27 Facts About Richard Enright

Richard Edward Enright was an American law enforcement officer, detective, and crime writer and served as NYPD Police Commissioner from 1918 until 1925.

Richard Enright was the first man to rise from the rank-and-file to assume command of the NYPD and, until the appointment of Lewis Joseph Valentine, he was the longest serving commissioner.

Richard Enright was born in Campbell, New York on August 30,1871.

Richard Enright worked as a telegraph operator in Elmira and Queens before joining the New York City Police Department in 1896.

Richard Enright was described as being educated and very well-read, being able to recite poetry by heart, and was an avid student of art and history especially the life of Napoleon Bonaparte.

Richard Enright slowly rose through the ranks to police lieutenant and, although a public unknown, he was highly popular on the force as a champion for the rank-and-file officers while president of the Police Lieutenants' Benevolent Association.

Richard Enright was able to effectively counter the manpower shortage and rising crime in the post-World War I period by creating old-style "strong-arm squads".

Richard Enright specifically targeted illegal gambling establishments run by former US Congressman and underworld figure "Honest" John Kelly, despite Kelly dying 35 years prior.

Richard Enright's continued harassment of Kelly's operations eventually forced him to sell the building to a Republican political organization.

Richard Enright was able to institute a number of reforms and was greatly able to improve working conditions for police officers while in office.

Richard Enright allowed a day off for officers after every six days on duty, oversaw the buildup of large police relief funds and improved the pension system.

Richard Enright reduced the number of precincts for better management, set up a special police unit to handle vice and gambling on a city-wide basis, reorganized the arrest-quota based merit system and established the first NYPD police camp at Tannersville, New York where ill or wounded officers could recover until they were able to return to duty.

Richard Enright advocated universal fingerprinting registration, not only for crime prevention but to resolve any kind of identity question, as well as convicted criminals being required to pay damages to both the victim and police with money earned while in prison.

Partially as a result of their findings, Richard Enright's resignation was demanded by the Citizens Union and several newspapers.

The next year, Richard Enright issued libel suits against an assemblyman and city magistrate based on correspondence charging police bootleg grafting.

Richard Enright addressed the issue of Prohibition enforcement noting his embarrassment over the recent "crime waves".

In 1924, Richard Enright attempted to press charges against thirteen inspectors, a number of deputy inspectors and police captains for failing to enforce the Volstead Act, but was never able to establish his cases.

At the time of his retirement, it was acknowledged that Richard Enright had brought "a fair amount of professional knowledge and efficiency" during his time as commissioner.

Richard Enright had a brief, but successful career as a crime writer the year following his departure from the police force.

Richard Enright had previously written a detective story, Inside the Net, while still in office and which was adapted to a motion picture in 1924.

Richard Enright's published a police manual that same year entitled Syllabus and Instruction Guide of the Police Academy.

In 1933, Richard Enright was employed by the federal government during the Great Depression to set up an enforcement division for the National Recovery Administration.

Richard Enright became the director of the United Service Detective Bureau, a position he held until his death.

Richard Enright was taken to Meadowbrook Hospital where he died of his injuries the following day.

Richard Enright was survived by his brother, Patrick Richard Enright; and five nephews.

In 1925, Enright was presented with a bust portrait by the sculptor Paolo S Abbate, which was later described as one of the artist's better-known works while it was on exhibition at the New York City Hall in 1962.

The Lloyd Sealy Library of the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City holds two drawings of Richard Enright, dating from 1924 and 1929.