Jennifer Lackard, the Deputy Commissioner of Wellness for the Mount Vernon Police Department, was arrested Tuesday on charges of attempted murder and conspiracy. Prosecutors allege she acted as the getaway driver for her son, Chase Lackard, after he opened fire near the Bronx Hall of Justice on June 29.
Lackard, 49, was taken into custody at her Bronx home around 5:30 a.m. She was subsequently fired from her position "effective immediately," according to a statement from the Mount Vernon Police Department (MVPD).
The incident occurred just before noon on June 29, when Chase Lackard allegedly fired shots at a group behind the courthouse. No one was injured in the shooting, which police attributed to gang tensions. Following the alleged gunfire, Chase Lackard entered a vehicle driven by his mother, according to authorities.
This is not the first encounter Chase Lackard, 20, has had with law enforcement. In November 2024, he was shot by NYPD officers in Soundview after reportedly waving a gun and pointing it at officers. He faces charges including criminal use of a firearm and menacing a police officer in that incident. Prior to that, he was arrested for carrying a loaded gun but was granted supervised release. He was also involved in a gang-related incident in January 2023 and was previously shot in the chest as a teenager on an MTA bus.
Jennifer Lackard joined the Mount Vernon Police Department in 2020 after serving on the Bronx Community Board 9. She founded several organizations aimed at assisting formerly incarcerated individuals with reintegration into society. Her past work also includes mentoring wives of incarcerated men, drawing from her experience when her husband was arrested on drug charges in North Carolina in 2012. As deputy commissioner, she focused on police reform, community complaints, and community relations. In a previous interview, she stated her commitment to proactive community engagement to protect civil liberties and build a safer city.
The MVPD issued a statement acknowledging the charges against Lackard, noting they are "unrelated to her duties with the Mount Vernon Police Department and do not stem from any conduct associated with the Department or the performance of her official responsibilities." The department affirmed its commitment to its Wellness Unit and stated that services would continue uninterrupted.