Valerie Salembier, a former top executive at Hearst who had been working as assistant deputy commissioner in the press relations department at the NYPD under Ray Kelly, resigned her post at the same time that Kelly was succeeded as the top cop by William Bratton — Jan. 1.
Kelly, who has embarked on a European vacation — his first prolonged break since taking the NYPD job 12 years ago — will take up the post of distinguished visiting fellow of the Council on Foreign Relations when he returns later this month.
Salembier had taken up the NYPD job in July, seven months after leaving Hearst. She pulled in the salary of $1 per year — and just received her first paycheck from the NYPD.
“It was for 93 cents — they took out for taxes,” she said. “It was worth every minute of it.”
She was considered a confidante of Kelly’s from her days working with the New York City Police Foundation, and worked on pushing good news stories.
But Salembier had also drawn criticism from some veteran police-beat reporters who felt she blocked some reporters from getting access to Kelly.