Community hub
0 subscribers7 pages, 0 posts
Recent from talks
All channels
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Contribute something
Welcome to the community hub built to collect knowledge and have discussions related to Howard Safir.
Nothing was collected or created yet.
Howard Safir
View on Wikipediafrom Wikipedia
Howard Safir (February 24, 1942 – September 11, 2023) was an American law enforcement professional who served as the 29th New York City Fire Commissioner from 1994 to 1996 and the 39th New York City Police Commissioner from 1996 to 2000, under Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Safir later served as Chairman of Safir Intelligence and Security (formerly Vigilant Resources International).
Key Information
Early life and education
[edit]Safir was born in the Bronx on February 24, 1942.[1] After growing up in the Bronx and Long Island, the son of Russian Jewish immigrant parents (his father was a presser in the garment district, his mother a switchboard operator), Safir followed the example of his famous uncle Louis Weiner (who captured infamous bank robber Willie Sutton), and after graduating from college in 1963, decided to become a lawman.[2]
Safir received his B.A. in History and Political Science from Hofstra University in 1963. He attended Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, receiving certificates in the programs for Senior Managers in Government in 1988 and for National and International Security in 1989.[citation needed]
Career
[edit]
Safir began his law enforcement career in 1965 as a special agent assigned to the New York office of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, a forerunner of the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs (BNDD) and eventually, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Safir advanced through the ranks of the DEA and in 1977 was appointed Assistant Director of the DEA. He moved to the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) in 1978 where he served as Chief of the Witness Security Division. In 1984, he was named Associate Director for Operations, of the USMS, a position he held until his retirement from the federal government in 1990. Safir rejoined government service in 1994 when Mayor Rudy Giuliani asked him to serve as New York City's 29th Fire Commissioner. When Police Commissioner William J. Bratton left his position in 1996, Giuliani appointed Safir to replace him as New York City's 39th Police Commissioner.
Commissioner Safir implemented a comprehensive Fugitive Strategy and established thirty-nine major anti-drug initiatives throughout the city including the Northern Manhattan Initiative. He created model blocks in each borough to prevent eradicated drug dealing from returning and he introduced closed-circuit television to ensure the safety of housing development residents, park visitors, and subway riders.[citation needed] Concerned for officer and public safety, Safir expanded firearms training and introduced Firearms Training Simulators. Under his leadership, firearms discharge incidents decreased from 344 in 1995 to 155 in 1999.[citation needed] He developed and implemented Operation Condor, a creative use of personnel resources, that continues to be a centerpiece of current NYPD crime reduction strategy.[citation needed] Safir served four years as Police Commissioner until he announced his resignation and retirement from government service in 2000.
In 1997, Safir appeared on the ABC TV series NYPD Blue, playing himself.[3]
After Safir resigned as Police Commissioner in 2000, he immediately went to work as a consultant to the chief executive of ChoicePoint, Inc. and ultimately ran their Bode Technology Group subsidiary, which they purchased at Safir's urging in April 2001. In February 2007, Safir became CEO of Bode Technology when GlobalOptions Group, Inc. acquired The Bode Technology Group from ChoicePoint in a cash purchase for $12.5 million.[4] Howard Safir was also Chairman of Safir Intelligence & Security.
Professional memberships
[edit]Safir was a member of the executive committee of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and served as a delegate to INTERPOL, the National Drug Policy Board, and the El Paso Intelligence Center Advisory Board.
Personal life and death
[edit]Safir was married to Carol Ferrara in 1965 and had two children.[1][5]
In 2010, Safir allegedly backed his SUV into a pregnant woman who was attempting to cross a street from between parked cars. According to the woman, she heard a female passenger scream "Are you not looking, there's someone there." He then drove off. Safir was tracked down through his license plate but no charges were filed.[6] He claimed he was unaware he had struck anyone.
Safir died from sepsis in Annapolis, Maryland on September 11, 2023, at the age of 81.[1]
Awards and honors
[edit]Safir was recognized often throughout his career for his outstanding service. In 1996, he was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.[7]
The Presidential Meritorious Executive Award was twice awarded to him. Additionally, he received the U.S. Marshals Service Meritorious Service Award and the Attorney General's Achievement Award, in addition to many other citations and awards.[citation needed]
Safir was a member of the Board of Trustees of The New York City Police Museum. He also served on the Board of Directors of Verint Systems and LexisNexis Special Services.[citation needed]
Bibliography
[edit] |
- Safir, Howard; Ellis Whitman (2003). Security: policing your homeland, your city, your state. New York: Thomas Dunne Books.
- Safir, Howard (April 20, 2015). "Police brutality is inexcusable—and rare". United States. Crime. Time. Vol. 185, no. 14 (South Pacific ed.). pp. 22–23.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Haberman, Clyde (September 12, 2023). "Howard Safir, N.Y.P.D. Commissioner Under Giuliani, Is Dead at 81". The New York Times. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
- ^ Baker, Russ and Josh Benson. "The Commish Bites Back: Howard Safir Explains His Life to His Critics" Archived 2008-07-25 at the Wayback Machine. The New York Observer, May 16, 1999. Accessed December 20, 2007.
- ^ Blair, Jayson (September 19, 1999). "NEW YORKERS & CO.; I Am a Policeman and I Play One on TV". The New York Times.
- ^ "Bode Technology - Management Team – Howard Safir, Chief Executive Officer". Archived from the original on August 7, 2007.
- ^ Furse, Jane. "Carol Safir's lucky streak"[permanent dead link], New York Daily News, April 21, 1996. Accessed December 20, 2007.
- ^ Baker, Al; Wheaton, Sarah (January 8, 2010). "Ex-Police Official Backs Car Into Pregnant Woman". The New York Times.
- ^ "[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 97 (Thursday, June 27, 1996)]". Retrieved November 8, 2023.
External links
[edit]
Wikiquote has quotations related to Howard Safir.
- Howard Safir at IMDb
- Appearances on C-SPAN
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
Howard Safir
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
Early life and education
Upbringing and family background
Howard Safir was born on February 24, 1942, in the Bronx borough of New York City to George Safir and Rose (Weiner) Safir.[2][6][10] His father, George, had emigrated from the Soviet Union and worked as a presser in Manhattan's garment district, while his mother, Rose, served as a switchboard operator; the family was of Russian Jewish immigrant stock and maintained a working-class existence.[11][12][13] Safir was one of three children in the household.[2] He spent his formative years dividing time between the Bronx and Long Island, environments that exposed him to urban and suburban influences amid a modest family setting.[14][12]Academic and early professional influences
Safir earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and political science from Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, graduating in 1963.[14] He subsequently attended Brooklyn Law School for two years but did not obtain a degree.[14] Later in his career, he participated in executive programs at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, though specific coursework or mentors from these institutions are not detailed in available records.[14] A key early professional influence on Safir was his uncle, Louis Weiner, a New York City Police Department detective renowned for capturing the notorious bank robber Willie Sutton in 1952, which inspired Safir's entry into law enforcement as a means to combat crime systematically.[12] At age 23, Safir joined the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs—the predecessor to the Drug Enforcement Administration—as a special agent in 1965, embarking on undercover operations including posing as a hippie drug buyer in San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury district.[12] [14] These formative experiences instilled an idealistic yet pragmatic approach to disrupting narcotics networks, exemplified by his involvement in the 1968 arrest of psychedelic advocate Timothy Leary on drug charges in New York.[14] By 1977, Safir had risen to Assistant Director of Operations at the DEA, overseeing national enforcement strategies before transitioning in 1978 to the U.S. Marshals Service as chief of its Witness Security Division, where he helped establish protocols for protecting informants in high-stakes cases.[14] This federal tenure, spanning narcotics interdiction and witness protection, emphasized data-informed tactics and interagency coordination, influences that later informed his municipal leadership roles.[12] He retired from the Marshals Service in 1990 after 13 years, having transformed its fugitive apprehension units into more efficient task forces.[14]Law enforcement career
Federal law enforcement roles
Safir commenced his federal law enforcement career in 1965 as a special agent in the New York office of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, a predecessor agency to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).[15] He served in narcotics enforcement roles across predecessor organizations to the DEA for over a decade, accumulating experience in drug interdiction and investigations amid rising national concerns over organized crime and illicit substances.[10] In 1977, Safir was appointed Assistant Director of the DEA, overseeing operational aspects of the agency's nationwide efforts to combat drug trafficking networks.[14] This senior position involved coordinating field operations, intelligence gathering, and international cooperation against major narcotics syndicates, reflecting his progression from fieldwork to high-level administration during an era of expanding federal drug policy under the Carter administration.[16] Safir transitioned to the United States Marshals Service in 1978, initially as chief of the Witness Security Program (WITSEC), which provided protective relocation and new identities to thousands of federal witnesses and their families endangered by testimony in high-stakes cases, including organized crime prosecutions.[14][17] Under his leadership, the program managed relocations for over 10,000 participants by the late 1980s, emphasizing security protocols and logistical support to sustain witness cooperation in federal trials.[10] By 1984, he advanced to Associate Director for Operations of the U.S. Marshals Service, the agency's second-highest executive role, where he directed nationwide fugitive apprehension, court security, prisoner transport, and asset forfeiture operations across more than 90 district offices and 3,000 personnel.[18] In this capacity, Safir oversaw responses to escalated threats, including the protection of federal judiciary amid rising judicial violence in the 1980s, and contributed to operational efficiencies that supported the service's mandate under the Justice Department.[19] He retired from federal service in 1990 after 26 years, having built expertise in bureaucratic management and inter-agency coordination that later informed his municipal leadership roles.[10][16]New York City Fire Commissioner
Howard Safir was appointed the 29th Fire Commissioner of New York City by Mayor Rudy Giuliani on December 30, 1993, assuming the role in early 1994 despite lacking prior experience in municipal fire service; his background included federal positions at the U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.[20] He served until March 1996, when he transitioned to Police Commissioner following William Bratton's resignation.[21] During this period, Safir emphasized operational efficiencies, visiting every firehouse in the city's five boroughs to evaluate conditions and morale directly.[22] Safir supported Mayor Giuliani's revived proposal in March 1995 to merge the city's Emergency Medical Service (EMS) into the FDNY, arguing that integration would enhance coordination and response times for medical emergencies, which then comprised over 70% of FDNY calls; the plan aimed to eliminate redundancies but encountered resistance from EMS unions and required legislative approval.[23] He also endorsed phasing out the antiquated street alarm box system, in place since the 19th century, which Giuliani had targeted for removal in October 1994 due to its high maintenance costs—estimated at $3 million annually—and unreliability, as fewer than 1% of alarms originated from boxes; this effort stalled in 1996 amid City Council opposition preserving about 16,000 boxes.[24] Under Safir's leadership, the FDNY pursued internal reforms to modernize management and equipment, including budget reallocations for technology upgrades and training, though specific metrics on fire response times or incident reductions during 1994–1996 remain undocumented in contemporary reports; his tenure prioritized fiscal discipline amid Giuliani's broader push for agency accountability.[22] No major scandals or use-of-force equivalents marred the department, contrasting with later police controversies, and Safir maintained a low public profile on fire-specific matters.[25]New York City Police Commissioner
Howard Safir was appointed the 39th Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (NYPD) by Mayor Rudy Giuliani on April 15, 1996, succeeding William Bratton who had resigned amid reported tensions with the mayor.[26] Prior to this role, Safir had served as New York City Fire Commissioner from 1994 to 1996, bringing experience in federal law enforcement from positions at the U.S. Marshals Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration.[27] His appointment emphasized continuity in the department's aggressive crime-reduction strategies, including data-driven accountability and increased officer deployment, amid Giuliani's push for fiscal efficiency following budget cuts to other city agencies.[28] During Safir's tenure from 1996 to 2000, New York City experienced substantial declines in violent crime across major categories, with overall crime rates dropping precipitously and the murder rate falling to levels not seen since the 1960s.[29] Specifically, the annual number of murders decreased from 983 in 1995 (pre-Safir baseline) to around 633 by 1999, reflecting a sustained trend initiated under prior leadership but maintained through expanded policing resources and tactical operations.[1] Safir oversaw a department bolstered by Giuliani's decision to exempt the NYPD from citywide 20% budget reductions, enabling the hiring and deployment of additional officers to high-crime areas.[28] He prioritized operational metrics, holding commanders accountable via regular crime analysis briefings, which contributed to the perception of New York as a safer urban environment by the late 1990s.[2] Safir's leadership drew scrutiny for its emphasis on proactive enforcement tactics, including heightened street-level stops, which he defended as necessary for deterring crime rather than evidence of bias, countering federal and civil rights critiques.[30] Internal management focused on discipline and efficiency, though his tenure included responses to high-profile incidents of officer misconduct, such as the 1997 Abner Louima assault, prompting departmental reforms in oversight and training.[2] Safir resigned on August 18, 2000, citing a desire to transition to the private sector, where he founded a security consulting firm; his departure marked the end of a period credited with transforming the NYPD's effectiveness amid ongoing debates over methods.[31][29]Policing policies and innovations
Implementation of CompStat and data-driven policing
Upon assuming the role of New York City Police Commissioner in January 1996, Howard Safir inherited CompStat, a computerized crime mapping and analysis system pioneered by his predecessor William Bratton in 1994 to identify crime patterns and hold precinct commanders accountable through weekly data reviews.[32] Initially skeptical and viewing the process as mere "smoke-and-mirrors" focused on statistics rather than substantive policing, Safir attended 5.5 weeks of CompStat meetings alongside Deputy Chief Louis Anemone to evaluate its operations before endorsing its continuation.[32] Under his leadership, CompStat evolved into a formalized management tool emphasizing four core principles: accurate and timely intelligence, rapid deployment of resources, effective tactics, and relentless follow-up, as outlined in NYPD's internal documentation on the process.[33] Safir reinforced CompStat's data-driven ethos by integrating it with broader accountability measures, such as monitoring precinct-level performance metrics during bi-weekly crime strategy sessions at NYPD headquarters, where commanders presented geographic crime analyses and proposed targeted interventions.[34] He enforced data integrity rigorously; in February 1998, Safir sought to demote or force the retirement of a bureau chief implicated in falsifying crime reports, underscoring the system's intolerance for manipulated statistics that could undermine its analytical foundation.[34] Technological enhancements under Safir included expanded use of computer-generated maps to pinpoint hotspots for misdemeanors and felonies alike, facilitating quicker resource allocation—such as surging officers to high-burglary areas—and aligning with quality-of-life enforcement priorities.[35] This approach correlated with sustained crime declines during Safir's tenure from 1996 to 2000: overall index crimes fell by approximately 49 percent compared to 1993 levels by mid-1998, with homicides dropping 69 percent in the same period, and murders reaching a historic low of 673 by year-end 2000.[36][32] CompStat's emphasis on empirical metrics enabled proactive policing, though its causal impact on reductions remains debated amid concurrent factors like economic improvements and demographic shifts; nonetheless, internal NYPD analyses and contemporary reports attributed much of the efficiency gains to the system's granular data utilization.[37] Safir's oversight institutionalized CompStat as a department-wide paradigm, influencing subsequent commissioners and exporting the model to other agencies, while prioritizing verifiable outcomes over anecdotal assessments.[33]Aggressive crime-fighting strategies
As New York City Police Commissioner from January 1996 to August 2000, Howard Safir intensified the department's focus on proactive, high-volume enforcement against low-level offenses, building on the foundational shifts initiated under his predecessor, William Bratton. This approach emphasized the "broken windows" theory, which posits that unaddressed minor disorders signal permissiveness toward serious crime, thereby fostering escalation; Safir advocated addressing small infractions to prevent larger ones, arguing that visible order deters potential offenders through consistent consequences.[38][39] Under his leadership, the NYPD expanded misdemeanor arrests for quality-of-life violations such as public drinking, turnstile jumping, and graffiti, viewing these as precursors to violent crime.[40] Safir's strategies included bolstering specialized units like the Street Crimes Unit (SCU), which conducted aggressive pedestrian stops and frisks targeted at high-risk areas to seize illegal firearms preemptively; the SCU alone recovered thousands of guns annually, contributing to reduced shooting incidents. He also enforced zero-tolerance policies department-wide, mandating officers to intervene in even petty disorders, coupled with increased foot patrols and rapid response to citizen complaints about incivilities. These tactics aligned with causal mechanisms where heightened police presence and swift enforcement disrupt criminal momentum, as minor arrests often yielded intelligence on felonies and removed repeat low-level actors from circulation. While some academic analyses later questioned attribution amid national crime trends, precinct-level data tied intensified misdemeanor enforcement directly to localized violent crime drops, countering claims that demographic or economic factors alone explained the results.[41][42][39] The empirical outcomes were stark: during Safir's tenure, overall major crimes fell by 38 percent, with homicides plummeting 44 percent from 1996 levels, reaching under 700 murders citywide by 2000—the lowest in decades and a fraction of the over 2,000 annual killings in the early 1990s. New York City's murder rate dropped below national averages for large cities, with press releases from the era documenting year-over-year declines, such as a 44 percent overall crime reduction in 1997 alone. These gains, sustained through rigorous accountability for non-enforcement, underscored the strategies' role in restoring public order, as evidenced by analyses crediting broken windows-style policing for averting tens of thousands of violent incidents nationwide via similar models.[26][3][29][39]Controversies and public scrutiny
Allegations of racial profiling and stop-and-frisk practices
During Howard Safir's tenure as New York City Police Commissioner from 1996 to 2000, the NYPD's stop-and-frisk practices expanded significantly as part of data-driven policing strategies targeting high-crime areas, leading to documented increases in pedestrian stops. In 1997, Safir implemented a policy mandating rigorous enforcement of UF-250 stop-and-frisk report forms, which resulted in a sharp rise in recorded stops from approximately 48,000 in 1996 to over 125,000 by 1997, with further growth to around 97,000 documented stops in the first half of 1999 alone.[43][44] These practices, particularly through specialized units like the Street Crimes Unit, yielded low contraband recovery rates—such as only 6 guns from over 3,000 frisks in one South Bronx precinct in early 1999—but were credited by supporters with contributing to overall crime reductions, including a drop in homicides from over 2,000 annually in the early 1990s to about 600 by 2000.[45] Civil rights advocates and organizations alleged that these stops disproportionately targeted Black and Hispanic individuals, constituting racial profiling in violation of constitutional standards. A 2000 New York Attorney General's report analyzing 1997–1999 data found that Black New Yorkers, who comprised 25.6% of the city's population, accounted for 50.6% of all stops, while Hispanics (24.2% of population) made up 25.8% of stops; whites (44% of population) were only 17.1% of those stopped.[46] The Street Crimes Unit faced particular scrutiny, with lawsuits such as one filed in March 1999 by the Center for Constitutional Rights claiming racially biased searches, noting that the unit frisked 27,061 individuals in 1998, predominantly minorities, amid low arrest rates.[47][48] A U.S. Commission on Civil Rights report similarly concluded that the disparities in stop data could indicate racial profiling as a factor in NYPD practices, including under Safir.[42] Safir consistently rejected accusations of racial profiling, asserting that stops were based on reasonable suspicion derived from crime patterns, suspect descriptions, and high-crime precinct data rather than race. He stated in response to the 1999 lawsuit that "Street Crimes does not engage in any racial profiling, nor do we anywhere else in the N.Y.P.D.," emphasizing that the department's tactics reflected the demographics of crime victims and offenders, who were disproportionately non-white.[48][49] In defending against federal critiques in 2000, Safir reiterated, "We do not participate in racial profiling," arguing that allegations overlooked empirical evidence of localized crime concentrations justifying focused enforcement.[50] Individual cases, such as the 2000 judicial finding that Safir illegally retaliated against a Black officer who publicly accused the NYPD of profiling, fueled further claims of departmental resistance to scrutiny.[51] Subsequent analyses, including a 2000 federal court settlement in related litigation, required NYPD training to prohibit race-based stops, though Safir maintained the policies were constitutionally sound and effective for public safety.[52]Internal department management and use-of-force incidents
During his tenure as NYPD Commissioner from January 1996 to August 2000, Howard Safir emphasized internal accountability through expanded disciplinary actions, dismissing 106 officers in his first 1.5 years alone, primarily for corruption and nonviolent offenses but including 8 for brutality-related incidents.[53] He implemented a zero-tolerance policy for false statements, resulting in 54 firings since December 1996.[54] Disciplinary rates for substantiated Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) complaints rose significantly under Safir, from 20.7% in 1996 to 47.1% in 1998 and 52.6% by mid-1999, supported by growth in the Department Advocate's Office from 7 to 24 members to process cases more efficiently.[54] Safir responded to federal scrutiny following the 1997 Abner Louima case by ordering an Internal Affairs Bureau review in July 1999 of prior disciplinary cases potentially mishandled, including those involving brutality allegations like the Louima torture and the 1994 death of Anthony Baez, amid concerns over systemic flaws in handling CCRB referrals.[9] The NYPD under Safir maintained a Force Monitoring Program to track and investigate use-of-force reports, though substantiated brutality dismissals remained low relative to other misconduct, with critics attributing this to a focus on corruption over excessive force. CCRB data showed a 22.2% decline in force-related allegations from 1994 to 1998, coinciding with overall crime reductions.[54] A prominent use-of-force incident occurred on February 4, 1999, when four Street Crimes Unit officers fired 41 shots at Amadou Diallo, an unarmed Guinean immigrant, killing him in his Bronx doorway after mistaking his wallet for a gun; Safir publicly questioned the officers' account, stating there was "no reason" for such volume of fire, but also drew criticism for comments perceived as victim-blaming, such as noting Diallo was out late.[55][56] In response, Safir mandated that plainclothes Street Crimes Unit officers wear identifiable uniforms to reduce misidentification risks and later disbanded the unit's aggressive plainclothes operations, though he denied the Diallo case directly prompted these changes.[57][58] Safir defended the overall record, arguing isolated incidents did not reflect systemic failure amid 400,000 annual arrests and historic crime drops.[59]Responses to scandals like Abner Louima
In the wake of the August 9, 1997, torture of Haitian immigrant Abner Louima by NYPD officers Justin Volpe and Charles Schwarz in the bathroom of Brooklyn's 70th Precinct, Commissioner Howard Safir swiftly removed the precinct's entire supervisory staff, including reassigning its two commanding officers, suspending a sergeant, and transferring 10 additional officers on duty that night.[7][60][29] This action was described as demonstrating "alacrity and severity" in addressing the incident, contrasting with perceptions of prior departmental cover-ups.[7] Safir also ordered the transfer of African-American officers to the precinct to promote integration and address community demands for diversity in leadership, a move he defended as necessary for rebuilding trust despite subsequent lawsuits from affected officers claiming racial discrimination in assignments.[61][62] By October 1997, Safir had dismissed 106 officers overall since taking office, including eight for brutality-related offenses, underscoring a pattern of disciplinary action in response to misconduct allegations.[53] In broader efforts to combat perceptions of systemic brutality, Safir in July 1999 initiated an internal review of historical police disciplinary cases questioned by federal monitors, aiming to enhance accountability.[9] Department-wide data under his tenure showed a decline in civilian complaints against officers and an increase in sustained disciplinary findings by 1999, with Safir emphasizing collaboration with community leaders on criminal acts by police while maintaining aggressive enforcement priorities.[63][64] These measures were part of a zero-tolerance policy for corruption enacted in 1996, recommended by the Commission to Combat Police Corruption, though critics from human rights groups argued that oversight bodies like the Civilian Complaint Review Board received insufficient weight in investigations.[65][66]Post-retirement contributions
Security consulting and authorship
Following his retirement as New York City Police Commissioner in August 2000, Howard Safir transitioned to the private sector, leveraging his law enforcement expertise in security consulting.[67] He joined ChoicePoint, a corporate security and data aggregation firm, where he focused on risk management and investigative services.[67] Safir later founded and chaired SafirRosetti, a New York-based firm specializing in security assessments, intelligence, and investigations, including physical security design, cyber security, and due diligence for corporate clients.[68] In 2002, Safir became Chairman and CEO of Vigilant Resources International (VRI), a security consulting company that conducted comprehensive threat, risk, and vulnerability assessments for organizations such as school districts.[69] For instance, in January 2013, VRI was contracted by the New Rochelle City School District to evaluate security protocols across its facilities, producing detailed reports on potential vulnerabilities and mitigation strategies.[69] He also led VRI Technologies LLC, integrating law enforcement technologies with private security solutions, and provided expert witness testimony in legal cases involving forensics, investigations, and security failures, drawing on over 35 years of experience.[70] Additionally, Safir served as Chairman of Safir Intelligence and Security, advising on counterterrorism, computer forensics, and physical protection measures amid rising post-9/11 threats.[6] Safir extended his influence through authorship, co-writing the 2003 book Security: Policing Your Homeland, Your City, Your State with Ellis Whitman, published by Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin's Press.[71] The work provides an insider's perspective on modern law enforcement tactics, covering topics from satellite-based criminal tracking and counterterrorism operations to data-driven crime prevention, emphasizing proactive measures adapted from his NYPD tenure.[71] Safir argued for robust, technology-enabled security frameworks at local, state, and national levels to address evolving threats like terrorism and organized crime, without relying on expanded federal bureaucracies.[72] The book received attention for its practical insights but drew critique from some quarters for defending aggressive policing models amid debates over civil liberties.[73]Advocacy and philanthropy
Following his tenure as New York City Police Commissioner, Howard Safir engaged in philanthropic efforts centered on advancing law enforcement research and practices through the Howard and Carol Safir Foundation, co-founded with his wife Carol. The foundation prioritizes empirical studies to enhance public safety, reflecting Safir's emphasis on data-driven policing during his NYPD leadership. In September 2025, it partnered with the University of Virginia's Center for Public Safety and Justice to initiate the Howard and Carol Safir Foundation Public Safety Research Initiative Grant Program, offering three grants totaling up to $150,000 across categories including urban policing, drug enforcement, and cross-jurisdictional task forces.[74] Eligible applicants include federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies or academic institutions focused on evidence-based strategies.[75] The foundation has committed significant funding to support these objectives, including a $310,000 pledge in 2025 to UVA's School of Continuing and Professional Studies for programs advancing professional development in public safety.[76] This initiative underscores a commitment to rigorous, outcomes-oriented research amid ongoing debates over policing effectiveness, prioritizing causal mechanisms like targeted enforcement over unsubstantiated reforms. Family members, including Safir's son Adam, have continued stewardship of the foundation post-Safir's 2023 death, emphasizing his lifelong dedication to supporting frontline officers through informed policy.[77] In advocacy, Safir leveraged his federal law enforcement experience—spanning roles at the U.S. Marshals Service and Drug Enforcement Administration—to champion institutions preserving enforcement history. He actively backed the U.S. Marshals Museum in Fort Smith, Arkansas, serving on its funding tax committee in 2019 and touring construction with Carol Safir.[78] As a former associate director of the Marshals Service under President Reagan, Safir highlighted the agency's legacy in fugitive apprehension and asset protection, arguing the museum would educate on tangible benefits like lives and property saved, countering narratives downplaying enforcement impacts.[79] His involvement extended to public endorsements, framing such projects as essential for sustaining institutional morale and public appreciation of law enforcement's role in causal crime deterrence.[78]Personal life and death
Family and relationships
Safir married Carol Ferrara on November 21, 1965, when she was 18 years old.[38][80] The couple remained married for nearly 58 years until Safir's death in 2023, during which Ferrara pursued a career as a real estate professional and served as president emeritus of the New York City Police Commissioners' Widows and Widowers Fund.[13][10] They had two children: a daughter, Jennifer, born around 1971, who at one point worked in public relations for Howard Rubenstein Associates, and a son, Adam.[2][80][14] Jennifer married in 1999, an event during which Safir arranged for NYPD detectives to provide security.[81] Safir and Ferrara were also grandparents to four: Audrey, Hudson, Cara, and Alexander.[1][6] Safir was born on February 24, 1942, to George Safir and Rose Weiner Safir in the Bronx, New York.[38][10] He was survived by a sister in addition to his immediate family.[2]Health and passing
Safir experienced significant health challenges during his tenure as New York City Police Commissioner from 1996 to 2000, including undergoing double bypass heart surgery and receiving treatment for prostate cancer.[2] He died on September 11, 2023, at the age of 81, from a sepsis infection while hospitalized at Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis, Maryland, where he maintained a residence.[13][27] The infection reportedly followed recent heart bypass surgery.[14] His son confirmed the cause to media outlets, noting the circumstances of his father's passing in the hospital.[27]Legacy and assessments
Impact on crime reduction in New York City
During Howard Safir's tenure as NYPD Commissioner from January 1996 to August 2000, New York City experienced a continued decline in crime rates that had begun under his predecessor, William Bratton. Safir maintained and expanded data-driven strategies such as CompStat, which emphasized real-time crime analysis, accountability for precinct commanders, and rapid deployment of resources to high-crime areas.[82] These approaches, combined with an increase in the number of uniformed officers to over 40,000 by the late 1990s, contributed to sustained reductions in violent crime beyond national trends.[83] In 1996, preliminary year-end statistics showed the lowest crime levels in over a quarter century, with overall crime falling more than three times the national average in the first half of that year.[37][84] Homicides, a key indicator of violent crime, dropped significantly under Safir's leadership. The table below illustrates the annual totals:| Year | Homicides |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 983 |
| 1997 | 770 |
| 1998 | 633 |
| 1999 | 671 |
| 2000 | 673 |