He joined the Bronx Police Department on 15 Dec 1896, then one month later January 21st, 1897, President of NYC Police Commissioners Theodore Roosevelt appointed William a Patrolman. He spent the next 20 years associated with the mounted squad. Before ending his career, he would wear two stars for bravery and a bronze medal for heroic events. The first of these took place on December 9th, 1902 in the Bronx, when he stopped a downhill rider-less runaway lumber wagon headed for a trolley. In doing so he was dragged a block and spent two months recuperating from his injuries. For this, he was promoted to “Roundsman” (a supervisory officer) and transferred to the Newtown Police Station. Officially promoted to Sergeant on 27 December 1902. The second event occurred on April 30th, 1903, he was on the corner of Covert Avenue and Ralph Street when he saw a runaway horse and wagon occupied by two children. Managing to catch the horse by the bridle and stopping it, the little girl remained onboard but, the sudden stop caused the little boy to fall out and was badly bruised. The rig belonged to their father Samuel France of Brooklyn. His next promotion came December 7th, 1905, he was now a Lieutenant and transferred to the Bureau of Repairs & Supplies. In August of 1910 he was presented a bronze medal by the U.S. Life Saving Association for saving a man from drowning at Coney Island the previous August. December of that year he was invited to visit President Taft at the White house to discuss the upcoming annual Lieutenants Association meeting. In January 1911 he was Grand Marshall and special escort of Governor John Dix at the annual Lieutenants dinner held at the Waldorf-Astoria. He was promoted to Captain in April 1919. On New Year’s 1920, he was transferred to command of the West 100th Street Station the first step to Inspectorship. In October 1920, he was promoted to “Acting Inspector General” and officially “Inspector General” on April 7th, 1921