The police commissioner of New York City announced his resignation on Thursday as two federal corruption investigations are focused on Mayor Eric Adams and his close aides.

Edward Caban, who was the first Latino to lead the New York Police Department, reportedly received a resignation request on Monday from multiple news sources, including the New York Times.

In a message sent to his officers, Caban stated that “the recent news has distracted our department, and I refuse to divert my focus away from our crucial mission and the safety of the NYPD officers.”

“I have deep respect and appreciation for the courageous officers of this department, and the NYPD needs someone who can dedicate their efforts to protecting New York City, which is why I have made the tough choice to resign as Police Commissioner for the benefit of both the city and the department,” he expressed.

Adams appointed Tom Donlon, a retired FBI veteran, as the interim police commissioner. Donlon previously headed New York state’s homeland security department and led the FBI’s National Threat Center.

“This marks the first time a police commissioner has resigned due to a corruption investigation since the 1970s,” said Wilbur Chapman, a former deputy police commissioner in New York, speaking to YSL News. “This poses a challenge for police officers to regain the trust of those they serve.”

On September 5, investigators from the Manhattan U.S. attorney’s office confiscated Caban’s mobile phones as part of their inquiry into alleged protection for local nightclubs against law enforcement actions. The devices of lower-ranking police officials were also taken.

Caban is one of several high-ranking aides to Adams who have received federal search warrants this month, including Deputy Mayor for Criminal Justice Philip Banks III, First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright, and Schools Chancellor David Banks.

Meanwhile, Philip Banks, a former police executive, has previously been named an unindicted co-conspirator in an earlier bribery case related to the NYPD. David Banks, the schools’ chief, is his brother, and Wright is David Banks’ partner.

Earlier in the year, authorities seized the mayor’s electronic devices in connection with an ongoing investigation into illegal Turkish contributions to his 2021 mayoral campaign.

Caban was appointed in July 2023 after the resignation of Keechant Sewell, who led the department for 18 months.

In a statement, Donlan remarked, “My objectives are straightforward: maintain the significant progress in reducing crime and eliminating illegal guns in our neighborhoods, uphold the highest standards of integrity and transparency, and support our dedicated officers who risk their lives daily to keep us safe.”