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Vol. 112 No. 50 | December 16, 2021 - December 22, 2021
THE NEW BLACK VIEW
©2021 The Amsterdam News | $1.00 New York City
HERSTORY
Eric Adams announces Keechant Sewell as NYPD police commissioner
(Contributed photo)
First Black woman named NYPD commissioner By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff, Report for America Corps Member
first Black woman to hold the role in the history of the NYPD. “I am mindful of the historic nature of this announcement,” said Sewell Mayor-elect Eric Adams announced at the press conference. “I bring a his choice for New York City’s next different perspective. Committed to police commissioner Wednesday making sure the department looks morning. Adams named Nassau like the city it serves and making the County Police Chief of Detectives decision, just as Mayor-elect Adams Keechant Sewell, 49, as the incoming did, to elevate women and people of police commissioner. She will be the color to leadership positions.”
Sewell is a Queens native, and the third Black person to run the NYPD, reported the Associated Press. Former commissioners Benjamin Ward and Lee Brown served in the 1980s and 1990s before her, said the AP. Meanwhile, Rodney Harrison, the NYPD’s first Black chief of detectives, is reportedly headed out to Long Island in an interesting switch. Harrison recently retired as chief and will be
Content, Character, Curriculum=David Banks, Incoming NYC Schools Chancellor
Exonerated Muhammad Aziz plans to sue the city and state
On a frigid Wednesday morning last week, dozens gathered behind P.S. 161 in Brooklyn to welcome the city’s next Schools Chancellor David C. Banks. Banks stood at the front of the podium with Mayor-elect Eric Adams, recently returned from his Ghana trip, as well as several other supporters and community members. He and Adams appeared much more like with family and students of Banks, preachers surrounded by an adoring chimed in with enthusiastic applause congregation than leaders heading a despite the bitter cold. press conference. The crowd, filled See BANKS on page 16
See NYPD on page 6
(AP Photo)
(Contributed photo from Banks)
By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff, Report for America Corps Member
nominated to be the next commissioner of the Suffolk County Police Department, said NBC New York. Sewell has had national attention and a warm reception from locals so far. Erica Ford co-founded the violence interrupter organization LIFE Camp Inc. Ford said that the appointment of Sewell is a good sign and that the city needs a “shifting” to focus on the
See AZIZ on page 6