Tony Bouza
Encyclopedia
Anthony V. Bouza is a 40-year veteran of municipal police, serving as Minneapolis police chief from 1980 to 1989. Bouza came to the United States with his family at age 9. After graduating from Manual High School in Brooklyn and serving in the U.S. Army, Bouza worked briefly in sales in the garment industry in Manhattan before joining the New York City police, eventually becoming commander of police in The Bronx
. In 1976, Bouza was featured in the seminal TV documentary The Police Tapes
, and became deputy chief of the New York City Transit Police
later that year. He was brought to Minneapolis by Mayor Donald Fraser
, who when newly elected in 1980, wanted an outsider to head the department following a series of scandals under his predecessor. He retained Bouza for a total of three three-year terms. After stepping down as chief, Bouza served as Minnesota gaming commissioner from 1989 to 1991 and briefly as director of the Center to Prevent Handgun Violence in the nation's capital. In 1994, Bouza unsuccessfully sought the Democratic Farmer Labor Party nomination for Governor of Minnesota
, with R.T. Rybak (who in 2001 was elected mayor of Minneapolis) as his campaign manager. Bouza was perceived as the frontrunner until about 10 days before the primary election when he called for the confiscation of handguns and his support collapsed. (The winner of the DFL primary went on to lose to Republican incumbent Arne H. Carlson.)
Bouza was grievously unpopular with the police officers he led in Minneapolis. Within weeks of becoming chief, Bouza closed two of the city's six police precincts and replaced two-member squads with single-member squads in most of the city. Officers blamed the 1981 murder of a police officer on this policy. In a cost-cutting move, he also instituted a promotion freeze that interrupted the careers of hundreds of officers. The citizenry generally noted that Bouza was installed as an agent of change in the police department and that this was a cause of his unpopularity among the rank and file.
Bouza's wife, Erica Bouza, who was born in Great Britain, was arrested repeatedly for engaging in anti-militarism protests as part of the Honeywell Project
while Bouza was Minneapolis police chief. The irony attracted national attention. The Bouzas have two sons, Anthony Jr. and Dominick.
Bouza holds a bachelors degree in business administration (1965) and a masters degree in public administration (1968) from Baruch University. Bouza is author of four popular books: The Police Mystique: An Insider's Look at Cops, Crime, and the Criminal Justice System (Da Capo, 1990), A Carpet of Blue: An Ex-Cop Takes a Tough Look at America's Drug Problem (Fairview, 1991), Police Unbound: Corruption, Abuse, and Heroism by the Boys in Blue (Prometheus, 2001), and The Decline and Fall of the American Empire: Corruption, Decadence, and the American Dream (Da Capo Press, 2003). He also wrote two technical books: Police Intelligence: The Operations of an Investigative Unit (AMS Press, 1976) and Police Administration (Elsevier, 1978).
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
. In 1976, Bouza was featured in the seminal TV documentary The Police Tapes
The Police Tapes
The Police Tapes is a 1977 documentary about a police precinct in the South Bronx. The original ran ninety minutes and was produced for public television; a one-hour version later aired on ABC...
, and became deputy chief of the New York City Transit Police
New York City Transit Police
The New York City Transit Police Department was a law enforcement agency in New York City that existed from 1953 to 1995. The roots of this organization go back to 1936 when Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia authorized the hiring of Special Patrolmen for the New York City Subway system...
later that year. He was brought to Minneapolis by Mayor Donald Fraser
Donald M. Fraser
Donald MacKay Fraser is an American politician from Minneapolis, Minnesota.-Early life:Donald Fraser played a critical role in making human rights an important part of U.S. policy. Fraser was born on 20 February 1924 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Everett and Lois Fraser. His parents were émigrés...
, who when newly elected in 1980, wanted an outsider to head the department following a series of scandals under his predecessor. He retained Bouza for a total of three three-year terms. After stepping down as chief, Bouza served as Minnesota gaming commissioner from 1989 to 1991 and briefly as director of the Center to Prevent Handgun Violence in the nation's capital. In 1994, Bouza unsuccessfully sought the Democratic Farmer Labor Party nomination for Governor of Minnesota
Governor of Minnesota
The Governor of Minnesota is the chief executive of the U.S. state of Minnesota, leading the state's executive branch. Forty different people have been governors of the state, though historically there were also three governors of Minnesota Territory. Alexander Ramsey, the first territorial...
, with R.T. Rybak (who in 2001 was elected mayor of Minneapolis) as his campaign manager. Bouza was perceived as the frontrunner until about 10 days before the primary election when he called for the confiscation of handguns and his support collapsed. (The winner of the DFL primary went on to lose to Republican incumbent Arne H. Carlson.)
Bouza was grievously unpopular with the police officers he led in Minneapolis. Within weeks of becoming chief, Bouza closed two of the city's six police precincts and replaced two-member squads with single-member squads in most of the city. Officers blamed the 1981 murder of a police officer on this policy. In a cost-cutting move, he also instituted a promotion freeze that interrupted the careers of hundreds of officers. The citizenry generally noted that Bouza was installed as an agent of change in the police department and that this was a cause of his unpopularity among the rank and file.
Bouza's wife, Erica Bouza, who was born in Great Britain, was arrested repeatedly for engaging in anti-militarism protests as part of the Honeywell Project
Honeywell
Honeywell International, Inc. is a major conglomerate company that produces a variety of consumer products, engineering services, and aerospace systems for a wide variety of customers, from private consumers to major corporations and governments....
while Bouza was Minneapolis police chief. The irony attracted national attention. The Bouzas have two sons, Anthony Jr. and Dominick.
Bouza holds a bachelors degree in business administration (1965) and a masters degree in public administration (1968) from Baruch University. Bouza is author of four popular books: The Police Mystique: An Insider's Look at Cops, Crime, and the Criminal Justice System (Da Capo, 1990), A Carpet of Blue: An Ex-Cop Takes a Tough Look at America's Drug Problem (Fairview, 1991), Police Unbound: Corruption, Abuse, and Heroism by the Boys in Blue (Prometheus, 2001), and The Decline and Fall of the American Empire: Corruption, Decadence, and the American Dream (Da Capo Press, 2003). He also wrote two technical books: Police Intelligence: The Operations of an Investigative Unit (AMS Press, 1976) and Police Administration (Elsevier, 1978).