Special Narcotics Prosecutor for the City of New York


The Special Narcotics Prosecutor for the City of New York is a city-wide position appointed by the five county district attorneys of New York City. The office is responsible for the prosecution of felony violations of narcotics laws within New York City. The current holder of the office is Bridget G. Brennan.

History

The Special Narcotics Prosecutor for the City of New York is appointed by the five district attorneys of New York City. The office was created by Attorney General of New York Louis J. Lefkowitz under the governorship of Nelson Rockefeller.
The position of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor for the City of New York is notable in several ways:
  1. It is a state level position, so it overrides the jurisdiction of the five county district attorneys who appoint the SNP, but its jurisdiction does not extend to the rest of the state.
  2. It is a permanent special prosecutor / special deputy attorney general position created via executive orders, not via legislative action.
  3. The office is staffed by assistant district attorneys assigned from each of the five borough district attorneys.
One of the better known cases associated with the Special Narcotics Prosecutor is that of Frank Lucas, which was fictionalized in the movie American Gangster.

List of office holders

Special Narcotics ProsecutorDates in officeNotes
Frank J. RogersFebruary 3, 1972 – May 2, 1975First Special Narcotics Prosecutor
Sterling Johnson, Jr.May 2, 1975 – 1991
Robert H. Silbering1992 – November 1997
Bridget G. BrennanMay 1, 1998 – incumbentLongest serving Special Narcotics Prosecutor

Partner agencies

As a prosecuting attorney office, the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor has its own Investigations Division, and works closely with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies including: