De Blasio Snubbed Black NYPD Boss In Commissioner Search: Report

NEW YORK — Mayor Bill de Blasio snubbed the NYPD's top black official in favor of a white Irish man once again this week in his search for a new police commissioner, a new report says.

The mayor passed over First Deputy Commissioner Benjamin Tucker — the police department's second-highest-ranking leader — and picked Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea to replace outgoing Commissioner James O'Neill, The New York Times reported Tuesday.

Tucker expected to get the job when de Blasio summoned him to the mayoral residence at Gracie Mansion Sunday — but Shea, who ended up getting the job, had been there a day earlier, according to The Times.

It was reportedly the third time the mayor picked a white man of Irish descent to lead an increasingly diverse police department after considering at least one high-ranking official of color.

De Blasio brought Bill Bratton back to the commissioner's job at the start of his tenure in 2014 after considering one black and one Hispanic candidate, The Times's story says. The mayor also considered Tucker to succeed Bratton in 2016 before choosing O'Neill, the paper reported.

De Blasio defended his choice Monday night as he faced criticism for not taking the chance to make the NYPD's leadership more diverse. He said Shea is "committed" to improving diversity and that more people of color will be rising through the ranks in the coming years.

"I don't think it's as minimal as only one kind of person can foster change," the mayor said on NY1, according to a transcript.

Read The New York Times's full report here.