[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 192 (Tuesday, December 3, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1528-E1529]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING CHIEF JAMES ANTHONY SECRETO

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. NYDIA M. VELAZQUEZ

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 3, 2019

  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor James Anthony Secreto, 
a native Brooklyn son and longtime public servant. James, or Jimmy as 
his friends call him, has dedicated his life to helping the people of 
New York City, most recently as the Chief of Housing at the New York 
Police Department (NYPD). As he retires this week, I wanted to pay 
homage to the work he has accomplished on behalf of so many New 
Yorkers.
  Jimmy was born and raised in Brooklyn's Albany Houses, a New York 
City Housing Authority (NYCHA) development, in Crown Heights. He 
received his early education at St. Matthew's Roman Catholic Elementary 
School in Crown Heights for grades one through five. He joined the 
Robert F. Kennedy Incentive Program and later received an academic 
scholarship from the Brooklyn Catholic Interracial Council to attend 
Power Memorial Academy.
  In 1979, he began his career with the NYPD on patrol in the 25th 
Precinct. He was promoted to Sergeant in December 1984 and steadily 
rose through the ranks. In 2014, Jimmy was promoted to Chief of 
Housing, his current position. In that capacity, he oversees the 
security of NYCHA, the largest public housing organization in North 
America, housing over 400,000 tenants.
  During his 35-year career tenure with the NYPD, James has spearheaded 
a multitude of

[[Page E1529]]

food and clothing drives; an annual holiday toy drive he started in 
1999, that continues today; a Thanksgiving community outreach 
initiative in which turkeys are distributed to families; and an annual 
Queens Breast Cancer Awareness Walk, which has successfully raised over 
$100,000 since its inception nine years ago.
  For these and other achievements, Chief Secreto has been honored by 
countless community groups, as well as several NYPD fraternal 
organizations. In 2009, the New York State Shields honored him as Man 
of the Year, and in 2014, the Tri-State Law Enforcement Foundation 
honored James as Person of the Year.
  A devoted family man, Chief Secreto has been married to his wife, 
Yvonne, for 35 years. They are the proud parents of three children. 
Kiesha, Shamieka and Chanel. The couple also have eight grandchildren.
  Madam Speaker, the people of New York owe a debt of gratitude to 
Chief Secreto for his years of service. I ask my colleagues to join me 
in saluting him as he moves on to his next phase of life. I wish him 
and his family all the best and thank him for all he has done for 
Brooklyn, for NYCHA and all New York residents.

                          ____________________