On October 15, Mayor Eric Adams announced the appointment of Chauncey Parker as the new Deputy Mayor for Public Safety, stepping in for Philip Banks, who recently resigned. Parker will be tasked with coordinating public safety efforts across various city departments. Mayor Adams emphasized the city government’s “ample talent pool,” noting that many individuals are eager to join his team.
Parker brings nearly 40 years of law enforcement experience to the role, having previously served as the Deputy Commissioner of Collaborative Policing for the NYPD. Since 1995, he has held positions including Executive Director of the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Executive Assistant District Attorney at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, and Director and Commissioner of the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services.
Since July of this year, Parker has been working as Banks’ assistant, focusing on preventing gun violence and developing strategies to address youth crime.
“We received nine applications from external candidates for this important role,” Adams stated. “However, upon careful review, it was clear that Parker was the best fit.”
The Deputy Mayor for Public Safety position is responsible for liaising with various law enforcement agencies within the city, including the NYPD, the Department of Corrections, the Fire Department of New York (FDNY), and the NYC Emergency Management Department, reporting directly to Adams. This position had not existed in the city government structure since the 1990s until Adams appointed Banks to it in January 2022.
Amid ongoing federal investigations involving Adams’ administration, the Banks brothers have stepped down from their high-ranking positions. According to POLITICO, the Department of Education has received subpoenas from federal investigators probing bribery related to contracts between the Banks family business and the city. On November 11, Philip Banks defended himself on social media platform X, encouraging reporters to file Freedom of Information Act requests to clarify the facts.
On the same day, Adams also announced the appointment of Mona Suazo as the Assistant Deputy Mayor for Public Safety, filling the role previously held by Parker. Suazo, like Parker, was also an assistant to Philip Banks.
