Oral history interview with Benjamin Ward, 1992.

Biographical Note

Former Commissioner of the New York City Police Deparment.

Scope and Contents

Family background and education; experience of discrimination towards African Americans during youth; military service in World War II; career in New York City Police Department, 1950-74; patrolman in Greenwich Village, graduation from Brooklyn Law School and promotion to police department prosecutor, head of Civilian Complaint Review Board, Deputy Commissioner for Community Affairs, Traffic Commissioner; retirement from police force and employment with Vera Institute of Justice, 1974-75; Commissioner of Correction Services for State of New York, 1975-78; Chairman, New York City Housing Police, 1978-79; Commissioner, New York City Department of Correction, 1979-84; Commissioner, New York City Police Department, 1984-1989; concerns as Police Commissioner: morale, shortage of personnel, New York City's narcotics problem, allegations of police brutality, underrepresentation of minorities and women in police department; relationship of police department with City Hall, Policemen's Beneveloent Association, press; reminiscences of Mayor Edward I. Koch.

Subjects

• Interviews.
• Koch, Ed, 1924-2013.
• New York (N.Y.). Mayor.
• Oral histories (literary works)
• Police chiefs--Interviews.
• Ward, Benjamin, 1926---Interviews.
• Zane, Sharon, interviewer.--http://id.loc.gov/vocabulary/relators/ivr