Name Top Prosecutor Public Safety Counsel In Law Department

The Law Department July 18 appointed a former Federal prosecutor as its new Executive Assistant Corporation Counsel for Public Safety, which oversees Federal police lawsuits and juvenile cases.

CELESTE KOELEVELD: 'A unique blend' of talents.

Celeste Koeleveld, a Harvard University graduate with a law degree from Columbia University, will head the department's Special Federal Litigation Division and the Family Court Division.

'A Consummate Pro'

"She is a consummate professional who brings a unique blend of hard-hitting legal experience with the ability to manage large legal teams with finesse," Corporation Counsel Michael Cardozo said in a statement. "Her experience will dovetail perfectly with many of our key initiatives, especially in the ever-growing - and ever complicated - areas of police protection and security."

He added, "Moreover, Celeste's academic achievements cannot be matched. It is a rare individual who balances the challenge of intellectual pursuits with the ability to apply them successfully in the real world."

In her time as a Federal prosecutor holding top posts in the U.S. Attorney's Office in Manhattan, Ms. Koeleveld specialized in organized crime, union corruption and narcotics cases. She also received the U.S. Attorney General's Award for Distinguished Service in 1999.

In a phone interview, Ms. Koeleveld said that while she had worked on various police issue at the U.S. Attorney's Office, family and juvenile case will be new ground for her.

"The goals for juvenile justice are broader," she said. "With the juvenile justice there is more of a focus on rehabilitation than there may be in the adult system. There you might have more of a focus on punishment and general deterrence."