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Ex-NYPD official's indictment prompts calls for review of Adams-era contracts
By
Ben Feuerherd
Published Feb 20, 2026
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By
Ben Feuerherd
Published Feb 20, 2026
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A New York City lawmaker is calling for the city to review contracts signed during previous Mayor Eric Adams’ administration after a former NYPD executive was indicted last week over what federal prosecutors say was a corrupt scheme with a private technology company.
Councilmember Jennifer Gutierrez, the former chair of the Council’s Committee on Technology, said former NYPD Inspector Kevin Taylor's indictment raises serious questions about how the Adams administration awarded contracts to tech companies — and how it handled contracts related to public safety.
“It’s important not just to look forward, but to carefully review past contracts and the processes that led to this. It is not the only one,” Gutierrez said in a statement, referring to a contract the city signed after Taylor allegedly promoted it.
Federal prosecutors accused Taylor of soliciting bribes in two schemes, including one in which a Florida businessman paid him tens of thousands of dollars in cash and gifts in an effort to secure a multimillion-dollar contract to put panic buttons in city schools. The sprawling contract was never awarded, but Taylor was able to secure the company a much smaller pilot program with the city through a noncompetitive purchase of $19,830, according to the indictment. Watchdog groups say those types of contracts — called micropurchases — are less transparent and deserve more scrutiny.
An NYPD spokesperson said notices of the contracts signed with the company are posted on the comptroller’s website, but the full contracts were not required to be filed with the office because they were micropurchases.
“That means they can fly under the radar — there’s less of a record to scrutinize,” said Eleni Manis, the research director of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project. “This makes micropurchases easier to abuse.”
The comptroller’s office and City Hall did not immediately say if they will review other contracts signed during the Adams administration.
The alleged scheme
In 2023, Taylor served as the commanding officer of the NYPD’s School Safety Division. Federal prosecutors say that in August of that year, he repeatedly met with businessman Geno Roefaro, the head of a Florida-based tech company called Saferwatch.
In two meetings in Yonkers, prosecutors say, Roefaro withdrew tens of thousands of dollars in cash and gave Taylor money. In exchange, Taylor used his high-ranking position in the department to lobby the city to award an $11 million contract to Roefaro’s company for a “mobile panic alert system,” according to the indictment.
Weeks after the second cash payment, an NYPD official under Taylor’s supervision executed the $19,830 pilot program through a noncompetitive purchase, according to the indictment.
In September and November of that year, Roefaro paid for extravagant vacations for Taylor and his romantic partner to Las Vegas and the Bahamas, according to the indictment.
The Las Vegas trip featured a helicopter tour of the city and a “medieval-themed dinner theater,” the indictment states.
Through January 2024, Roefaro continued to give Taylor gifts, including tickets to Broadway musicals and spa services for his significant other in the Bahamas, according to the indictment.
Despite the gifts, Taylor was never able to get Roefaro the multimillion-dollar contract and only delivered the small pilot program, according to the indictment.
Taylor and Roefaro each face a number of federal charges, including conspiracy to commit bribery and conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud.
An attorney for Taylor did not return a request for comment. Danya Perry, an attorney for Roefaro, said in a statement that her client was the victim of a shakedown.
“Our client has dedicated his career to working alongside law enforcement to protect the public. The actions taken by the U.S. attorney's office leave all of us with more questions than answers," Perry said.
Calls for reform
Advocates and lawmakers say micropurchases could be ripe for abuse because they lack the same oversight as larger city contracts.
“Micropurchases skip the competitive bidding, City Council oversight, public notice and extensive documentation that larger contracts require,” Manis added.
“It’s likely why the NYPD official referenced in the indictment was allegedly able to authorize a micropurchase for $19,830 while attempts to steer larger contracts failed,” she said.
Cynthia Conti-Cook, a civil rights attorney, said micropurchases are one of several ways that city agencies can circumvent transparency.
Conti-Cook added that city technology contracts can influence policy decisions and how New Yorkers interact with new technology on a daily basis.
“There’s a lot of ways that the technology we’re interfacing with on a daily basis is happening in a business negotiation process that the public deserves to know more about,” she said.
Tagged
Politics
new york city
public safety
Ben Feuerherd
Ben Feuerherd covers public safety and policing for WNYC and Gothamist. He previously covered federal courts for The New York Post and The Messenger. His work has also appeared in POLITICO, the Daily Beast and NBC New York. Got a tip? Email [email protected].
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