By Rob Otto

In an exclusive report by The New York Post, the NYPD recently promoted Richie “Yechiel” Taylor, the department’s highest-ranking Orthodox Jew, to Deputy Chief of the Community Affairs Bureau. Taylor, who heroically responded on 9/11 and is known for wearing his yarmulke on duty, is now urging New Yorkers to stand strong in their religious identities as the city faces a surge in antisemitic hate crimes.

Taylor’s message to New Yorkers is clear: “Don’t change who you are. Don’t take off your hijab, cross, turban, or anything else you wear proudly that reflects your beliefs and way of life,” Taylor, 42, told The NY Post. “There’s no need to hide who you are in this city,” he added, encouraging Jews to wear the Star of David with pride. “Be proud of who you are.”

As antisemitic hate crimes have surged by 45% in 2024 compared to the same period last year, Taylor, a Torah-reading father of five daughters, is working tirelessly with the NYPD to combat these crimes. “You are safe right where you are. I lead by example – I wear my yarmulke in uniform,” he told The NY Post. “Your NYPD has your back.”

Taylor’s commitment to his faith doesn’t waver, even with his demanding role. Despite observing Shabbat from Friday to Saturday evenings, he remains on call for emergencies, following the Torah principle that saving lives takes precedence over all else. “It’s mostly regarding someone missing — a child or someone elderly,” he explained, noting that these calls occur as often as once a week. “I’m always on call, and that includes Shabbos.”

Growing up attending yeshivas in Brooklyn, Taylor knew from a young age that he wanted to help people. At 15, he became a police explorer, and by 18, he was working as an EMT, where he bravely responded to the World Trade Center attacks on 9/11. Taylor recounted to The NY Post how he treated “dazed” FDNY members at the Hatzalah command post near Ground Zero in the aftermath, providing psychological first aid to those devastated by the loss of their colleagues.

Taylor’s career with the NYPD began in 2005 when he was sworn in as an officer at age 23. Over nearly two decades, he has served in more than 10 commands across the city. His recent promotion in February was marked by Police Commissioner Edward Caban, who reportedly praised Taylor as a “mensch” and “the ultimate NYPD ambassador, building bridges in both good times and bad.”

Now serving as Deputy Chief of the Community Affairs Bureau, Taylor’s role involves outreach to all communities, not just the Jewish community. “An attack on one community is an attack on us all,” Taylor told The NY Post, stressing that “no one in this city should be attacked because of their way of life.”

The NY Post highlighted that the rise in antisemitic hate crimes has been particularly alarming, with 229 incidents reported so far in 2024, up from 126 during the same period last year. In May alone, antisemitic crimes surged by 150% compared to May 2023.

Taylor acknowledged that there is “real fear” among Jewish New Yorkers but assured them that the NYPD is relentlessly pursuing those responsible for these crimes. “The NYPD is making arrest after arrest after arrest,” he told The NY Post. He cited the case of Anas Saleh, an anti-Israel protester who allegedly stormed a subway car and demanded that “Zionists” raise their hands.