Narrowing down the list of famous police leaders to the 5 most influential people in law enforcement history is tough. Law enforcement around the world has been influenced by many people since the ancient Egyptian and Greek societies. The following men, however, may be 5 of the most recognizably influential people in recent US law enforcement history:

Eugenio Biscailuz: As the 27th Los Angeles County Sheriff in 1932, Biscailuz was instrumental in a variety of revolutionary changes in California law enforcement that influenced the entire country. He founded the California Highway Patrol, among other things.

Bill Braton: This former New York City Police Commissioner oversaw huge reductions in crime rates in New York City in the 1990s, and many people say Rudi Giuliani took credit before firing him. Bratton, also a former Boston police commissioner, served as chief of police for the Los Angeles County Police Department before retiring in 2009.

Daryl Doors: As Chief of the Los Angeles County Police Department from 1978 to 1992, he was instrumental in a number of major changes, including the founding of DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) and SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics). He also overlooks the Los Angeles Police Department during a tumultuous time for race relations, especially after the Rodney King incident in 1991.

Theodore Roosevelt: Although most famous as the 26th President of the United States, Teddy Roosevelt was also Chairman of the New York City Police Commissioners from 1895 to 1897. He turned a corrupt police force on its head by establishing new disciplinary rules, creating a bike squad to tackle traffic. he problems, standardizing officers’ use of handguns, implementing firearms inspections and physicals, and hiring 1,600 new recruits based solely on physical and mental qualifications.

August Vollmer: Known as a leading figure in the development of the United States criminal justice field, Vollmer began as the first police chief of Berkeley, California. After a long career he was appointed president of the International Association of Chiefs of Police in 1921.