Brown, Lee P (Patrick) (1937– )

US police officer and government official. An advocate of foot patrols and community policing, he was Atlanta's public safety commissioner from 1978–82, police chief of Houston 1982–90, and New York City police commissioner 1990–92. In 1993, President Bill Clinton made him Director of the Office of Drug Control Policy, a senior position.

He was born in Wewoka, Kansas. He became a patrolman in San Jose, California in 1960 while still an undergraduate. He earned a masters degree in sociology and a doctorate in criminology. In 1968, he established the Department of Administration of Justice at Portland State University, and in 1972 he joined the faculty of Howard University. By 1975 he was back in Portland as sheriff of Multnomah. Author of numerous articles, he coauthored Police and Society: An Environment for Collaboration and Confrontation.