Robert Daley, author of Prince of the City and former NYPD spokesman, dies at 96
Robert Blake Daley, a prolific author whose novels and nonfiction drew on a career spanning journalism, sports publicity, and law enforcement, died on Tuesday in the Bronx. He was 96. His death in a hospital was confirmed by his daughter, Suzanne Daley, an associate managing editor at The Times who oversees the international print edition. He lived in Bronxville, N.Y.
Mr. Daley wrote 31 books that ranged from crime and police corruption to sports, adventure, and travel, often blending real-world reporting with dramatic storytelling. His work explored bullfighting, deep-sea treasure hunts, horse racing, opera, wine, and, most notably, the world of New York City police officers as heroes, victims, and sometimes corrupt figures. Many of his books were translated internationally and found a strong readership in Europe.
His best-known work, “Prince of the City: The True Story of a Cop Who Knew Too Much” (1978), followed the case of a New York police detective who, after being caught taking bribes, went undercover to expose corruption inside an elite narcotics unit. The investigation led to dozens of indictments and prison sentences. The book was later adapted into a 1981 film directed by Sidney Lumet and starring Treat Williams, and it became one of several Daley works turned into movies or television productions.
Daley briefly held one of the most visible public roles in law enforcement when he served as the New York Police Department’s deputy commissioner for public affairs from 1971 to 1972. The period was marked by intense violence and political tension in the city, including Mafia-related shootings, the killings of police officers, and high-profile robberies, alongside revelations of police corruption.
A former New York Times correspondent in Europe and North Africa and earlier the first publicist for the New York Giants, Mr. Daley brought a journalist’s instincts and a storyteller’s sensibility to police headquarters. His tenure was controversial, as he frequently spoke openly to reporters, sometimes releasing details that unsettled senior officials. He also carried a licensed firearm after receiving threats, an unusual move for a department spokesman at the time.
He later said he took the job to bring more transparency to what he saw as an overly secretive institution. His time in the role ended in 1972 after disagreements with leadership, and he soon published a memoir about the experience, “Target Blue: An Insider’s View of the N.Y.P.D.”
Born in Manhattan on May 10, 1930, he was the son of Arthur Daley, a Pulitzer Prize-winning sports columnist for The Times, and Elizabeth (Blake) Daley. He graduated from Fordham Preparatory School in 1947 and Fordham University in 1951, then served a year in the Air Force.
He became the Giants’ first publicist and spent six seasons promoting a team that included Frank Gifford, Sam Huff, Charlie Conerly and Kyle Rote, during a period that included the team’s 1956 championship season. In the off-seasons, he wrote sports pieces and traveled in Europe, later covering the Winter Olympics and Grand Prix racing.
In 1959, he joined The Times as a correspondent and spent six years reporting from 16 countries across Europe and North Africa, covering conflicts, culture, and sports.
Mr. Daley is survived by his wife, Peggy Ernest; three daughters, Theresa, Suzanne and Leslie; two sisters; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
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