Bernard Kerik, the former New York City Police Commissioner who led the NYPD through the September attacks, has died at age 69 after a private battle with illness. Kerik, an Army veteran and longtime law enforcement figure, was appointed commissioner by then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani in 2000 and became a national symbol during the city’s darkest hours.
Kerik’s career was marked by both heroism and controversy. He was celebrated for his leadership during 9/11 and later served in Iraq, but his fall from grace included a 2009 guilty plea to federal tax fraud and false statement charges, leading to a three-year prison sentence. President Donald Trump pardoned him in 2020.
Rudy Giuliani, visibly emotional, paid tribute to Kerik on his podcast, calling him “like a brother” and crediting him with making him “a better and braver man.” Giuliani’s close friendship with Kerik spanned decades, and the former mayor said he was unsure what life would be like without him.
Kerik’s legacy is complex: a decorated officer and 9/11 hero, later embroiled in legal troubles, and ultimately a figure who remained central to Giuliani’s circle and Trump’s political orbit Tributes have poured in from city officials and national leaders, underscoring his impact on New York and beyond.
