NYPD Transit Chief Michael Kemper to leave the department after more than three decades, documents show

NYPD Chief of Transit Michael Kemper, who has dealt with seesawing subway crime for most of the year, will retire at the end of September, department documents show.

Kemper, 53, of Staten Island, confirmed his retirement but wouldn’t comment about what his future plans might be. He joined the department at the age of 20 nearly 34 years ago.

News of Kemper’s departure was confirmed in a posting Thursday from the NYPD pension fund, a document that notes which officers have recently filed retirement papers. Kemper’s last day is Sept. 27, the pension fund stated.

Kemper was appointed to the transit chief spot in December 2022 by then-commissioner Keechant Sewell.

In January 2024, subway crime had increased 50% over the same month a year earlier, with large increases in felony assaults and grand larceny. The increase forced the city to deploy extra police officers into the system, a program which is still ongoing.

For July 2024, the NYPD reported subway crime had dropped 19.7% compared to July 2023. Subway crime is down about 5% this year, officials said.

Published reports said Kemper will be taking a job as overall head of security for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. An MTA spokeswoman couldn’t comment on those reports; NYPD officials also didn’t return requests for comment.

"No transit bureau chief has ever been a better partner than Michael Kemper in creating strategies to reduce subway crime and improve quality of life for riders and transit workers," MTA chair Janno Lieber said in a statement. "He leaves this role with a legacy that includes the lowest number of subway robberies since record-keeping began, and fewer serious transit crimes overall than before the pandemic."

By Anthony M. DeStefano

tony.destefano@newsday.comtonynewsday

Anthony M. DeStefano has been a reporter for Newsday since 1986 and covers law enforcement, criminal justice and legal affairs from its New York City offices.