City Councilman Rory Lancman on Wednesday became the first person to announce his candidacy for Queens district attorney, a job held by seven-term incumbent Richard Brown.
Brown, 85, has not said if he’ll seek another term next year.
“I think this is going to be literally a once-in-a-generation opportunity to remake the criminal justice system in Queens,” said Lancman, 49.
If elected, Lancman said he would get the Queens DA’s Office behind efforts to close Rikers Island and replace it with more local lockups, including a re-opened and dramatically enlarged jail in Kew Gardens.
Lancman’s declaration may also finally force Brown to show his hand and reveal if he will stand for re-election for the post, which he has held since 1991.