Eric Leroy Adams born September 1, is an American politician and former police officer who has served as the th mayor of New York City since He served in the New York State Senate from to , representing the 20th district in Brooklyn. In , Adams was elected Brooklyn Borough President , the first Black American to hold the position, and re-elected in In , Adams received the Democratic Party 's nomination for mayor of New York City after narrowly winning a crowded primary which used instant-runoff voting.
In the general election , Adams won a landslide victory over Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa. As mayor, he has taken what is seen as a tough-on-crime approach and reintroduced a plain-clothed NYPD unit that had been disbanded by the previous administration. He has also implemented, alongside increased police presence, a zero-tolerance policy on homeless people sleeping in subway cars. In September , a series of investigations into Adams' administration emerged.
Adams has been indicted on federal charges of bribery, fraud, and soliciting illegal foreign campaign donations. He is the first mayor in New York City history to be charged with federal crimes while in office. He has alleged that the charges are retaliation for opposing the Biden-Harris administration 's handling of the migrant crisis. Adams was born in Brownsville, Brooklyn , on September 1, His family was so poor that he often brought a bag of clothes to school with him in case of a sudden eviction from his home.
As a young boy, he sometimes earned money as a squeegee boy. At age 14, Adams joined a gang, the 7-Crowns, and became known as "a tough little guy". He also ran errands, including purchasing groceries, for a dancer and part-time prostitute named Micki after she became injured.
The two were later arrested for criminal trespassing. Adams was sent to a juvenile detention center for a few days before being sentenced to probation. He was particularly intrigued by the black police officer and by the "swagger" and "respect" that comes with being in law enforcement. Adams would later attend his church often. Adams graduated from Bayside High School in Queens in January , [ 23 ] but struggled to maintain good grades.
