Former NYPD Commissioner Bernard Kerik died Thursday at the age of 69 after a private battle with cardiac illness, his family confirmed.
FBI Director Kash Patel posted on X that America lost a warrior, patriot, and one of its most courageous public servants with the passing of Kerik. Kerik spent over four decades in law enforcement and national security, dedicating his life to protecting the American people.
“As the 40th Police Commissioner of New York City, Bernie led with strength and resolve in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks, guiding the NYPD through one of the darkest chapters in our nation’s history,” Patel wrote.
Today, we mourn the loss of Bernard B. Kerik, a warrior, a patriot, and one of the most courageous public servants this country has ever known. Bernie passed away tragically on May 29, 2025, after a private battle with illness.
With over forty years of service in law enforcement…
— Kash Patel (@Kash_Patel) May 30, 2025
Throughout his career, Kerik earned more than 100 commendations for bravery, valor, and service. Patel added that he rescued victims from burning buildings, survived assassination attempts, and helped bring dangerous criminals to justice.
“Rest easy, Commissioner,” Patel wrote. “Your watch has ended, but your impact will never fade.”
Kerik, who died at 69 after being hospitalized with cardiac illness, also served in the White House under Presidents Donald Trump and George W. Bush. Born in Newark, N.J. on Sept. 4, 1955, he joined the U.S. Army before beginning his NYPD career in 1986, according to The New York Post.
Kerik left the NYPD in 1994 to join the Department of Corrections, where he rose through the ranks and was appointed commissioner in 1998 by then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Two years later, Giuliani selected him to lead the NYPD.
As police commissioner during the September 11, 2001 attacks, Kerik earned national recognition for his leadership in the department’s emergency response, earning the nickname “America’s Cop. In 2003, President George W. Bush appointed him to oversee the formation of a provisional police force in Iraq following the U.S. invasion.
After his public service, Kerik launched the Kerik Group, a consulting firm specializing in crisis and risk management. In 2004, President George W. Bush nominated Kerik to lead the Department of Homeland Security, but Kerik withdrew after admitting he had hired an undocumented nanny, triggering a series of legal troubles. He later pleaded guilty to multiple federal charges and served four years in prison before receiving a pardon from President Donald Trump in 2020.
(Featured Image Media Credit:Â Screen Capture/Smithsonian Channel)
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