Freya Rigterink

Executive Director

   freya.rigterink@nyu.edu

   High-resolution photo

Freya is the Executive Director of the Policing Project. As Executive Director, Freya oversees the Policing Project’s day-to-day operations and initiatives. She also leads the organization’s Reimagining Public Safety portfolio. Previously, Freya was the Policing Project’s Chief Operating Officer and Director Public Safety Partnerships.

Freya came to the Policing Project with a background in municipal government and oversight. Most recently, Freya served as Chief of Staff to the First Deputy Mayor for New York City, where she focused on public safety and the City’s pandemic response, among other areas. Prior to that, Freya served as the Senior Advisor for Criminal Justice to the First Deputy Mayor, overseeing the City's plan to close the jails on Rikers Island and other initiatives to build a smaller, safer, and fairer justice system.

Before joining the New York City Mayor's Office, Freya worked as an Assistant Inspector General for the City of Chicago Office of the Inspector General, where she focused on investigations, agency performance, and police accountability. Earlier in her career, Freya co-founded a start-up that expands educational and engagement opportunities for incarcerated people. Freya has also held a variety of policy and legislative roles at the New York City Council.

Freya holds a BA from Wesleyan University and a JD from Northwestern University. She is a member of the New York City Commission to Combat Police Corruption and a former member of the New York City Board of Correction.