Rookie son of former police commissioner Dermot Shea promoted to detective squad

The son of a former NYPD police commissioner is being moved to a detective squad — just 18 months after stepping out of the Police Academy, the Daily News has learned.

An internal department memo shared with The News notes that Police Officer Richard Shea, the son of Police Commissioner Dermot Shea, will be transferred from patrol to the 23rd Precinct detective squad, effective Monday.

After some training, Officer Shea will be promoted to detective third grade in 18 months, the department said. The bump will come three years after he graduated the academy.

“This is what #Nepotism looks like,” tweeted John Macari, a trustee for the National Coalition of Front Line Workers. “No disrespect to this kid, but it’s a failure in ‘leadership.’”

Officer Shea, 23, has been walking the beat in the 23rd Precinct, which covers East Harlem, since graduating the academy on May 5, 2021.

The move didn’t sit well with rank-and-file NYPD officers who believe Shea’s father helped pave the way.

“He has done absolutely nothing to deserve that shield,” said one NYPD detective, who wished not to be named. “To go upstairs with zero experience is a smack in the face to everyone who wants to be a detective. There are far more cops with years of experience that should be upstairs.”

A major shortage in personnel at city detective bureaus has led to the fast tracking of “appropriate candidates” like Officer Shea, an NYPD spokeswoman said Saturday. Currently, the department is down about 500 detectives, the spokeswoman said.

“Police Officer Richard Shea was one of many candidates who were vetted alongside other police officers and was chosen to be assigned as an investigator in a detective squad,” the spokeswoman said. “He should not be disqualified for a position he was qualified for because of his relationship to former Commissioner Dermot Shea.”

It was not disclosed how Shea’s name got added to the list of detective squad candidates. Since joining the 23rd Precinct, he’s racked up 32 arrests — roughly two a month since graduating the academy.

“In no way was he held to any lesser standard than any of the other candidates,” the spokeswoman said.

Former Mayor Bill de Blasio named Dermot Shea police commissioner in 2019. After two years on the job, he stepped down on Dec. 31. He put in his retirement papers when incoming Mayor Adams named Keechant Sewell as his successor.

In January, the former police commissioner secured a job with the real estate goliath that runs the Hudson Yards and was named Related Companies new president of commercial property management.

Attempts to reach Officer Shea and his father were unsuccessful Saturday.

With Rocco Parascandola