Community Engagement and Improvement Top of Mind for New Safety and Security Director 

Anthony Kotarski, the newly appointed Director of NYCHA’s Office of Safety and Security, cares about keeping New Yorkers safe.   

The Queens native, whose career spans community policing, organized criminal and internal investigations, and private security, was excited to take up this new position in November and continue the Office of Safety and Security’s dedication to providing and improving upon safety and security for all NYCHA residents.  

For Mr. Kotarski, his new position at NYCHA is something of a homecoming. At 20, Mr. Kotarski began what would become a nearly three-decade career in the New York Police Department, beginning as a Housing Police Officer in East New York, Brooklyn. The position involved liaising with residents and community leaders to help make the neighborhood’s developments safer for its residents. This work fostered for him an appreciation of the value and importance of good community policing.   

“To have that open line of communication with the community and their help when we needed it – it was a great partnership,” Mr. Kotarski noted. “That’s what I view this position as.”   

After a stint as a Detective at what was then known as the Organized Crime Control Bureau, Mr. Kotarski returned to Housing as a Sergeant. He would work in East New York for another several years.  

Mr. Kotarski then served in other positions within the NYPD, before retiring as a Captain/Commanding Officer in the Detective Bureau. Prior to joining NYCHA, he worked in the private security sector, where he oversaw vendor security for many high-level locations and government accounts.  

Now, Mr. Kotarski is determined to bring all that experience to his new role at NYCHA. Drawing on his impressive public service, Mr. Kotarski intends to combine a hands-on approach to community engagement, safety, and security with his passion for improving the quality of life for New Yorkers.  

“Anthony Kotarski, our new Director of the Office of Safety of Security, is a 28-year NYPD veteran and former private security contract expert,” said Chief James Secreto, NYCHA’s Vice President for Public Safety and Security. “As a former NYPD executive, Mr. Kotarski brings a wealth of law enforcement knowledge that will serve both NYCHA residents and employees. I am confident that Mr. Kotarski’s unique background and expertise will enhance our department.” 

Mr. Kotarski’s goal is to “work with the community and try to make a difference with residents; we want to see what we can accomplish with the help of the Police Department, property management at the developments, and everyone else involved.”  

In his capacity as Director, Mr. Kotarski oversees a team whose responsibilities include completing safety risk and building assessments across all NYCHA developments. This means ensuring, among other things, that all entrances are secured, cameras are operational, and that the safety and security concerns of residents are addressed.  

“People from our office, property management, as well as members of the resident association, go out to a development and do a walkthrough of each building from top to bottom,” Mr. Kotarski explained. “Any kind of defects in the building – for instance, if the front door is broken – is noted. Lights out, garbage in the stairwell, things that could escalate into further ongoing issues are noted to be addressed. We like to have everyone there so all can see what we find.”  

Mr. Kotarski and his team aim to be meticulous in their work: “We document [potential issues] and take pictures. We send our assessment to the property manager, as well as the borough property management that oversees them, and ask for a dated response to each issue identified. Meaning that if the door is broken – is the work order done? If there’s graffiti on the wall – when is it scheduled to be painted?”   

Mr. Kotarski’s team is also responsible for managing the multiple security vendors that NYCHA contracts with, as well as the layered access controls at building entrances and the more than 18,000 security cameras across the Authority. 

In terms of priorities going into the New Year, Mr. Kotarski is focusing on senior centers. Starting in January, Mr. Kotarski, along with another director, will personally assess those buildings, checking to ensure the doors work properly, the heating is functioning correctly, and that the security cameras are working.  

“I want to make sure all of those buildings are in good shape,” he said. Just two weeks into his new role, Mr. Kotarski is already eager to put his hands-on approach into practice.