In what has been an affront to every tax payer in this city, former police commissioner Ray Kelly — for some ungodly reason — felt the need to keep a 12-member security detail with him at all times after his post as the city’s top cop was over.
But now, word is that Kelly is losing that $1.5 million detail, and of course, it isn’t coming through his own conscious. No, as DNA Info reports, Kelly was recently informed that he would have to give up his team of a dozen protectors.
What’s astounding is the sheer amount of manpower Kelly required, including six detectives from the NYPD’s intelligence division. Seriously. Instead of using those detectives for, I don’t know, important intelligence work, the former commissioner had them in tow. Each officer earned an average salary of $140,000 a year, which is why Kelly’s bill to taxpayers was so high.
Kelly, of course, isn’t the first current or former public official who uses vital NYPD resources as part of a security detail. As sources last week cited, the city’s comptroller, city council speaker, and public advocate all employ current detectives for their personal protection.
In what should be an overall offensive story to everyone in this city, this detail, perhaps, may be the worst:
But since then the threat level has subsided and Kelly now earns a purported seven figure salary as the director for risk management at Cushman Wakefield, the giant real estate firm, and as a media consultant. Barring any unexpected threat, his NYPD security ends at year’s end, sources say.
The man earns a SEVEN FIGURE SALARY. According to Murray Weiss, a longtime cops reporter in the city, most of the former police commissioners have had private firms pay their security detail. But not Mr. Kelly, who soon will have to dip into his current salary, or I’m sure, find some other sucker to pay for his protection.
(Photo: Wikimedia)
