In New York, a woman becomes the head of the police for the first time

Change at NYPD
In New York, for the first time, a woman is at the helm of the police force

Keechant Sewell becomes the first woman to head the New York Police Department

© Brittainy Newman / Picture Alliance

New York gets a new chief of police. Keechant Sewell becomes the first woman to head the New York Police Department. The 49-year-old had previously worked for the police department in Nassau County near the metropolis for a long time.

The New York Police Department (NYPD) is arguably the most famous police department in the world. It is the setting for a number of films and series and is known far beyond the metropolis. For the first time in its 176-year history, the New York police will have a woman as chief from next year. The city’s mayor-elect, Eric Adams, wants to nominate Keechant Sewell as the new chief of the New York Police Department.

The 49-year-old grew up in the borough of Queens and had previously worked for the police department in Nassau County near the metropolis for a long time. Around 2,400 police officers work there – significantly fewer than in the NYPD with its around 35,000 men and women in uniform.

Sewell is therefore not lacking in expertise: Chuck Wexler of the Police Executive Research Forum, which advises police authorities, described Keechant Sewell in the “New York Times” as someone with experience in every part of the agency – from the patrol to internal affairs.

Sewell herself told the New York Post about her new role: “I really want to take a look at what works and what doesn’t in the city.”

New York Mayor Elected New York City Mayor Emphasizes Her “Emotional Intelligence”

Newly-elected Mayor Eric Adams called Sewell “a seasoned crime fighter” in the New York Post, “who has the experience and emotional intelligence” to give New Yorkers the security they need and the justice they deserve “.

On Twitter, he also emphasized that Keechant Sewell has experience and “emotional intelligence” for the job.

When asked what she thinks she will do differently than a man, Sewell said, “My perspective is different.” Bring a fresh pair of eyes. Sometimes people would say women are a bit sensitive. “But I think sensitivity is a strength,” said Sewell.

With more than 50,000 employees, the NYPD is the largest law enforcement agency in the United States and is currently headed by Dermot Shea. The new mayor, Adams, had once worked in the agency himself.

Sources: New York Times, Twitter, New York Post, with material from dpa

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