Frank Fowler; Chief of Police

One of the first appointments made by the newly elected mayor of Syracuse, Stephanie Miner was the promotion of Deputy Police Chief, Frank Fowler to the position of chief. It was an epochal moment in the history of Syracuse. An African American heading the city's major law enforcement department was described in the media as significant and a strong indication of the new mayor's commitment to bringing in diversity to the city's work force. For Fowler, it is the culmination of what has been described by many as a brilliant career. It is also a promotion he deserves, previously a deputy chief, it is a step up in familiar territory for him.

"He is a good man. It is definitely a good appointment," said Common Councilor Tom Seals.

A retired police officer, Seals has first hand knowledge of the dynamics of law enforcement. He views the appointment of Frank Fowler as a step in the right direction.
"The mayor made a good choice" he said.

Seals also added a point that appears to have been overlooked by the local media. His promotion to chief of police makes him the second African American to hold the top job in the Syracuse Police Department. According to Councilors Seals, the first African American police chief was Dennis Duval.

Frank Fowler is forty seven years old. His law enforcement career was preceded by a military stint that included service at Ford Drum. He joined the Syracuse Police Department in 1989. He was promoted to sergeant in 2000.

It has not been an easy road to travel for Fowler as he worked his way to the top. Joining the police department at a time when it faced serious challenges, he was involved in patrol duties that took him into the streets and into the midst of action. And action there was; plenty of it, too. Media reports indicate that the presence of Officer Fowler and his colleagues in the streets made an impact. Combining high visibility with swift action produced results.

"I didn't want to be in the streets when the patrol was out. They would stop you and you'd better have an explanation why you're doing what you're doing or you're going downtown," said a man who described himself as a former "hustler" named Tee. He said he knew about Officer Fowler from the streets.
"He was no joke. He's a tough man," he said.

Officer Fowler would soon shed formal police patrol duties for another assignment that made him less visible; he became an undercover narcotics investigator. Officer Fowler made the transition from the streets to undercover narcotics investigation and once again, showed he had the ability to do a good job.

In 2006 he was named Deputy Chief. According to reports in the media, his promotion to Deputy Chief didn't receive a ringing endorsement from the rank and file of the Syracuse Police Department. It was described as an act of political expediency made for reasons other than actual law enforcement.

There is plenty of evidence of the outstanding work he has done in law enforcement. He has won several community awards for his police work, most recently on Dec. 1 when he received the Red Cross' Law Enforcement Award for capturing a suspect whom he saw fire a gun at a vehicle.

"He is a good cop and he has paid his dues. He'll make a good chief," said General Davis.

Davis is also no stranger to law enforcement. A former gang leader, he has a long history of involvement with the Syracuse Police Department for all the wrong reasons. The criminal life is behind him, he says.

During the 2007 June Teenth celebration, then Deputy Chief Fowler shut down the Saturday evening activities three hours early after fights broke out on Clinton Square.

He also helped create the Trauma Response Team, a volunteer group that assists victims and their relatives at crime scenes.