High-Level NYPD Officer Resigns Unexpectedly Following Sexual Misconduct Accusations

December 21, 2024 TruthUSA

In response to allegations that he requested sexual favors from a subordinate in exchange for additional pay opportunities, the highest-ranking uniformed officer of the New York Police Department has stepped down.

Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch accepted Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey’s resignation late Friday, with immediate effect, as indicated in a department statement issued Saturday.

Chief of Patrol John Chell will serve as the interim chief of department, with Philip Rivera taking over Chell’s responsibilities as the head of the patrol division, according to the NYPD.

Later on Saturday, Tisch appointed a new head of the internal affairs bureau, which handles investigations of alleged police misconduct, asserting in a statement that the unit “must always maintain integrity and work to eliminate corruption in all its forms.” Edward Thompson has been appointed as interim chief after Miguel Iglesias was removed from his position.

The NYPD refrained from commenting on the allegations against Maddrey, stating only that it “takes all allegations of sexual misconduct seriously and will conduct a thorough investigation into the matter.”

The attorney for his accuser, Lt. Quathisha Epps, remarked that this decision was long overdue.

“This should have been done a long time ago,” lawyer Eric Sanders commented via phone on Saturday. “This kind of behavior has been prevalent for years. It’s no surprise to anyone familiar with the operations of this department.”

On Saturday, Epps filed a complaint with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, alleging that Maddrey committed “quid pro quo sexual harassment” by pressuring her to “provide unwanted sexual favors in exchange for overtime opportunities at work.”

Epps, who is in an administrative role within Maddrey’s office, stated that when she ultimately resisted Maddrey’s advances, he retaliated by accusing her of misusing overtime, leading to a departmental review.

According to Sanders, his client faced suspension without pay, even though she had submitted her retirement notice earlier that week.

Reports indicate that Epps was the highest-paid person in the department for the fiscal year 2024, earning over $400,000, with much of it from overtime.

“Ms. Epps has endured significant harm from those who exploited their power for personal gain,” Sanders said in a statement. “The retaliation she encountered for opposing this misconduct highlights the urgent need for reforms to address systemic issues within the NYPD.”

While department spokespersons refrained from commenting on the complaint, the Manhattan District Attorney’s office stated that it is currently investigating the allegations.

“These are extremely serious and troubling claims reportedly happening at N.Y.P.D. headquarters in Manhattan,” the office affirmed in a statement.

Mayor Eric Adams, who previously served as a police captain, described the allegations against Maddrey as “extremely concerning and alarming” during an unrelated event on Saturday, noting that the department is conducting a thorough review, as reported by the New York Post.

Maddrey’s attorney, Lambros Lambrou, did not respond to requests for comments regarding the various allegations. However, in a statement to the New York Post, he characterized Epps’ claims as “completely meritless.”

“It’s quite the coincidence that she chooses to accuse someone of misconduct after being caught in time theft,” Lambrou told the publication. “She is clearly struggling and attempting to take down as many people as she can.”

In response, Sanders asserted that any overtime worked by his client was done at Maddrey’s request and was approved by him along with other department officials.

Additionally, Maddrey has faced other misconduct allegations, including one from a police captain who claims she rebuffed his unwanted advances for several years.

John Scola, the attorney for Gabrielle Walls, stated that Maddrey’s resignation “vindicates” the police captain, who recently amended her sexual harassment lawsuit against another senior officer to include Maddrey.

Walls detailed in her filing that she dreaded interactions with Maddrey because he often attempted to kiss her, leading her to hide from him with the door locked and the lights off.

“We hope this prominent resignation signifies the start of a cultural transformation aimed at eliminating the pervasive environment of harassment and retaliation within the NYPD,” Scola remarked.

A former officer has additionally claimed that Maddrey coerced her into an affair that lasted several years while he was her supervisor, although that case was dismissed by a state judge last month, as reported by the New York Post and others.

Earlier in the year, an administrative trial judge recommended that the NYPD drop a disciplinary case against Maddrey concerning an incident from November 2021, where he instructed officers to annul the arrest of a retired officer who had previously worked for him.

Maddrey began his career in the police force in 1991 at the age of 20 and progressed through the ranks to become chief of patrol in 2021, before being elevated to chief of department last December, according to his department biography.

The chief of department is responsible for overseeing the department’s “crime-fighting strategies, quality of life initiatives, and operational plans,” as stated in Tisch’s announcement on Saturday. The chief of patrol oversees the department’s largest bureau, which consists of 15,000 uniformed officers and 3,000 civilians.

“The NYPD is committed to safeguarding New Yorkers, and these roles are crucial for maintaining the safety of our communities,” Tisch emphasized in her statement. “The interim Chiefs of Department and Patrol will continue to strive to reduce crime and disorder while building public trust.”

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