Say Hello: Get to Know NYCHA Leadership
Gerald Nelson joined NYCHA as Vice President for Public Safety on August 3, 2015. In this role, he is responsible for planning, organizing and directing all of NYCHA’s public safety services and activities, ensuring the provision of general law enforcement, criminal investigation, fire suppression and prevention, rescue and emergency medical services, disaster responses, nuisance abatement and code enforcement, and for leading NextGeneration NYCHA efforts to achieve safe communities for our residents and employees. The Offices of Safety and Security and Emergency Preparedness will report to the Vice President for Public Safety and be part of NYCHA’s newly formed public safety program.
Gerald recently retired from the New York City Police Department after more than 40 years of service. He started his career in the Housing Bureau in 1973 and subsequently served in the Police Academy, Project Stabilization Unit, Internal Affairs Bureau, Recruitment Section, Personnel Services Bureau, Transit Borough Bronx, and Housing Borough Bronx/Queens. His last post was Commanding Officer of Patrol Borough Brooklyn North. He has also commanded the School Safety Division, the Housing Police Department’s Personnel Services Bureau, SATCOM Housing Operations, Housing Borough Bronx/Queens, and Transit Borough Bronx. Gerald has also served as Executive Officer of Detective Borough Queens and as Adjutant of Patrol Borough Manhattan North.
Gerald holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government and Public Administration from John Jay College and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Marist College. He is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy, 172nd Session, at Quantico, Virginia. Currently, he is the Regional Vice President of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) for the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut Chapters and is a past president of NOBLE’s New York Chapter.
