Chief Wilson Aramboles is the highest ranking Dominican officer within the NYPD, overseeing the Special Operations Division.
Born in La Vega, Dominican Republic, he moved to the U.S. when he was 10 years old.
He lived in the Lower East Side in the Lillian projects.
“My mother was a victim of crime and I felt horrible that I wasn’t there to help her and protect her,” Aramboles said.
That moment made him want to help other New Yorkers not fall victims of crimes.
But Aramboles didn’t join the force immediately.
“I informed my mother that I wanted to become a police officer. My mother was a little upset because she wanted me to finish college first. So I promised her that I would finish college after I joined the police department, which I did,” Aramboles said.
The 33-year veteran of the department walked the beat in the 34th Precinct in Washington Heights, a place where many residents of Dominican-descent call home.
“I was probably one of only two Dominicans in the precinct. I felt like I was back in Dominican Republic, dealing with the same culture that I know and I was born with. It was really good to help other Dominicans, hard workers that that wanted to improve in life [but I] also had to deal with the Dominicans that were criminals,” he said.
Aramboles rose through the ranks at remarkable speed. He became Commanding Officer of the 33rd Precinct in Washington Heights.
From there, he moved on to Bronx Narcotics and was part of several large drug busts.
In one case, the NYPD confiscated about nine kilos of cocaine.
“I saw the eyes of my mother, my late mother, when I made captain. I could see in her eyes she was proud of her son,” Aramboles said.
Aramboles has said his mother eventually embraced his career, even though she initially opposed it.
He now oversees the Special Operations Division, which has five subunits: emergency service, aviation, harbor, mounted and strategic response.
They are known for carrying out some of the most daring operations, such as air-and-sea rescues, barricading perpetrators and jumpers from city bridges and high rises.
“A lot of people joke around, and they say I’m the chief of all the great toys that the NYPD has,” Chief Aramboles said.
He remembers his early career in a neighborhood that was uniquely challenging.
“I came from Dominican Republic at the age of 10. So when I got to the Lower East Side. That neighborhood was, was very congested with narcotics and also a lot of crime that was concurring in that area. It was tough growing up in that area,” he said.
One memorable metric tracks his impact on Dominican representation in the NYPD.
Early in his career at the 33rd Precinct, Aramboles was one of only five Dominican cops working there.
Today, 75% of the officers in that same precinct are from the island.
“I am proud of my Dominican heritage,” he has said. “My culture has taught me the importance of family, faith, humility and hard work. Those values have guided me throughout my life.”
Aramboles became a prominent voice celebrating Dominican contributions to New York law enforcement.
“It’s been a nice steady progress for the Latino community within the department, and I see it growing,” he said.
In the viral moment that anchored his public profile, the young boy who arrived in New York at age 10 marched as one of the city’s highest-ranking Dominican cops in the Dominican Day Parade.
On August 11, 2024, Aramboles attended the Dominican Day Parade on Sixth Avenue.
The occasion gave him a chance to reflect on his improbable journey.
“The United States allowed a young boy from the Dominican Republic to receive an education, build a meaningful career as one of the highest Dominican executives in the NYPD and dedicate his life to public service,” he said.