Kaz Daughtry, an ex-NYPD official recently tapped as Mayor Adams’ public safety deputy, secured a waiver this month allowing him to keep living on Long Island while serving in his new post — a move that circumvents a longstanding city residency requirement, the Daily News has learned.
The move also sets Daughtry apart from one of his fellow deputy mayors, Jeff Roth, who lives outside outside the city, but didn’t receive a waiver upon his appointment. Under the rule, deputy mayors must have New York City residency or establish it within 90 days of being appointed and then maintain it “for as long as he or she serves in such title.”
But Daughtry, a close ally of Adams who has been at the center of a number of controversies, got a waiver upon being appointed deputy mayor of public safety this month permitting him to skirt the residency requirement and continue living in Suffolk County, Adams spokeswoman Kayla Mamelak confirmed this week.
Mamelak declined to elaborate on the nature of the waiver or share a copy of it, directing The News to instead file a Freedom of Information Law request. A FOIL request seeking the waiver wasn’t immediately answered by Adams’ office, and Daughtry didn’t return calls.
Daughtry landed the new job after his predecessor, Chauncey Parker, and three other deputy mayors resigned over concerns about Adams’ ability to govern the city. Their concerns stem from an effort by President Trump’s Justice Department to dismiss Adams’ federal corruption indictment with some unusual conditions attached, including a request for assistance with immigration enforcement, that many stakeholders say have left the mayor beholden to Trump’s agenda. Adams denies any quid pro quo with Trump.
Roth, who was this month appointed deputy mayor for operations by Adams after the resignations, lives and votes in Westchester County, the news outlet The City first reported upon his hire. Earlier this month, Mamelak said Roth would be switching his registration to a Brooklyn address in order to satisfy the city residency requirement.
Mamelak didn’t say if Roth had requested a waiver similar to the one Daughtry got. She did note Roth had a Brooklyn residence before being named deputy mayor.
Daughtry has attracted controversy during his NYPD tenure. Most recently, while serving as department’s deputy commissioner of operations, Daughtry drew heat for his leadership of the NYPD’s Community Response Team, whose members have faced criticism over misconduct accusations.
The Department of Investigation also recently found Daughtry and other NYPD officials violated city policies and acted in an “irresponsible and unprofessional” way by using their official department social media accounts to attack lawmakers, journalists and others. A civil lawsuit accusing Daughtry of body-slamming a protester in 2023 remains pending in Manhattan Supreme Court.
Additionally, Daughtry drew scrutiny after his elevation to become deputy commissioner, a civilian position, resulted in the Civilian Complaint Review Board dropping three complaints of misconduct against him last year on the basis that the panel only has oversight of uniformed officers.
Despite the elevation to a civilian post, Daughtry was given an unusual designation that allowed him to keep carrying a gun, a privilege typically reserved for uniformed NYPD officers.