Two retired city cops appointed to NYPD watchdog agency

Two retired high-ranking NYPD police officers have been appointed to a city agency that oversees and evaluates police misconduct investigations, officials said Friday.

Retired Chief of Transit Joseph Fox and retired Deputy Inspector Charlane Brown were appointed to the Civilian Complaint Review Board by Mayor Adams and Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell.

Sewell said Fox and Brown are “dedicated professionals who are deeply committed to the people we all serve.”

“With these new appointments, the CCRB is even better positioned to fulfill its mission,” Sewell said.

The CCRB’s 15-member board is composed of five people appointed by the mayor, five by the City Council, three by the police commissioner and one by the public advocate. The board’s chair is jointly appointed by the mayor and City Council.

As a group, the board reviews investigations into police misconduct and recommends to the department what discipline should be imposed on officers who violate police rules.

Brown joined the NYPD in 1986 and was one of the first Black women to be promoted to captain and deputy inspector. She obtained a law degree from New York Law School and has been practicing law since her retirement from the department.

Fox joined the department in 1981 and spent the last six years of his career as chief of the Transit Bureau. Since his retirement, he’s become a leadership trainer and has dedicated his time to improving the personal and professional development of younger officers and strengthening police-community relations.

“Charlane Brown and Joe Fox have both spent decades serving this city, and have generously offered to return to civil service as members of the CCRB,” Adams said Friday. “With these two appointments, I am confident the CCRB will be able to continue serving New Yorkers every single day.”