A retired New Jersey State Police major has been tapped as the top security official for 1 World Trade Center following a string of embarrassing security lapses at the site.
Kevin Fowler, 49, who spent 27 years with the NJ State Police, will replace David Velazquez, a former FBI official, beginning on July 21, according to Jordan Barowitz, a spokesman for the Durst Organization, the real estate firm that manages and is a part owner of the skyscraper.
“We met with a number of very well qualified candidates and were impressed by the breadth and diversity of Mr. Fowler’s management experience and believe that he would be good fit for 1 World Trade Center,” said Barowitz, who noted that more than a dozen other candidates interviewed for the post.
Fowler will work directly under Edward Kahrer, the Durst director of security and a former head of the FBI’s Newark office.
Velazquez was forced out amid a series of high-profile security breaches in recent months, as first reported by The Post.
Three months ago, 16-year-old Justin Casquelo, of New Jersey, was arrested after he was able to get to the roof of the 1,1776-foot tower — spending hours there taking pictures and recording videos, without being challenged.
Casquelo’s breach was followed by the arrests of two CNN producers for trespassing.
And in September, three thrill-seeking BASE jumpers parachuted from the 104th floor after entering the grounds undetected.
Four suspects, including an ironworker who was formerly assigned to the site, have since been arrested.
Durst provides their own security guards for the interior of the 1 World Trade Center building, with Port Authority and NYPD cops patrolling the outside grounds and surrounding streets of the 16-acre site, respectively.
The Port Authority announced in a press release last month that Allied Barton, a major private security firm that provides security guards at area airports maintained by the PA, will be providing an additional security layer to the outside of the World Trade Center site, at a cost of an additional $60 million over four years.