Metro

Longtime officer to be named new chief of NYPD’s Community Affairs Bureau

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly will announce tomorrow the promotion of NYPD Assistant Chief Thomas Chan, the current commanding officer of Patrol Borough Brooklyn South, as the new chief of the NYPD Community Affairs Bureau, The Post has learned.

Chan, 55, who joined the NYPD in January 1982 and was already the first Asian-American in department history to rise to the rank of a “two-star” chief, will become the first Asian-American “three-star” chief.

Chan is replacing Philip Banks III, who was promoted last month as the new Chief of Department, taking over the spot previously held by Joseph Esposito, who retired.

“Commissioner Kelly has named Chief Chan to the post and he will make the appointment official at promotion ceremonies on Friday,” said NYPD spokesman Paul Browne last night.

Chan, a resident of Lower Manhattan, has previously been assigned to the 5th Precinct (Chinatown), where he was the commanding officer and the 7th Precinct (the Lower East Side) and the 26th Precinct (West Harlem), two commands where he served as executive officer, or second-in-command.

He’s also served in Highway Units 1and 2; the Traffic Division; the Office of the Chief of Department; Patrol Borough Manhattan South; Patrol Borough Staten Island; and Manhattan South Detective Operations.