NYC
Correction
Women's
History
Month
notes
on the
first C.O.
to become
Commissioner

JACQUELINE McMICKENS
New York City
Correction Commissioner
Jan. 18, 1984 -- Sept. 22, 1986

Jacqueline timeline:
data gathered from newsletters & other sources
  • 1964 -- joined DOC as C.O., assigned to Women's H of D in Greenwich Village.

  • 1972 -- awarded bachelor's degree from John Jay College.

    IMAGE & TEXT BELOW FROM MAY 1978 ISSUE OF THE PEN:

    Commissioner Ciuros has reappointed Deputy Superintendent Jacqueline McMickens as Women's Advisor.

    The Commissioner made clear his commitment to the increased utilization of the skills, talents and experience of every woman employee.

    He stated, "I want Deputy Superintendent McMickens to keep me constantly informed about the issues that are of particular concern to the women in this agency --the women who provide these issues should be assured that every effort will be made to address and/or act upon them as quickly and effectively as possible."

  • 1974 -- awarded master's in public administration from John Jay College.

  • 1973 thru 1978 -- promoted to captain, assistant deputy warden and deputy warden,
    • -- first woman selected to head the Training Academy,
    • -- first woman assigned as chief security officer of an all-male facility when named ARDC deputy warden for security,
    • -- the first woman to command the Kings County Hospital Prison Ward.

  • 1979 (October) -- named Chief of Operations,
    • -- the first woman in NYC history to serve as top uniformed officer of a municipal agency.

  • 1984 (January) -- appointed Correction Commissioner.
    • -- first C.O. to rise through ranks to Commissioner.
    • -- first African-American woman to become Commissioner.
    • -- third African-American to become Commissioner.
    • -- third woman to become Commissioner.

  • 1986 (Sept.) -- retired from DOC, later became Housing Authority vice-chair.

  • 1988 - Earned J.D. from Brooklyn Law School. Now senior partner of law firm McMickens & Ellis; Connecticut Federal District Court Special Master; Kenilworth Baptist Church Executive Council chairperson.

Image & caption below appeared in same 1984
newsletter as McMickens swear-in coverage
MOD SQUAD: Commissioner McMickens, Commissioner of General Services Robert Litke and Mayor Edward Koch proudly dedicate the first of eight new modular buildings on Rikers Island that will help the Department expand by 1,436 beds this year alone as part of its 3,896-bed expansion over five years. The first modular dorm, attached to the northeast end of C.I.F.W., was constructed by Arthur Industries in just three weeks.

[Webmaster note: "C.I. F. W." in the above 1984 caption refers to the Correctional Institutions for Women. That building is now the George Motchan Detention Center. The nearby Rose M. Singer Center houses the city's jailed female inmates.]


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