Police Commissioner Dermot Shea announced on Thursday, Oct. 29, the appointment of six NYPD commanders to new leadership positions in patrol, transit, transportation and school safety within the department’s executive team. The NYPD said the promotions build on the continued transformation of leadership for areas integral to the agency’s overall operations and mission.

“I am privileged to elevate each of these distinguished longtime NYPD leaders,” said Shea. “Each of these commanders has shown exceptional vision in helping to steer the department through the advancements of the last several years, and each uniquely reflects the values and concerns of the citizens we serve.”

Chief Juanita Holmes has been appointed as chief of patrol. In her new position, the agency said that Holmes will use her understanding of the way violence can afflict the city neighborhoods she has served to reduce that violence and keep people safe. Holmes is the highest ranking African American female officer in NYPD history. The agency said she will continue working to fulfill Shea’s vision for the fairest and most effective policing possible in the city.

Other appointments include Chief Edward Delatorre, who was appointed as chief of labor relations. The agency described the role as a critical assignment as the police department continues its work in reforming policing to best serve New Yorkers amid the continuing strain of budgetary and personnel challenges.

Assistant Chief Kim Royster has been appointed as chief of transportation, and Assistant Chief Kathleen O’Reilly has been appointed as chief of transit. O’Reilly has, until this time, served as borough commander of Manhattan North.

In addition, Deputy Chief Philip Rivera has been appointed borough commander of Manhattan North where he most recently served as executive officer, and Inspector Olufunmilola Obe has been appointed as commander of the school safety division.

Having served most recently as chief of collaborative policing, the NYPD said that Holmes brings an acute insight into what city residents want and need from the police, and has reinforced policing’s basic mission of keeping people safe while advancing the kind of sweeping reforms the NYPD has instituted over the last nearly seven years.

Holmes joined the NYPD in July 1987, and began her career on patrol in the 101 precinct. She was promoted to sergeant in December 1995; lieutenant in May 2002; captain in June 2007; deputy inspector in August 2009; inspector in January 2012; deputy chief in September 2014; and assistant chief in September 2016.

She has served in the 81, 100, 101, 103, 111, and 113 precincts, as well as in police service areas 2 and 8, the patrol borough Bronx investigations unit, housing borough for Bronx/Queens, the office of the deputy commissioner of training, the domestic violence unit, and the school safety division.

She previously served as the executive officer of the 100 and 103 precincts. Holmes holds a bachelor of science degree in biology from St. Joseph’s College, and is a graduate of the Police Management Institute at Columbia University. She retired in December 2018 to join the private sector as global head of corporate security at BNY Mellon, and rejoined the NYPD in December 2019.

Delatorre joined the NYPD in November 1979, and began his career on patrol in the 42 precinct. He also served in the 41, 43, 45, 46, 47, 49 and 50 precincts, as well as with the Bronx task force, the tactical patrol unit, the office of the deputy commissioner of community affairs, patrol borough Queens North, patrol borough Bronx, patrol borough Manhattan North, patrol borough Staten Island, the patrol services bureau, and the police academy.

He was promoted to sergeant in October 1984; lieutenant in November 1989; captain in January 1992; deputy inspector in May 1994; inspector in August 1995; deputy chief in March 2000; assistant chief in July 2006; and chief of transit in January 2018.

He also served as executive officer to the chief of department, the chief of patrol, the chief of housing, and the chief of community affairs. Delatorre holds a bachelor of arts degree in political science from Lehman College, and is a 1994 graduate of the Police Management Institute at Columbia University.

Royster began her career with the NYPD in January 1985 as a police administrative aide. She was sworn in as a police officer in July 1987, and was assigned to the 13 precinct. She was promoted to detective in March 1992; sergeant in October 1997; sergeant special assignment in December 2001; lieutenant in April 2002; captain in August 2006; deputy inspector in August 2009; inspector in March 2012; deputy chief in October 2013; and assistant chief in August 2015.

She has served in the police academy, the 5 and 13 precincts, the 7 precinct detective squad, patrol borough Manhattan South, the office of management analysis and planning, office of the deputy commissioner of public information (DCPI), detective borough Manhattan, detective borough Brooklyn, the intelligence division, the internal affairs bureau and the criminal justice bureau.

Royster most recently served as executive officer of the community affairs bureau. She has also commanded and served as the executive officer of the 5 precinct. While assigned to DCPI, the office received a unit citation for outstanding performance in 2011 for the coordination of media coverage/requests of the 10^th anniversary of 9/11 and the president’s historical visit to the 1 precinct and Ground Zero.

Also, during her tenure at DCPI, the department developed official social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and the NYPD iPhone application. Royster holds a bachelor of science degree in organizational management from St. Joseph’s College, and is a 2011 graduate of the Police Management Institute at Columbia University. She is the third African American woman to hold the rank of deputy chief and the first to have held the rank of assistant chief in NYPD history.

Reilly joined the NYPD in April 1991, and began her career on patrol in police service area 6.  She was promoted to sergeant in August 1997; lieutenant in August 2000; captain in February 2003; deputy inspector in November 2007; inspector in August 2011; deputy chief in August 2012; and assistant chief in November 2014.

She has served in the 24, 30, 34 and Central Park precincts, PSA 6, the housing bureau, the office of management, analysis and planning, the warrant section, patrol borough Manhattan North and the office of the chief of department.

O’Reilly most recently served as the commanding officer of patrol borough Manhattan North, and has also commanded the chief of department’s domestic violence unit, and the 24 and Central Park precincts. She also served as executive officer of the 30 precinct.

O’Reilly holds a master of arts degree in criminal justice from John Jay College and a bachelor of science degree in criminology from the State University of New York. She is a 2007 graduate of the Police Management Institute at Columbia University, and a June 2012 graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education.

Inspector Olufunmilola F. Obe joined the NYPD in June 1992 as a police cadet assigned to the 24 precinct. In February 1994, she was sworn in as a NYC police officer and assigned to the 17 precinct. She has also served at the 19, 28, and 50 precincts, police service area 3, the property clerk division, and the office of the police commissioner.

Obe was promoted to sergeant in December 2000; lieutenant in July 2005; captain in September 2008; deputy inspector in June 2012; and inspector in December 2015. Obe served as commanding officer of the 28 precinct and police service area 3.

She also served as executive officer of the 19, 25 and 34 precincts. Obe holds a bachelor of science degree in computer science from The City College of New York and a master of public administration from Marist College. Obe is a 2014 graduate of the Police Management Institute at Columbia University.

Rivera joined the NYPD in June 1995, and began his career on patrol in the 46 precinct. He also served in the 30, 41, 44, 46 and 52 precincts, patrol borough Bronx and on the Bronx impact response team. He was promoted to sergeant in August 2000; lieutenant in November 2003; captain in February 2008; deputy inspector in December 2012; inspector in November 2014; and deputy chief in August 2017.

Rivera most recently served as executive officer of patrol borough Manhattan North. He has served as commanding officer of the 41 and 46 precincts. He also served as executive officer of the 46 and 52 precincts. Rivera holds a bachelor of science degree in criminology from John Jay College, and is also a graduate of the police executive research forum/senior management institute for police at Boston University.