Overview
- The NYPD confirmed Wednesday that Chief of Department John Chell retired after a 31-year career.
- Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch appointed Michael LiPetri as interim Chief of Department, and he will continue leading Crime Control Strategies.
- Mayor Eric Adams and Commissioner Tisch praised LiPetri’s record, citing record-low shootings and the safest subway quarter reported by the department.
- Multiple outlets report Chell applied for a three-quarter disability pension tied to a 2024 ankle injury on Randall’s Island.
- Chell exits during ongoing scrutiny that includes a DOI finding his social posts were unprofessional, a pending federal lawsuit by former interim commissioner Thomas Donlon alleging misconduct by top officials, and litigation stemming from a surge in vehicle pursuits in 2023–2024 linked to deaths and injuries.