Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz appointed two new executives who will assist in streamlining inter-office processes and enhancing public safety protocols within the borough.
Retired NYPD Assistant Chief Thomas Conforti has been named as chief investigator and veteran prosecutor Theresa M. Shanahan has been promoted to executive assistant district attorney for criminal practice and Policy.
“Chief Conforti and EADA Shanahan have dedicated their entire careers to keeping people safe by investigating drivers of crime and seeking justice on behalf of victims,” Katz said. “At the same time, they have each worked to improve policy development and protocol implementation to ensure better efficiency within their respective government agencies.”
Conforti is a 30-year NYPD veteran who commanded several Queens precincts including the 104th in Ridgewood, the 109th in Flushing, the 112th in Forest Hills and the 110th in Elmhurst where he oversaw security for the U.S. Open and Citi Field. He also served as a detective at Queens Borough North prior to being promoted to inspector in 2016 and serving as commanding officer of the crime prevention division.
A graduate of St. John’s University and John Jay College, Conforti is now tasked with leading the Queens District Attorney’s Detective Bureau, which assists prosecutors in the investigation of cases ranging from gun trafficking, major economic crimes, domestic terrorism, fraudulent activity and human trafficking, as well as the e-investigation of cases before the Conviction Integrity Bureau.
Shanahan is a Queens native who graduated from St. John’s University Law School before joining the Kings County District Attorney’s Office in 1990 and becoming chief of the Early Case Assessment Bureau.
Shanahan is now tasked with leading the Queens DA’s Criminal Practice and Policy Bureau. This division consists of the Intake and Assessments Bureau, the Criminal Court Bureau, and the Rehabilitative Programs and Restorative Services Bureau, which includes the Diversion and Alternative Sentencing Unit and the Crime Victim Advocate Program.
“I have no doubt that both sets of skills will prove to be extremely beneficial to this office,” Katz said. “I look forward to working closely with Chief Conforti and EADA Shanahan on comprehensive policy and safety measures for the people of this borough.”
