Highestpaid NYPD cop embroiled in sexforovertime scandal retires without department charges
Jan 19, 2025
The NYPD lieutenant who accused disgraced ex-Chief Jeffrey Maddrey of a sex-for-overtime arrangement skirted departmental charges and will retire, the Daily News has learned.
Lieutenant Quathisha Epps filed her retirement papers last month, but was placed on a 30-day suspension while the department launched an investigation into her whopping $204,000 in overtime pay, which was earned through an additional 1,626 hours she claimed to have worked. A federal probe into her overtime pay was ongoing Sunday.
Her suspension ended this week, and while no departmental charges have been filed against her, she leaves the force under suspension without pay – meaning she will forgo several key benefits typically granted to retiring officers, like a retired NYPD official ID, which would grant easy access to government buildings, police sources with knowledge of the case told the Daily News.
Epps may also miss out on a certificate of good standing, complicating her ability to secure a gun permit, and may not receive a “Good Guy” letter, which could hinder her chances of securing future employment in law enforcement.
Almost immediately following her suspension, Epps filed a claim with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleging Maddrey repeatedly demanded sex from her “in exchange for overtime opportunities in the workplace,” which the former highest-ranking uniformed police officer vehemently denies. His attorney admitted, however, he and Epps had a “consensual” sexual relationship.
Police sources confirmed to The News she will not be charged departmentally, but an NYPD spokesperson said an investigation is ongoing.
“The NYPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau continues to work with the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York on matters related to the office of the former Chief of Department,” the spokesperson said.
Maddrey abruptly resigned from the department on Dec. 20 following the allegations.
The contentious retirement comes just weeks after an attorney for Epps sent a letter to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, demanding his client’s reinstatement to the police department with full back pay, benefits, and the opportunity to retire with her pension, citing the alleged abuse she suffered at the hands of Maddrey.
“As usual, the department undermines the victim even under Tisch,” said Eric Sanders, a lawyer for Epps. “It’s important to note that Epps retired without charges because she violated no department rules.”
Epps was one of the highest-paid member of the NYPD in fiscal year 2024, when she raked in a salary of $406,515 — over $100,000 more than former Commissioner Edward Caban made during the same time period.
Her retirement was granted just months short of her 20th year at the department, when she would have earned full retirement benefits.
Sanders told The News he and his client “look forward to” a fight with the police department.
“We’ll deal with the department’s treatment of Epps and other executive staff misdeeds over the years through the litigation process,” he said.