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NYPD's top cop is stepping down as Mayor Adams' exit nears
By
Charles Lane
Published Oct 8, 2025
Modified Oct 8, 2025
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Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images
By
Charles Lane
Published Oct 8, 2025
Modified Oct 8, 2025
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The NYPD’s top uniformed officer, celebrated by Mayor Eric Adams but reviled by many of the city’s leading progressive elected officials, is retiring. The announcement came Wednesday, just a week after Mayor Eric Adams ended his own bid for a second term.
Chief of Department John Chell will be replaced on an interim basis by Chief Michael LiPetri, who currently serves as chief of crime control strategies and will continue in that role as well, Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.
Chell took over as the top cop in December, after his predecessor resigned amid accusations of sexually coercing a subordinate officer in exchange for overtime pay.
The announcement also comes a month before the city will choose a new mayor. The current mayoral front runner, Zohran Mamdani, has signaled a new direction for the police department that likely involves diminishing its power throughout city government.
Mamdani was also a critic of policing tactics championed by Chell, including the use of the Strategic Response Group, a specialized NYPD unit controversial for its aggressive handling of protesters.
Chell served 31 years in the NYPD and was a vocal supporter of Adams and his public safety policies throughout his tenure.
"I would like to thank Chief John Chell for his more than 30 years of service to this department and New York City," Tisch said in a statement.
LiPetri, also a 31-year NYPD veteran, has overseen the department's precision policing strategy, which officials credit with delivering record-low shootings even as crime has remained higher since the pandemic.
"Chief LiPetri is a true crime fighter," Tisch said, adding that he will "continue to lead the NYPD's work to reduce crime and disorder and build public trust."
Adams praised both chiefs in a statement, calling LiPetri "the perfect fit for the top uniformed position in the NYPD" and saying the city "owes [Chell] a debt of gratitude."
The mayoral race has consolidated to a three-person contest between front-runner Mamdani, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa. Polls have shown Mamdani, a state assemblymember from Queens and a frequent critic of the police department, with a double-digit lead.
LiPetri previously served as commanding officer of Transit District 32 and the 101st, 79th, and 75th Precincts. He holds a master's degree from John Jay College of Criminal Justice.
Most of the police unions did not return requests for comment, except the lieutenants’ union, which wished Chell well in retirement.
Spokespeople for the three mayoral contenders also did not respond to requests for comment.
Chell had a tumultuous time as an NYPD chief. He ran afoul of a city ethics watchdog for posts on social media, including one that claimed City Councilmember Tiffany Cabán “hates our city.” He also praised then-candidate President Donald Trump and spoke to a conservative media outlet during a Trump rally where speakers made misogynistic and racist comments.
In 2008, Chell shot and killed an alleged car thief. Prosecutors and the department’s internal review found no wrongdoing in the shooting, but a civil court judge awarded the mother of the man a $1.5 million dollar settlement.
Chell rose to chief of patrol when Adams became mayor in 2022. He championed a controversial police chase tactic policy that Tisch recently reversed.
Among the city’s progressive elected officials, Chell was not well-appreciated. In a message, Cabán said “good riddance” in reaction to Chell’s departure.
And Brooklyn Councilmember Lincoln Restler cited Chell’s social media attacks on judges and elected officials, saying that he was stunned Chell remained in the NYPD for so long.
“Chief Chell acted with impunity and he demonstrated consistently bad judgement,” he said. “The NYPD is better off without him there.”
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Politics
new york city
public safety
Charles Lane
Charles is a Day-of reporter focused on breaking news and enterprise. He’s very friendly and can be reached at [email protected], or more securely on whatsapp/signal 631-295-6715
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