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Staff Bios
R. Gil Kerlikowske
Director
Office of National Drug Control Policy
On May 7, 2009, R. Gil Kerlikowske was sworn in as the Director of the
Office of National Drug Control Policy. As the Nation's "Drug
Czar," Mr. Kerlikowske coordinates all aspects of Federal drug control
programs and implementation of the President's National Drug Control
Strategy.
Mr. Kerlikowske brings nearly four decades of law enforcement and drug policy experience to the position, most recently serving 9 years as the Chief of Police for the Seattle Police Department. When he left, crime in Seattle was at its lowest point in 40 years. In his previous positions as deputy director for the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services and president of the Major Cities Chiefs Association, Mr. Kerlikowske strongly supported community oriented policing services, which promote partnerships and problem-solving techniques to address conditions that give rise to public safety issues such as crime, drugs, and social disorder. Mr. Kerlikowske also served as police commissioner of Buffalo, New York, where his selection by the then-mayor became the first outside appointment in 30 years, and chief of police of two Florida cities, Fort Pierce and Port St. Lucie, both of which received the Attorney General's Crime Prevention Award. Mr. Kerlikowske also served in the U.S. Army Military Police. His awards include the Presidential Service Badge.
In addition to his broad background in Federal, State, and local law enforcement, Mr. Kerlikowske served as chair of the board of directors of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, a national organization focused on how to prevent youth from becoming criminals. He was also on the Seattle/King County Advisory Board of the Salvation Army, feeding the hungry and helping the homeless.
Mr. Kerlikowske holds a B.A. and M.A. in criminal justice from the University of South Florida in Tampa, and is a graduate of the National Executive Institute at the Federal Bureau of Investigations Academy in Quantico, Virginia.
