NYPD BRASS SHAKEUP ADDS DIVERSITY
O’Neill promotes 12 in command shakeup
THE CITY’S top cop made a dozen high-level promotions in a shakeup late Monday that also saw several minority officers and women moved into top spots, chiefs being asked to retire and scores of other commanders told they are being transferred.
As had been expected, Police Commissioner James O’Neill named Chief of Patrol Terence Monahan the new chief of department. Monahan replaces Carlos Gomez, who retired.
Chief Rodney Harrison, an architect of the Neighborhood Coordination Officers program, is now chief of patrol. Deputy Chief Nilda Irizarry Hofmann, who runs the Risk Management Bureau, will be chief of community affairs. Hofmann is the first Hispanic woman in the NYPD to be promoted to three-star chief. The promotions take effect next week.
Transit Chief Joseph Fox, Community Affairs Chief Joanne Jaffe, Personnel Chief Diana Pizzuti and Citywide Operations Chief Thomas Purtell either retired or were asked to put in their papers, cop sources said Monday.
The department is also creating an Office of Equity and Inclusion, “to help develop strong women and minority candidates to assume positions of leadership,” O’Neill said.
The NYPD’s Hispanic fraternal groups have long called for more Hispanics in top positions. “We finally have a police commissioner who is listening to the needs of not only the department, but the city it serves,” said Hispanic Society President Jenimarie Garcia-Cruz.
Department insiders said it appeared some retiring chiefs were forced out in punitive moves, a contention O’Neill rejected. “I’m making sure everyone on my team is, how do I put this, their philosophy is consistent with mine,” he said. “I’m putting the right people in the right spots.”
Jaffe confirmed she’d been asked to retire, but added, “no comment for now.” The other retiring chiefs could not be reached for comment.