Douglas Imrie McKay

Douglas Imrie McKay (May 25, 1883 – September 24, 1962) was an American artillery and law enforcement officer and New York City Police Department police official who served as New York City Police Commissioner in 1914. His five months in office and eventual departure from the police force were fraught with controversy, however, his two-year campaign against the New York underworld eventually rid the city of the many street gangs active since the early-to mid 19th century. In the years following his retirement, McKay also had a successful career in business, holding high-level positions in a number of corporations. In 1926, McKay was charged with reckless driving which resulted in the death of Mary Stockstrom, mother of 4.

Biography Douglas Imrie McKay was born on May 25, 1883, in New York City. He attended New York City College and graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1905 as a second lieutenant. McKay was of Scottish heritage. He became a coast artillery officer in the U.S. Army and was stationed at Fort Adams, Rhode Island from September 1905 to March 1907 and then a month at Fort Caswell, North Carolina. McKay was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant and remained at Fort Monroe, Virginia until his resignation on May 23, 1907.

McKay's tactics, although successful, were the source of frequent arguing and criticism between himself and the mayor's office. His militant attitude against the New York underworld concerned local politicians, particularly in Tammany Hall, who felt he was a political liability. A number of magistrates also expressed concern over the commissioner's hasty actions. They also complained that his "sight arrest" orders, in which loiterers were subject to immediate arrest, filled up city's jails overnight. The situation created a serious problem by delaying the city legal system when many of these cases the charges would be dropped for lack of evidence. McKay responded by expressing a lack of backing from the city and that, in his opinion, his position was regarded by city officials as "the Mayor's secretary for police affairs". McKay later returned to the police force for a brief time during Prohibition, serving as special deputy police commissioner and became the state commander of the American Legion in 1928. McKay eventually entered the insurance business and, in 1935, he became president of the New York Title Insurance Company.

McKay later retired to San Jose, California, where he died on September 24, 1962. He was survived by his wife Pauline and two daughters, Mary and Patricia McKay.