Former NYPD Chief Indicted on Bribery Charges

Feb 12, 2026

Prosecutors charged two men in a corruption scheme first exposed by THE CITY. The indictment, issued in February 2026, even cited our reporting. Kevin Taylor, the former head of the NYPD’s School Safety Division, was charged with bribery, along with Gene Roefaro, the CEO of tech security company Saferwatch.

Starting in July 2023, Taylor allegedly accepted tens of thousands in cash, paid vacations, and other gifts from Roefaro in exchange for helping the company get a multi-million dollar contract to install “panic alert” apps into all of the city’s public schools.

The deal ultimately collapsed. Saferwatch won an initial award to pilot the app in five schools, but failed to win the full contract. By December 2023, Taylor and Roefaro’s relationship had soured, and soon after, in early 2024, Taylor was demoted within the NYPD and removed as head of the School Safety Division.  It turns out that Taylor was a reader of ours, too. Prosecutors revealed in the 29-page indictment that Taylor had even sent a link to THE CITY’s article to a friend, concerned that his involvement would be exposed.

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