Bernard Bailey Kerik (born September 4, 1955, in Brooklyn, New York) is an American former police official who served as the 40th Commissioner of the New York City Police Department from August 2000 to December 2001. He had a challenging early life marked by family instability, with a British immigrant mother who abandoned the family and an abusive father. After dropping out of high school and later earning a GED, he served as a military police officer in the U.S. Army in the early 1970s before joining the NYPD in 1974. Over two decades, he rose through the ranks, working in narcotics, organized crime, and internal affairs, eventually becoming a detective and supervisor. In 1994, he was appointed warden of the Rikers Island jail complex, implementing reforms to reduce violence and contraband. As Police Commissioner, he oversaw increased security measures and coordinated with federal agencies during the immediate aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, gaining national prominence while facing some criticism for departmental policies. After leaving the NYPD, he worked as a security consultant, including advising on post-invasion efforts in Iraq, and authored the memoir 'The Lost Son: A Life in Pursuit of Justice' (2001). His later career was marred by controversies: in 2004, President George W. Bush nominated him for Secretary of Homeland Security, but he withdrew amid revelations about his nanny's immigration status and unpaid taxes; in 2006, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor tax charges; and in 2009, he was convicted on multiple felony counts including tax fraud, wire fraud, and lying to the government, serving a four-year prison sentence until his release in 2013. Post-release, he has worked as a consultant and commentator, maintaining close ties to Rudy Giuliani and Republican politics.