New York City mayor Eric Adams announced that Tom Donlon has replaced Edward Caban as the new NYPD commissioner. Caban’s resignation was revealed during a press briefing by Adams on Thursday, September 12. This comes a week after federal investigations seized electronic devices and phones from Caban’s home, as reported by NY1. While Tom Donlon is not a well-known figure, he has an extensive work history that fit his new role.
What has Tom Donlon done before becoming interim NYPD commissioner?
Tom Donlon is a Bronx native who is an ex-FBI official with extensive experience in security and law enforcement.
As reported by NBC New York, Donlon was most recently the co-founder and CEO of Global Security Resolutions, which provides “highly trained, TSA-certified Armed Security Officers” according to the company’s profile on LinkedIn.
Donlon was the FBI chief of the National Threat Center’s Section where he guided the development of the Global Threat Watch and Terrorism Watch List. He was also responsible for the creation of the Terrorism Threat Database, otherwise known as “Guardian,” which is still used today by various law enforcement agencies.
Earlier in his career as a special agent at the FBI office in New York City, Donlon worked on numerous terror investigations, including the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, the USS Cole bombing, and Manila Air. He was also the state’s Director of Office of Homeland Security, where he directed various counter-terrorism strategies.
Given Donlon’s expertise in crisis management and investigations, Adams described him as someone “relentlessly dedicated to public safety and protecting New Yorkers” at the press conference.
His new position as interim NYPD commissioner comes amidst numerous federal investigations into Eric Adams and his inner circle. Per MSNBC, these investigations involve Adams’ travel, potential ties to the Turkish government, and influence schemes by his appointees in the police department and administration.
