shooting in Brooklyn left local residents and straphangers alike shocked.

“This type of stuff never happens here,” said one resident. “It is jarring and shocking to the system.”

Meanwhile, detectives are still on the hunt for two suspects — a male and a female — who were seen fleeing onto a Q train in an unknown direction after the shots rang out. So far, no arrests have been made in the ongoing investigation.

Anyone with information regarding the shooting can call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (for Spanish, dial 888-57-PISTA). You can also submit tips online at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, or on X (formerly Twitter) @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are kept confidential.

ON THIS DAY IN 1845, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “Charles Dickens is about to commence a new daily paper in London: capital £100,000 — or about half a million of dollars!” *** ON THIS DAY IN 1925, the Eagle reported, “With the assurance from the executive committee that the Sesquicentennial International Exposition, which is […]

The post December 22: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY appeared first on Brooklyn Eagle.