An important milestone in the history of New York City in the United States was the appointment of Edward Caban as the first Latino police commissioner. Mayor Eric Adams announced the promotion of Caban to the position, who had been serving as acting police commissioner since Keechant Sewell’s resignation in June, according to the CNN story.

He has a solid career with the New York Police Department (NYPD), joining in 1991 and being the son of a traffic cop. He has progressed in his career, becoming deputy inspector in 2008 and, in 2022, the first deputy commissioner of the NYPD. During his tenure, he was responsible for overseeing many public safety programs and played a key role in reducing serious crime in several areas of the city, according to CNN.

Caban’s appointment is relevant in a context where police across the country face criticism and scrutiny for profiling and violence against minorities such as blacks and Latinos.  And in 2021, Latinos accounted for a significant proportion of New York's misdemeanor arrests, relative to its population, as did blacks.

In addition, the increase in serious crime in the city over the past year adds pressure on the new commissioner to address public safety challenges.

In the same context, Tania Kinsella was appointed as the first deputy commissioner of New York, being also the first black woman to hold that position. Her appointment represents another important step toward diversifying the department's leadership.

However, the CNN story notes that the Legal Aid Society, a social justice law firm in New York, issued a statement saying policing in the city needs “extreme reform”. They asked Caban to make significant inroads with the public to improve trust in law enforcement by prioritizing evidence-based initiatives such as the CURE Violence model over racist policies and practices of the past.

Overall, the appointment of Edward Caban as New York’s first Latino police commissioner represents a significant step forward in terms of diversifying police leadership. However, it also highlights the continued need for reforms in policing to address issues such as racial profiling and the relationship with communities. The expectation is that Caban will use his position to address these challenges and strengthen trust between the police and the population they serve.