Bernard Kerik, Former NYPD Commissioner on 9/11, Dies at 69 After a Life of Service

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NEW YORK—  Bernard Kerik, who was the police commissioner of New York City during 9/11 and subsequently pleaded guilty to tax fraud before being pardoned, has passed away. He was 69 years old.

 His death was verified by the New York Police Department on social media on Thursday.  According to FBI Director Kash Patel, his passing occurred “following a personal struggle with illness.”

Rudy Giuliani, the former mayor of New York City, reflected on his extensive relationship with his former police commissioner during his Thursday program.

 “We have been inseparable from the outset.”  Giuliani, through tears, stated, “He is akin to my brother.”  “Being acquainted with Bernie enhanced my character.”  I was undoubtedly a more courageous and resilient individual.

After the 9/11 attack, Bernard Kerik, an Army veteran, was lauded as a hero and subsequently nominated to lead the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. However, he experienced a dramatic decline in popularity that culminated in his imprisonment.

 In 2010, he entered a guilty plea to federal tax fraud and fraudulent statement charges. The accusations were partially a result of the more than $250,000 in apartment renovations that Kerik received from a construction firm. According to authorities, the firm relied on Kerik to persuade New York officials that it had no connections to organised crime.

During Kerik’s sentencing, the judge observed that he committed some of the offences while serving as “the chief law enforcement officer for the biggest and grandest city this nation has.”

He was incarcerated for three years prior to his release in 2013.

 Donald Trump pardoned Kerik during his 2020 clemency campaign.  Kerik was among the guests commemorating Trump’s initial appearance in federal court in Florida in a case concerning his management of classified documents. He attended the former president’s remarks at his Bedminster, New Jersey, club.

 In 2000, Giuliani appointed Bernard Kerik to the position of police commissioner, and he was in that role during the september 11, 2001, attack.

 In his 2015 book, “From Jailer to Jailed,” Kerik recounted his transformation into “America’s Top Cop” due to the assault.

 “However, I would give anything to prevent that day from occurring.”  I would have preferred that it had not occurred.  Nevertheless, it transpired,” he composed.  “And I happened to be present at the time.”  I was present and made the most of the situation.  It is all that any of us have accomplished.

 In 2003, President George W. Bush selected Bernard Kerik to assist in the organisation of Iraq’s security force. Subsequently, he was nominated to lead the U.S. Department of Homeland Security the following year.

 However, Kerik’s sudden withdrawal of his nomination caught the administration off guard. He stated that he had discovered information that caused him to query the immigration status of a housekeeper and nanny he had employed.

 Kerik established the Kerik Group in 2005, a consulting firm that specialises in crisis and risk management.

Bernard Kerik subsequently collaborated with the former mayor of New York City in the context of the endeavours to reverse Trump’s 2020 election defeat.

 In a social media post, Patel characterised Kerik as “a patriot, a warrior, and one of the most courageous public servants this country has ever known.”

 “He was awarded over 100 decorations for his bravery, valour, and service, including the rescue of victims from burning buildings, the survival of assassination attempts, and the prosecution of some of the most dangerous criminals in the world,” he stated.  “His legacy is not solely characterised by the medals and titles he has earned; it is also reflected in the lives he has saved, the city he has assisted in rebuilding, and the country he has served with honour.”

Bernard Kerik is a native of Paterson, New Jersey, where he attended Eastside High School, which was notoriously troubled and was subsequently the subject of the 1989 film “Lean on Me.” He ultimately dropped out of school.

 He enlisted in the Army and was assigned to a military police unit in South Korea.  Subsequently, he served as a private security officer in Saudi Arabia before returning to the United States to oversee a prison in New Jersey.

 In the late 1980s, he became a member of the New York Police Department.  He was appointed in the 1990s to oversee the prison system of New York, which had been plagued by numerous issues, including the notorious Riker’s Island complex.