Correction Commissioners:
Since 1896

William J. Fraser was named New York City Correction Commissioner on Nov. 9, 2000, about two months and two weeks after his predecessor Bernard B. Kerik had been named NYPD Commissioner. Fraser had served as Chief of Department under Kerik.

William J. Fraser displays DOC Commissioner shield as his predecessor Bernard B. Kerik, now NYPD Commissioner, joins him at the appointment announcement. Fraser was Chief of Dept. under Kerik. It's only the second time in NYC DOC's 105-year history that its highest ranking uniformed officer been named Correction Commissioner succeeding one appointed Police Commissioner. [Photo by C.O. Ralph Smith]

The Fraser appointment came a month after the swear-in of NYPD Commissioner Kerik. For only the second time in NYC DOC's 105-year history has its highest ranking uniformed officer been named Correction Commissioner succeeding one appointed Police Commissioner.

On Jan. 1, 1984, then Chief of Department Jacqueline McMickens became Commissioner, succeeding Benjamin Ward named to head NYPD.

Fraser is the first member of DOC to rise through each one of the existing uniformed ranks to head the agency.

Robert J. Wright 1/l/1896 -- 12/31/1897

Francis J. Lantry 1/l/1898 -- 12/31/1901 1/l/1904 -- 10/10/06

Thomas W. Hynes 1/l/02 -- 12/31/03

McMickens, now a practicing attorney in Brooklyn, was the first member of DOC to rise through the ranks to become Chief of Dept. and later Commissioner without "Acting" in front of the latter title. In her rise, she skipped over one rung in the ladder of uniformed advancement: warden.

During the interim between the Kerik appointment as NYPD Commissioner and the Fraser appointment as DOC Commissioner, First Deputy Commissioner Gary M. Lanigan served as DOC Acting Commissioner.

John V. Coggey 10/11/06 -- 12/31/08

John J. Barry 1/1/09 -- 1/18/10

Patrick A. Whitney 1/19/10 -- 12/31/13

Katharine Bement Davis 1/1/14 -- 12/27/15

Burdette G. Lewis 12/27/15 -- 12/31/17

Kerik had taken on the duties of New York City Correction Commissioner January 1, 1998, succeeding Michael P. Jacobson with whom he had served as First Deputy Commissioner.

The approximately three dozen Correction Commissioners whose names appear on this page reflect the diverse and rich history of the City and this Department. They include:

• a businessman (Robert J. Wright),
• a union head (Francis J. Lantry),
• a suffragist leader (Katharine Bement Davis),
• a medical doctor (Peter F. Amoroso),
• a leader in charitable services (Thomas W. Hynes)
• a U.S. and Israeli military hero (Col. David "Mickey" Marcus),
• a former judge (Anna M. Kross), and
• a number who rose through the ranks to the top spot (William J. Fraser, Jacqueline McMickens, Gerald Mitchell, James Hunter, George R. Vierno).

James A. Hamilton 1/l/18 -- 12/31/22

Frederick A. Wallis 1/l/23 -- 8/14/27

Richard C. Patterson 8/15/27 -- 9/30/32

Robert J. Wright was the first to head the agency when it emerged after the dual Dept. of Public Charity and Correction was split (1895/6). He was a member of fusion reform Mayor Walter Strong's cabinet that also included Teddy Roosevelt as Police Commissioner.

Lantry was the first to served as DOC Commissioner when New York became a five-borough City (1898). Lantry also has the distinction of being the only Commissioner to serve twice as head of DOC. He even served once as Fire Commissioner.

Others who saw service directing other NYC agencies include Benjamin Ward, who also served as NYPD head; Katharine Bement Davis, who led the City Parole Commission, and Catherine Abate and Michael P. Jacobson, each of whom had headed Probation before coming to Correction. Both Commissioners Frederick A. Wallis and Albert Williams served as NYPD Deputy Commissioners before heading DOC.

Robert L. Tudor 10/l/32 -- 5/25/33

William J. Cahill 5/26/33 -- 10/6/33

Wilbur T. Wright 11/28/33 -- 12/31/33

Austin H. MacCormick 1/l/34 -- 1/15/40

Col.David "Mickey" Marcus 1/16/40 -- 10/15/40

Some listed here served as Acting Commissioners --

• Joseph D'Elia,
• James Hunter,
• George R. Vierno,
• Gerald Mitchell, and
• Gary M. Lanigan

-- for interim periods.

Among the five interim Acting Commissioners, Vierno and Hunter each served a little more than a month, D'Elia served about two months, and Mitchell and Lanigan each served about two and a half months.

The most commissioners to serve in any one year has been three. In 1933, Robert L. Tudor, William J. Cahill and Wilbur T. Wright headed DOC. In 1990, James Hunter, George R. Vierno and Allyn Seilaff served.

Doctor Peter F. Amoroso 10/16/40 -- 12/27/46

Albert Williams 12/27/46 -- 12/31/53

Anna M. Kross 1/l/54 -- 3/30/66

George F. McGrath 3/31/66 -- 1/23/72

Benjamin Malcolm 1/24/72 -- 11/77

By contrast, the commissioner serving the most years was Anna M. Kross. She headed the agency about a dozen years -- from the start of 1954 through early 1966.

The list includes several commissioners who appear elsewhere among these DOC web pages. Their entries are linked to those references. Click the underlined name to access the reference. Use your browser's back-to-previous page button to return to this list. Updates will add more portraits and biographical material.

Joseph D'Elia (Acting) 11/77 -- 1/8/78

William Ciuros 1/9/78 -- 8/12/79

Benjamin Ward 8/13/79 -- 12/31/83

Jacqueline McMickens 1/1/84 -- 9/22/86

Richard Koehler 9/23/86 -- 12-23-89

James Hunter (Acting) 12/24/89 -- 2/2/90

George R. Vierno (Acting) 2/3/90 -- 3/11/90

Allyn Seilaff 3/12/90 -- 12-24-91

Gerald Mitchell (Acting) 12/23/91 -- 3/18/92

Catherine Abate 4/27/92 -- 3/26/94

Anthony Schembri 3/28/94 -- 1/24/95

Michael P. Jacobson 1/24/95 -- 12/31/97

Bernard B. Kerik 1/1/98 -- 8/21/00

Gary M. Lanigan (Acting) 8/22/00 to 11/8/00

William J. Fraser 11/9/00 to present