Bernard Kerik, the gritty NYPD commissioner who stared down 9/11, died Thursday at 69. His heart gave out, but his legacy as “America’s Cop” won’t fade. Progressives might cheer, but they can’t erase his mark.
The New York Post reported that Kerik, born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1955, passed at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital from cardiac disease, surrounded by loved ones. From U.S. Army vet to NYPD beat cop in 1986, his four-decade career was a masterclass in law enforcement.
Kerik joined the NYPD in 1986 after serving in the Army. He left in 1994 for the Department of Corrections, where Rudy Giuliani tapped him as commissioner in 1998. His no-nonsense style was already turning heads.
Giuliani made Kerik NYPD’s 40th commissioner in 2000. In just 16 months, violent crime plummeted 63%, proving the “beat cop commissioner” wasn’t all talk. He even made five arrests himself, including nabbing two ex-cons in a stolen van.
When 9/11 hit, Kerik was at Giuliani’s side within 20 minutes, leading the NYPD’s response. “He never left,” Giuliani said. That’s the kind of loyalty woke bureaucrats can’t fathom.
Kerik’s 9/11 leadership earned him the “America’s Cop” title and a slew of honors, including the NYPD Medal for Valor. His hands-on grit made New York safer, even as critics now rewrite history to downplay it.
In 2003, President George W. Bush sent Kerik to Iraq to lead a provisional police force. A year later, Bush nominated him for Homeland Security chief. But the progressive media smelled blood, and Kerik’s past came under fire.
Kerik admitted to employing an unauthorized migrant as a nanny, tanking his Homeland Security nomination. “Actions have consequences,” as they say. He withdrew, but the left’s sanctimonious outrage was just getting started.
In 2006, Kerik pleaded guilty to ethics violations tied to the nanny issue. By 2009, he faced graver charges—eight federal felonies, including tax evasion on a $255,000 home repair gift. The woke crowd gloated, but justice isn’t vengeance.
Kerik served four years in federal prison for the 2009 charges. In 2020, President Donald Trump pardoned him, a move that had liberals clutching pearls. Redemption isn’t their strong suit, but Kerik earned his second chance.
Post-prison, Kerik founded the Kerik Group, a crisis management firm, and stayed active in public life. In 2024, he stumped for Trump on crime and national security. The left called it divisive; patriots called it duty.
Kerik faced scrutiny again during Congress’s January 6, 2021, Capitol attack hearings. Subpoenaed for Trump administration documents, he stood firm. The witch hunt didn’t break him, but it showed the swamp’s obsession with settling scores.
“A warrior, a patriot,” said FBI Director Kash Patel, praising Kerik’s 40 years of service. Patel’s right—Kerik’s legacy isn’t just medals or titles but lives saved and a city rebuilt. Try canceling that, progressives.
Mayor Eric Adams called Kerik “a great New Yorker and American.” Visiting him hours before his death, Adams mourned a friend of 30 years. That’s the kind of bond the woke elite can’t break.
Kerik leaves behind his wife, Hala Matil Kerik, three children, and a son, Joe, a 41-year-old Newark SWAT team member. “A cop’s cop,” said Curtis Sliwa. Rest in peace, Commissioner—your city won’t forget you.
