NYC Mayor Adams appoints Chauncey Parker as public safety deputy mayor replacing Phil Banks

NEW YORK — Mayor Eric Adams announced Tuesday that Chauncey Parker is the city’s new Deputy Mayor for Public Safety, replacing Phil Banks, who resigned earlier this month after being ensnared in one of several corruption probes into Adams’ administration.

Parker, previously an assistant in the office of the deputy mayor for public safety, said at the mayor’s weekly press briefing he is “grateful” for the opportunity and that he sees his new job as being focused on connecting the city’s law enforcement agencies with each other, including NYPD, DOC, FDNY and Emergency Management.

“It’s all about partnerships,” he said.

Banks’ resignation came amid a wave of high-profile departures from the administration. The former deputy stepped down after having his home raided and electronics seized as part of a federal corruption investigation in early September.

“We had nine — nine — requests to fill this position from outside of the agency,” Adams said, reiterating his oft-repeated message that City Hall has a “deep bench” of people who want to work in the administration.

“People wanted to come in and continue to do the work that Deputy Mayor Banks did,” the mayor continued. “We looked over all of them, and clearly Chauncey is the best person for the job.”

Parker served as deputy commissioner for collaborative policing for the NYPD until this summer, where he worked with individuals, government agencies and community-based organizations.

The Daily News previously reported that Parker and Kaz Daughtry, NYPD’s deputy commissioner for operations, were both under serious consideration for the job.

Also Tuesdau, Mona Suazo was appointed to Parker’s former role as assistant deputy mayor for public safety.

Adams is facing five criminal counts for allegedly soliciting and accepting bribes from the Turkish government in exchange for political favors. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The post of deputy mayor for public safety had not been part of the city government bureaucracy since the 1990s until Banks was appointed to the role in January 2022.