Since its inception, John Jay College has been an institution proud to educate public safety leaders in law enforcement, fire suppression, and emergency medical services. In this article series, we get to know the man or woman “behind the badge” and find out what challenges and inspires them in their jobs.
On the morning of September 11, 2001, New York City Police Department (NYPD) Chief of Patrol Jeffrey Maddrey ’03 was cradling his newborn daughter, enjoying a day off. “At the time, I was a Lieutenant at the 67th Precinct and I was looking forward to that day, just my three-month-old baby and me. My wife, also a police officer, was getting ready for work and she saw on the news that there was a ‘terrible accident’ at the World Trade Center,” says Maddrey. “When the second plane hit the Towers, I knew it wasn’t an accident. New York was under attack.”
“It felt like something out of a comic book apocalypse. The vast amount of destruction that I witnessed with my own eyes didn’t feel true.” —Jeffrey Maddrey ’03
The couple left their baby with a trusted neighbor and raced to their precincts. Maddrey’s was tense, gleaning little by little how many died. “A couple of days after the 11th, I finally went down to the scene and it was surreal. It felt like something out of a comic book apocalypse,” says Maddrey. “The vast amount of destruction that I witnessed with my own eyes didn’t feel true. The smoke was so thick that we had to have masks on to breathe properly. We had to wear hard hats because of falling debris. Cops were crying as they learned about friends, relatives, and loved ones who died. It was a horrible time.”
“The officers and firefighters running to the scene did the noble, most courageous thing. They understood in their hearts what their mission was and they ran in those towers to save lives.” —Jeffrey Maddrey ’03
An Important Lesson
Chief Maddrey reflects what first responders learned from September 11th. “One of the things we learned had to change was self-deploying. People were making command decisions, not telling their supervisors where they were, and we have to learn from that. We have to be very strategic in how we deploy. We have to have resources on hand just in case something else happens in the city. You can’t take for granted that if an emergency happens, that something else won’t occur at the same time or a little later.” Maddrey explains. “The officers and firefighters running to the scene did the noble, most courageous thing. They understood in their hearts what their mission was and they ran into those towers to save lives. They were going to do anything they could to get people out. We also have to understand how to deploy, keep our officers safe, and make sure we do things strategically.”
“Being culturally competent is one of the most important tools you can have. It gives you an edge in serving your community.” —Jeffrey Maddrey ’03
Building Community Relationships
Since September 11th, Maddrey has experienced career highs—like watching his mentees flourish—and lows—like losing an officer in the line of duty. Yet, he’s never regretted the decision he made to join the NYPD. Now, as Chief of Patrol, Maddrey is responsible for 77 precincts. “Something is always going on in this city at all times—and in this position, there’s not much time to sit still. He credits John Jay with helping him develop cultural competency. “John Jay showed me that when you’re interacting with the community, you need to know about the history and culture of different communities to successfully build a relationship with them as a public servant. New York City is a very diverse place. Being culturally competent is one of the most important tools you can have in your tool belt. It really gives you an edge in serving your community.”