NYC Department of Sanitation Announces New First Deputy Commissioner and New Chief of Department

New York City Department of Sanitation Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced the promotion of two longtime public servants to senior roles in the upper echelons of leadership of the nation’s largest municipal waste agency, swearing them into office in a ceremony at Sanitation’s Lower Manhattan headquarters earlier today.

Javier Lojan will serve as the Department’s First Deputy Commissioner, the highest civilian rank in the department. Commissioner Lojan will oversee all of the Department’s Administrative functions including Operations Management, HR, Policy, and Strategic Initiatives, among other areas.

Garrett O’Reilly will serve as Chief of Department, overseeing all uniformed and operational functions, including the Bureau of Cleaning and Collection, Safety and Training, Operations, and Regulatory Compliance, among other duties.

“I can think of no better person, no more qualified person for the role of Chief of Department. Garrett: when the heat is on, you remain so cool, and your determination and dedication are clear in every moment we work together,” Sanitation Commissioner Tisch remarked. “And Javier: you are one of the most thoughtful, analytical people I have ever worked alongside, with an unwaveringly pleasant and delightfully positive disposition, uniquely suited to serve as First Deputy Commissioner. As we take on more and more responsibilities cleaning and protecting the City, I am thrilled to have both of your diverse experience at the highest levels of the Department.”

Commissioner Lojan is being promoted following the retirement of former First Deputy Commissioner Salvatore Ceraulo, who completed his service to the City of New York in December 2022. Chief O’Reilly’s position, Chief of Department, is a new role for DSNY, and its creation brings the Department in line with other New York City uniformed agencies. Chief of Department is now the highest uniformed rank within Sanitation.

“I pledge to you all that I will give the role of First Deputy Commissioner 110%, as I always do, as I've always done in every role that I’ve had, going back to a San Worker in 1999. And I will continue to ensure that DSNY shines, as it always has done for the past 142 years. I promise you, I will not let you down,” said First Deputy Commissioner Lojan.

“It's not the muscles that pick up that garbage. It’s not. It’s motivation, a belief, the feeling of support that we have for one another. I want to thank you all for putting your faith and trust in me and my experience, what I’ve built in a resumé and in relationships,” said Chief of Department O’Reilly.

About Chief of Department Garrett O’Reilly

Chief O’Reilly is a 24-year veteran of the Sanitation Department, starting his career as a Sanitation Worker in Queens in 1999. He was promoted to Supervisor in 2005 and attained the rank of Superintendent in 2007. Soon after, in 2011, he was promoted to Deputy Chief and quickly earned his second star in 2014, working in the Department’s Cleaning Operations Office and as Manhattan Borough Chief. He earned his third star in 2019 and was assigned as Chief of Collection, serving most recently as the Director of the Bureau of Cleaning and Collection starting in 2021.

About First Deputy Commissioner Javier Lojan

Commissioner Lojan is a 24-year veteran of the Sanitation Department, first serving as a Sanitation Worker in Manhattan in 1999. He was promoted to Supervisor in 2004 and to Superintendent in 2008, overseeing two commands as well as spending a year in FIAT, the Department’s Field Inspection and Audit Team. Commissioner Lojan was promoted to Deputy Chief in 2012, working in the Cleaning Office and the Operations Management Division. He earned his second star in 2015 and worked as the Queens West Borough Chief. Commissioner Lojan earned his third star in 2017 and oversaw the Department’s Personnel Management Division, and has most recently served as Director of Administration since March 2022.

About the New York City Department of Sanitation

The Department of Sanitation (DSNY) keeps New York City clean, safe, and healthy by collecting, recycling, and disposing of waste, cleaning streets, attacking the scourge of illegal dumping, and clearing snow and ice. The Department operates 59 district garages and manages a fleet of more than 2,000 rear-loading collection trucks, 450 mechanical brooms, 705 salt spreaders, and several dozen bike lane operations machines. Under the Adams Administration, the Department is aggressively cleaning more parts of the City than ever before, including over 1,000 long-ignored areas spread across every neighborhood. With the highest wintertime uniformed headcount in 20 years, DSNY is more equipped than ever to remove snow and ice from the approximately 19,000 lane-miles of City streets.