Bailey Sworn In As Chief of Division of Safety and Training
Amid the festivities in Times Square on New Year’s Eve, Mayor Eric Adams and Sanitation Commissioner Jessica Tisch held a ceremony to swear in Cherry Bailey as a three-star Chief, assigning her to lead the Division of Safety and Training.
Chief Bailey is the first Black woman to hold the three-star title, and only the second woman to achieve that rank in the Department’s history.
“Congratulations to Chief Bailey on her historic and well deserved promotion,” said Sanitation Commissioner Jessica Tisch. “In her career, the Chief has taken on very difficult assignments, including standing up DSNY’s first highway cleaning unit, and has brought the Department honor everywhere she has been. She is the right person to train the next generation of New York City Sanitation Workers.”
“Over the last two decades, I’ve been proud to serve the City, and today, our Department is doing more than ever before. That means that training the next generation of Sanitation Workers is more important than it’s ever been before, too. I want to thank Mayor Adams and Commissioner Tisch for the trust they’ve placed in me with this honor,” said Chief Bailey.
Bailey’s Career Path in DSNY
Chief Cherry Bailey began her work at DSNY as a Sanitation Worker serving Jamaica and St. Albans in November 2005.
Her assignments as Supervisor and Superintendent were both in the Bronx, working in Districts 1, 2, 8, and the Borough Office. She first earned a promotion to Deputy Chief in 2014, and held assignments in the Bronx Borough Office, Queens East Borough Office, and Cleaning Operations Office.
After being promoted to Assistant Chief in 2021, Chief Bailey led the Department’s Lot Cleaning Unit before a period as Queens East Borough Chief.
Chief Bailey is coming to Safety and Training from the Department’s newly created Highway Unit, a key part of Mayor Adams’ cleanliness agenda.
New Role Focused on Training and Safety
In her new role, Chief Bailey will serve as Chief of the Division of Safety and Training, which is responsible for all administrative and operational training and ensures that employees have the knowledge and skills to perform their jobs safely and effectively in a hazard-free workplace.
The Division has the jurisdiction to enforce Federal, State, City and Departmental laws, rules and regulations pertaining to safe motor vehicle operation and work procedures, building maintenance and driver’s license requirements.
Adams and Tisch Promote DSNY Careers
At a January press conference with Chief Bailey and DCAS Commissioner Dawn Pinnock, Mayor Adams emphasized the importance of DSNY jobs to the middle class.
“We want to make sure that we have the diversity that’s reflective of New York City. That’s why we’re sending the word out, a job that pays $83,000 after five years, a job that has great vacation benefits as well as good healthcare. This is a middle class salary,” said Adams.
DSNY Commissioner Tisch added, “This is a rare opportunity to join the Strongest, a chance to become a New York City Sanitation Worker, a meaningful career with great benefits, good pay stability, and the satisfaction of taking care of our city. After five and a half years on the job, sanitation workers hit a top base pay of over $83,000. There are also opportunities to earn overtime and a world-class pension.”
