Raymond W. Kelly is New York City's first police commissioner to serve two nonconsecutive tenures. He was first appointed Police Commissioner by former New York City Mayor David Dinkins in 1992. Kelly briefly worked for Bear Stearns & Co as a senior managing director of global corporate security before Mayor Michael Bloomberg in 2002 selected him to serve as his police commissioner.

Kelly had previously held positions with the federal government. As the commissioner of the U.S. Customs Service, Kelly oversaw an agency with a staff of 20,000 employees. Kelly received the Alexander Hamilton Medal for Exceptional Service with customs.

In the late 1990's, Kelly served as the U.S. Treasury Department's under secretary for enforcement. In this role, Kelly was responsible for overseeing the U.S. Customs Service, the U.S. Secret Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, and the Office of Foreign Assets Control.

Kelly was also vice president of the Americas of Interpol, an international police agency. He also served as the organization's director in Haiti where he helped to create and train an interim police force. President Bill Clinton gave Kelly the Exceptionally Meritorious Service Commendation for his work in Haiti. He also received the Commander's Medal for Public Service from The Chairman of the Joint Chief's of Staff for his service in Haiti.

For over three decades Kelly worked for the New York City Police Department. He also served in Vietnam and retired from the Marine Corps Reserves. He holds honorary degrees from Marist College, Manhattan College, the College of St. Rose, St. John's University and the State University of New York.

Kelly earned his bachelor's from Manhattan College and his juris doctorate from St. John's University. He also received a master's of law (LLM) from New York University Graduate School of Law and a Masters of Public Administration from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government.