Ray Kelly

L.G.: Since you're a public official with a very high public profile, how important is being a communicator to the public at large as well as within the department? Let me read you something-this is from a Newsday columnist: "Ray Kelly has that classic, just-the-facts, tough-cop look. You know, with the pug-nosed broad features, the close-cropped gray hair, and the body that seems to be built out of solid rock. But don't be fooled. The police commissioner is a silver-tongued slickster of the first rank. He can take a dubious line and spin it more artfully than a whole army of public-relations wizards."

R.K.: Really? Hmm.

L.G.: Wrong? Right?

R.K.: Communication is part of the job. Did you read the Village Voice last week? I saw an article in it, "Ray Kelly's Surprising Under the Radar Campaign." This article presupposes that I would only go out and do a good job because I wanted to be mayor. In there, you'll read positive statements from the Muslim community, from the Orthodox Jewish community, and from Calvin Butts. So, in terms of I go out and speak to them, it's gets to your point-

L.G.: When you took over this most recent tour, you went to a lot of black churches-

R.K.: Well, last time I did it and this time I've done it as well. I mean, you have to be police commissioner of all the people. We have made this department the most diverse police department in the United States. In our police academy right now, we have recruits from more than 58 countries, and that's incredible. We have more Urdu, Pashtun, Hindi, Farsi, Fukienese speakers than any law-enforcement agency anywhere.

L.G.: Fukienese?

R.K.: Fukien Province in China. We have a significant population in the city, but it's been hard to get those speakers. The dialect is difficult to understand, it's different than Mandarin or Cantonese, significantly different. So we've done an awful lot here to make this department look like the population we police, the most diverse city in the world. We've got the most diverse police force in the world, and we've increased the numbers dramatically in this administration. This department is now 25 percent Hispanic, Latino, and 17 percent African American. The city is about 24 percent. Asian went from 1.5 percent to 4 percent. We just started a Muslim officers association, which we supported significantly. I think it is even mentioned in that Village Voice article.

L.G.: Was the thesis of this article that all this was for naught because you can't run for mayor?

R.K.: I guess so. That's it-the only reason you'd do a good job. "Ah, now this guy will sit in his office the rest of his time."

L.G.: But you wouldn't deny that you have some pretty good political skills and communication skills, would you?

R.K.: I hope so, I don't know.

L.G.: I haven't read too many incendiary quotes from Al Sharpton about you lately. What other management principles do you use? You obviously have a degree in public administration from Harvard, and you have a law degree from St. John's.

R.K.: Yes, and I have a Master of Law degree from N.Y.U.

L.G.: Any other credentials?

R.K.: I'm a graduate of Manhattan College. I'm a retired colonel in the Marine Corps Reserves.

L.G.: And you lead combat units in Vietnam.

R.K.: That's true.

L.G.: That's a pretty impressive résumé.

R.K.: Thank you.

L.G.: You don't need me to tell you that. Did you pick up some management principles from Harvard?

R.K.: Yes, I'm sure I did. I think my foundation in terms of management and leadership really rests with the Marine Corps and the training I received there. I talked to other Marines and other people in the service, not just the Marine Corps, and I think you use those skills every day, whether you're conscious of it or not-things like leadership principles, integrity, job knowledge, decisiveness, dependability, bearing, enthusiasm, endurance, judgment. Those sorts of things stay with you.

L.G.: So the Marine Corps was very formative for you in terms of being a leader, being a manager.

R.K.: Some of these things you do intuitively, reflexively, but when you think about the foundation of it, yes. A little thing, but if I go to a buffet with people, I have to eat last, because the officers eat last. It might sound corny, but these kinds of things stick in your head.

L.G.: Even if there's caviar and it's all gone?

R.K.: Well that's tough. I'm an anchovy fan, I like the salty stuff. But it's kind of the thing that they instill in you-the fundamental or foundation training that you get in the service and in the Marine Corps in particular. I had three older brothers in the Marine Corps. I had no choice, I had to go in. They beat me.

L.G.: They beat you to it?

R.K.: Physically.