He was  appointed the 16th Fire Commissioner of the City of New York by Mayor Vincent Richard Impellitteri on December 6, 1950 and served in that position until July 18, 1951 when he resigned to accept an appointment as New York City Police Commissioner to replace Thomas Francis Murphy. In 1953 he was appointed sole Harness-Racing Commissioner when Governor Dewey  abolished the earlier three-man Harness-Racing Commission.
He was appointed the 16th Fire Commissioner of New York City by Mayor Vincent Richard Impellitteri on December 6, 1950 and served in that position until July 18, 1951 when he resigned to accept an appointment as New York City Police Commissioner to replace Thomas Francis Murphy. In 1953, he was appointed sole Harness-Racing Commissioner after Governor Dewey dissolved the previous three-man commission.