Bernie Kerik obit

Bernard Kerik, former New York police commissioner and 9/11 figure, dies at 69

Former NYPD commissioner hailed after 9/11, served prison time for tax fraud and was pardoned by Trump

 

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Bernie Kerik, the former New York City police commissioner who was hailed as a hero after 9/11, has died at 69 years old.

His death was announced by FBI Director Kash Patel on Thursday night, who wrote that Kerik "passed away after a private battle with illness."

"Rest easy, Commissioner. Your watch has ended, but your impact will never fade," Patel wrote.

Kerik’s rise to national prominence came during the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, where he became a steady figure alongside then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Kerik worked to coordinate emergency response in the aftermath of the collapse of the World Trade Center.

His 35-year career has been recognized in more than 100 awards for meritorious and heroic service, including a presidential commendation for heroism by President Ronald Reagan and two Distinguished Service Awards from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Kerik, who served as the NYPD's top cop from 2000 to 2001, pleaded guilty in 2009 to eight felonies, including tax fraud and lying to the White House while being vetted for the role of Homeland Security chief in 2004.

He spent nearly three years in prison before transitioning to home confinement and eventually supervised release. In 2020, President Donald Trump pardoned Kerik for his past convictions.

Following his release from prison, Kerik was a vocal critic of the criminal justice system and a staunch ally of Trump.

Kerik later worked with Giuliani to investigate claims of election fraud after the 2020 election and was subpoenaed by the House committee investigating the January 6 Capitol riots.

Born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1955, Kerik dropped out of high school but later earned his GED before joining the U.S. Army, serving in Korea.

After returning to civilian life, he entered law enforcement and rose through the ranks, eventually leading the city’s Department of Correction. In 2000, he was appointed NYPD commissioner by Giuliani.

After the 2003 invasion of Iraq, President George W. Bush appointed Kerik as the interior minister of the Iraqi Coalition Provisional Authority. In 2004, Bush nominated Kerik to lead the Department of Homeland Security. However, Kerik soon withdrew his candidacy, explaining that he had employed an undocumented immigrant as a nanny. His admission sparked state and federal investigations. In 2006, Kerik pleaded guilty in Bronx Supreme Court to two unrelated misdemeanor ethics violations and was ordered to pay $221,000 in fines.