Raymond Kelly

Raymond Kelly
Raymond Kelly
Born	September 4, 1941 (age 85); New York City, U.S.
Occupation	Law enforcement official
Years active	1960–2013
Known for	Longest-serving New York City Police Commissioner; first to rise from Police Cadet to Commissioner

Raymond Walter Kelly (born September 4, 1941) is a distinguished American law enforcement official renowned for being the longest-serving New York City Police Commissioner in the history of the NYPD. He held this position in two separate terms, first from 1992 to 1994 and then from 2002 until 2013. A native New Yorker, Kelly devoted 45 years to the NYPD, working across 25 different commands. Notably, he was the first individual to ascend from Police Cadet all the way to Commissioner, achieving nearly every rank except Three-Star Bureau Chief, Chief of Department, and Deputy Commissioner, advancing directly from Two-Star Chief to First Deputy Commissioner in 1990.

After his command during the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, Kelly was considered for the role of FBI Director but ultimately declined; the appointment went to Louis Freeh instead.

Kelly's career also includes service as a Marine Corps Reserve colonel, police director for the United Nations Mission in Haiti, and vice president of Interpol. Under President Bill Clinton, he served as Under Secretary for Enforcement at the Treasury Department and as Commissioner of the United States Customs Service. Additionally, he was a contender to become the inaugural U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam following the restoration of diplomatic ties in 1995.

In March 2011, Senator Chuck Schumer publicly endorsed Kelly for FBI Director, and by July 2013, he supported Kelly's candidacy for United States Secretary of Homeland Security.

After leaving public office, Kelly transitioned into the private sector and was named President of Risk Management Services at Cushman & Wakefield, a leading commercial real estate firm based in New York City, in March 2014.

By 2015, media reports suggested that Kelly was contemplating a mayoral campaign in New York City, motivated by his profound "love for New York City."

Early life and education

Born on September 4, 1941, in New York City, Kelly grew up on Manhattan's Upper West Side. His father, James F. Kelly, worked as a milkman, while his mother, Elizabeth Kelly, was employed at Macy's.

Kelly completed his secondary education at Archbishop Molloy High School in 1959. He then earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Manhattan University in 1963. Furthering his education, he obtained a J.D. from St. John's University School of Law, an LL.M. degree from New York University School of Law, and an M.P.A. from the Harvard Kennedy School.

Throughout his career, Kelly has been honored with honorary degrees from several institutions including Marist College, Manhattan University, St. John's University, New York University, Iona College, and Pace University.

Military career

Kelly is a combat-experienced veteran of the Vietnam War. Commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps in 1963, he served with the 2nd Battalion 1st Marines during his deployment to South Vietnam in 1965. As a first lieutenant, he commanded Marines in combat operations over a twelve-month tour that included involvement in Operation Harvest Moon. Upon returning stateside, Kelly joined the Marine Corps Reserves and ultimately retired after three decades of service holding the rank of colonel.

Early law enforcement career

Kelly began his journey with the New York City Police Department as a trainee in 1960 and earned his Patrolman title in 1966. He graduated at the top of his class from the Police Academy and successfully passed the sergeant's examination after returning from Vietnam. Despite his limited experience on patrol, his swift advancement sparked criticism from some peers who believed he lacked practical street-level insight.

In contrast, his predecessor Bernard Kerik ascended to commissioner after only eight years of service, appointed by Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

First Deputy Commissioner

On February 9, 1990, during Mayor David Dinkins' tenure, Kelly was named First Deputy Commissioner. Reporting directly to Police Commissioner Lee P. Brown, Kelly was elevated ahead of several senior chiefs, including Robert J. Johnston Jr., the Four-Star Chief of Department. To prevent conflicts in the chain of command, Brown arranged for Johnston to report straight to the Commissioner rather than through Kelly.

37th New York City Police Commissioner

Mayor Dinkins appointed Kelly as the 37th New York City Police Commissioner on October 16, 1992. At that time, black officers comprised 11.5% of the NYPD workforce, while the city’s black population exceeded 25%. Kelly made minority recruitment a key focus, actively engaging with communities through media channels and church outreach programs.

During Kelly’s leadership, the nationwide decline in violent and property crimes started in 1993. Advocating community policing principles, he introduced the Safe Streets, Safe City initiative to boost police visibility and foster stronger community ties. He also tackled quality-of-life challenges, including addressing issues caused by "squeegee men," which were seen as indicators of urban decline. Under his administration, New York's homicide rate dropped from its 1990 high of 2,254 to 1,927 by the time he left office in 1994, with continued decreases under Mayors Giuliani and Bloomberg. This downward trend resumed during Kelly’s second tenure as commissioner (2002–2013).

1993 World Trade Center bombing

The initial terrorist attack on the World Trade Center took place on February 26, 1993, while Kelly served as police commissioner under Mayor Dinkins (1992–1994). He led the NYPD’s investigative efforts into the bombing.

1993 NYPD handgun modernization

In August 1993, Kelly authorized the introduction of a 9mm semi-automatic pistol option for officers, approving models such as Glock 19, SIG Sauer P226, and Smith & Wesson 5946 to replace the department’s .38 Special revolvers. Despite early malfunctions demonstrated during a media event, Kelly oversaw this transition with concerns about reliability.

Leadership change

Following Mayor Dinkins’ defeat in November 1993, Rudolph Giuliani appointed William Bratton—formerly Boston Police Commissioner—to replace Kelly. Giuliani and Kelly shared a longstanding connection dating back to their days at Manhattan University.

41st New York City Police Commissioner

During his tenure as NYPD commissioner under Mayor Bloomberg, Kelly maintained active community engagement while heavily relying on the CompStat system implemented by Bratton. This data-driven policing model was credited with crime reduction but also faced criticism for allegedly pressuring precincts to manipulate crime statistics and increase minor arrests. Bloomberg and Kelly expanded the controversial stop-and-frisk program, which a federal court later declared unconstitutional due to racial profiling concerns. In 2011 alone, stops rose by 13.5%, with 84% targeting black or Latino individuals; most stops did not result in arrests or citations. Critics such as State Senator Eric Adams questioned Kelly’s pivot from community-centered policing toward aggressive tactics focused on lowering crime numbers.

Under Bloomberg’s administration, Kelly transformed the NYPD into a premier counter-terrorism agency collaborating closely with the CIA. The full-time counterterrorism staff expanded from fewer than two dozen before September 11 to over 1,000 within ten years. He pioneered deploying NYPD detectives overseas following attacks like those in Madrid (2004) and London (2005) to collect intelligence pertinent to New York’s security.

A 2011 Associated Press investigation exposed extensive NYPD surveillance programs targeting Muslim communities through undercover operatives known as "rakers" and "mosque crawlers," who observed daily activities without specific evidence of wrongdoing. While NYPD officials denied ethnic profiling allegations, civil liberties groups raised constitutional issues applicable to state agencies like NYPD but not federal entities such as the FBI.

Kelly’s leadership also attracted criticism over handling protests during events such as the 2004 Republican National Convention and for harsh treatment of journalists covering Occupy Wall Street demonstrations—resulting in costly legal settlements for New York City.

In March 2007, an inmate plotted an assassination attempt against Kelly alongside plans to bomb police headquarters in retaliation for the Sean Bell shooting.

In 2012, Kelly oversaw implementation of the Domain Awareness System—a real-time surveillance platform integrating CCTV footage and license plate recognition technology—to enhance law enforcement capabilities.

Kelly’s visit to Brown University in 2013 sparked protests highlighting allegations of racial profiling and civil rights violations during his administration.

By November 2014, after moving into private sector roles, Kelly discontinued his $1.5 million taxpayer-funded security detail that had included ten officers providing round-the-clock protection due to threats linked to his policing career.

New York City Police Pension Fund

In April 2009, Kelly chose not to participate in the vote to exclude Quadrangle Group from conducting business with the NYC Police Pension Fund during an ongoing pension investigation.

Possible connection to Schoolcraft incident

Kelly might have had knowledge of the purported NYPD plot against whistleblower Adrian Schoolcraft. According to the Village Voice, the presence of NYPD spokesperson Paul Browne at Schoolcraft’s residence in October 2009 indicates that Kelly was likely informed about the decision to forcibly remove Schoolcraft soon after he reported police misconduct.

Director, International Police Monitors

Between October 1994 and March 1995, Kelly led the International Police Monitors of the Multinational Force in Haiti, with a mission to halt human rights violations and create a temporary police force. For his efforts, President Bill Clinton honored him with a commendation for "exceptionally meritorious service," and he also received the Commander's Award for Public Service from General John M. Shalikashvili.

Under Secretary for Enforcement

From 1996 until 1998, Kelly held the position of Under Secretary for Enforcement at the United States Department of the Treasury, where he supervised enforcement agencies such as the United States Customs Service, United States Secret Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, and Office of Foreign Assets Control.

Interpol Executive Committee Member

Kelly was a member of Interpol’s executive committee and served as vice president for the Americas from 1996 through 2000.

Commissioner, U.S. Customs Service

Leading the U.S. Customs Service from 1998 to 2001, Kelly managed a workforce of 20,000 employees and oversaw an annual budget of $20 billion.

Chairman, New York State Athletic Commission

Appointed by Governor George Pataki in 2001, Kelly chaired the New York State Athletic Commission until his resignation in 2002 to dedicate himself fully to his role as police commissioner.

Private sector

Kelly served as Senior Managing Director for Corporate Security at Bear Stearns between 2000 and 2001 and directed the New York office of Investigative Group International, a private investigation company.

Following his tenure as New York City Police Commissioner, Kelly joined Greater Talent Network’s speakers bureau beginning January 2014. He is also affiliated with K2 Intelligence, an investigative consulting firm.

A retired Marine Colonel, Kelly was honored as Grand Marshal of New York City’s 95th annual Veterans Day parade in 2014.

In August 2021, Kelly became a member of the advisory board for Clearview AI, a facial recognition technology company based in the United States.

Department of Homeland Security speculation

After Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano announced her resignation in July 2013, Kelly was immediately mentioned by various figures, including Senator Charles Schumer, as a possible successor. During an interview on July 16, President Obama referred to several strong candidates for DHS Secretary but specifically highlighted Kelly as "one of the best there is" and "highly qualified for the position." The following day, Kelly acknowledged feeling "flattered" by Obama's remarks but did not confirm whether he was interested in pursuing the role.

Opposition arose from a coalition of Muslim organizations that criticized Kelly’s law enforcement record as "divisive" and accused it of encouraging profiling. In response, Kelly authored an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal defending NYPD initiatives, noting that officers averaged fewer than one stop per week and stating that these programs saved "7,383 lives," mainly young men of color.

On October 17, 2013, President Obama nominated Jeh Johnson to serve as DHS Secretary. Johnson’s appointment was recognized for increasing racial diversity within Obama’s Cabinet. After a Senate rule change limiting minority opposition to executive nominations in November 2013, Johnson was confirmed in December.

Conflicts Regarding Civil Liberties

On October 16, 2011, the New York Civil Liberties Union initiated legal action in the New York State Supreme Court, demanding that the New York Police Department disclose Commissioner Kelly's daily agendas. The suit argued that transparency was lacking compared to other officials, such as the president of the United States, whose schedules were publicly available. Notably, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo had begun sharing detailed daily itineraries online a month prior. Donna Lieberman, executive director of the civil rights organization, remarked, "If it is deemed safe for the nation's leader to reveal his schedule, then it should be equally safe for the NYPD commissioner to do so."

In defense of Kelly, urban policy expert Mitchell L. Moss from NYU stated that in a post-9/11 security environment, a police commissioner must be granted "broad latitude" because of his distinctive role in protecting the city, comparing his position to that of a "secretary of defense" or "chief architect."

An editorial published by The New York Times underscored ongoing challenges in achieving transparency with the NYPD, citing lawsuits seeking data on stop-and-frisk practices and officer-involved shootings. The newspaper itself encountered legal obstacles when requesting police information related to handgun owners and hate crime locations.

60 Minutes Interview

On September 25, 2011, Kelly appeared on 60 Minutes to discuss counterterrorism initiatives focused on New York City's financial district following the events of 9/11. He spotlighted the NYPD’s $3-billion Joint Operations Center, which combines efforts from military units, FBI agents, FEMA officials, and first responders.

During the interview, Kelly disclosed that the NYPD has missile systems capable of neutralizing aircraft under extreme circumstances:

Pelley: Are you confident that threats involving aircraft have been adequately addressed?

Kelly: It’s something we monitor closely. In a critical scenario, we possess the capability to bring down a plane ...

Pelley: You’re saying the NYPD has that capability?

Kelly: Yes. I’d rather not provide further specifics ...

The segment also showcased the extensive surveillance network in place: nearly 3,000 cameras located throughout Lower Manhattan transmit live feeds to a secure command center. Advanced equipment includes radiological sensors installed on boats and helicopters as well as sensitive radiation detectors worn by officers on their belts. The system can rapidly detect suspicious packages and identify individuals based on descriptions within seconds.

Affiliations

Since assuming the role of Police Commissioner, Kelly has acted as honorary president of the Police Athletic League of New York City (PAL), a non-profit organization dedicated to youth development programs for children and teenagers living in urban neighborhoods.

During his service under Mayor Bloomberg, Kelly maintained membership in the Harvard Club of New York City, with dues and related expenses covered by the privately funded New York City Police Foundation. Initially omitted from Kelly’s financial disclosures, this benefit was later reported following public scrutiny in 2010.

A 2010 report also revealed that Kelly shared six private flights to Florida with Mayor Bloomberg in 2008 and five such flights in 2009; however, the costs for these trips were not publicly disclosed.

Personal Life

A lifelong fitness devotee, Kelly engages regularly in weightlifting and cardiovascular exercise. He is recognized for his refined fashion choices, favoring bespoke shirts cleaned by Geneva and silk ties crafted by Charvet, which he credits as an essential means for men to express themselves. Kelly maintains that wearing high-quality attire strengthens his authoritative presence and commissions custom-tailored suits from master tailor Martin Greenfield, renowned for serving prominent politicians and celebrities.

Kelly met his wife Veronica at Island Park, New York, where his family owned a summer home.

He is father to Greg Kelly, formerly co-anchor of Fox's morning program Good Day New York, who currently hosts shows on Newsmax TV and New York’s WABC radio station.

Awards and honors

Kelly was awarded the "Bloomingdale Trophy" for achieving the highest overall score in marksmanship, academics, and physical fitness upon completing training at the New York City Police Academy.
Throughout his tenure with the New York City Police Department, he earned 15 commendations recognizing his exemplary service.
In 2003, the National Father's Day Committee honored Kelly as Father of the Year.
On March 16, 2006, Irish America designated him as Irish American of the Year.
He was presented with The Hundred Year Association of New York's Gold Medal on June 19, 2006, in acknowledgment of his significant impact on New York City.
The Légion d'honneur was bestowed upon Kelly on September 9, 2006, during a ceremony led by then-French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy.
Kelly fulfilled the role of Grand Marshal for the 249th New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade on March 17, 2010.
On March 14, 2012, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame by Irish America magazine.

External links

On the Front Line in the War on Terrorism, City Journal, Summer 2007

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