Beginning January 2010, David E. Chong became the Public Safety Commissioner for the City of White Plains, New York.
He is in charge of the overall operations of the largest Department in the City of White Plains, with an annual budget of approximately 65 million dollars. Reporting to him are the City Police, Fire, EMS and 911 services.

Previously he was the Police Commissioner for the City of Mount Vernon, NY. His daily activities included the overall control and operation of the eighth largest municipal Police Department in the State of New York, the second densest populated city in New York State and the seventh most densely populated city in the United States. His last year’s budget was well over 23 million dollars. Commissioner Chong was appointed Mount Vernon’s Police Commissioner at the end of May 2006 and served as the City’s Police Commissioner for 3-1/2 years. During his tenure in office the Police have increased arrests, summonses, and narcotics seizures, while overall crime has steadily declined. The Mount Vernon Police Department is a nationally and New York State accredited department and the only Police Department in the lower Hudson Valley to receive federal stimulus funds for its innovative community policing strategies.
David Chong has served in the law enforcement community for approximately 43 years. After serving over 22 years, Mr. Chong retired as a Lieutenant Commander of Detectives from the New York City Police Department in November of 2002 and was appointed as Deputy Commissioner of Public Safety for the City of White Plains on October 8, 2002. On February 2006, he retired to pursue his Ph.D. in academics and to teach at the university level. He returned to law enforcement as the Police commissioner of Mount Vernon, NY after just one semester.
During Mr. Chong’s career within the New York City Police Department, he served in many high profile assignments, including the Tactical Patrol Unit as an undercover Detective infiltrating Asian Organized Crime and Gangs. In addition, as a Sergeant, Detective Sergeant, Lieutenant and Lieutenant Detective Commander in units such as The Mayor’s Social Club Inspectional Task Force, Public Moral Division, Narcotics Division, Organized Crime Investigations Division, Organized Crime Control Bureau, High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, Homicide Squad, the 77th, 104th and 5th Precincts on Patrol. Finally, he retired as the Commanding Officer of the Counter-Terrorism Bureau’s Global Intelligence & Analysis Unit, formed shortly after September 11, 2001.
Mr. Chong has received numerous awards and medals over his law enforcement career. He received over 127 medal and honors from the NYPD alone, including the prestigious Combat Cross and two separate Medals of Valor as well as being honored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security 2007 “Excellence in Leadership” award. In 2005, he was the Society of Asian Federal Officer’s “Man of the Year” and received the NYPD Asian Jade Society’s “Lifetime Achievement Award” and the Organization of Chinese American’s “Dynamic Achiever Award”. His most recent honors include being designated the NY Shields 2010 Police Chief of the Year, 2010 NYNJ Crime Clinics Outstanding Law Enforcement Official of the Year in addition to receiving The Westchester and Rockland County Guardians Association Community Services Award. Mr. Chong was selected to address- the General Secretariat at Interpol in Lyon, France-on the topic of Asian Organized Crime and Terrorism. He is a well- recognized speaker and trainer of law enforcement on the issues of Terrorism, Youth Gangs, Organized Crime and Narcotics Interdiction. This year, for his various charitable work and contributions, he was recognized and given the title of “Kentucky Colonel” by the Governor of the State of Kentucky.
Commissioner Chong holds and Associates Degree in Business Marketing and Finance from Queensborough Community College, a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from John Jay College and a Masters of Public Administration from Marist College. He is a graduate of the 204th Session of the FBI National Academy and has attended training in Israel, London, France and the Headquarters of the Central Intelligence Agency on international terrorism, suicide bombers and law enforcement intelligence. Commissioner Chong was assigned as a CIA contractor in Afghanistan during the early stages of Operation Enduring Freedom. Commissioner Chong is also an Adjunct Professor of Criminal Justice at Berkeley College and Pace University.