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Ernest Morales III | |
|---|---|
| 9th Chief of the Metro Transit Police Department | |
| In office February 27, 2023 – September 23, 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Eddie Frizell |
| First Deputy Commissioner – Mount Vernon Police Department | |
| In office July 21, 2020 – December 31, 2022 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1967-08-02)August 2, 1967 (age 58) |
| Spouse | Yolanda Morales |
| Alma mater | |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | |
| Years of service | 1999-2021 |
| Highest rank attained |  Lt. Commander |
| Awards | Defense Meritorious Service Medal Joint Service Achievement Medal Meritorious Service Medal Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal |
Ernest Morales III was an American law enforcement officer most recently as the 9th Chief of theMetro Transit Police in Minnesota, with over 30 years of experience in various roles in law enforcement, including theNew York City Police Department andMount Vernon Police Department.
Ernest Morales III was born and raised on theLower East Side ofManhattan.
Morales attendedChelsea Vocational High School. After graduating from high school, Morales continued his journey as an amateur boxer while working as a custodian for PS 23K Carter G. Woodson Elementary School before joining the ranks of the NYPD.
During his formative years, Morales had two primary aspirations: to become a New York City police officer and a professional boxer. Morales credits boxing as his means of escaping the difficult circumstances of growing up in New York City during the 1970s and 1980s. Coming from a single-parent household, he had to fight for what he desired. His first experience in the boxing ring occurred when he was just 11 years old.[1] At 21, Morales won his first and only professional fight.[2]
Morales attended Empire State University. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Police Administration and later went on to complete a Master's degree in Protection Management from John Jay College.[3]
Morales enlisted in theUnited States Navy Reserve under the Navy's Advanced Pay Grade program. He later received a direct commission as anEnsign in the Navy Reserve, where he served for 22 years, retiring as a Lieutenant Commander with the Joint Intelligence Center (JICCENT), US Central Command (USCENTCOM).[4]
Ernest Morales III was sworn into the Mount Vernon Police Department as the First Deputy Police Commissioner of Hispanic descent in Mount Vernon.[5] During his time with the city, Morales help lead the city to crime reductions and created a Cold Case Squad which revisited unsolved homicides bringing several cases to a close with arrests and a final resolution for the mourning families.[citation needed]
Morales the Commanding Officer of Transit Bureau, District 12 in the Bronx was promoted to the rank of Deputy Inspector and later transferred to 42nd Precinct where he focused on safety through community outreach.
Morales was then transferred to Housing Bureau Bronx/Queens as the Executive Officer before retiring and assuming his new Role as the First Deputy Police Commissioner in the city of Mount Vernon, New York.[citation needed]
Morales began serving as the police chief for theMetro Transit Police Department (MTPD) in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on February 27, 2023.[6]
In June 2023, Morales signed onto the 30×30Initiative, a national effort to increase female representation in policing to 30% by 2030. At the time, women made up 12% of sworn officers and 3% of leadership roles in U.S. law enforcement. Under Chief Morales’s leadership, MTPD surpassed state averages, with 22% of its sworn officers being women and over a third of its Command Staff being women.
During his tenure in Minnesota Morales helped implement the Safety and Security Action Plan and started seeing quick improvements. Crime was down 14% comparing the first half of 2024 to the first half of 2023, and was down 17.5% from the second quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2024. These reductions in crime occurred while the Metro Transit Police Department was short approximately 60 officers.[7]
In August 2024, Morales was put on paid leave during an investigation of multiple complaints of his workplace behavior. On September 23, 2024, it was reported that Morales had resigned from the position while the investigation was ongoing.[8] Minneapolis'Metropolitan Council refused to release records related to Morales' departure.[9]
Morales is married to his wife Yolanda, and they have four children. Morales is also an avid boxer and marathon runner and has received theSix Star Medal for completing all six of the world's major marathons. He was the first member of the NYPD to achieve this honor.[10]
Morales also served as an Inspector with the New York State Athletic Commission regulating professional combat sports within the state and was promoted to Deputy Commissioner before assuming his role as the Chief of Metro Transit.[citation needed]
