Assistant Chief Ruel Stephenson Ruel Stephenson graduated from Xavarian High School in 1988 and went on to a琀琀end the College of St. Rose in Albany, New York for two years. He played Division 3 basketball during both years at The College of St. Rose. In February 2003, Assistant Chief Stephenson graduated from John Jay College of Criminal Jus琀椀ce with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Jus琀椀ce, and in May, 2020 he obtained a Master’s degree in Criminal Jus琀椀ce. On June 30, 1995, he joined the New York City Police Department as a Police O昀케cer and a昀琀er gradua琀椀ng the Police Academy he was assigned to the 70th Precinct in East Flatbush, the community where he was raised. With his hard work and ambi琀椀on, he steadily elevated through the ranks. He successfully passed three compe琀椀琀椀ve promo琀椀onal exams and was promoted to Sergeant on September 29th, 2000, to Lieutenant on November 23, 2004, and to Captain on December 23rd, 2008. On September 22, 2010, he was assigned as Commanding O昀케cer of the 30th Precinct. On October 31, 2011, he received a Discre琀椀onary promo琀椀on to Deputy Inspector from Police Commissioner Raymond Kel- ly. On April 7, 2013, he was assigned as the Commanding O昀케cer of the 47th. On November 25, 2014, he was promoted to Inspector by Police Commissioner William Bra琀琀on. On November 21, 2017, he was promoted to Deputy Chief by Police Commissioner James O’Neil and was transferred to the Housing Bureau. On August 31, 2020, he was transferred to Patrol Borough Brooklyn South where he was assigned as the Execu琀椀ve O昀케cer. He is currently assigned as the Com- manding O昀케cer of Patrol Borough Manha琀琀an North since his promo琀椀on to Assistant Chief on April 28, 2023. During his tenure as Commanding O昀케cer in the 30th & 47th Precinct, Assistant Chief Ruel Stephenson shared a gen- uine bond with the community. He had a great rela琀椀onship with the community and demonstrated a commitment to reduce crime and improve the quality of life for all community residents while maintaining a level of respect and trust. In order to achieve this, he quickly recognized the importance of linking neighborhood residents, speci昀椀cally the youth, to the New York City Police Department. Incorpora琀椀ng this as a top priority in his management style as a precinct com- mander, he inspired the development of the West Harlem Empowerment Coali琀椀on (WHEC) to achieve greater youth involvement and coopera琀椀on in crea琀椀ng a be琀琀er quality of life. A key component in building a rela琀椀onship of trust and coopera琀椀on between the police and the community was the use of the clergy as a liaison between the police depart- ment and various congrega琀椀ons and faith base groups in the community. Assistant Chief Stephenson prides himself in fostering one of the strongest and most commi琀琀ed Precinct Clergy Pro- gram in the 30th precinct, Patrol Borough Manha琀琀an North, and the 47th Precinct, the Patrol Borough Bronx. He start- ed a program called Building Bridges, which was designed to foster a more trus琀椀ng rela琀椀onship between community members and police personnel. Police O昀케cers were charged with ini琀椀a琀椀ng posi琀椀ve contacts with community residents to ul琀椀mately open avenues for be琀琀er lines of communica琀椀on as it relates to informa琀椀on exchange and increase shared policing by both community members and the police. U琀椀lizing the community as a resource, Assistant Chief Stephen- son organized several outreach programs geared at assis琀椀ng disadvantaged families and improving community police rela琀椀ons. Programs such as, “47 Precinct Back to School Giveaway”, “47 Precinct Turkey Giveaway”, “47 Precinct Annual Toy Drive”, “47 Precinct Annual Senior Dinner”, “47 Precinct Memorial 5k Run”, “Call 2 Duty” (police o昀케cer youth men- torship group), “Shoot Hoops Not Youth” (basketball tournament, cops vs gang/crew & rival crews against each other). As a result of the implementa琀椀on of these various programs and other crime 昀椀gh琀椀ng strategies the 47th precinct recorded a record low in overall violence (homicides, shoo琀椀ng incidents and shoo琀椀ng vic琀椀ms) in year ending 2015. Assistant Chief Ruel Stephenson is married to his wife Andrea and from this union he has three children, Dyondra (26), Jenaye (22) and Ruel, Jr. (20). During his leisure 琀椀me, he enjoys playing basketball, cross training and running. He com- pleted two full New York City marathons (26.2 miles each) and two New York City Half marathons (13.1 miles). Assistant Chief Ruel Stephenson is widely known for his engaging manner and calm demeanor and those who have worked with him throughout his career in the New York City Police Department will also recognize that beneath that composed, genial exterior is a very disciplined, dedicated, and humble man. 23 24