New commissioner rearranges NYPD leadership team

NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea continued to reshuffle the deck of the department leadership Friday with the announcements of 12 senior management appointments, including the naming of a new chief of counterterrorism and a chief of staff.

Getting promoted to the counterterrorism spot was Martine Materasso, currently assigned to a major command in Manhattan. She is the first woman to hold that top job for the department since Sept. 11, 2001. She replaces Chief James Waters who is retiring, said a source.

Appointed as Shea’s chief of staff was a civilian Vincent Grippo, currently the department chief of management and budget. Chief Raymond Spinella, who had been chief of staff, was appointed chief of support services, which oversees the department vehicle fleet, property clerk division and the printing section.

"When you look at the totality of what we’re trying to accomplish across the NYPD, taking Neighborhood Policing to the next level and enhancing our precision policing efforts, it is critical to fine-tune the executive team that will lead this vital work,” Shea said in a statement.

The new appointments come two days after Shea, who recently took over as the 44th police commissioner, announced his selection for chief of detectives and chief of patrol. Shea designated Chief Rodney Harrison as chief of detectives, Shea’s old job before becoming police commissioner. Chief Fausto Pichardo took over Harrison’s old job as chief of patrol.

Two other appointments involve Chief Lori Pollock and Chief Thomas Chan, who were appointed, respectively, as head of collaborative policing and chief of office management analysis and planning. Pollock had previously served as chief of crime strategies while Chan was chief of transportation.

Chan will be succeeded in his old post by Chief William T. Morris, who now will have the job of coordinating the efforts to assure the safety of pedestrians, motorists and cyclists.

Other appointments involve borough commands in Queens and Manhattan.

By Anthony M. DeStefano

tony.destefano@newsday.com

Anthony M. DeStefano has been a reporter for Newsday since 1986 and covers law enforcement, criminal justice and legal affairs from its New York City offices.