After serving as the Civilian Complaint Review Board’s (CCRB) Chief Prosecutor, Jonathan Darche was appointed Executive Director in May 2017. Mr. Darche has been serving as Acting Executive Director since November 2016. He joined in 2013 as the CCRB’s first Deputy Chief Prosecutor helping establish the Agency’s Administrative Prosecution Unit (APU)—the only division of its kind among the nation’s civilian police oversight entities. The APU prosecutes the most serious cases of police misconduct against members of the NYPD.
Mr. Darche also previously served as Acting Chief of Investigations, guiding the Agency’s hundred civilian investigators. During that time, the Investigative Division eliminated a large backlog of cases and reduced the average time to investigate a complaint by more than 200%.
Prior to joining the CCRB, Mr. Darche worked as an Assistant District Attorney at the Queens County District Attorney's Office. Darche began his career in public service working as a staffer for New York's Senior Senator Chuck Schumer.
Mr. Darche is a graduate of Empire State College and received his law degree from the City University of New York School of Law. He is civically engaged and active in several organizations including the Queens County Brandeis Association, Astoria Center for Israel, and the United Community Civic Association. Mr. Darche lives in Astoria with his wife, Samantha, and their two-year-old son.
Jerika Richardson has over 15 years of experience in public administration, crisis communications, journalism and production. She is the Senior Advisor & Secretary to the Board for the NYC Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB), the nation's largest independent police oversight agency. In this dual role, Ms. Richardson serves as the liaison for the Board and focuses on strategy, public education and engagement for the Agency. Ms. Richardson oversees its Policy & Advocacy, Outreach & Intergovernmental Affairs, Communications and Case Management units. Prior to her work at the CCRB, Ms. Richardson was Chief of Staff in the Office of the Counsel to the Mayor of New York City where she supervised a team charged with handling City Hall legal matters and a policy portfolio devoted to equity, access and diversity issues. Her tenure with the Mayor’s Office began in December 2014 as Special Advisor to the Mayor for criminal justice and public safety planning and communications.
From 2011-2014, Ms. Richardson worked for the Justice Department and served as the Senior Spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York. In that role, she managed the public affairs team and handled high profile press rollouts including the conviction of Osama Bin Laden’s son-in-law, Sulaiman Abu Ghayth. After graduating law school in 2007, Ms. Richardson worked as a Field Producer & Off-Air Reporter for ABC News, covering politics, law and justice, financial and breaking news. Some of her more notable stories include the 2011 Tucson Shooting, Stock Market Crash of 2008 and BP Oil Spill.
Ms. Richardson’s commitment to public service extends beyond her work with the CCRB. She remains civically engaged by serving on Manhattan’s Community Board 10 and frequently appears as a commentator on television and radio programs. In 2018, she traveled to Macedonia to discuss political and judicial reform as part of a bi-partisan delegation sponsored by the American Council of Young Political Leaders and the U.S. State Department. In 2015, Ms. Richardson was named one of New York City’s 40 Under 40 Rising Stars by City & State Magazine. She was also selected as a Fellow for the Council of Urban Professionals in 2014 and continues to work with the organization on diversity and leadership initiatives.
Ms. Richardson holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan Law School and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Spelman College.