BY SAL GRECO
The New York City Department of Investigation (DOI) has confirmed to The Sal Greco Show that it made a document request to the New York City Police Department involving New York City Charter § 821, adding another layer of scrutiny at a time when the NYPD continues to face public questions over accountability, leadership, and governance.
After obtaining a document purporting to reflect a request for records involving numerous senior NYPD officials, The Sal Greco Show contacted DOI seeking confirmation of its authenticity.
DOI responded:
“DOI cannot confirm anything related to the document you sent as it is not a DOI document. DOI can confirm that it made a document request to the NYPD involving NYC Charter § 821. This is an ongoing investigation and DOI declines further comment.”
Although DOI declined to verify the specific document or discuss the nature of its investigation, it did confirm one important fact: it made a document request to the NYPD involving NYC Charter § 821 and that investigation remains ongoing.
What Is NYC Charter § 821?
New York City Charter § 821 concerns exempt-class positions within city government. These are generally appointments exempt from the traditional competitive civil service process and often involve senior executives, confidential employees, and high-level policy-making positions.
The document reviewed by The Sal Greco Show seeks records relating to appointments and designations made pursuant to Charter § 821, including records such as:
- Appointments
- Designations
- Vetting letters
- Internal memoranda
- Position descriptions
- Organizational charts
- Job postings
- Transmittals
Those categories suggest investigators were seeking to understand how certain positions were created, filled, designated, or documented.
Numerous Senior Officials Identified
The apparent records request references numerous current and former senior NYPD executives, including:
- Former Police Commissioner Edward Caban
- First Deputy Commissioner Tania Kinsella
- Deputy Commissioner Kaz Daughtry
- Deputy Commissioner Tarik Sheppard
- Deputy Commissioner Lisa White
- Deputy Commissioner Mark Stewart
- Deputy Commissioner Mona Suazo
- Assistant Commissioner Kenneth Morgan
- Assistant Commissioner Lamona Worrell
- Assistant Commissioner Carlos Nieves
- Executive Director Edelle James
- Deputy Chief of Staff Jason Cira
- Chief of Staff Leslie Treanor
- Director Luis Molina
- along with other individuals identified in the request.
It is important to emphasize that being identified in a records request does not establish misconduct, wrongdoing, or liability by any individual. Government investigators frequently request records involving numerous officials as part of broader administrative or investigative reviews.
Another Investigation During a Difficult Period for the NYPD
The DOI confirmation comes during a period in which the NYPD has faced continued public scrutiny over allegations involving members of its senior leadership.
Over the past several years, a number of current and former executives have been publicly linked to criminal investigations, ethics inquiries, civil litigation, disciplinary matters, procurement questions, or other allegations. Those matters have varied widely in subject matter, and many remain unresolved or involve allegations that have not been proven.
Regardless of the outcome of any individual matter, the cumulative effect has contributed to public debate regarding transparency, accountability, and leadership within the Department.
Since Jessica Tisch became Police Commissioner, additional allegations involving senior officials have continued to emerge publicly, alongside ongoing litigation and investigations involving members of NYPD leadership. The existence of those allegations does not establish that Commissioner Tisch or any particular official engaged in wrongdoing. However, their continued emergence has fueled public discussion about the Department’s culture, oversight, and internal controls.
The Cost to New York City Taxpayers
Every investigation involving senior government officials requires public resources.
Investigators must review documents.
Agency attorneys must respond.
Employees spend hours locating records.
Government lawyers provide legal advice.
Administrative personnel coordinate responses.
Those costs are borne by New York City taxpayers.
Oversight is a necessary part of government, but taxpayers may reasonably ask how much public money is being spent responding to repeated investigations involving senior leadership and whether stronger internal governance could reduce those costs over time.
Questions That Remain Unanswered
DOI has confirmed the existence of an ongoing investigation involving Charter § 821 but has declined to explain why the records were requested.
That leaves several legitimate public-interest questions:
- What prompted DOI to request these records?
- Was DOI examining whether exempt-class appointments complied with applicable laws and regulations?
- Were investigators reviewing hiring procedures, appointment authority, or internal approvals?
- Has DOI identified any concerns, or is it still gathering facts?
- Will the results of the investigation ultimately be made public?
At present, those questions remain unanswered.
Questions for Commissioner Jessica Tisch
Commissioner Jessica Tisch entered office promising accountability and public confidence in the NYPD.
Given DOI’s confirmation, the public may reasonably ask:
- Has Commissioner Tisch been briefed regarding DOI’s investigation?
- Has the NYPD changed any procedures involving Charter § 821 appointments?
- Does the Department intend to publicly explain why DOI sought these records?
- What safeguards currently exist to ensure appointments to exempt-class positions comply with all applicable legal requirements?
- What steps are being taken to restore public confidence as additional allegations involving members of NYPD leadership continue to surface?
These are questions of public administration and transparency. They are not conclusions regarding the merits of DOI’s investigation.
NYPD Declines to Comment
The Sal Greco Show also requested comment from the New York City Police Department regarding DOI’s confirmation that it requested records involving NYC Charter § 821.
Questions were submitted seeking clarification regarding the purpose of the document request, whether the Department is fully cooperating with DOI, whether Commissioner Jessica Tisch has been briefed, and whether the NYPD intends to publicly address the matter.
As of the publication of this article, the NYPD’s Deputy Commissioner of Public Information (DCPI) has not publicly responded to those questions.
Should the Department provide a statement, The Sal Greco Show will update this article to include its response.
Transparency Is Essential
DOI has confirmed one key fact: it made a document request to the NYPD involving NYC Charter § 821, and the matter remains under investigation.
What investigators are examining—and why these particular records were sought—remains unknown.
Until additional information becomes public, no conclusions should be drawn regarding any individual identified in the records request solely because their name appears in it. Nevertheless, DOI’s confirmation underscores the importance of independent oversight and raises legitimate questions about government transparency, executive appointments, and the administration of one of the nation’s largest police departments.
For many New Yorkers, the larger concern extends beyond any single investigation. Repeated reports of investigations, lawsuits, disciplinary matters, and public allegations involving senior officials can affect confidence in the Department, even where allegations remain unproven. Addressing that perception ultimately depends on transparency, accountability, and the public release of facts when appropriate.
Whether DOI’s ongoing investigation will answer those questions remains to be seen. Until then, New York taxpayers continue to fund the investigative process while awaiting a fuller explanation of what prompted this review and what, if anything, investigators ultimately conclude.