New York City Appoints Controversial Sheriff

New York City’s new sheriff, Edwin Raymond, has a well-known history of criticizing the NYPD for systemic racism, even suggesting a connection between historical slave patrols and today’s police forces.

Mayor Zoran Mamdani announced Raymond’s appointment on Friday, describing him as an ideal public servant—principled, courageous, and dedicated to justice.

However, Raymond, who was a lieutenant in the NYPD and a whistleblower, has made several polarizing remarks. One significant statement pertains to his experiences with domestic violence cases, which he attributed to his identity as a Black police officer, according to reports.

During an interview, Raymond said, “Some feel from the slave patrols that this object was never designed to function.” He elaborated that these patrols, initially set up to catch runaway slaves, evolved into modern police departments. He believes that the NYPD’s roots can be traced back to these early law enforcement practices in the 17th and 18th centuries.

In his recent book, “The Inconvenient Cop,” he reiterated this viewpoint, likening contemporary police forces to the slave patrols of the 19th century and the Jim Crow laws of the South. He stated, “Anyone who knows their history understands that it is no exaggeration to draw a straight line from there to here.”

Raymond was part of a notable lawsuit in 2015, alongside 11 other Black and Hispanic officers, against the NYPD, claiming that arrest quotas disproportionately targeted people of color. The department has denied these allegations, and while the case was dismissed, it is currently under appeal.

In 2017, the NYPD initiated an investigation into Raymond because of accusations that he favored Black suspects in domestic violence cases. He was found guilty of misconduct related to supervision and record-keeping, which resulted in a 20-day suspension, as per disciplinary records.

In a 2024 interview, he attributed the 2014 death of Eric Garner—who died after being placed in a chokehold by an NYPD officer—to systemic racism and pressures within the police department. He claimed, “What I saw was deep and perpetuated systemic racism in the form of pressure to arrest and citations.”

Raymond now steps in for Anthony Miranda, who was dismissed from the role of sheriff just days earlier. As the head of the city’s civil enforcement agency under the Department of the Treasury, he will manage a team focused on issues including tobacco tax compliance and monitoring illegal marijuana operations.

Some former NYPD officers have criticized Raymond’s appointment, with one calling the mayor an “idiot” for hiring him. This critic suggested that Raymond’s history of lawsuits against the police undermines his credibility as a law enforcement expert.

No response has been provided by the mayor’s office regarding the backlash to Raymond’s appointment.