NEW YORK – Keechant Sewell, the first woman to lead the New York Police Department, has filed a bombshell lawsuit against the city and top officials, including Mayor Eric Adams, alleging she was systematically undermined and that the department was operated like a "criminal enterprise" controlled by City Hall.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court on Wednesday, casts a harsh spotlight on the Adams administration and escalates long-simmering tensions that culminated in Sewell’s abrupt resignation in June 2023. The complaint accuses the mayor and his chief public safety advisor, Deputy Mayor Philip Banks, of creating a shadow command structure that bypassed her authority, interfered with promotions, and compromised disciplinary processes for political ends.

The allegations represent a significant legal and political challenge for Mayor Adams, a former NYPD captain who ran for office on a platform of public safety and effective city management.

The Core Allegations

At the heart of Sewell’s 50-page complaint is the explosive claim of pervasive and improper interference from the mayor's office. According to the filing, Sewell was repeatedly pressured to promote and appoint individuals favored by the mayor and his allies, regardless of merit or established protocols.

The suit alleges that Deputy Mayor Banks, who himself resigned from the NYPD in 2014 while under federal investigation, acted as a de facto commissioner. Sewell claims Banks would issue direct orders to department chiefs and meddle in sensitive disciplinary cases, including those involving officers with connections to the mayor.

One of the most serious accusations details an alleged attempt by the mayor's office to interfere in the disciplinary action against a high-ranking chief. The lawsuit contends that when Sewell refused to bend to their demands, she was marginalized, and her decisions were either ignored or reversed through backchannels. This pattern of behavior, the lawsuit argues, amounted to the operation of the NYPD as a corrupt organization under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act—language typically reserved for organized crime.

A History of Friction

Sewell’s tenure as the 45th police commissioner began with historic fanfare in January 2022 but was marked by persistent reports of friction with Mayor Adams. Public safety experts and City Hall insiders had long suggested that Adams's hands-on approach and deep ties to the department created a difficult working environment for Sewell.

Her resignation after just 18 months on the job was sudden, accompanied by a brief, formal statement that offered little insight into her reasons. The new lawsuit frames her departure as a constructive discharge, arguing that the conditions created by the mayor’s office made it impossible for her to fulfill her duties with integrity.

The legal action seeks unspecified damages for harm to her career and reputation. It also demands institutional changes to prevent what it describes as "the mayor’s illegal interference and micromanagement" of the police department.

City Hall Responds

In a statement released Thursday, a spokesperson for the Mayor's office vehemently denied the allegations. "Public safety is down and jobs are up because we have assembled an incredible team of leaders, including former Commissioner Sewell, who we thank for her service," the statement read. "City Hall will not be distracted and will continue to do the work of delivering for New Yorkers. We will review the lawsuit, but the claims being reported are baseless."

The city’s Law Department issued a brief statement confirming it was reviewing the complaint.

The lawsuit lands at a sensitive time for the Adams administration, which is already facing federal scrutiny on separate matters. The claims by a former, high-profile appointee like Sewell could inflict significant political damage and raise profound questions for New Yorkers about transparency and accountability within the nation's largest police force.

The case will now move through the federal court system, where Sewell's legal team will face the high burden of proving the racketeering allegations. Regardless of the outcome, the lawsuit guarantees a prolonged and public battle over who truly controls the NYPD and whether the line between policing and politics has been dangerously blurred.