Edward Caban is under pressure after federal agents searched homes of Adams administration officials and seized electronic devices.
Mayor Eric Adams’s administration is currently in the process of requesting the resignation of Edward A. Caban, the current police commissioner of New York City. This move comes in the wake of recent federal investigations that have implicated City Hall officials, including Commissioner Caban. Last week, federal agents seized Caban’s phone, as well as the phones of other high-ranking officials in the Adams administration.
Commissioner Caban, who was appointed by Mayor Adams in July 2023, has faced mounting pressure to step down following the phone seizure incident. The relationship between Mayor Adams and Commissioner Caban goes back to their time serving together in the police force, with Adams being close to Caban’s father. Caban made history as the first Latino police commissioner in the city.
The seizure of Commissioner Caban’s phone, as well as the phones of other top officials, has caused a stir within the New York City Police Department and City Hall. Among those whose phones were seized are Sheena Wright, the first deputy mayor; David C. Banks, the schools chancellor and partner of Wright; Philip Banks III, the deputy mayor for public safety; and Timothy Pearson, a senior adviser to the mayor. Mayor Adams’s own phones were also seized in a separate investigation.
It is important to note that none of the individuals involved have been charged with any crimes at this point. However, the investigations have created significant challenges for Mayor Adams’s administration, which was already facing legal issues. One such issue is a federal inquiry into whether Mayor Adams and his campaign collaborated with the Turkish government to receive illegal foreign donations in exchange for pressuring the Fire Department to approve a new high-rise Turkish consulate in Manhattan, despite safety concerns.
As of now, it remains uncertain whether Commissioner Caban will indeed resign from his position. The Police Department has not provided an immediate comment on the matter.
Source: The NY Times
