NYPD Announces New Deputy Commissioner of Legal Matters

April 7, 2023

New York City Police Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell today named Michael Gerber as the Deputy Commissioner of Legal Matters. Mr. Gerber will begin his appointment on April 17, 2023.

“Michael’s wealth of legal knowledge, professional experience, and unwavering commitment to public service will be a tremendous asset to our department and our city,” said Police Commissioner Sewell. “I am proud to add him to our executive team, and I look forward to working closely with him as the NYPD continues to innovate, evolve, and lead our profession forward.”

“It is an honor and a privilege to join the NYPD, and to contribute to the vital work of the department,” said Michael Gerber. “Public safety in New York City must be fair for all, and achieved through the just and impartial application of the law. I thank Commissioner Sewell and her entire executive team for entrusting me with this solemn responsibility, and I am excited to begin working with the talented men and women of the Legal Bureau.”

Mr. Gerber brings years of experience as a public servant and prosecutor to the NYPD, where, as the department’s top lawyer, he will advise on issues critical to the department’s public safety mission. Mr. Gerber has most recently been a partner at the law firm of Lankler, Siffert, & Wohl, LLP, with a practice focused on complex criminal, commercial, and regulatory enforcement matters. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Gerber served for nine years as a federal prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, where he was chief of the Violent and Organized Crime Unit and co-chief of the Narcotics Unit. In his time with the Southern District, he oversaw hundreds of investigations and prosecutions involving a range of criminal offenses including violent crimes, racketeering, financial crimes, and narcotics trafficking.

Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Mr. Gerber clerked for the Honorable David H. Souter of the United States Supreme Court and the Honorable Pierre N. Leval of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. He also was an associate at the firm of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, and has been a lecturer in law at Columbia Law School, as well as an instructor for the Intensive Trial Advocacy Program at the Cardozo School of Law.

Mr. Gerber earned a Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Harvard University.

The NYPD Legal Bureau serves a multitude of critical functions including interpreting state, federal, and local laws; ensuring that the policies and practices of the Department are lawful and are fairly applied; helping to develop legislation to support public safety; and furthering the quality of life of New Yorkers and visitors through the focused use of civil enforcement remedies.

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