Comey was born in Yonkers, New York, where his parents, Joan Marie Comey (nee Herald) and J. Brien Comey, lived. His grandfather, William J. Comey, was an officer and later commissioner of the Yonkers Police Department. The family moved to Allendale, New Jersey, in the early 1970s. His father worked in corporate real estate and his mother was a computer consultant and homemaker.

In February 2015, Comey delivered a speech at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., regarding the relationship between police and the African American community. He said that, "At many points in American history, law enforcement enforced the status quo - a status quo that was often brutally unfair to disfavored groups", mentioning as an example his own Irish ancestors, who he said had often been regarded as drunks and criminals by law enforcement in the early 20th century. He added: "The Irish had some tough times, but little compares to the experience on our soil of black Americans", going on to highlight current societal issues such as lack of opportunities for employment and education which can lead young black men to crime. Comey stated:  Police officers on patrol in our nation's cities often work in environments where a hugely disproportionate percentage of street crime is committed by young men of color. Something happens to people of good will working in that environment. After years of police work, officers often can't help be influenced by the cynicism they feel. A mental shortcut becomes almost irresistible.  In October 2015, Comey gave a speech raising concerns that body worn video results in less effective policing, contradicting the President's public position. Days later, President Obama met with Comey in the Oval Office to address the issue. In an October 23 speech at the University of Chicago Law School, Comey said:  I remember being asked why we were doing so much prosecuting in black neighborhoods and locking up so many black men. After all, Richmond was surrounded by areas with largely white populations. Surely there were drug dealers in the suburbs. My answer was simple: We are there in those neighborhoods because that's where people are dying. These are the guys we lock up because they are the predators choking off the life of a community. We did this work because we believed that all lives matter, especially the most vulnerable. Answer this question using a quote from the following article:

what were his intentions to remedy this unfair situation?
Comey gave a speech raising concerns that body worn video results in less effective policing, contradicting the President's public position.