Raymond Kelly facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids Raymond Kelly


37th and 41st Police Commissioner of New York City
In office January 1, 2002 – December 31, 2013
Mayor	Michael Bloomberg
Preceded by	Bernie Kerik
Succeeded by	Bill Bratton
In office September 1, 1992 – January 1, 1994 Acting: September 1, 1992 – October 16, 1992
Mayor	David Dinkins
Preceded by	Lee Brown
Succeeded by	Bill Bratton
16th Commissioner of the United States Customs Service
In office July 31, 1998 – January 19, 2001
President	Bill Clinton
Preceded by	George Weise
Succeeded by	Robert Bonner
Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence
In office June 3, 1996 – July 30, 1998
President	Bill Clinton
Preceded by	Ronald Noble
Succeeded by	Jim Johnson

Personal details
Born	Raymond Walter Kelly (1941-09-04) September 4, 1941 (age 83) New York City, U.S.
Political party	Independent
Spouse	Veronica
Children	2, including Greg
Education	Manhattan University (BA) St. John's University (JD) New York University (LLM) Harvard Kennedy School (MPA)
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Marine Corps
Years of service	1963–1966 (active) 1966–1996 (reserve)
Rank	Colonel
Battles/wars	Vietnam War

Police career
Department	New York City Police Department
Rank	Commissioner

Raymond Walter Kelly, born on September 4, 1941, is an American police officer. He holds the record for being the longest-serving Police Commissioner in the history of the New York City Police Department (NYPD). He was also the first person to lead the NYPD twice, but not back-to-back.

Kelly has spent 45 years working for the NYPD. He served in 25 different roles and was Police Commissioner from 1992 to 1994. He returned to the role from 2002 until 2013. He was the first person to start as a Police Cadet and rise all the way to Commissioner.

After the World Trade Center bombing in 1993, Kelly was considered for the role of FBI Director. He turned down the job. Kelly also served as a Marine Corps Reserve colonel. He was a police director for the United Nations Mission in Haiti and a vice president for Interpol.

During the Clinton administration, Kelly worked for the United States Department of the Treasury. He was the Under Secretary for Enforcement and the Customs Service Commissioner. He was also considered to be the first U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam.

In 2011, Senator Chuck Schumer suggested Kelly for FBI Director. In 2013, Schumer also supported Kelly to become Secretary of Homeland Security. In 2014, Kelly became President of Risk Management Services at Cushman & Wakefield. This is a real estate company in New York City. In 2015, there were reports that Kelly might run for New York City Mayor.

Education and Learning

Raymond Kelly finished high school at Archbishop Molloy High School in 1959. He earned a degree in Business Administration from Manhattan University in 1963. He also has several other advanced degrees. These include a law degree from St. John's University. He also has degrees from New York University and Harvard Kennedy School.

Kelly has received many honorary degrees from various colleges and universities. These include Marist College, Manhattan University, and New York University.

Personal Life

Kelly with his wife Veronica in May 2011

Raymond Kelly was born in 1941 in Manhattan, New York City. His father, James F. Kelly, was a milkman. His mother, Elizabeth Kelly, worked at Macy's.

Kelly has always been interested in fitness. He still works out regularly. He also enjoys dressing well. He likes custom-made shirts and silk ties. He believes good clothing helps him look like an authority figure.

Kelly met his wife, Veronica, at the beach in Island Park, New York. His family had a summer home there. They have two children, including Greg Kelly, who is a TV and radio host.

Military Service

Kelly is a veteran of the Vietnam War. He became a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps in 1963. In 1965, he served in the Republic of Vietnam.

As a first lieutenant, Kelly led Marines in battle for 12 months. This included taking part in Operation Harvest Moon. After returning to the U.S., he joined the Reserves. He retired after 30 years as a colonel in the Marine Corps Reserves.

Police Career

Kelly in 2007

Kelly started his career with the New York City Police Department in 1960 as a police trainee. In 1966, he became a Patrolman. He was the top student in his class at the New York City Police Academy. He quickly moved up the ranks after returning from Vietnam.

Some people have criticized his fast rise. They felt he didn't have enough experience as a street cop. However, his long service is very different from some other police leaders.

First Deputy Commissioner

On February 9, 1990, Kelly was named First Deputy Commissioner. This was during the time Mayor David Dinkins was in office. Kelly worked under Police Commissioner Lee Brown.

Kelly was promoted to this high position over other experienced police chiefs. This was a big step up for him.

Leading the NYPD: First Term

On October 16, 1992, Mayor Dinkins appointed Kelly as the 37th Police Commissioner of New York City. Kelly worked to connect with different communities. He even attended church services to help recruit more minority police officers.

Crime rates in New York City began to fall in 1993, during Kelly's first term. He believed in "community policing." This meant putting more police officers on the streets. They could then be seen and interact with local communities. This program was called "Safe Streets, Safe City." The murder rate in New York City decreased during his time. It continued to drop even more after he left.

World Trade Center Attack 1993

The first terrorist attack on the World Trade Center happened on February 26, 1993. Kelly was the police commissioner at that time. He led the police department's investigation into the bombing.

Updating Police Equipment

In August 1993, Kelly allowed officers to use 9mm semi-automatic pistols. These new pistols replaced older revolvers. This was an important update for the police force's equipment.

Changing Leadership

In November 1993, Rudolph Giuliani won the election for Mayor of New York City. Mayor Giuliani then replaced Kelly with William Bratton, who was the police commissioner in Boston. Interestingly, Giuliani and Kelly had known each other for many years. They had attended Manhattan University around the same time.

Leading the NYPD: Second Term

As Commissioner under Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Kelly often attended community events. He was seen at the Brooklyn's annual West Indian Day Parade. He played drums and spoke with community leaders.

Under Bloomberg and Kelly, the NYPD continued to use the CompStat system. This system helps reduce crime. However, it also put pressure on local police stations to lower crime numbers. They also continued a policy called "stop-and-frisk." This policy allowed officers to stop and search people. This policy was controversial and led to lawsuits. Critics said it unfairly targeted certain groups of people.

New York State Senator Eric Adams commented on Kelly's approach. He said that Kelly used to be very good at connecting with communities. He wondered if the pressure to lower crime numbers changed this.

Under Mayor Bloomberg, Commissioner Kelly also improved New York City's police department. He turned it into a strong counter-terrorism operation. Before the September 11, 2001 attacks, fewer than two dozen officers worked on terrorism. Ten years later, there were over 1,000.

One of Kelly's new ideas was to send New York City police detectives to other cities around the world. They would go after terrorist attacks to see if there were any links to New York City's safety. For example, after the Madrid bombing and the London bombings, NYPD detectives were there quickly. They sent important information back to New York.

The NYPD also used undercover agents to gather information. They would visit stores, restaurants, and mosques. Police said they only followed leads. However, some groups raised concerns about privacy and freedom of religion.

Kelly's NYPD also faced criticism for how it handled protests. This included protests during the 2004 Republican National Convention. The city had to pay millions in lawsuits for false arrests. They also faced criticism for how they treated reporters during the 2011 Occupy Wall Street demonstrations.

In 2012, Kelly oversaw the launch of the Domain Awareness System. This is a computer system used for Police surveillance in New York City. In 2013, Kelly's visit to Brown University was met with protests. People were protesting what they saw as increased racial profiling under his leadership.

In 2014, it was reported that Kelly would no longer need a security team. This team cost New York City taxpayers $1.5 million per year. Kelly decided he was no longer a target.

Other Important Roles

International Police Work

Kelly worked as the director of International Police Monitors in Haiti. This was from October 1994 to March 1995. This U.S.-led group helped stop human rights abuses. They also set up a temporary police force. President Bill Clinton praised Kelly for his work in Haiti.

Treasury Department Role

From 1996 to 1998, Kelly was the Under Secretary for Enforcement at the United States Department of the Treasury. He oversaw several important law enforcement groups. These included the Customs Service and the Secret Service.

Interpol Executive Committee

Kelly was part of the executive committee for Interpol. He was elected vice president for the Americas from 1996 to 2000.

U.S. Customs Service Commissioner

From 1998 to 2001, Kelly was the commissioner of the U.S. Customs Service. He managed 20,000 employees and a large budget.

New York State Athletic Commission

In 2001, Governor George Pataki appointed Kelly to lead the New York State Athletic Commission. He resigned in 2002 to focus on his duties as police commissioner.

Work in Private Companies

Kelly worked as a Senior Managing Director for Corporate Security at Bear Stearns from 2000 to 2001. He also worked for Investigative Group International, a private investigation company.

After leaving his role as New York City Police Commissioner, Kelly joined a speakers bureau. He also works for K2 Intelligence, a company that provides investigative advice.

In 2014, Kelly was the Grand Marshal of the 95th annual Veterans Day parade in New York City. He marched with his wife, who was in the Coast Guard reserve. In 2021, Kelly joined the advisory board of Clearview AI. This company develops facial recognition technology.

Homeland Security Discussions

In July 2013, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano announced she was leaving her job. Many people, including Senator Charles Schumer, thought Kelly would be a good replacement.

President Obama called Kelly "one of the best there is" and "very well qualified." Kelly said he was "flattered" by the praise. However, some groups were against Kelly's possible nomination. They said his policing methods in New York were "divisive."

On October 17, 2013, President Obama nominated Jeh Johnson for the role. Johnson was confirmed as DHS Secretary in December 2013.

Community Involvement

As Police Commissioner, Kelly served as the honorary president of the Police Athletic League of New York City (PAL). This group helps children and teens in the city.

Kelly was also a member of the Harvard Club of New York City. His membership and costs were paid by the privately funded New York City Police Foundation.

Discussions About Transparency

In 2011, the New York Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit. They wanted the NYPD to release Commissioner Kelly's daily schedules. They said that Kelly was a very important official. They believed the public should know who he met with. Other high-ranking officials, like the U.S. President, share parts of their schedules.

Some argued that a police commissioner needs privacy for security reasons. Especially after 9/11. However, the New York Times and civil liberties groups argued for more openness. They pointed out that other police data had to be obtained through lawsuits.

60 Minutes Interview on Anti-Terrorism

On September 25, 2011, Kelly was interviewed on 60 Minutes. He talked about the anti-terrorism measures in New York City after the 9/11 attacks. One measure was a $3-billion NYPD Joint Operations Center. This center includes representatives from the military, FBI, and other agencies.

During the interview, Kelly said the NYPD has ways to take down a plane in extreme situations. He also mentioned that lower Manhattan has thousands of surveillance cameras. These cameras can detect suspicious packages and track people. The NYPD also uses special detectors for radiation on boats, helicopters, and police officers.

Awards and Recognition

Kelly won the "Bloomingdale Trophy" for his high scores in shooting, academics, and physical fitness at the Police Academy.
He has received 15 awards for his excellent service in the New York City Police Department.
In 2003, he was named Father of the Year by the National Father's Day Committee.
In 2006, Irish America named him Irish American of the Year.
In 2006, he received the Gold Medal from The Hundred Year Association of New York. This was for his contributions to New York City.
In 2006, he was awarded the Légion d'honneur by France. This is a very high honor.
In 2010, Kelly was the Grand Marshal of the New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade.
In 2012, he was inducted into Irish America magazine's Hall of Fame.