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Joseph J. Esposito
Esposito in 2015
Deputy Commissioner of Enforcement for the New York City Department of Buildings
In office September 3, 2022 – January 8, 2024
Commissioner	Eric Ulrich James Oddo
Preceded by	Timothy Hogan
Commissioner of New York City Emergency Management
In office June 27, 2014 – November 30, 2018
Mayor	Bill de Blasio
Preceded by	Joseph F. Bruno
Succeeded by	Deanne Criswell
Chief of the New York City Police Department
In office August 25, 2000 – March 27, 2013
Commissioner	Bernard B. Kerik Raymond W. Kelly
Preceded by	Joseph Dunne
Succeeded by	Phillip Banks III
Personal details
Born	(1950-03-28)March 28, 1950 New York City, U.S.
Died	January 8, 2024(2024-01-08) (aged 73) Mineola, New York, U.S.
Profession	Police officer
Police career
Department	New York City Police Department
Service years	1968–2013
Rank	Chief of Department
Awards	NYPD Combat Cross NYPD Medal for Valor NYPD Exceptional Merit

Joseph John Esposito (March 28, 1950 – January 8, 2024) was an American police officer, who served as Deputy Commissioner of Enforcement for the New York City Department of Buildings, Commissioner of New York City Emergency Management from 2014 to 2018, and Chief of the New York City Police Department from 2000 to 2013. Esposito was the longest-serving Chief of Department in NYPD history, joining in with boss Ray Kelly, who was the longest-serving Police Commissioner in NYPD history.

Background

Joseph J. Esposito was born on March 28, 1950, in Brooklyn. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice from the State University of New York.

Esposito died in Mineola, New York, on January 8, 2024, at the age of 73 from brain cancer.

Career

Esposito entered the NYPD in August 1968 at 18 years old as a Police Trainee. In April 1971, he was appointed a Patrolman, and began his career on patrol in the 77th Precinct in Brooklyn. He was promoted to Detective in May 1983, Sergeant in September 1983, Lieutenant in February 1986, Captain in June 1989, Deputy Inspector in August 1993, Inspector in August 1994, Deputy Chief in September 1996, and Assistant Chief in December 1997. On August 25, 2000, he was promoted to the position of Chief of Department, making him the highest ranking uniformed member of the department. In his career, Esposito served in numerous commands of the department, including the 77th, 10th, 83rd, 109th, 34th, 66th, and 83rd Precincts, and in the Narcotics Division and the Detective Bureau. In his last assignment before becoming Chief of Department, Esposito was the Commanding Officer of the Strategic and Tactical Command (S.A.T.COM) Brooklyn North. As Chief of Department, Esposito directed and controlled the daily operations of the five major enforcement Bureaus (Patrol Services, Detectives, Transit, Housing, and Organized Crime Control) within the NYPD. He also coordinated the crime control strategy meetings at which commanders share tactical information and recommend plans of action for realizing crime reduction goals. During his career, he earned some of the department's most honored and prestigious awards, including the Combat Cross, the Medal for Valor, and the Exceptional Merit award.

Esposito led the NYPD response to the September 11th attacks. Years later in an interview with WNBC, he described the attacks as the most haunting moment of his career.

During President George W. Bush’s famous visit to Ground Zero days after the attacks, Esposito could be seen amongst the NYPD and FDNY members surrounding the president.

Controversies

In April 2006, New York State Senator Simcha Felder accused Esposito of using inappropriate language when Esposito attempted to quell individuals who entered a police station house during a riot in Borough Park. Felder indicated that he personally heard the chief say, "Get the fucking Jews out of here." However, the Civilian Complaint Review Board, which investigates police misconduct, later found the accusation against Esposito unsubstantiated, but did reprimand Chief Esposito for using profanity. When subsequently asked to comment on the Review Board's finding, Felder's office stated that Felder had "no comment" about the incident and that he "wants to put the matter behind him".

In 2011, Esposito directed the arrests of hundreds of Occupy Wall Street protesters during a march across the Brooklyn Bridge. In the civil litigation that followed, Esposito tried to avoid being deposed in one of the related cases.

In a video taken on St. Patrick's Day in 2012 and later obtained by the Daily News, Esposito was seen shoving protesters and, at least once, using a nightstick to strike a protester.

In September 2012, Esposito was photographed while restraining a slim-build female Occupy Wall Street activist. The photograph was noted in the Letters to the Editor section of the Daily News, since it appeared that Esposito had placed the activist into a "chokehold."

Dates of rank

Sworn in as a Police Trainee – 1968
Appointed a Patrolman – 1971
Promoted to Detective – 1983
Promoted to Sergeant – 1983
Promoted to Lieutenant – 1986
Promoted to Captain – 1989
Promoted to Deputy Inspector – 1993
Promoted to Inspector – 1994
Promoted to Deputy Chief – 1996
Promoted to Assistant Chief – 1997
Chief of Department – 2000

See also

• New York City Police Department
• Chief of Police

Notes

1. "Mayor names ex-NYPD chief head of Office of Emergency Management". New York Daily News. June 18, 2014. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
2. "City Hall Planned to Quietly Replace Its Top Emergency Official. Then Things Got Complicated". The New York Times. December 4, 2018. Retrieved July 14, 2019.
3. ^ Roberts, Sam (January 18, 2024). "Joseph Esposito, Longtime N.Y.P.D. Chief, Is Dead at 73". The New York Times. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
4. "Paladium".
5. "Joe Esposito, DOB Deputy Commissioner of Enforcement and former NYPD Chief of Department, has died". abc7NY. January 9, 2024. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
6. ^ Topic Galleries Archived September 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
7. Gregorian, Dareh (November 2, 2014). "EXCLUSIVE: Judge orders Joseph Esposito to sit for deposition after Ebola, ISIS excuses were deemed 'not satisfactory'". The New York Daily News.
8. Burke, Kerry; al., et (March 21, 2012). "Video shows NYPD Chief of Department Joseph Esposito rapping protesters with nightstick". The New York Daily News.
9. "Readers sound off on Occupy Wall Street, Romney's 47% and the soda ban". The New York Daily News. September 20, 2012.

• 1950 births
• 2024 deaths
• New York City Police Department officers
• American people of Italian descent
• Commissioners in New York City
• New York City Emergency Management