Douglas Imrie McKay
| Douglas I. McKay | |
|---|---|
McKay in 1913
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| New York City Police Commissioner | |
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In office 1914–1914 |
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| Appointed by | John Purroy Mitchell |
| Preceded by | Rhinelander Waldo |
| Succeeded by | Arthur Woods |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Douglas Imrie McKay May 25, 1883 New York City |
| Died | September 24, 1962 (aged 83) San Jose, California |
| Nationality | American |
| Spouse(s) | Pauline McKay |
| Children | 2 |
| Education |
New York City College United States Military Academy |
| Occupation | NYPD police official, artillery officer and businessman |
| Known for | U.S. Army officer who served as NYPD Police Commissioner during 1914; began two-year campaign to wipe out the many street gangs active in New York City. |
Douglas Imrie McKay (1879 – September 24, 1962) was an American artillery and law enforcement officer and New York City Police Department police official who served as New York City Police Commissioner in 1914. His five months in office and eventual departure from the police force were fraught with controversy, however, his two-year campaign against the New York underworld eventually rid the city of the many street gangs active since the early-to mid 19th century. In the years following his retirement, McKay also had a successful career in business, holding high-level positions in a number of corporations.
He was born on May 25, 1883 in New York City. McKay attended New York City College and graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1905 as a second lieutenant. McKay was of Scottish heritage. He became a coast artillery officer in the U.S. Army and was stationed at Fort Adams, Rhode Island from September 1905 to March 1907 and then a month at Fort Caswell, North Carolina. McKay was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant and remained at Fort Monroe, Virginia until his resignation on May 23, 1907.
When McKay was appointed New York City Police Commissioner by reform mayor John Purroy Mitchel on December 31, 1913, who chose McKay the basis of his reputation, he was the youngest man ever to have held the position. He immediately went into action by initiating a sweep of Manhattan to clear out the countless street gangs, many of whose origins could be traced to the 1860s and earlier, then active in the city. He also made reforms within the NYPD, particularly concerning police corruption, which included "breaking" or demoting several high-ranking police officers. On one occasion, he demoted a police inspector to captain and then suspended him for allowing honky-tonks to operate in the Tenderloin district. He also revived the police lineup and used it with such success that it was kept by the police force on a permanent basis.
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