Maurice Cullinane

Maurice J. Cullinane (November 29, 1932 – March 2, 2023) was the chief of police in Washington, D.C., from December 1974 to January 1978. He was captured in a 1958 Pulitzer Prize–winning photograph titled Faith and Confidence.

Early life

On November 29, 1932, Cullinane was born in Washington, D.C.

Career

In 1954 Cullinane became a police officer in the Washington Metropolitan Police Department. His nickname was "Cully".

Cullinane was a police lieutenant during the 1968 Washington, D.C., riots. During the riots there was significant property damage and 13 deaths. Only two fatalities were attributed to Washington, D.C., police officer actions. In 2018 Cullinane said,

For that I was proud of my department. They were not going to kill somebody to save a window from getting broken or to save a liquor store.

In 1973 Cullinane was promoted to the rank of Assistant Chief of Police, and he became the Chief of Police in 1974.

Cullinane's retirement as a police officer in 1978 was for a job-related disability. While working a demonstration against the Vietnam War in 1968 he had an injury to his knee and he was eligible to retire and collect US$31,000 a year for the remainder of his life.

After his 1978 retirement from the police department, Cullinane became the Chairman of the Committee to promote Washington.