Biography of Jeanene L. Barrett
Inspector General for the NYPD

Jeanene Barrett's experience spans more than 20 years and includes in-depth knowledge of policing, police reform and oversight in New York City, as well as community engagement, and the criminal justice system.

Inspector General (IG) Barrett came to DOI's OIG-NYPD in 2019 as the Deputy Inspector General for Policy Analysis and was promoted to First Deputy Inspector General in 2020. Prior to her appointment as Inspector General in August 2023, she served as Acting Inspector General for the OIG-NYPD. She has overseen an array of matters, including the release of  Annual Reports and a variety of investigations that resulted in reports and a Statement of Findings,  including, "An Investigation into NYPD's Criminal Group Database" and "Overtime Under Review: NYPD Overtime and the Increased Risk of Negative Policing Outcomes." 

Prior to joining DOI, IG Barrett worked for Judicial, Arbitration, and Mediation Services (JAMS) as the Project Manager for the New York City Stop & Frisk Joint Remedial Process. This comprehensive community engagement process resulted in a final report that included 14 recommendations and 12 policy considerations for reforms to the NYPD. Earlier in her career, she conducted extensive life history investigations as a mitigation specialist on death penalty cases, as a policy consultant examining issues impacting young people between the ages of six and 24 in the city of Chicago, and in a range of roles within the Illinois child welfare system protecting children at risk of abuse and neglect while providing support to families in need.

In addition to her work in New York City and Chicago, since 2003 IG Barrett has taught college courses on criminal justice, policing, statistical methods, qualitative research methods, and related topics.

IG Barrett holds a Ph.D. in Criminal Justice from the CUNY Graduate Center - John Jay College of Criminal Justice. She has a Master of Philosophy in Criminal Justice from the CUNY Graduate Center; a Master of Arts in Social Work from the University of Chicago; and a Master of Science in Human Services Administration from Spertus Institute in Chicago. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Administration of Justice from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.