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Willie Williams, former Philadelphia Police Commissioner and LAPD Chief, has died at age 72.

Williams became the first black Philadelphia Police Commissioner in 1988, appointed by Mayor Goode. He sought to improve the Police Department's relationship with the black community, which had been awful for decades, especially under Commissioner (later Mayor) Frank Rizzo, and suffered again when the police bombed the MOVE house in 1985.

Williams was Los Angeles's first black Police Chief from 1992 to 1997. There too, he tried to improve minority relations after the Rodney King riots.

Willie L. Williams, 72, was first African-American top cop in both Philly, L.A.

Another former Philadelphia Police Commissioner, John Timoney, died Tuesday. He was also a high ranking cop in New York and Miami. He was credited with simultaneously reducing crime and police brutality.

John F. Timoney, Police Official Who Pushed Innovative Tactics to Curb Crime, Dies at 68

According to legend, the author Tom Wolfe wrote, “Timoney never once had to draw a weapon to arrest a felon and take him in. He just gave him a good look at ... that face ... and even the most obtuse and poisonous viper became a mewling little pussy.”