Rodney K. Harrison facts for kids

Rodney K. Harrison (born February 25, 1969) is an American police officer who served as the Police Commissioner of the Suffolk County Police Department. Before that, he had a long career with the New York City Police Department (NYPD), where he reached the highest uniformed rank, Chief of Department.

Harrison started his career with the NYPD in 1991 as a police cadet. He officially became a police officer in 1992. ..... In 1995, he was promoted to detective.

Throughout his career, Harrison held many important leadership roles. He was the head of two police precincts in Harlem. In 2014, he was chosen to be the second-in-command on Staten Island after a major incident involving the police. Later, as Chief of Patrol, he helped start the Neighborhood Policing Program.

In December 2019, Harrison made history when he became the first black Chief of Detectives in the NYPD's 175-year history. In 2021, he was promoted again to Chief of Department, the top uniformed officer in the entire NYPD. He retired from the NYPD later that year.

Soon after, he was chosen to be the Police Commissioner of Suffolk County, becoming the first black person to hold that job. During his time there, he led a famous investigation into the Gilgo Beach serial killings, which resulted in the arrest of a suspect. He resigned in December 2023. Today, Rodney Harrison works as a law enforcement expert for CBS National News and holds a leadership position at a security risk company.

Early Life and Education

Rodney Harrison grew up in the South Jamaica area of Queens, New York. He joined the NYPD as a police cadet in 1991. He went to Benjamin N Cardozo High School. Later, he studied at Springfield College, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Liberal Arts.

Harrison graduated from the NYC Police Academy on January 12, 1993. After graduating, he patrolled the 114th Precinct in Astoria, Queens.

A Brave Moment

On September 21, 1995, Harrison was working undercover in Brooklyn. He and his partner, Detective Mike Stoney, faced a dangerous situation. ..... Detective Stoney was shot but thankfully survived.

Harrison played a key role in making sure all five people involved, including the shooter, were arrested. For their bravery, both Harrison and Stoney received the NYPD's Departmental Combat Cross. This is the department's second-highest honor for courage.

Career Highlights

Suffolk County Police Department

In December 2021, Harrison was nominated to become the police commissioner for Suffolk County. To take the job, he retired from the NYPD after a 30-year career. The Suffolk County legislature approved his nomination, and he was sworn in on January 11, 2022. He was the first black Police Commissioner in the department's history.

New York City Police Department

In December 2019, Harrison was promoted to Chief of Detectives. This was a historic moment, as he was the first black person to hold this important role in the NYPD. He was responsible for overseeing all of the city's detectives and their investigations.

Dates of Rank

This list shows the different ranks Harrison held during his career and the year he was promoted to each one.

• Sworn in as a Police Officer - 07/01/1992
• Promoted to Detective - 1995
• Promoted to Sergeant - 2000
• Promoted to Lieutenant - 2005
• Promoted to Captain - 2007
• Promoted to Deputy Inspector - 2009
• Promoted to Inspector - 2011
• Promoted to Deputy Chief - 2014
• ☆☆ Promoted to Assistant Chief - 2016
• ☆☆☆ Promoted to Chief of Patrol - 2018
• Promoted to Chief of Detectives - 2019
• Chief of Department - 2021