New commissioner for Westchester Department of Public Safety

Westchester County Executive George Latimer has announced the appointment of Acting Commissioner Terrance Raynor as the commissioner of the Department of Public Safety. Latimer also announced that James M. Luciano has been named chief of department, the highest uniform position in the Public Safety Department.

Raynor began his career in public safety as a City of Mount Vernon Police Officer in 1984. He has received law enforcement training from the New York City Police Department, the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration. He is also a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s 201st National Academy. Raynor has been with the Westchester County Department of Public Safety since 2018.

Latimer said, “Westchester County government has many responsibilities, some of which have been tasked to us by the state government and federal government, some of which we have created by law through the work of the Board of Legislators and the Executive Branch over years. There is no responsibility greater than the protection and safety of the people that are under our care, the million plus people here in Westchester County.”

Raynor said, “I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as the Commissioner of the Westchester County Department of Public Safety. I am committed to working closely with the men and women of this department, community stakeholders and the law enforcement community as a whole, to ensure the safety and well-being of all residents.”

Deputy County Executive Ken Jenkins pointed to Luciano’s 35 years of experience in law enforcement and said, “With extensive experience in management, supervision and critical incident response Chief Luciano has a proven track record of effective leadership and strategic planning.”

Luciano said, “I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as chief of department. I look forward to working alongside Commissioner Raynor and the dedicated men and women of the department to uphold public safety and build stronger, safer communities.”

The Department of Public Safety protects county parkways and county properties, including Westchester’s parks system and key facilities such as the Westchester County Airport. In addition, it conducts municipal patrol operations in Mount Kisco and Cortlandt, and has School Resource Officers assigned to four schools in the northern part of the county. It operates a Forensic Investigation Unit and the Special Operations Division, which covers the Aviation Unit, Hazardous Devices Unit, Marine Unit, Canine Unit and Special Response Team.