Eric Adams

Eric Adams
Name	Eric Adams
Birth date	April 1, 1960
Birth place	New York City, New York, U.S.
Occupation	Politician, former police officer
Office	110th Mayor of New York City
Term start	January 1, 2022
Predecessor	Bill de Blasio
Office1	18th Borough President of Brooklyn
Term start1	January 1, 2014
Term end1	December 31, 2021
Predecessor1	Marty Markowitz
Successor1	Antonio Reynoso
Alma mater	John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Marist College (M.P.A.)
Party	Democratic

Eric Adams Eric Adams is an American politician and former law enforcement officer who serves as the 110th Mayor of New York City. A native of Brooklyn, he represented parts of Brooklyn in the New York State Senate and served as Brooklyn Borough President before being elected mayor in 2021. Adams is known for his background with the New York City Police Department, advocacy on public safety, and emphasis on public health and economic development.

Early life and education

Adams was born in Brownsville, Brooklyn and raised in Queens and Brooklyn neighborhoods connected to New York City Housing Authority developments and local community institutions. He attended Brooklyn Technical High School before serving in the United States Navy during the late 1970s and early 1980s, which he has cited in accounts about his early civic formation. Adams earned a bachelor's degree from John Jay College of Criminal Justice and later completed a Master of Public Administration at Marist College. He has also completed executive programs affiliated with Harvard University's executive education programs and engaged with nonprofit groups such as Sierra Club and community organizations in Bedford–Stuyvesant.

Law enforcement career

Adams joined the New York City Police Department (NYPD) in 1984 and rose through the ranks to become a captain. During his tenure he served in patrol commands in Brooklyn precincts and in specialized units linked to anti-crime initiatives and community policing strategies promoted by commissioners such as William Bratton. Adams co-founded the advocacy group 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who Care, which filed lawsuits, including matters against the NYPD and civil rights organizations like the NAACP engaged with issues such as stop-and-frisk, racial profiling, and police accountability. His law enforcement career intersected with high-profile events including NYPD reforms that followed federal scrutiny and the operations of the New York Police Department Intelligence Bureau.

Political career

After retiring from the NYPD, Adams entered electoral politics and was elected to the New York State Senate representing Brooklyn districts in 2006. In Albany he served on committees tied to public safety and veterans' affairs and worked with state leaders including Governor Andrew Cuomo on criminal justice issues. In 2013 he won the election for Brooklyn Borough President, succeeding Marty Markowitz, and focused on land use and economic development. Adams ran for mayor in 2013 and 2021; his 2021 mayoral campaign emphasized public safety, small-business support, and public health partnerships and culminated in a Democratic primary victory over candidates such as Scott Stringer and Kathryn Garcia before defeating Republican nominee contenders in the general election.

Tenure as Brooklyn Borough President

As Brooklyn Borough President from 2014 to 2021, Adams advocated for rezonings, affordable housing initiatives in neighborhoods like Williamsburg and Coney Island, and investments in New York City Housing Authority improvements. He launched public-health-oriented programs addressing diabetes and food access in collaboration with institutions such as SUNY Downstate Medical Center and community clinics. Adams used the borough president's land-use review powers on matters before the New York City Planning Commission and worked with local elected officials including members of the New York City Council to advance infrastructure projects, parks upgrades with New York City Parks Department, and workforce development partnerships tied to Brooklyn Navy Yard and small-business incubators.

Mayor of New York City

Adams took office as mayor on January 1, 2022, succeeding Bill de Blasio. His mayoralty has prioritized public safety reforms, transit improvements in partnership with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and economic recovery efforts after the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City. He appointed leadership for agencies including the New York City Police Department and the New York City Department of Education and engaged with state officials such as Governor Kathy Hochul on homelessness and fiscal matters. Major initiatives have involved collaboration with philanthropic organizations like Robin Hood Foundation and federal agencies including the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development on homelessness and housing finance.

Political positions and policy initiatives

Adams has positioned himself as a moderate Democrat on issues such as public safety, fiscal stewardship, and small-business support, advocating for data-driven policing reforms and expanded mental-health crisis response programs in partnership with New York-Presbyterian Hospital and Mount Sinai Health System. On transportation he has backed congestion mitigation measures coordinated with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and supported investments in LaGuardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport modernization. His administration has proposed budgets emphasizing public-safety staffing and public-health programming while negotiating with labor unions including District Council 37 and police unions such as the Police Benevolent Association of the City of New York.

Personal life and health

Adams is married and has family ties in Brooklyn; he is a practicing member of faith communities connected to local churches and interfaith groups. He has publicly discussed personal health challenges, including a diagnosis and treatment for type 2 diabetes, and has promoted nutrition and public-health campaigns to address chronic illnesses in partnership with medical institutions and nonprofit groups like American Diabetes Association. Adams has served on boards and advisory councils for civic organizations and received recognitions from groups focused on civil rights and public safety.

Category:Mayors of New York City Category:People from Brooklyn Category:Politicians from New York City