NYPD Veteran Returns to NYCHA to Help Lead the Office of Safety and Security 

LaTonya Smith has come back to NYCHA more than 20 years after she left her childhood home for a successful career in the NYPD. 

The former Surfside Gardens resident and NYPD veteran entered a new phase of her law enforcement career in August, when she joined NYCHA as the first woman of color to serve as the Director of the Office of Safety and Security. She called it a humbling experience to be tasked with managing safety and security issues for NYCHA’s hundreds of thousands of residents, reporting to Vice President for Public Safety and Security James Secreto, a fellow NYPD veteran.  

“Everything dealing with the safety and security of the residents falls on our lap,” noted Ms. Smith, who most recently served as Lieutenant for Special Projects in the NYPD’s Office of the Chief of Department. “I’m extremely honored and humbled that I was chosen for this position, and I will do anything that I can to ensure the safety and security of residents.”  

As a native of Coney Island’s Surfside Gardens, Ms. Smith said she is excited to return to NYCHA in a leadership capacity, believing that she can relate to many of the issues and experiences faced by residents.  

“I understand them because I grew up at NYCHA – so if I can help in any way possible to ensure the safety of residents, then I believe I’m the person for the job,” she said. “When you grow up at NYCHA, there are certain things that are unique to your own experiences, and a lot of those experiences contributed to my success.” 

Touting the “sense of community and togetherness” that exists among NYCHA residents, Ms. Smith said she was ready to take on the new professional opportunity at the Authority. She credits her two decades at the NYPD for preparing her to tackle the wide-ranging duties at NYCHA’s Office of Safety and Security.   

“By having that type of work ethic and discipline, and being ready when you’re called, the NYPD definitely helped prepare me for this role,” stated Ms. Smith, who is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia.   

The daughter of an NYPD sergeant, Ms. Smith chose to pursue a law enforcement career shortly after earning her Bachelor of Arts degree from Stony Brook University. In continuing her extensive public safety service with her role at NYCHA, she serves as a liaison between the Authority and local, regional, and federal law enforcement agencies as well as other entities. 

Chief Secreto lauded Ms. Smith’s service as a supervisor at the NYPD for 15 years and noted that she is looking forward to the challenges accompanying her new director position. 

“Director Smith has a lot of common sense; she’s a devoted wife and mother who brings a great deal of knowledge, experience, and empathy to the role of Office of Safety and Security Director,” Chief Secreto said. “These qualities will serve the residents and employees of NYCHA very well.”    

During her first couple of months on the job, Ms. Smith has begun working on joint operations with the NYPD and the City’s Department of Homeless Services to address quality of life issues for NYCHA residents, along with conducting safety assessments and examining various security systems at the developments.  

“I love it; it’s a new wheelhouse,” she said about her experience at NYCHA. “I’m learning a lot about the complexity of homelessness, the administrative portion of NYCHA, and dealing with compliance and contracts.” 

The director’s initial goals are to better understand the “ins and outs” of the Office of Safety and Security priorities, and to help empower her leadership team. Above all, she is committed to efforts that establish a safe and secure living environment for the NYCHA community. 

“I want the residents of NYCHA to feel safe walking in the door,” she stated.  

After kicking off her time at NYCHA with National Night Out, Ms. Smith has since visited several developments to meet with community members and resident leaders. According to the former longtime police officer, the “boots on the ground” approach is one of the most effective ways for leaders to get to know the communities they serve.  

“All of the stakeholders have to be at the table for us to push NYCHA in the right direction,” she said.