New York’s interim police commissioner says federal authorities seized materials from his homes
NEW YORK — Federal authorities searched the homes of New York City’s newly named interim police commissioner and seized materials unrelated to his police work, he said.
The unexplained and unexpected search comes as the administration of Mayor Eric Adams reels from other federal law enforcement investigations.
Thomas Donlon, who became the interim commissioner just one week ago after the resignation of his predecessor, issued a statement late Saturday through the police department.
“On Friday, September 20, federal authorities executed search warrants at my residences. They took materials that came into my possession approximately 20 years ago and are unrelated to my work with the New York City Police Department,” the statement said.
“This is not a department matter, and the department will not be commenting,” he added.
At a news conference Thursday, Mayor Eric Adams said he had named Tom Donlon, a retired FBI official, as the interim police commissioner.
The statement did not address what the investigation was about, which federal authorities were involved or what materials had been seized.
Fabien Levy, the city’s deputy mayor for communications, said: “As we have repeatedly said, we expect all team members to fully comply with any law enforcement inquiry.”
Just a week ago, the previous police commissioner, Edward Caban, resigned after federal authorities seized his electronic devices as part of an investigation that also involved his brother, a former police officer.
Federal agents also have seized phones in recent weeks from the head of the city’s public schools, a top deputy mayor, Adams’ top public safety advisor and others. Previously, investigators searched homes connected to Adams’ top campaign fundraiser and the Democrat’s Asian affairs director.
Last autumn, federal agents also seized Adams’ phone as he left an event.
The resignation of Eric Adams’ chief legal adviser is the latest sign of instability in his administration as it deals with multiple federal investigations.
Charges have not been brought in connection with any of those searches, and it was unclear whether there was any connection to the search involving Donlon, who wasn’t part of the Adams administration until a few days ago.
An FBI spokesperson declined to comment. An email seeking comment from a spokesperson for the U.S. attorney in Manhattan was not immediately returned. A text sent to Adams’ top spokesperson late Saturday night also wasn’t immediately returned.
Donlon spent decades with the FBI, where he worked on terrorism cases including the investigation into the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center, the 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania and a 2000 attack on a U.S. Navy destroyer.
Roughly 20 years ago he was a top counter-terrorism official for the FBI in New York.
An attorney for Eric Adams confirmed the FBI seized phones and an iPad from the mayor as part of an investigation into his campaign fundraising.
From 2009 to 2010, Donlon led New York state’s Office of Homeland Security before going into the private sector security industry.
Adams appointed Donlon as his commissioner this month and he assumed the post on Sept. 13, one week ago Friday.
The choice of an outsider with a long career in federal law enforcement — but no history of working with the NYPD — appeared at the time to be a potentially stabilizing move for the police department after Caban’s resignation.
Caban and his brother, James Caban, who runs a nightlife security business, had both denied any wrongdoing through their lawyers.
Through it all, Adams, who is in his first term, has said he won’t be distracted by the investigations and will continue to serve the city.
Sisak, Offenhartz and Caruso write for the Associated Press.
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