NEW YORK—Edward Caban, who joined the New York Police Department as a young patrol officer in 1991 and rose through the ranks, was sworn in Monday as police commissioner, becoming the first Latino to lead the 178-year-old department.
Mayor Eric Adams administered the oath of office in front of the Bronx stationhouse where Mr. Caban started his career, and praised his new police commissioner as “representative of this blue-collar city.”
Mr. Caban, the son of a transit police officer who served with Mr. Adams when the now-mayor was on the transit force, said he joined the NYPD as “a young Puerto Rican kid” at a time when when “the top bosses of the police department didn’t really look like me.”
His beaming father, retired Detective Juan Caban, and other family members joined Mr. Caban as he was sworn in as the city’s top police official.
Mr. Caban thanked Mr. Adams for choosing him to head the 33,000-member police department.
“To be the first Hispanic police commissioner is an honor of the highest measure,” Caban said.
Mr. Caban, 55, has served as acting commissioner since the resignation of Keechant Sewell, who announced last month that she was stepping down after 18 months.
Ms. Sewell, the first woman to lead the department, did not provide a reason for her resignation.
Mr. Adams and Mr. Caban both praised Ms. Sewell, who did not attend her successor’s swearing-in.
“Commissioner Sewell smashed a glass ceiling,” Caban said, “and she did so with grace, confidence, and honor.”
Mr. Adams said Mr. Caban, who served as first deputy commissioner under Sewell, had “worked side by side with Commissioner Sewell to deliver double digit decreases in shootings and murders.”
Mr. Caban worked in several precincts across the city as he climbed the ranks from patrol officer to sergeant, lieutenant, captain, executive officer, commanding officer, deputy inspector, inspector, and first deputy commissioner.
