FBI agents launched a raid on the New York Police Department’s School Safety Division headquarters in Queens on Thursday.
This operation is part of a larger investigation scrutinizing city contracts linked to alleged corruption.
The latest developments seem to connect back to Tim Pearson, a former senior aide and close friend of Mayor Eric Adams. Pearson is under investigation for purportedly selecting contractors in exchange for kickbacks, raising serious questions about the integrity of the city’s contracting processes.
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The FBI descended upon the headquarters located at Queens Plaza North in Long Island City during the afternoon, seizing crucial documents and records associated with panic button contracts that Pearson allegedly approved.
In a significant twist, Kevin Taylor, the former head of school safety agents who had been rising through the ranks, found himself in the crosshairs of the investigation as federal agents confiscated his phone.
Adding to the intrigue, Terence Banks, the brother of outgoing schools Chancellor David Banks, has also been implicated in the ongoing inquiry. Federal investigators are examining the relationship between Saferwatch, a technology firm that provided “panic button” applications designed for schools to use in active shooter situations, and its connections to high-level meetings with the chancellor.
Reports indicate that Pearson later authorized the contract with Saferwatch.
Although Taylor once held a prominent position within the school safety division, he transferred out earlier this year, leaving behind a cloud of suspicion as the investigation intensifies.