Commissioner Roosevelt

by H. Paul Jeffers

In the Gay Nineties, no place so fully embodied the outrageous lawlessness of turn-of-the-century America as New York City - until a thirty-seven-year-old political reformer named Theodore Roosevelt emerged as president of the New York City Police Commission. How did Roosevelt transform an association of slackers, bullies, thieves, and blackmailers into one of the first truly professional law enforcement agencies in the world? H. Paul Jeffers skillfully recreates the era to illuminate Roosevelt's vision, toughness, and political savvy. By hiring the first woman in the department's history, and opening admission to ethnic minorities, the new commissioner tore down the old guard and ushered in the new. Firearms training, undercover detectives, a physical typing system that was the precursor of fingerprinting, annual physical exams for all officers, bicycle patrols, and a host of other modern innovations all became tools to build a new urban institution. It was a crucial turning point in