7. He took his position with the New York City Police Commission seriously
In 1894 Roosevelt was approached by leading reformers hoping he would run for Mayor of New York. His wife Edith opposed the idea, and he turned them down. When a Republican candidate prevailed in the election on a platform of reform, Roosevelt realized he had made an error in judgment as regarded his political career. The new mayor, William Lafayette Strong, offered Roosevelt a position on the New York Police Commission, and though Roosevelt had no experience in law enforcement (other than his adventures in North Dakota) he accepted the post. Once again, what was considered by many to be a sinecure was in his hands converted to position of power.
The New York Police Department was, like much of the bureaucracies of the city, rife with corruption throughout. Bribery was common, gambling and houses of prostitution were protected by police officers, as were other criminal activities throughout the city. The corruption rose through the ranks of the department, and Roosevelt decided that where it directly impacted the residents of the city – the police officer on the beat – was where it must be confronted first. Roosevelt set about reforming the police department with a vigor never seen from a commissioner before in New York City.