Mayor Eric Adams backed NYPD Chief of Department Jeff Maddrey Wednesday when asked about allegations of abuse of authority against the officer recently substantiated by the police’s civilian watchdog.
Adams, at an unrelated press conference on public safety, said he was “proud” of his chief, the highest-ranking uniformed officer in the department, accused of using his power to void the arrest of a former colleague in a 2021 gun case.
“Chief Maddrey is not being accused of a criminal action, let’s be clear of that,” Adams told reporters at City Hall. “I don’t want a 30-year record all of a sudden to be tarnished, because there was an investigation on him.
“You look at what this person has done and what he has committed himself to the City of New York,” he said, adding, “That’s what I am standing next to.”
“I am happy that Chief Maddrey is my chief of the department.”
The Civilian Complaint Review Board last week substantiated one count of abuse of authority against Maddrey, who was promoted from chief of patrol in November.
Maddrey is accused of stepping over the line by voiding the November 2021 arrest of retired NYPD Officer Krythoff Forrester, who had allegedly chased three teens, brandished a gun and possibly firing the weapon in Brooklyn.
Forrester was taken into custody after the incident, which was sparked by the kids accidentally breaking the camera outside the retired cop’s family real estate office on Saratoga Avenue in Brownsville.
Less than an hour later, Forrester was cut free after Maddrey went to the 73 Precinct and ordered the cops to wipe the arrest.
The Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office reviewed the incident and deemed Maddrey’s actions did not warrant criminal charges.
The penalty for abuse of authority — the charge substantiated by the CCRB — is a command discipline, which carries a maximum punishment in the loss of 10 vacation days, according to the NYPD’s disciplinary matrix.
Conceding that his support for Maddrey was not “unconditional,” Adams on Wednesday said the decision on whether to mete out the punishment would be up to Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell.
“If the police commissioner makes a determination on how she wants to handle that, that’s up to her,” the mayor said. “I’m just a big believer that this is a person who has dedicated his life to his city and I’m proud to have him as the chief of the department.
“I don’t think he would do something that’s inappropriate, but it’s up to the commissioner to do her overview.”
The teens, who have since retained an attorney, have called on Maddrey, as well as Deputy Chief Scott Henderson, commanding officer of Brooklyn North Patrol Borough, to resign.