Former NYPD chief’s home searched amid abuse allegations

The New York City Police Department formally suspended former Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey on Thursday as investigators executed search warrants on his home and other locations. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said she directed the Internal Affairs Bureau to conduct the investigation. Thursday’s search and suspension and search came weeks after a subordinate accused Maddrey of exchanging overtime opportunities for sexual favors. He has denied the accusations. The chief of the department serves as the NYPD’s highest-ranking uniformed police officer.

What’s the investigation about? About two weeks before the search, Police Lt. Qauthisa Epps filed a federal complaint accusing the former chief of sexually harassing her for over a year. Maddrey exploited Epps’ emotional and financial vulnerabilities and forced her to perform unwanted sex acts, according to the Dec. 21 complaint. Epps also accused Maddrey of having other inappropriate relationships in the office and abusing his power in other ways.

What was Maddrey’s reaction to the complaint? He resigned the day before Epps filed the complaint. The NYPD will thoroughly investigate all sexual misconduct allegations against Maddrey, Tisch said in her statement on Maddrey’s Dec. 20 resignation. His resignation was submitted, but not finalized, leading NYPD officials to formally place him on unpaid suspension as the investigation progressed.

How has Maddrey responded to the allegations? The former chief denied allegations of abuse during a recent interview. Instead, he described having a brief and consensual office fling with Epps. Maddrey admitted that it was inappropriate of him to form a relationship with a subordinate.

In the same interview, Maddrey’s attorney Lambros Lambrou alleged that the NYPD suspended Epps after the hours logged on her retirement application raised questions, Lambros Lambrou alleged. She then made the accusations against Maddrey to cover up her own overtime theft and explain away hours she never worked, Lambrou said. The former chief said that his resignation should not be viewed as a sign of guilt. He planned to fight the accusations, and holding the leadership position would limit what he could say and do amid a legal battle, he added. Epps’ attorney later disputed statements made by Lambrou and Maddrey during the interview.