January 14, 2019
Reserved for individuals who have demonstrated an ongoing commitment to criminal justice innovation, Lewis Rice, Jr. ’74SVC was honored by the Citizens Crime Commission of New York City with the Distinguished Service Award at their eighth annual awards reception held in midtown Manhattan in late November.
A member of the St. John’s University Board of Trustees, Mr. Rice is the Senior Vice President of Global Security and Trademark Protection for The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. In this role, he is responsible for leading a worldwide team of security executives charged with the protection and safety of company employees and products.
Before entering the private sector, Mr. Rice had a distinguished 26-year career in law enforcement, serving as a Special Agent in the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). He steadily climbed the ranks of the federal agency tasked with combating drug smuggling and the distribution of illicit drugs within the United States.
“It all started at St. John’s,” said Mr. Rice. “I was motivated to join the DEA after they visited a career fair on campus.” Mr. Rice credits George Ansalone, Ed.D., former Professor of Sociology; former adjunct professor Robert Wicks; and the supportive faculty in the Department of Criminal Justice, for steering him toward the DEA—a federal agency that was still in its infancy in 1974.
Several hundred people were in attendance to hear Mr. Rice’s remarks, including New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., and several other district attorneys; current New York City Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner James P. O’Neill and former NYPD Commissioner William (Bill) Bratton; Judge George Grasso and other members of the city’s judiciary; and various members of the New York City law enforcement and business communities.
“St. John’s is about service, as is law enforcement,” said Mr. Rice. “My father was a proud detective with the NYPD, so I grew up hearing his stories about crime and criminal justice. I also saw, close up, the scourge of drugs, especially heroin, all over New York City. Some of my friends survived the Vietnam War only to return home and become addicted to drugs. It was a tough time, in a very different city.”
During his tenure in government, Mr. Rice led the New York City office, the largest enforcement division of the DEA in the country, where he was responsible for all of the investigative, administrative, training, and drug prevention programs for the State of New York. In 1998, he was awarded the rank of Meritorious Executive in the Senior Executive Service of the DEA by former President Bill Clinton.
“It is a humbling experience to be recognized for a commitment to serving the public good,” Mr. Rice observed. “Crime is never going away and neither is the need for diverse, honest, hardworking, and well-trained law enforcement professionals—the kind who get their start at St. John’s University.”
Mr. Rice also articulated how he paid it forward by encouraging another St. John’s alumnus to pursue a career with the DEA. He publicly acknowledged Carl Beckett ’93SVC, Assistant Special Agent in Charge for the DEA in New York, who flew in from the West Coast to see Mr. Rice receive his award. Mr. Beckett was a student-athlete playing for the Men’s Basketball team in the 1990s when he met Mr. Rice and was inspired to follow in his footsteps.
“There is a shared belief in service within our supportive alumni network,” Mr. Rice told the crowd. “It comes with being part of the St. John’s family.”