Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly announced June 24 the appointment of Assistant United States Attorney Richard Daddario as the New York City Police Department’s Deputy Commissioner for Counterterrorism.

Mr. Daddario, who is currently serving as the U.S. Department of Justice’s attaché in Moscow , will assume his duties at the Police Department in August.

“A law enforcement professional with valuable experience prosecuting terrorists, Richard Daddario is a welcome addition to Commissioner Kelly’s leadership team,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “Richard’s skills will complement the impressive counterterrorism operation the NYPD has built from scratch that continues to attract top talent. We have no greater responsibility than protecting our City from the threat of terrorism, and we know that New York continues to be at the top of the terrorist target list.”  

“Richard Daddario brings vast experience and an impeccable reputation in law enforcement to this most important post. As recent events have shown, New York remains a target for terrorists, and we need talented leadership to help us protect against this continuing threat,” Commissioner Kelly said, adding, “Richard fills this bill and more.”

Commissioner Kelly said that Mr. Daddario will be responsible for the NYPD’s large complement of detectives assigned to the Joint Terrorism Task Force, the Department’s counterterrorism training and programs, including the Lower Manhattan and Midtown Manhattan Security Initiatives and the Department of Homeland Security-funded Securing the Cities initiative.

The NYPD Counterterrorism Bureau also deploys heavy-weapons “Hercules” teams, high-visibility patrol surges known as CRVs (Critical Response Vehicles), mobile radiation detection teams and special mass-transit protection. In addition, Mr. Daddario will oversee the Counterterrorism Bureau’s “Shield” program, the Department’s public-private security partnership, as well as its Threat Reduction Infrastructure Protection Section (TRIPS), which identifies critical infrastructure sites throughout the city and develops protective strategies for them.

As Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York since 1996, Mr. Daddario was the supervising or lead prosecutor in investigations and prosecutions of domestic and international terrorism, and terrorist financing cases, as well as bank, mail and wire fraud; organized crime and racketeering; domestic and international narcotics trafficking; public corruption; violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, and laws governing the registration of foreign agents. He also prosecuted murder and other violent crimes.

In his current overseas posting, Mr. Daddario is providing legal counsel to the U.S. Embassy’s executive staff, and acting as liaison to Russian law enforcement on issues related to terrorism, narcotics trafficking and transnational crime. He also provides technical assistance to Russian government agencies and non-governmental organizations on law enforcement, rule of law and human rights issues.

Mr. Daddario, 59, has served as trial counsel in numerous jury trials, and has briefed and argued more than 20 appeals before the U.S. Court of Appeals, 2^nd Circuit. He also has served as the Southern District’s Chief, Organized Crime Unit; Deputy Chief, Organized Crime and Terrorism Unit; Chief, Narcotics Unit; and Chief, General Crimes Unit.

He was awarded the U.S. Attorney General’s prestigious John Marshall Award for Litigation in 2001, and the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Major Case Award in 1998 and 2000.

Prior to joining the U.S. Justice Department, Mr. Daddario served as First Deputy Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation, and before that as Chief Counsel at the New York State Commission of Investigation. Earlier in his career, he served as Assistant Counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives Ethics Committee.

Awarded his law degree and undergraduate degree from Georgetown University, Mr. Daddario has been a resident of New York City for over 30 years, and is admitted to practice in New York State, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2^nd Circuit, and the United States District Court, Southern District of New York.

Mr. Daddario succeeds Richard Falkenrath in the post.