Robbery of His Mother Drove NYPD Chief’s Rise

NYPD Chief of Special Operations Wilson Aramboles says the robbery of his mother set him on the path to his NYPD career, turning a college student who once hoped to teach into one of the department’s top-ranking officers. The 60-year-old has spent 38 years with New York’s Finest after deciding to join the force in 1988.

Aramboles immigrated from the Dominican Republic when he was 10 and grew up in the Lillian Wald Houses on Avenue D in the East Village. He said the move brought a steep adjustment, requiring him to learn a new language and culture after arriving in the United States. While he was attending City College, his mother was robbed on the Lower East Side, an experience he said changed his outlook and made him want to give back to the community.

He said the crime involved a chain snatching, and he recalled that his mother was a victim of crime. Although his mother worried about his decision to leave teaching behind for law enforcement, he joined the NYPD anyway. Over time, he said, she came to accept the choice and felt proud of his work. For Aramboles, the move was more than a career shift. He described police work as rewarding and said he entered it with a clear goal of helping the people around him.

Aramboles began his police work in northern Manhattan precincts, where he said his background helped him connect with residents facing similar struggles. He later became commanding officer of the 33rd Precinct in Washington Heights before moving into Bronx Narcotics, where he took part in several major drug cases. In one investigation, he said, the NYPD seized about nine kilos of cocaine. He also recalled that an undercover officer was shot during that case, though the officer survived and later retired.