High-ranking NYPD officials posted 'deeply troubling,' 'unprofessional' remarks on social media, report finds
A police watchdog agency said Tuesday that several NYPD executives posted "deeply troubling" and "unprofessional" remarks on social media about public officials and members of the public, including journalists, all in apparent violation of city policy.
The 41-page report released by city Department of Investigation head Jocelyn E. Strauber which resulted from an inquiry by a related DOI unit tasked with monitoring the NYPD, criticized the action of two high ranked department officials — John Chell in his former role as Chief of Patrol and Kaz Daughtry, deputy commissioner of operations. Chell has since been promoted to NYPD Chief of Department.
According to the DOI, a number of postings on X were not only unprofessional in tone but also "encouraged an unproductive public discourse" that violated NYPD policies on acting with courtesy and civility. The posts were made on the officials’ government accounts in the spring of 2024 during the tenure of then-NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban. Caban resigned in September 2024 and was replaced by current commissioner Jessica Tisch.
In response to the DOI findings, the NYPD said in a statement it appreciated the comprehensiveness of the report and that the department had already instituted a number of "significant changes in social media practices." The NYPD did not elaborate on what changes it made.
Neither Chell nor Daughtry could immediately be reached for comment Tuesday.
The DOI probe was sparked in May after City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams contacted the agency and complained about social media postings by NYPD officials which she said showed a troubling pattern and practice of "targeting public officials and members of the public with invective that can plainly be construed as intimidating and dangerous."
Adams, who is not related to Mayor Eric Adams, cited seven X postings, mostly by Chell who — according to the report — in one exchange reacted to remarks by Council member Tiffany Cabán (D-Queens) for her criticism of the NYPD and the mayor.
In part of the exchange cited in the report, after Chell defended the NYPD crime fighting strategies, he said that if the public wanted to do anything to help, people could "vote the change you seek." That last statement was examined for the potential that it violated a prohibition on public officials engaging in partisan politics. But DOI made no decision on the issue and said it was up to other entities to determine if the remark violated the mandate to steer clear of partisan politics.
The report remarked that Chell explained that his comments weren’t trying to persuade people to vote a certain way but rather to get involved in what was happening in their communities. The report also noted that there was no upcoming election at the time Chell made his remarks.
The report also criticized Chell and Daughtry for remarks they posted made in response to a judge releasing a suspect in a crime of violence back on the street. Posts and statements made by Chell about erroneous reporting by a New York Daily News columnist, which was later corrected, was also criticized in the report.
DOI said the NYPD should have a written policy on approving executive social media posts and align it with the Citywide Social Media Policy covering all agencies.
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