The NYPD chief in charge of northern Manhattan has been tapped to replace retiring Chief Donald Zeigler as head of the Community Affairs Bureau.

Zeigler had been the highest-ranking black cop on the force. His replacement, Deputy Chief Philip Banks, a 24-year veteran, is the highest-ranking black uniformed officer.

The Community Affairs Bureau is considered vital to maintaining a working relationship between police and the city’s myriad neighborhoods, particularly minority communities whose residents have complained about how officers treat them.

Banks, 47, is considered a rising star in the NYPD and has generally received high marks from locals in different neighborhoods.

For the past year, he has been in charge of Patrol Borough Manhattan North. “Chief Banks has proven his ability to work effectively with the community to support our efforts to reduce crime,” Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said.

YWN notes the retirement of NYPD Chief of Community Affairs Donald Zeigler, a great friend of the Jewish Community – and who can be given the honorable title as one of the “Chasidei Umos Ha’olam”.

To list the amount of Chesed that he did on behalf of the community would literally be impossible….

Jacob Itzkowitz, a Williamsburg Shomrim Patrol Coordinator told YWN that “Shomrim congratulates Chief Banks upon his appointment to community Affairs. WSPU looks forward to working together with him. At the same time, WSPU wishes Chief Ziegler good luck on his retirement and we thank him for his gracious support to the civilian shomrim patrol all these years.”

Rabbi Abe Friedman- NYPD Liaison to Community Affairs Bureau and to the Office of Homeland security told YWN that “Chief Ziegler was a great leader and an example of a commander when it comes to Community affairs. I wish him well on his retirement, and at the same time Congratulate Chief Phil Banks, for his promotion to the Community Affairs Bureau. I commend NYPD Commissioner Kelly for appointing Chief Banks. who has a great history in dealings with the all communities.”

The Misaskim Organization also had nothing besides praise for both outgoing Chief Zeigler, and incoming Chief Banks. “Chief Zeigler helped Misaskim in so many tragic incidents, it would not be possible to list them”, Rabbi Yanky Meyer of Misaskim told YWN.

“Chief Banks has proven himself to the community in times of unfortunate incidents when he worked in Brooklyn and in Manhattan. We wish him much success in his new position”.

YWN PHOTO LINK: Click HERE for photos taken by Hillel Engel for YWN.

(Dov Gordon – YWN)