Tom Donlon named new NYPD police chief – NBC New York

The chief of the New York Police Department announced his resignation on Thursday amid an ongoing federal investigation, clearing the way for Mayor Eric Adams to appoint his third police chief in less than three years.

Adams quickly named an interim replacement: Tom Donlon.

“Tom joins a team at 1 Police Plaza that is tirelessly committed to public safety and protecting New Yorkers. That is why New York is the safest big city in the world and why it will remain so,” Adams said of the Bronx native.

So who is the interim police chief?

NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban announced Thursday his resignation from his post at the head of the nation's largest police department amid a federal investigation into its nightclub oversight, according to an internal memo obtained by News 4.

Meet Tom Donlon

Donlon, CEO and co-founder of Global Security Resolutions, has extensive law enforcement experience at the local, federal and international levels, which is one reason he fits the bill, according to Adams. He is considered an expert in crisis and risk management, investigations, special events and other programs, his bio states.

Donlon, a veteran counterterrorism expert, retired as chief of the FBI's National Threat Center Division. In that role, he was responsible for a multi-agency Global Threat Watch, the FBI's Terrorism Watch List, and developed and implemented Guardian, the FBI's first centralized terrorism threat database. Guardian is still used by numerous domestic and international law enforcement and intelligence agencies.

Previously, Donlon served as Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Counterterrorism Division in New York and as Coordinating Special Agent in Charge and Supervisor in the FBI's New York Office, where he directed foreign counterintelligence and domestic and international counterterrorism investigations.

As a special agent, Donlon was assigned to the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) in the FBI's New York office, where he worked on the investigation of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. During his FBI career, in addition to his domestic assignments, he has worked on significant foreign terrorism cases. These cases include Manila Air, the 1998 East Africa and U.S. Embassy bombings, the USS Cole bombing, 9/11, and other counterterrorism investigations.

Donlon also served as New York's Director of the Department of Homeland Security after being confirmed to that Cabinet-level position by members of the New York State Senate and Assembly. He was responsible for directing and coordinating a comprehensive statewide counterterrorism strategy to prevent, prepare for, and respond to terrorism or related matters and to ensure the safety of New York State residents. He was also New York State's primary point of contact for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. His many responsibilities included reviewing and approving applications from New York counties and cities for distribution of federal counterterrorism grants.

Prior to founding Global Security Resolutions, Tomlon served as Director of Security for Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) (formerly Westfield Corporation) at the World Trade Center (WTC) and Director of Security of the Eastern Region for Westfield Corporation. He also served as Global Director of Security for two major financial firms.

​Donlon received his Bachelor of Arts from Iona College.