While news of an arrest in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthCare’s CEO dominated headlines on Dec. 9, newly appointed NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch quietly launched another search of her own: determining the whereabouts of hundreds of on-duty officers.
That day, one of Tisch’s subordinates issued a memo highlighting more than 500 “improper transfers” — or reassignments without proper approval or paperwork — and set a Dec. 13 deadline for the officers to return to their assigned posts. The directive also banned the practice, stating it leads to slower response times to emergencies. The internal memo, which was obtained by Gothamist, represents one of Tisch’s first major administrative moves to restore order to a department that has been rocked by turmoil and leadership changes during Mayor Eric Adams’ administration.
Public safety experts and people who worked with Tisch at the police department and sanitation department said the memo reflects her hands-on approach to management.