Celebrated, then disgraced after which partially redeemed, former Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik died at the age of 69.
“We’ve taken an incredible loss, I believe lots of people won’t ever be the identical however I additionally consider this has made us quite a bit stronger,” Kerik mentioned in 2001, reflecting within the aftermath of the horrific Sept. 11 terror assaults Kerik died on Thursday after battling an undisclosed sickness.
What You Want To Know
- Bernard Kerik was the Division of Corrections commissioner, earlier than his big 2000 promotion: changing into the NYPD’s fortieth police commissioner. However he gained nationwide fame throughout 9/11
- Kerik’s success caught the attention of then-President George W. Bush, who nominated him in 2004 to move the U.S. Division of Homeland Safety. Then, he shortly withdrew his identify
- In 2009, Kerik pleaded responsible to federal costs, together with tax fraud, and served almost 4 years in jail. In 2020, President Donald Trump pardoned him
“He was surrounded by his household. It was an actual loss. As commissioner, he introduced down crime and his dedication on the Division of Corrections, as commissioner there, we all know that is the evolution of life, nevertheless it doesn’t take away the ache of shedding somebody that’s shut,” Mayor Eric Adams advised NY1 in an interview on Friday.
Kerik was the Division of Corrections commissioner, earlier than his big 2000 promotion: changing into the NYPD’s fortieth police commissioner.
However Kerik gained nationwide fame throughout 9/11.
“These individuals are gonna be held accountable, we’re gonna be sure that they’re both delivered to justice — or justice is delivered to them,” Kerik mentioned in 2001.
Alongside his longtime good friend and benefactor, former Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
“Everybody within the metropolis ought to stay calm. The perfect factor to do proper now could be to stay house. Should you’re exterior of southern Manhattan, you need to stay the place you might be, you shouldn’t panic, you shouldn’t fear,” Giuliani mentioned on 9/11.
Working as Giuliani’s bodyguard and driver throughout his 1993 mayoral marketing campaign, Kerik’s loyalty remodeled his profession, resulting in promotions and different alternatives.
“He grew up underneath very unlucky circumstances. His mom, he believes, was a prostitute who was murdered. He dropped out of highschool, he type of grew up on the streets. And I believe it was solely Rudy Giuliani who type of saved him,” mentioned Andrew Kirtzman, a former reporter at NY1 who coated the Giuliani administration.
One other beat reporter described what New Yorkers nonetheless keep in mind, when nationwide tragedy struck.
“You’d stroll down the road and see folks overtly weeping in every single place. Folks have been terrified that this was not the tip of one thing, however the starting of a brand new period. And so they gave you purpose to really feel like this was going to be OK,” recalled Russ Buettner, a reporter for the New York Occasions.
Kerik’s success caught the attention of then-President George W. Bush, who nominated him in 2004 to move the U.S. Division of Homeland Safety. However Kerik shortly withdrew his identify.
“He had been given use of an house overlooking the World Commerce Heart web site with a view to help within the restoration and have a spot to relaxation, and he was utilizing that additionally to have extramarital affairs with two girls,” Buettner mentioned.
“Then we did tales about his house renovations and different issues that in the end led to him being indicted,” he added.
In 2009, Kerik pleaded responsible to federal costs, together with tax fraud, and served almost 4 years in jail.
“He turned out to be a rogue. Somebody who has damaged the legislation left and proper, had misused his place as police commissioner,” Kirtzman defined.
President Donald Trump later pardoned Kerik for his crimes in 2020.
