John Jay College proudly educates public safety leaders. This series highlights the people “behind the badge” to learn about what challenges and inspires them.

The inspirational rise of Ralph Clement ’20 from immigrant to New York City Police Department (NYPD) Deputy Inspector is the epitome of the American dream. “I actually came here as a Dreamer. My mom and I went to Canada first, and from there we hid in the back of an 18-wheeler, crossing the border into the U.S.,” recalls Clement, who was born in Guyana and immigrated to the U.S. when he was 15 years old. “I had no papers, no documents, and no money, but I was determined to make it because I knew this land was one of opportunity. I started working at a sweatshop, got my work permit and green card, and finally, in April 2005, I got my citizenship. Three months later, I was in the police academy.”

Today, as deputy inspector and commanding officer of the 9th Precinct, Clement works to improve community relations, increase the effectiveness of crime prevention programs, and promote diversity within the department. He’s also inspiring others, including his own son, to pursue a career in law enforcement. “In the U.S. you can go from nothing to something with hard work and determination. Here you are in charge of your own destiny. I hope to motivate others to achieve their dreams.” 

What made you want to join the NYPD?
Like many people, I have mentors and people who I look up to. The first was my adoptive grandfather. He took my mother in, gave me his last name, and inspired me to dream big. He was a sergeant in the police force and his brother was a chief of traffic. I think the desire to work in law enforcement was instilled in me as I grew up.

After I arrived in the U.S., my grandfather passed away, but I was fortunate to meet another great mentor, a retired NYPD police detective named John Farley—I call him my Irish grandfather. I worked as a security guard under Mr. Farley. He liked my work ethic and saw that I was a hard worker. He’s the one who suggested that I go to college and join the NYPD. He said to me, “I see your potential. I see you in a white captain’s shirt one day.”

What does a typical day on the job look like?
As a precinct commander, I’m essentially on call 24/7. When I’m in the precinct, I work the later tour, the afternoon and evening shifts. That’s where most of the crime is concentrated—burglaries, assaults, and homicides. I go over every complaint report that’s taken by my officers. We want to make sure that every “i” is dotted and every “t” is crossed because what we’re reporting to the community must be correct. If we can spot a pattern of burglaries in a neighborhood, we can allocate the resources to prevent those crimes. I always tell my officers we work for the people. We’re visitors in their community and it’s our job to do right by them.

When you look back at your career in law enforcement, what is your favorite moment?
I’m very big on inspiring others, so the most memorable moment for me came when I met a chief of Indian descent and told him how much he inspired me. I saw a reflection of myself in that man. Looking at the history of the NYPD, there have only been five Asian chiefs in the department’s 177-year history. You can’t be what you can’t see, so being able to look into the eyes of someone who looks like me was inspiring. I hope to do the same for others in the department who have a similar story or background to my own. I want them to know they too can make it to the top.

What drew you to John Jay’s NYPD Executive Master’s Program?
I was the first in my family to go to college. When I heard of the NYPD Executive Master’s Program at John Jay, I wanted to join because it would put me in the room with my law enforcement executive peers. Being at John Jay and part of the NYPD Executive Master’s Program was an empowering experience. It gave me leadership skills, taught me a lot about organization, explained different problem-solving methods, and demonstrated how to create positive change in communities. I was also able to conduct a meaningful capstone project.

What was your capstone project about?
We researched why the homeless population in New York City was so shelter resistant. At the time, I was the commanding officer of the NYPD’s Homeless Outreach Unit and had sat in meetings with City Hall and the Department of Health and Human Services. The perception was that shelters were dangerous and that’s why people were leaving, but I knew that wasn’t the case. I decided, I wanted to figure out what was the root of the problem. I wanted to learn the real reason why people in the shelter system were against staying in shelters. Once we could figure out the source of the problem, we could work to fix it and crank up the effectiveness of the work and investments.

The project was the first of its kind. We interviewed 35,000 homeless individuals over a six-month period. We learned that only 5.9 percent of those we interviewed pointed to shelter safety as the issue. The biggest factor in shelter resistance was that they didn’t want to deal with the stringent and restrictive rules that were in place. For example, they weren’t allowed to drink alcohol and they had to follow strict curfews. They had to be in the shelter by eight o’clock at night and be out the door by nine o’clock in the morning. During the day, they had nowhere to go, so they were out on the street with no job and no access to resources. They felt like they were being treated like kids. If you’re helping someone, you have to give them some independence and treat them with dignity—the shelter system at the time was not giving them that.

What advice do you have for students who want to work in law enforcement?
Hard work pays off. You’re going to hit brick walls on the way to achieving your goals but keep going no matter what obstacles you face. We all have a finite amount of time here, so make the most of it. Pave the way for those coming up behind you, encourage them to pursue their dreams, and inspire people to do good.