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Chief Investigator
Richard Zacarese serves as the Chief Investigator where he oversees approximately 70 District Attorney investigators, 25 intelligence analysts, and dozens of members of other law enforcement agencies that are assigned to DA task force operations. Chief Zacarese also plays a pivotal role in operations that address complex, large-scale, and high-priority criminal targets. Most notably, Zacarese had an intricate role in overseeing the Gilgo Beach Homicide Task Force which led to the identification, arrest, and on-going prosecution of defendant Rex A. Heuermann, for the alleged homicides of multiple young women between the years of 1993 and 2010.
Chief Zacarese has also modernized the District Attorney’s investigative technology and established a Crime Strategies Unit that supports prosecutions, develops leads, and assesses crime trends, allowing the office to proactively prevent criminal activity.
Chief Zacarese served over twenty-two years with the New York City Police Department. Throughout that time, he worked across all five boroughs, forming partnerships with federal and local prosecuting agencies. Chief Zacarese spent the majority of his NYPD career assigned to the Queens Gang Squad, where he conducted complex investigations into organized gangs, violent individuals, and gang organizations for a variety of crimes, including: homicides, non-fatal shootings, robbery patterns, firearms possession, firearms sales, and narcotics distribution.
In 2010, Chief Zacarese was promoted to Sergeant and was assigned to the NYPD's Intelligence Bureau at the 44th Precinct in the South Bronx. In this role, he led a team of investigators focused on identifying and dismantling criminal organizations. Mr. Zacarese’s work with prosecutors led to the development of gang violence conspiracy investigations, contributing to a city-wide initiative that significantly reduced shootings and homicides in New York City.
In 2014, Chief Zacarese’s was promoted to Lieutenant and took command of the Violence Reduction Task Force. His leadership was pivotal in the formation of the Gun Violence Suppression Division in 2016, where he served as the Commanding Officer for Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island. Chief Zacarese also played a key role in establishing the Gun Violence Strategies Partnership, a collaborative initiative between the NYPD, district attorneys, federal prosecutors, and multiple other law enforcement agencies to combat gun violence.
In 2020, Chief Zacarese was appointed as Executive Director of Criminal Investigations by the NYPD's Police Commissioner. There, he worked closely with the Chief of Crime Control Strategies and the Detective Bureau to analyze crime trends and develop strategies to combat violent crime throughout the city.
In 2017, Chief Zacarese was honored with The New York City Police Foundation’s Hemmerdinger Award for Excellence in Distinguished Public Service.
Meet the Team Leading the Office’s Initiatives
Chief Assistant District Attorney
Division Chief
Division Chief
General Counsel
Chief Investigator
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