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THE COMMISSIONER by RICHARD DOUGHERTY Pocket Books 1962 1963 1st Perma PB [Hardcover] Richard Dougherty
This rare and vintage book is a perfect addition to any bibliophile's collection
Hardcover
Published January 1, 1962
About the author
Richard Dougherty
19 booksRichard Dougherty was a journalist, author and press secretary for George McGovern's 1972 presidential campaign. Through the course of his life Dougherty was a deputy New York City police commissioner for community relations in the 1950s and a city hall reporter and Washington political correspondent for the New York Herald Tribune. Later he was the New York bureau chief for the Los Angeles Times.
Dougherty joined the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City in 1974 and, until his retirement a decade later, was in charge of fund raising, public relations and membership.
Dougherty wrote five novels, ''A Summer World'' (1960); ''Duggan'' (1962); ''The Commissioner'' (1962), which was the basis for the movie and television series ''Madigan''; ''We Dance and Sing'' (1971), and ''Botch/Up, (1974).''
Dougherty joined the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City in 1974 and, until his retirement a decade later, was in charge of fund raising, public relations and membership.
Dougherty wrote five novels, ''A Summer World'' (1960); ''Duggan'' (1962); ''The Commissioner'' (1962), which was the basis for the movie and television series ''Madigan''; ''We Dance and Sing'' (1971), and ''Botch/Up, (1974).''
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
May 25, 2025
This novel is a forgotten classic.
Dougherty, the writer, served as a Deputy Commissioner
for the New York City Police Department. This is the real
story. Every line shows his experience.
He writes of the vanities, the frailties and the humanity
of all characters in this book. Even the murderer shows
his human side.
The Commissioner falls in love with a married woman.
The words describing the gradual descent from flirting
to talk to romantic love. I have rarely seen love so
wonderfully and eloquently described. Finding these words
in a police novel forms a rare surprise.
But Dougherty writes this book 'in the round.' He expands
his thoughts into fully realized paragraphs. It may seem odd
to compare him to Thomas Mann or Herman Melville in
this style. But a shrewd reader will see the connection.
Dougherty did not want to write a quickie paperback mystery.
He seemed to want to write a classic novel about the
police world that would last for years. In my view, he succeeded.
This story from a true case in 1953. A killer disarmed
two detectives and escaped to kill another officer with their
guns. The detectives have just 48 to find him and save
their jobs.
The huge shootout happens on a Sunday. I know it is
a true story because an old-time detective croaked to me
at a police banquet 45 years later, "I got down behind a
car to return fire. It was Sunday so I was wearing my
Sunday church suit. I remember that day forever."
Apparently, he did.
This story was so compelling that a 21 year old soldier home on leave from the Vietnam war saw the film and read the book. It changed his life. That soldier had never thought much about the police before that book. That soldier was
William J. Bratton, an acknowledged police genius. Bratton became chief of the New York police twice and the Los Angeles Police as well. Many experts credit Bratton with saving both cities from uncontrollable crime waves. Bratton's work, inspired by this book, saved thousands of young inner-city lives.
I know it. I saw it.
Because I served under him as a street cop.
Does this show the power of just one book, now forgotten by modern readers?
***Frank Hickey, Los Angeles Police Department, retired, now working humanitarian service in Ukraine.
Dougherty, the writer, served as a Deputy Commissioner
for the New York City Police Department. This is the real
story. Every line shows his experience.
He writes of the vanities, the frailties and the humanity
of all characters in this book. Even the murderer shows
his human side.
The Commissioner falls in love with a married woman.
The words describing the gradual descent from flirting
to talk to romantic love. I have rarely seen love so
wonderfully and eloquently described. Finding these words
in a police novel forms a rare surprise.
But Dougherty writes this book 'in the round.' He expands
his thoughts into fully realized paragraphs. It may seem odd
to compare him to Thomas Mann or Herman Melville in
this style. But a shrewd reader will see the connection.
Dougherty did not want to write a quickie paperback mystery.
He seemed to want to write a classic novel about the
police world that would last for years. In my view, he succeeded.
This story from a true case in 1953. A killer disarmed
two detectives and escaped to kill another officer with their
guns. The detectives have just 48 to find him and save
their jobs.
The huge shootout happens on a Sunday. I know it is
a true story because an old-time detective croaked to me
at a police banquet 45 years later, "I got down behind a
car to return fire. It was Sunday so I was wearing my
Sunday church suit. I remember that day forever."
Apparently, he did.
This story was so compelling that a 21 year old soldier home on leave from the Vietnam war saw the film and read the book. It changed his life. That soldier had never thought much about the police before that book. That soldier was
William J. Bratton, an acknowledged police genius. Bratton became chief of the New York police twice and the Los Angeles Police as well. Many experts credit Bratton with saving both cities from uncontrollable crime waves. Bratton's work, inspired by this book, saved thousands of young inner-city lives.
I know it. I saw it.
Because I served under him as a street cop.
Does this show the power of just one book, now forgotten by modern readers?
***Frank Hickey, Los Angeles Police Department, retired, now working humanitarian service in Ukraine.
Displaying 1 of 1 review