New York (N.Y.). Police Dept.

Awards, award ceremonies, and award winners dominate this edition of the “News and Notes” section. Twelve different awards, ten of them directly involving the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA), are discussed across five pages of the section. The Theodore Roosevelt Police Award, the Theodore and Franklin D. Roosevelt Naval History Prize, the Theodore Roosevelt Public Speaking Contest, and the John Paul Jones Award won by the commander of the USS Theodore Roosevelt are all discussed in their own subsections. A Christopher Award given to the documentary “The Indomitable Teddy Roosevelt” and the research grants awarded from the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Fund at the American Museum of Natural History also merit detailed coverage.

“News and Notes” also touches on the speaking engagements of the TRA’s Executive Director John A. Gable, the passing of Horace M. Albright, a TRA Trustee and former Director of the National Park Service, and a change in the leadership of the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site Foundation.

A photograph of the students, judges, and coaches at the Theodore Roosevelt Public Speaking Contest, a photograph of a smiling Theodore Roosevelt, and a photograph of Captain Paul W. Parcells and his family appear in the section along with an illustration of both sides of the TRA medallion.

Report on the presentation of the 1984 Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA) Police Award for the New York City Police Department (NYPD) to Detective John C. Snidersich. The report quotes extensively from the New York Times account of the ceremony and notes highlights of Snidersich’s career with the NYPD. The article reviews the order of the ceremony, names the speakers, and provides the text of the TRA Police Award citation.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1984

Article about the conferring of the 1985 Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA) Police Award to Officer Michael McCormick of the New York City Police Department (NYPD) on May 8, 1985. The article describes the actions taken by McCormick which earned him the award and notes his service record with the NYPD. The article quotes from remarks made by Theodore Roosevelt, great grandson of President Roosevelt, and highlights a number of the guests present from the TRA and NYPD. The article concludes with a look at some of the other awards sponsored by the TRA.  

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1985

Report on the award ceremony for the first Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA) Police Award for the New York City Police Department. The report gives a profile of the winner, Detective Alphonse Ripandelli, provides the award citation, and lists the various TRA leaders and guests in attendance.

Two photographs of the ceremony accompany the report.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Captain Frank Biehler of the New York Police Department explains how a picture of Theodore Roosevelt in the Forty-Second Precinct station led to his extensive reading about Roosevelt and his admiration for the former Police Commissioner. He recalls searching for books on Roosevelt at the library, visiting Sagamore Hill, and making late night inspections of police stations.

Two photographs of Detective Alphonse Ripandelli of the New York Police Department accompany the article.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

John A. Gable opens this edition of the “News and Notes” column by citing reviews of recent works on Theodore Roosevelt by Sylvia Jukes Morris and Frederick W. Marks, and he notes the publication of two other recent works on Roosevelt. He writes of the Theodore Roosevelt Association’s (TRA) defense of Roosevelt’s tenure as Police Commissioner of New York City, notes changes in the leadership of the Sagamore Hill and Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Sites, and highlights the TRA’s support of upgrading Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park in Oyster Bay, New York.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1980

John A. Gable opens the “News and Notes” column with further thoughts on the passing of Leonard W. Hall, who served as a Congressman from Long Island and in various capacities with the Theodore Roosevelt Association. He describes a “Teddy Day” celebration held by the New York City Police Department in honor of the seventy-fifth anniversary of the 42nd Precinct Station House, notes the 1979 winner of the Theodore Roosevelt Association Essay Contest in New Rochelle, New York, and describes events at the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace and Inaugural sites. Gable lists some of the recent scholarship done on Roosevelt, including that of Edmund Morris and David M. Kahn. 

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1979

Commissioner Roosevelt has asked Patty Selmes to return Robert Harry Munro Ferguson’s lecture. Roosevelt has just taken office at the New York City Police Department and is writing in great haste.

Collection

Arizona Historical Society

Creation Date

1895-05-06

Commissioner Roosevelt is very busy and describes his reform work with the New York Police Department. Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt does not enjoy living in New York City and one of the Roosevelt children is ill with diphtheria.

Collection

Arizona Historical Society

Creation Date

1896-03-15

Commissioner Roosevelt has been working hard as police commissioner and also delivering speeches for the Republican National Committee. He feels that he needs to do everything he can to help defeat William Jennings Bryan. Roosevelt is glad to have work as he worries that he will someday be idle since he has no regular business.

Collection

Arizona Historical Society

Creation Date

1896-10-11

Theodore Roosevelt says to be successful in the present, America must model herself after the leaders of the past such as Abraham Lincoln and George Washington. There are two ways to do this, he says, by embracing Americanism and military preparedness, which are also exemplified by the New York Police Force (for whom the speech was prepared). All American citizens, regardless of ethnicity or national origin, must give their undivided loyalty to America. The country will be better prepared in the future if it institutes a universal military draft. Note: This speech was not delivered due to illness.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1918-02-24

Scrapbook of clippings from various periodicals related to Theodore Roosevelt’s service as New York Police Commissioner, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, and Colonel of the 1st Volunteer Cavalry.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1895-1898

Commissioner Roosevelt offers to see Commissioner Frederick Dent Grant on behalf of James Russell Parsons.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1896-12-16

Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt left the New York Police Department because there was nothing left for him to accomplish in the “preposterous system.” He has always been interested in the Navy and looks forward to applying some of his “pet theories.” Roosevelt would like to discuss naval and foreign policy with Edwin Lawrence Godkin. Original and copy.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1897-07-24

Cartoon depicting the often contentious relationship between the New York City police force and Theodore Roosevelt as Superintendent of the Board of Police Commissioners. Script at bottom: “No 1 The policemen pay a boy to watch for Com. Roosevelt while they play cards. No. 2 The alarm No. 3 But it was only some boys with a Jack O’Lantern.”

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site

Creation Date

1895-1897

The Board of Police Commissioners no longer has the power to make promotions to the first grade. Commissioner Roosevelt regrets that they can no longer take care of “decent men in the ranks.”

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1896-10-06

Commissioner Roosevelt thanks F. M. Ives for the Barras quote and agrees that a free hand is needed to reorganize the New York City Police Department.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1895-09-28

Commissioner Roosevelt appreciates George K. Lloyd’s efforts and has set the meeting for Wednesday, January 27. Roosevelt is particularly interested in learning about the general labor problem and would like to bring along several acquaintances.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1897-01-18

Commissioner Roosevelt is working hard to organize the New York Police Department as he might be “legislated out of office.” He believes that he has accomplished a great deal. Roosevelt agrees with Captain Cowles that if Great Britain accepts arbitration or peacefully settles with Venezuela then European nations will recognize the Monroe Doctrine. Corinne Roosevelt Robinson has been staying with Roosevelt. Her health is poor but everyone is enjoying her company.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1896-02-11

Commissioner Roosevelt is interested in a “properly vigorous foreign policy,” including seacoast defense and a “first class navy.” He would like American intervention in Cuba and a farsighted policy that would remove European powers from the western hemisphere. He asks how American warships are armed compared to European navies. Upcoming legislation will determine the influence Roosevelt can wield on the Board of Police Commissioners.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1896-04-05