New York City Police Commissioner Edward Caban announced his resignation on Thursday, following the seizure of his phone a week prior as part of a federal investigation involving several individuals from Mayor Eric Adams' close associates, The Associated Press reports. Caban, who had been in charge of the nation’s largest police department for about 15 months, said in an email to staff that he made the decision to resign after the “news around recent developments” had “created a distraction for our department.” His resignation marks the first high-level departure from the Adams administration since federal investigators seized phones Sept. 4 from several members of the mayor’s inner circle, including two deputy mayors, the schools chancellor, and one of Adams’ top advisers.
The subject of the investigation, which is being led by U.S. Attorney’s office in Manhattan, remains unclear. Adams, a first-term Democrat, was subpoenaed in July, eight months after federal agents seized his cell phones and an iPad while he was leaving an event in Manhattan. Federal authorities haven’t publicly accused him or any officials of any crimes, and Adams has denied any wrongdoing. In response to Caban's resignation, Adams named Tom Donlon, a retired FBI official, as the interim police commissioner. Close observers of the agency described the move as both politically strategic and potentially risky, because Donlon is the first chief in more than two decades that someone without prior experience serving in a local police department will lead the NYPD.
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