New York City Police Commissioner Teddy Roosevelt -America’s First Progressive Police Leader
/New York City Police Commissioner Teddy Roosevelt
America’s First Progressive Police Leader
By Chief Rich Rosell
“No man is above the law, no man is below it; nor do we ask any man’s permission when we require him to obey it. Obedience of the law is demanded as a right, not asked as a favor”.
Commissioner Teddy Roosevelt
“No man is above the law, no man is below it; nor do we ask any man’s permission when we require him to obey it. Obedience of the law is demanded as a right, not asked as a favor”. ~ Commissioner Teddy Roosevelt
For those of us fortunate enough to have worked closely with the New York City Police Department, we are aware of the proud lineage of the organization. Strong and effective transformational leaders; dynamic and selfless operational and tactical officers. We are also acutely aware of the losses they have suffered through their tireless and brave pursuit of justice. But many in law enforcement are unaware that the 26th president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, served as a commissioner of the New York City Police Department.
During the Roosevelt era, NYPD was governed by a board of six commissioners. Teddy Roosevelt was the president of the New York City Board of Commissioners from 1895-1897. His leadership principles from the late 1800s are still studied by police leaders today.
Roosevelt was appointed to the Board of Commissioners by the reform-minded Mayor William Strong. Strong found himself overseeing hearings related to graft and misconduct running rampant in the NYPD. Knowing the strong moral and ethical fiber of Teddy Roosevelt, he offered him the position as president of the board. From the onset, Roosevelt set to work on two primary goals, 1) ethically reform the agency and 2) improve the quality of life for the citizens.
Roosevelt became involved in the Progressive Movement prior to his appointment as commissioner, continuing his advocacy with great zeal. A man of heart and conscience, Roosevelt was moved and disturbed at the plight of poor people in New York City. Jacob Riis, famed journalist of his time, said of Roosevelt’s tenure as police commissioner and his dedication to the less fortunate, “for the first time a moral purpose came into the street.” “In the light of it everything was transformed,” often referring to the period as “the Golden Age.” Some criminologists consider Roosevelt to be the godfather of American Community Policing.
A popular story written about Roosevelt chronicles his response to the outcry from the Jewish community over the fact that a well-known German anti-Semitic fanatic named Ahlwardt was permitted to present a hate speech. Roosevelt was disgusted by anti-Semitism, but his hands were tied. Roosevelt, a staunch constitutionalist, explained that he could not legally keep the man from speaking. However, he could not let Ahlwardt completely get his way. He assigned Jewish police officers as his bodyguards, because, as he put it, “Ahlwardt would owe his safety to the fact that he was scrupulously protected by men of the very race he denounced” (Wagenknecht 2009).
During his two-year tenure, Commissioner Roosevelt made his mark on the NYPD, quickly, decisively, and radically reforming the agency. Known for his discipline, Roosevelt implemented policies requiring more detailed personnel and weapon inspections, demanded professionalism and ethical accountability, and dramatically changed the employment requirements which, up until his tenure, had been based on political or personal affiliation rather the physical or character-based qualifications. He often walked beats at irregular times, making certain that his officers were on duty when and where they were expected to be. He had no problem calling the officers and their supervisors on the carpet for violating the agency’s code of conduct. Concurrent with his ethical and operational reformation of the NYPD, he continued as an advocate for the poor, often patrolling in high-crime areas, speaking with the residents in order to get a sense of what they needed from the police. He could often be seen patrolling then crime-ridden Mulberry Street, identifying those responsible for victimizing the residents of that area, offering hope to those who were dependent upon the police for their safety. In keeping with his lifetime of public service, Roosevelt led from the front.
Many of Roosevelt’s philosophies on police ethics and accountability are still valid today; do what is right, never shirk your duties and responsibilities, never sell your badge, treat all people equally, and the law applies to us all, just to name a few. Good leaders have studied his theories for over 100 years and created their own leadership principles that delineate their officer’s daily ethical actions. He left his mark on one of the finest police agencies in the world, and arguably on us all.
Chief Rosell is currently the Police Chief and Public Safety Director for the Town of Indian River Shores, Florida, the former Director of Public Safety for the Town of Dover, NJ and Township of Springfield, NJ, and a 27-year veteran of the New Jersey State Police, retiring at the rank of Captain. He has a very diverse skill set with vast operational, training, policymaking, homeland security, leadership, management and administrative experience.
