It pays to have friends in high places for some close allies of Mayor Eric Adams. 

At his weekly press briefing with reporters on Tuesday, the mayor defended his longtime friend Timothy Pearson in the wake of a fourth sexual harassment lawsuit.

Asked about their relationship, Adams, a former police captain, talked about their past. 

“I meet people, we connect. Tim has been around for a long time dealing with very important issues. He’s very well respected in the law enforcement community,” he said.

Pearson serves as Adams’ senior advisor for public safety. 

On Tuesday, a high-ranking NYPD official filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Pearson, alleging he sexually harassed women that worked under him. 

According to the filing, Pearson allegedly inappropriately touched women within the Municipal Services Assessment unit, including making sexual advances toward one employee and also staring at one employee’s rear end while making “crude noises.”

The suit brought by former NYPD Deputy Chief Miltiadis Marmara alleges he was forced to work in a hostile work environment after he allegedly reported this misconduct and eventually lost his position in the unit in retaliation. 

Amid the accusations, Adams is standing by his longtime friend. 

“I have long-term relationships with many people. And Tim walks in a room. What I've learned in life is that [a] good friend walks into a room when other walk out. And those in law enforcement, particularly officers of color, will tell you he has walked into the room in some difficult times,” he said.

The lawsuit is the latest filing against Pearson, who faces three other sexual harassment cases and is under investigation for incidents at two separate migrant shelters. 

When asked directly about Pearson’s continued employment, Adams said the "process will take its course." 

John Flannery, a lawyer for Pearson, denied the latest allegations. 

“The Defendants denied all of the substantive allegations contained in the related lawsuits that have been filed, and as with the other cases, plan to vigorously defend themselves in this suit,” Flannery said in a statement. 

Adams said Pearson will continue to serve in his administration. 

“People have a tendency when accusations are made to say, 'You know what, the pressure is hot. You need to get rid of them.’ I just don’t operate that way. I believe in the process. Let the process take its course,” he said.