5 things to know about new NYC Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Kaz Daughtry

New York City Police Department Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry, a police veteran with almost 20 years of experience, is now taking over as deputy mayor for public safety after Chauncey Parker announced he would resign last month. Parker along with three other deputy mayors called it quits amid Mayor Eric Adams allegedly cooperating with the Trump administration in exchange for moving to drop federal corruption charges against him. (Adams denies wrongdoing in the first place, and he denies the quid pro quo.) 

The deputy mayor for public safety coordinates activities between city law enforcement agencies, though the NYPD commissioner retains authority over police. The deputy mayor is in charge of overseeing the Fire Department, Department of Correction, New York City Emergency Management, the Department of Probation, and the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice. 

“In this role, I will prioritize cutting-edge technology and strong community partnerships to strengthen the city’s approach to public safety,” Daughtry said in a statement about his appointment. “I am grateful to Mayor Adams for this opportunity to help realize his vision of a safer, more secure New York City for all.”

Adams revived the deputy mayor for public safety position, which was not active since the 1990s, when he appointed Philip Banks in January 2022. Banks served in the role until he resigned last year after his home was raided by federal authorities in relation to the Adams administration corruption probe. His resignation prompted Adams to appoint Parker in October 2024.

Here are some things you should know about the top cop turned deputy mayor:

He’s a longtime NYPD cop – and he had a quick rise to the top 

Daughtry has been a police officer since 2006, starting out in precincts in Brooklyn. Former Police Commissioner Edward Caban raised eyebrows when he promoted Daughtry to assistant commissioner. The move up six ranks was highly unusual. And eight months following his appointment, Daughtry was promoted once again to deputy commissioner of operations, a role in which his official NYPD bio described him as the “City Hall liaison" and credited him with expanding the department’s drone program. He has a close relationship with NYPD's former Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey, an ally of Adams who resigned from his role after sexual misconduct allegations.

The New York Post reported that Daughtry spoke highly of Maddrey as his mentor in the NYPD YouTube series “True Blue: NYPD’s Finest” about how they met: “I was playing basketball in LeFrak City (in Queens) – that’s where I grew up – and this (young police) officer came over,” Daughtry recalled. “‘This is my beat. This is my area here. If you need anything, kid, let me know.’ That officer was Chief Maddrey – Officer Maddrey at the time.”

He had immense clout as a detective which reportedly made him more powerful than the police commissioner

A June 2023 exclusive by the New York Post indicated that while he was still a detective, Daughtry’s authority outweighed that of former Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell, who resigned June 2023 amid a rift with Maddrey. “He calls and everybody jumps,” one police source told the Post. “He’s literally running the department.” Daughtry reportedly had sway over promotions and job assignments. 

He was in hot water for alleged abuse of overtime

Despite being promoted to an executive position as assistant commissioner, New York Post reported that Daughtry still clocked in for overtime pay though the NYPD’s Administrative Guide forbids managers from receiving overtime. His final paystub for December 2023 documented an extra 80 hours or $15,000 in overtime cash. His total pay for that year was $311,000, much higher than the NYPD commissioner’s salary of $243,000. 

His police misconduct complaints were dropped after he was promoted

The City reported that three civilian complaints against Daughtry were dropped by the Civilian Complaint Review Board once he became assistant commissioner. They also found that Daughtry had 51 allegations of misconduct with four being substantiated. Daughtry was also sued for allegedly body slamming a woman at a vigil for Jordan Neely, the Daily News reported. 

He was investigated for being a cyberbully

Daughtry, along with Chief of Department John Chell, earned a reputation for cyberbullying, as reported by Hell Gate. The city Department of Investigation investigated their controversial social media posts, releasing a report last month about their antics. The report details that Daughtry tagged Harry Siegel, senior editor at The City and an opinion columnist New York Daily News, in a X post taunting the journalist in reference to Seigel’s piece critical of the NYPD’s public safety initiatives in the subway.

The DOI report said: “Deputy Commissioner Daughtry chimed in by tagging Mr. Siegel in a post stating “everyone has an opinion. It’s a shame that the Daily News chose to share yours…” He called Mr. Siegel a “gadfly – who should consider their definition of madness to: reading a @harrysiegel Siegel column expecting a useful takeaway.”

The investigation by the DOI called their social media posts “discourteous, dismissive, demeaning and could have been – and were in some instances – perceived as threatening or intimidating to the individuals referenced.” The department recommended training and delegating communications officials to run NYPD accounts to ensure that they adhere to policy.