New York City’s Top Uniformed Officer Resigns Amid Sexual Harassment Allegations

Jeffrey Maddrey is being accused of demanding sexual favors from a subordinate.

Jeffery Maddrey, the highest ranking uniformed officer in the New York Police Department, submitted his resignation to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch on Dec. 20 as Maddrey is being accused of demanding sexual favors from a subordinate in exchange for opportunities to earn more money.

According to The Associated Press, Commissioner Tisch accepted Maddrey’s resignation, effective immediately, per an email from the NYPD on Dec. 21.

The NYPD offered no comment on the allegations against Maddrey, except to say that it “takes all allegations of sexual misconduct seriously and will thoroughly investigate this matter.”

However, a lawyer for Maddrey’s accuser, Lt. Quathisha Epps, indicated to the AP that the resignation of Maddrey should have happened well before now.

“This should have been done a long time ago,” attorney Eric Sanders told the AP via a phone conversation on Dec. 21. “This has been years in the making, this kind of behavior. This is not (a) shock for anyone who understands how things work in this department.”

On the same day, Epps filed a complaint against Maddrey with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, accusing him of committing “quid pro quo sexual harassment” by coercing her to “perform unwanted sexual favors in exchange for overtime opportunities in the workplace.”

In her complaint, Epps alleges that when she did fight back against Maddrey’s demands, he indicated that she was abusing overtime, which prompted the NYPD to launch a review.

According to New York media reports, Epps earned more than $200,000 in overtime pay—nearly half her income—in fiscal year 2024. Sanders characterized this arrangement as one of exploitation in a statement given to the AP.

“Ms. Epps has endured profound harm at the hands of individuals who exploited their positions of power for personal gain,” Sanders said. “The retaliation she faced for standing up to this abuse underscores the need for immediate reforms to address systemic failures within the NYPD.”

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office said that it is investigating the matter.

“These are extremely serious and disturbing claims that allegedly occurred at N.Y.P.D. headquarters in Manhattan,” Bragg’s office said.

Maddrey’s attorney, Lambros Lambrou, did not provide a comment to the AP, but gave a statement to the New York Post.

“What a convenient time to accuse somebody of misconduct after she’s caught stealing time,” Lambrou told the Post. “She’s obviously drowning and in the deep end of the pool without a lifesaver. She wants to take down as many people as she can.”

Maddrey is also facing similar accusations from Gabrielle Walls, a police captain who intimated that she turned down Maddrey’s unwanted advances on her for years.

John Scola, Walls’ attorney, said that the resignation of Maddrey is a vindication of the accusations from his client, who says in her own filing that she dreaded interacting with Maddrey, because he would often try to kiss her.

“We hope this high-profile resignation marks the beginning of a cultural shift to eliminate the pervasive environment of harassment and retaliation within the NYPD,” Scola said in a statement.

Maddrey’s resignation leaves the department without an official chief of department, who according to Tisch’s statement is responsible for implementing “crime-fighting strategies, quality of life initiatives, and operational plans.”

There is, however, an interim Chiefs of Department and Patrol, per Tisch’s statement.

“The NYPD works tirelessly to protect New Yorkers, and these roles are critical to keeping our communities safe. The interim Chiefs of Department and Patrol will continue to lead the efforts to reduce crime and disorder and build public trust,” Tisch said.