Qatar paid for NYPD commissioner’s Middle East trips after Adams admin was mum on who picked up tab
The Qatari government paid for the Big Apple’s top cop to visit the Middle East — part of a handful of international jaunts kept quiet by Mayor Eric Adams’ administration.
Police Commissioner Edward Caban jet-setted from New York City a half dozen times last year on the dime of foreign governments or pro-policing groups, according to his annual financial report — which for the first time revealed how some of those trips were funded.
The disclosure, which is required to be filed with the city’s Conflict of Interest Board each year and was obtained by The Post, also revealed three previously unreported trips by the PC to Qatar, Australia and Florida.
The Adams administration has repeatedly refused to say who was picking up the tab for the commissioner’s trips after news emerged of his travel, only saying they came at no cost to New York taxpayers.
Caban traveled to Qatar twice in 2023 with one trip covered by the country’s Ministry of the Interior for a local police graduation, a conference and meetings, according to the report.
The other was paid for by the Embassy of the State to “observe and collaborate regarding security practices” in the country, the report reads.
The simple disclosures estimate the cost between $1,000 and $4,999 for travel, accommodations and meals but do not contain any more specifics on the trips.
Both of those overseas excursions were not made public by the department.
One came as the city was bracing for the unrest in the wake of Hamas attacks in Israel last October and only came to light during security briefings with councilmembers, who were previously unaware of his absence.
Photos later emerged of Caban sitting with Qatar’s minister of interior at the Lusail International Circuit, a racetrack outside of Doha, where state media said the two “discussed cooperation between the two countries in the field of security, exploring ways to strengthen and support it,” according to the report.
The city’s top cop, who was appointed in July 2023, also traveled to Sydney, Australia, for the 16th Annual Pearls of Policing conference, the cost of which, estimated again between $1,000 and $4,999, was paid for by the group, the report said.
In addition, Caban attended the 2023 Mayor’s Summit against Antisemitism in Fort Lauderdale, which was paid for by the Combat Antisemitism Movement, also estimated between $1,000 and $4,999.
Details on the undisclosed trips were scant but the Florida conference was scheduled for mid-November.
The Australian conference reportedly took place in May of last year while Caban was still first deputy commissioner.
His final trip came late last year, when the Dominican government paid for Caban’s travel to the island for an agreement between the NYPD and national police to protect New York City polling stations for Dominican expats, according to the report and a release from the government.
However, the department’s Deputy Commissioner of Public Information, Tarik Sheppard, told reporters at the time the trip was covered by the New York City Police Foundation.
The only travel covered by the foundation, which is privately funded through donations, was Caban’s trip to the annual SOMOS conference — an expected disclosure by the city’s top cop as well as others in the ranks who attend.
Calls to City Hall and the NYPD were not returned.
