BY SAL GRECO
According to multiple sources familiar with the matter, NYPD Lieutenant Katherine Guerrero was recently transferred from the Personnel Orders Division to the 52nd Precinct after the FBI and NYPD Internal Affairs Bureau allegedly obtained former Deputy Commissioner of Public Information Tarik Sheppard’s text messages during their investigation.
Sources further allege those messages contained criticism of Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch and that Tisch personally authorized Guerrero’s transfer after learning of their contents.
If accurate, these allegations raise significant questions about the current climate inside the NYPD and whether members of the department can privately express criticism of department leadership without fear of professional consequences.
Another Allegation Added to a Growing List
The reported transfer comes amid one of the most turbulent periods the NYPD has experienced in years.
Federal and Internal Affairs investigations have targeted several high-ranking officials, including Jeffrey Maddrey, James McCarthy, and Tarik Sheppard. Public reporting has documented that these investigations have involved both the FBI and the NYPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau.
Now, according to our sources, a lieutenant who was not publicly identified as a target of those investigations was allegedly transferred after communications criticizing the Police Commissioner surfaced during the investigation into someone else.
If that account is accurate, it raises questions about whether information gathered during one investigation was used to make personnel decisions involving someone outside the original focus of that investigation.
Questions Sent to the NYPD
Before publication, The Sal Greco Show contacted the NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Public Information seeking comment and asked the department to respond to the following questions:
- Can the NYPD confirm or deny that Lt. Katherine Guerrero was transferred from the Personnel Orders Division to the 52nd Precinct?
- Was the transfer related in any way to text messages allegedly obtained by the FBI and NYPD Internal Affairs during the investigation involving former DCPI Commissioner Tarik Sheppard?
- Can the NYPD confirm or deny that those text messages contained criticism of Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch?
- Did Commissioner Jessica Tisch personally authorize Lt. Guerrero’s transfer?
- If the transfer was unrelated, what was the reason for the reassignment?
At the time of publication, the NYPD had not responded to our request for comment.
A Chilling Effect?
If the allegations are true, they raise broader concerns about whether members of the NYPD believe they can privately criticize department leadership without risking reassignment or other career consequences.
Many organizations expect professionalism from employees. At the same time, allegations that internal communications unrelated to the underlying criminal investigation were reviewed and then allegedly resulted in a personnel action would likely prompt questions about how investigative information is being used and whether such actions could discourage candid internal discussion.
These are serious questions deserving of clear answers.
The Bigger Picture
Commissioner Jessica Tisch has presented herself as a reformer committed to accountability throughout the department.
Supporters argue that her administration has aggressively pursued misconduct regardless of rank.
Critics, however, contend that her leadership style has fostered fear within the department and that loyalty to the Commissioner has become increasingly important. Those critics argue that recent events, including this reported transfer if confirmed, contribute to a perception that dissent is unwelcome.
Whether that perception is accurate is precisely why transparency from department leadership is important.
The NYPD has the opportunity to explain what occurred, clarify the reasons for Lt. Guerrero’s reassignment, and address the allegations surrounding the use of communications recovered during the Sheppard investigation.
Until those questions are answered, speculation is likely to continue, and concerns about morale, transparency, and leadership within the nation’s largest police department will remain.
The Sal Greco Show will update this story if the NYPD provides a response or additional information becomes available.