CHELSEA — The 10th Precinct has a new leader.
Deputy Inspector Michele Irizarry took over command of the precinct at the start of July, the NYPD said, putting her in charge of an area that covers Chelsea and western Hell's Kitchen.
The precinct's former commander, Capt. David Miller, is moving on to Patrol Borough Queens North. Miller took over as top officer at the precinct in April 2013.
Irizarry joined the NYPD in 1995 as a patrol officer in The Bronx's 44th Precinct. She became a sergeant in 2000, a lieutenant in 2005, a captain in 2007 and a deputy inspector in 2012. She comes to the precinct from the NYPD's Police Academy, where she handled specialized training.
The commanding officer was introduced to locals on the precinct's new Twitter account.
Irizarry takes over the precinct as major crimes are down more than 12 percent for the year, though the precinct still deals with a large number of grand larcenies from identity theft and stolen unattended bags.
The precinct also has to deal with frequent complaints from locals about quality of life issues, including idling trucks and buses and cyclists biking the wrong way down streets.
