WISHING ALL A VERY HAPPY AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR!

RANK STRUCTURE OF THE METROPOLITAN POLICE

The prefix �detective� is given to officers who have been assigned to investigative work after completing the appropriate selection and training. Detective ranks parallel uniformed ranks and range from Detective Constable to Detective Chief Superintendent.

The entry level, Constable, is followed by Sergeant then Inspector, with Chief Inspector next up on the chain of command.


THE DETECTIVE COMMANDER�S INVESTIGATIVE PLAN: GREAT BRITAIN STYLE

During a recent visit to New York of some visiting Metropolitan Police investigators (Scotland Yardies), I had the opportunity to discuss homicide investigations, and the role of the Squad Commander in London policing.

I learned that the major task of the Squad Commander (the Detective Chief Inspector) was to commit to writing his/her �Investigative Plan�.

Enacted several years ago, this is intended to be used to show at what stage an investigation is currently in, and what facts are being utilized to determine the next stages of an investigation.

This task consumes the majority of the commander�s time � even more than we spend providing Compstat updates to the armies that require them!

The Detective Commander must, in writing, indicate what course of action he has directed the Detective Inspector to pursue, and what his reason for this is based on.

Try and think what that would involve on your investigations, and you can get a small understanding of the magnitude of this task.

In this manner, the reason why a particular person may be brought in for an interview must be delineated, what the basis of this interview will be about, and what is hoped to be obtained � all committed to a written report by the Commander.

A cumbersome task for sure!


THE DEFINITION OF POLICING

The word "Police" means, generally, the arrangements made in all civilised countries to ensure that the inhabitants keep the peace and obey the law. The word also denotes the force of peace officers (or police) employed for this purpose.

In 1829 Sir Richard Mayne wrote:

"The primary object of an efficient police is the prevention of crime: the next that of detection and punishment of offenders if crime is committed. To these ends all the efforts of police must be directed. The protection of life and property, the preservation of public tranquillity, and the absence of crime, will alone prove whether those efforts have been successful and whether the objects for which the police were appointed have been attained."

In attaining these objects, much depends on the approval and co-operation of the public, and these have always been determined by the degree of esteem and respect in which the police are held. One of the key principles of modern policing in Britain is that the police seek to work with the community and as part of the community.


COPPERS BY ANY OTHER NAME�

In New York we simply call them �cops�.

In Chicago, the slang becomes �coppers�.

Well, in London, the police are slangly referred to as �Old Bill�. But why?

According to the Official Encyclopedia of Scotland Yard, there are about a dozen possibilities for the origin of the phrase:

Old Bill referred to King William IV who came to the throne in 1830, a year after the Metropolitan Police were founded.

Old constables of the watch were sometimes nicknamed for the bills or billhooks they carried as weapons.

The 'old bill' was in Victorian times a bill presumed to be presented by the police for a bribe to persuade them to turn a blind eye to some nefarious activity

In the 1860s a popular Sergeant Bill Smith at Limehouse was referred to as 'Old Bill'

Many police officers did wear authoritarian looking 'Old Bill' moustaches like Bruce Bairnsfather's famous WW1 cartoon character, the wily old soldier in the trenches. In 1917, the government adopted Bairnsfather's cartoon character in posters and advertisements putting over wartime messages under the heading 'Old Bill says..' and for at least some of these, the figure was dressed in Special Constable's uniform.

The original vehicles used by the Flying Squad (the mobile force of the Met) had registration plates with the letters BYL.

According to the late author Robin Cook, 'old bill' is a racing term for an outsider or unknown quantity; hence a dodgy prospect for an illegal gambler's point of view.

All rather interesting theories nonetheless, but not as practical as the copper buttons used on American police uniforms being interpreted to the now familiar police term � �Cops�, shortened from the proper (Chicago) �Coppers� term.


OBIT: LT. FERDINAND �AL� ALCINDOR

A recent obituary noted the passing of Ferdinand �Al� Alcindor, the 86 year old father of basketball Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Kareem�s father passed away Friday, December 9, 2005 at Coney Island Hospital, after a long bout with senile dementia.

Al Alcindor was a retired Lieutenant with the Transit Police, retiring in the mid-1980�s.

The son of an immigrant from Trinidad, Ferdinand Alcindor was a music lover who attended the Julliard School before serving in the Army 1941-45. He served with the Transit Police, rising through the ranks to Lieutenant.

Several retired Transit cops recalled some stories of Lt. Alcindor, who they remembered as a no-nonsense type of guy, who spent some time in District 4.

One story recalled a time that Carmine Delmonico was in an RMP with Lt Alcindor, andthey had responded to Times Square at the time of the "Black Panther riot". It was recalled that as they were walking through a passageway they encountered a group of the rioters coming towards them, and someone was heard to shout out "Let's get Uncle Tom and Whitey�. Lt. Alcindor sort of became the Incredible Hulk, and waded through them with elbows and nightstick flailing. Lt. Alcindor certainly left an impression on many that day. The rioters wanted no part of them anymore!

In another incident, two Transit Cops boarded an A train at Chambers Street on their way to post. As the doors closed, they saw Lt. Alcindor on the platform; he had apparently just gotten off that same train and was walking towards the stairs on his way to the District.

The train started moving with a jerk which put people standing, including the two Cops, momentarily off balance. Of course you all know that experience. A few seconds later,they saw Lt. Alcindor enter from the next car and approach them.

When the train jerked, there was also a male standing near the two Officers and from the platform, it looked like the male had attacked the Officers, and Lt Alcindor boarded the moving train between cars to get to their assistance. Another lasting impression made.

Proud father of a stalwarth college and professional basketball player, lover of music, photography hobbyist� and Transit Cop to the end. May you rest in peace, Lieutenant.


FOR THE INVESTIGATOR�S ROLODEX: REVERSE TELEPHONE DIRECTORIES

Looking for a reverse address lookup site?www.reversephonedirectory.com

offers telephone numbers and names using address or number etc....AND IT'S FREE!!!!

You can also utilize the search results in
www.zabasearch.com

Also of value are:

www.whitepages.com

www.argali.com

Argali requires you to download some software, while on the whitepages site you merely go to their website for a search.

www.freeality.com
Another web site with multiple links that may be of value to you.


A Note on These Free Sites:
As you have probably already learned, the information you receive from these �free� sites cannot be relied on as being 100% accurate. The information may be outdated, or it may be less than accurate � however, it�s use as a starting point is certainly beneficial. For example, the name may or may not be correct and you may get an accurate name but the physical address of a prior user of the number. Additionally,the CITY displayed may also be where the telephone company is located and NOT the area where the line is located.

I have found very reliable information from a paid-for commercial service, LocatePlus, which can be found at
www.locateplus.com

As I mentioned, though, this is a pay-for service. You can click onto their web site, and you can enroll as a member for free, only paying for what you use, as a law enforcement member. They also have a program which you pay one price per month for an unlimited number of searches. If you check on the web site you can learn more.

Don�t forget, though, that the department now makes available to investigators the information in Accurint, as well as a phone directory in ENTERSECT Police Online.

By calling the Real Time Crime Center you can request a reverse phone lookup, which is pretty accurate � and may even have cell phone information.

The free services are good for exactly what they are intended for � a basic phone check. More accurate information, though � as those you may require for telephone subpoenas, or for a more accurate fugitive tracking information, should be utilized through the Accurint, ENTERSECT (from RTCC) or from a better commercial provider such as LocatePlus.



�LEST WE FORGET�� THE NYPD MEMORIAL
�It is not how they died that makes them a hero, but how they lived their lives�.

January 2, 1932 Ptl John Kranz, Det Sqd, Shot
January 3, 1975 PO Michael McConnon, 13 Pct, Shot-robbery
January 3, 1978 PO Ronald Stapleton, 77 Pct, Shot, off duty incident
January 5, 1922 Det William Miller, 38 Sqd(32 Sq), Shot-arrest
January 5, 1922 Det Francis Buckley, Det Div, Shot-arrest
January 5, 1944 Ptl Patrick Malone, Traffic I, Auto accident on patrol
January 7, 1930 Ptl Paul Schafer, 19 Pct, Motorcycle accident on patrol
January 7, 1933 Ptl Walter Murphy, 14 Div (13 Div), Shot-pursuit
January 7, 1934 Ptl Ernest McCarron, 68 Pct, Fire rescue
January 8, 1946 Ptl Benjamin Wallace, 32 Pct, Shot-Investigation

MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY HANUKAH WISHES TO ALL!


I received this story from Dan Mackey, and thought it was so appropriate for this time of year. I am re-publishing it for all to see.



A COP�S STORY: WORKING ON CHRISTMAS EVE

This article was found in the Rockville Centre Herald. The writer is a former police officer from Rockville Centre and a village resident. Here it goes.


"In 1974 when I first joined the police department, I knew there would be special occasions my family would spend without me.

Knowing that fact didn't make the task any easier. The celebrations I missed those first year's depressed me and sometimes made me feel bitter. Working on Christmas Eve wasalways the worst.

On Christmas Eve in 1977, I learned that blessing can come disguised as misfortune, and honor is more than just a word.

I was riding one man patrol on the 4 x 12 shift. The night was cold.

Everywhere I looked I saw reminders of the holiday: families packing their cars with presents, beautifullydecorated trees in living room windows and roofs adorned with tiny sleighs. It all added to my holiday funk.

The evening had been relatively quiet; there were calls for barking dogs and a residential false burglar alarm. There was nothing to make the night pass any quicker. I thought of my own family and sunk further into depression.
Shortly after 2200 hours I got a radio call to the home of an elderly, terminally ill man. I parked my patrol car in front of a simple cape cod style home. First aid kit in hand, I walked up the short path to the front door.

As I approached, a woman who seemed to be about 80 years old opened the door. He's in here she said, leading me to a back bedroom.

We passed through a living room that was furnished in a style I had come to associate with older people. The sofa has an afghan blanket draped over it's back and a dark, solid queen Anne chair say next to an unused fireplace. The mantle was cluttered with an eccentric mix of several photos, some ceramic figurines and an antique clock. A floor lamp provided soft lighting.
We entered a small bedroom where a frail looking man lay in bed with a blanket pulled up to his chin. He wore a blank stare on his ashen, skeletal face. His breathing was shallow and labored. He was barely alive.
The trappings of illness all around his bed. The night-stand was littered with a large number of pill vials. An oxygen bottle stood nearby. Its plastic hose, with face mask attached rested on the blanket.

I asked the old woman why she called the police. She simply shrugged and nodded sadly toward her husband, indicating it was his request. I looked at him and he stared intently into my eyes.

He seemed relaxed now. I didn't understand the suddenly calm expression on his face.

I looked around the room again. A dresser stood along the wall to the left of the bed. On it was the usual memorabilia: ornate perfume bottles, a white porcelain pin case, and a wooden jewelry case.

There were also several photos in simple frames. One caught my eye and I walked closer to the dresser for a closer look. The picture showed a young man dressed in a police uniform. It was unmistakably a photo of the man in bed.

I knew then why I was there.

I looked at the old man and he motioned with his hand toward the side of the bed. I walked over and stood beside him. He slid a thin arm from under the covers and took my hand. Soon, I felt his hand go limb, I looked at his face. There was no fear there. I saw only peace.

He knew he was dying; he was aware his time was very near. I know now that he was afraid of what was about to happen and he wanted the protection of a fellow cop on his journey home.

A caring God had seen to it that his child would be delivered safely to him. The honor of being his escort fell to me.

When I left at the end of my tour that night, the temperature had seemed to have risen considerably, and all the holiday displays I a saw on the way home made me smile. I no longer feel sorry for myself for having to work on Christmas Eve. I have chosen an honorable profession. I pray that when it's my turn to leave this world there will be a copthere to hold my hand and remind me that I have nothing to fear."


To all who are working this holiday, stay safe and walk proudly. We are a noble breed - this is the life we have chosen. Please take a moment to remember our brothers and sisters who are not here today, having given the ultimate sacrifice, and remember their families in your holiday prayers and services.

Be safe - and enjoy the holidays!!! Merry Christmas, and a Happy Hanukah, to all!

The Minister of Investigation


�LEST WE FORGET�� THE NYPD MEMORIAL

December 23, 1939 Ptl John Briggs, 23 Pct, Auto accident on patrol
December 24, 1935 Ptl James Dowling, 25 Pct, Auto accident on patrol
December 24, 1980 PO Gabriel Vitale, 109 Pct, Shot-investigation
December 25, 1935 Ptl Joseph Reiner, Traffic H, Auto accident on patrol

CHIEF OF POLICE WILLIAM DEVERY � FIRST OWNER OF THE NY YANKEES

Note: This short history of former Chief of Police William Devery, noted as one of the first owners of the NY Yankees baseball team, is provided thanks to the work of Ret. Sgt. Mike Bosak; this passage is copyrighted by Mike, and provides an interesting look at an NYPD historical figure.

�William S. Devery, without a doubt one of the most corrupt police officers in the history of New York policing, was born in NYC on the 9th day of January 1854. And at the age of 24 he was appointed a patrolman on the NYPD. On September 16, 1881, he was made a Roundsman, and on May 28, 1884, a sergeant. After only 13 years on the job, he was promoted to the rank of Captain on December 30, 1891.

On February 5, 1897 as a Captain, he was arrested and brought up on charges for bribery and extortion. After conviction, he was dismissed from the NYPD. He appealed his conviction to the NYS Court of Appeals. It was overturned and he was reinstated to the Department and promoted to Inspector on Jan. 7, 1898 and Deputy Chief on February 14, 1898. He was then appointed �Chief of Police� on June 30, 1898.

His motto of, �Hear, See Say Nothin; Eat, Drink, Pay Nothin� was frequently heard and well known in his day. In the Police Trial Room he gave out fines for, �Getting Caught.� It was alleged that Devery and his Tammany police extorted money from pool halls, gambling dens, saloons, dancehalls, and brothels; paid the bail bonds when the proprietors, employees and saloon girls were arrested; allowed blatant violations of the liquor and vice laws; and ran the illegal prizefighting in NYC.

In 1899, Governor Theodore Roosevelt and Republican state legislators established a committee, headed by Assemblyman Robert Mazet, to investigate Tammany Hall corruption. In April, the committee questioned Chief Devery. He stonewalled before the committee by only responding vaguely to questions, often stating, "Touchin' on and appertainin' to that matter, I disremember."

Devery had habitually left work in the early evening to stand on the street corner of Eighth Avenue and Twenty-Eight Street, where he claimed to be available for all constituents, until 1:00 or 2:00 a.m. He denied noticing that right across the street a saloon was conducting a lively after-hours business.

Soon after the Mazet Committee concluded its work with a blistering denunciation of Devery, the New York Times reported that gambling-house owners paid over $3 million annually in protection money. Although the newspaper did not publish names, Devery was known to be one of the leaders of the "gamblers' syndicate" along with Frank Farrell and to run professional prizefighting in New York City, which under state law was illegal.

His career with the Department lasted over 23 and a half years. When Tammany Hall Mayor Robert Van Wyck�s Democratic slate was not reelected in November of 1901, he was forced to retire from the NYPD as the 1st Deputy Police Commissioner. He also had to relinquish his position on the executive board of Tammany Hall in 1902.

He then went on to own and control the N.Y. Highlanders and Yankees with his long time business associate, Tammany friend and landlord Frank Farrell. [In 1915, they sold the team to Houston and Rupert, for the tidy sum of $460,000.]�


NOTORIOUS NEW YORK: FIVE POINTS

A Murder a Day- Bayard, Park, Worth, Mulberry, and Baxter Streets.

That was New York�s notorious �Five Points�.

It is called Columbus Park today, the concrete plaza behind the Manhattan Criminal Court buildings, where kids play basketball and stickball and senior citizens spend afternoons on park benches � and mornings practicing Tai-Czhi. More than one hundred years ago, though, this patch was known as Five Points, a world famous slum raging with despair, disease, and the city�s earliest street gangs � The Dead Rabbits, the Roach Guards, and Plug Uglies, to name just a few.

Conditions were so bad that Jacob Riis, the crusading journalist, called Five Points a �human pigsty� populated by �thieves, murderers, pickpockets, beggars, harlots, and degenerates of every type.� Charles Dickens, in the 1840�s, wrote that Five Points was home to �all that is loathsome and decayed.� Dickens toured the slum � accompanied by cops, of course.

Five Points, a paved over swamp, was located at the intersection of what was then known as Orange, Cross, Anthony, Little Water, and Mulberry Streets. Now they�re called Baxter, Bayard, Park, Worth, and Mulberry Streets.

The nineteenth century brought thousands of immigrants, many of them Irish, who crowded into the area�s airless, soot-filled tenements. In one year, 1852, census takers visiting Five Points found that 155 children, all younger than five, had died, many of them from cholera. Landlords named their buildings �Gates to Hell� and Brick Bat Mansion�, but none were more squalid than the Old Brewery on Pearl Street, on the site of what became a new federal courthouse behind One Police Plaza.

It was here that police estimated that one murder was committed every night for fifteen years � a lot for one address, even by modern standards of crime. Not surprising, then, that tenants named a hallway �Murderer�s Alley�.

A thousand families lived in the five-story building, where in the basement a five year old girl was once robbed and stabbed to death after showing off a penny. The Brewery was knocked down in 1852, and workmen clearing the site carried out bags of human bones. Sometimes the gang warfare at Five Points got out of hand.

In 1857, for example, the city called in the state militia to quell a fight between the Dead Rabbits and the Bowery Boys, but not before ten people had died � including a police officer. In the 1880�s, the police found in a pocket of one gangster, Piker Ryan, a member of the Whyos, a list of services he was willing to render, along with the charges. A punch cost $2, while two black eyes cost $4. Piker would chew someone�s ear for $15, or shoot them in the leg for $25. He charged $100 for �doing the big job.�

Piker Ryan wasn�t much to fear, especially at the turn of the century when Five Points gangs included members like Al Capone and Lucky Luciano. Their experience on the city�s streets was so inspirational that the two men were among the founders of organized crime, a venture that would make them world famous and their operations as big as US Steel.



INVESTIGATIONS � WITH A BRITISH STYLE: THE HOMICIDE COMMAND

How do they investigate major crimes across the pond?

The Metropolitan Police � better known as Scotland Yard � handles homicide investigations through what is commonly referred to as the �Murder Group�.

The Homicide Command is split geographically into three units (West, East and South), each led by a Detective Chief Superintendent.

Each of the Command Units has nine Major Investigation Teams (MITs), consisting of 33 staff, led by a Detective Chief Inspector (DCI), who performs the role of �senior investigating officer' (SIO) as well as Homicide Task Force per unit. The Detective Chief Inspector is similar to our NYPD Squad Commander.

The MPS is the only police service in the UK to have a Chief Officer nominated to oversee all homicide investigations and develop policy in this area.

The Homicide Command is responsible for the investigation of homicide and other serious crimes in London.

The work of the Homicide Command is supported by several specialized teams. These include:

The Murder Review Group Joint Trials Unit Coroners Officers and pathologists Forensic Science Services Other specialist support units


The Major Investigation Teams investigate:

* Murder, manslaughter and infanticide offences.
* Attempted murder, where the evidence of intent is unambiguous or where a risk assessment identifies substantive risk to life.
* Missing persons or abductions, where there is a substantive reason to suspect life has been taken or is under threat.
* Other investigations identified for specialist needs.

In addition, the teams provide advice for the MPS and other police forces on 'High Risk' situations such as missing people.

The Homicide Task Forces proactively conduct work in terms of murder suppression and 'man hunts' for murder suspects.

The Murder Review Group (MRG) acts as an oversight on murder investigations, as well as a catalyst for the �Cold Case� investigation.

They review undetected murder investigations, with the objective of increasing public trust and confidence in the way the MPS investigates murders.

This Unit employs a mixture of serving and retired experienced detectives to undertake detailed reviews of undetected murders, looking for investigative opportunities that may lead to a breakthrough.

The MRG achieves this by identifying, introducing and sustaining best practice. The focus of reviews is twofold:
� to ensure that all investigative opportunities are identified and progressed;
� to ensure compliance with the Murder Investigation Manual.

Think of it as the Compstat Review for murder investigations on a regular basis!

Reviews of new undetected homicide investigations are undertaken four weeks after commencement. The unit also undertakes �cold case reviews', examining old cases for new investigative opportunities, particularly taking into account advances in forensic science.

Note that retired detectives serve on the Murder Review Group as well � certainly a suitable use of experienced talent!


INTERESTING WEB SITES

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Factiva.com

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Includes online access to the electronic archives of over 6,600 publications with a single search. Publications include the Wall Street Journal, major dailies like the New York Times, The Globe, The Chicago Tribune; and scores of business journals.

Its free to sign up and free to receive brief summaries of articles found. Full articles cost $2.95 each. This is an excellent source for conducting background investigations, especially when the subject may be newsworthy or high profile.

www.factiva.com


THE �LEST WE FORGET�� NYPD MEMORIAL

December 20, 1925 Ptl Stephen McPhillips, 23 Pct, Electrocuted
December 20, 1936 Ptl James Smith, Traffic C, Auto accident
December 20, 1967 Ptl Robert Harris, HAPD, Shot-gun arrest
December 20, 1971 Ptl Carson Terry, HAPD-SI, Shot, off duty arrest
December 20, 1976 PO Carlos King, TPD D2, Shot-off duty robbery
December 21, 1930 Ptl Howard Barrows, 105 Pct, Auto accident
December 21, 1967 Ptl George Bishop, Aviation, Helicopter accident
December 21, 1967 Ptl Plato Arvantis, Aviation, Helicopter accident
December 22, 1927 Lt Charles Kemmer, 54 Pct, Shot-burglary arrest
December 22, 1940 Ptl Joseph Kussius, GCP Pct, Motorcycle accident
December 22, 1977 PO William Flood, PBQ, Shot-Robbery, off duty
December 22, 1996 PO Charles Davis, MWS, Shot-Off duty robbery
December 23, 1929 Ptl Michael Speer, 71 Pct, Auto accident on patrol
December 23, 1930 Ptl James McMahon, Traffic F, Injured on patrol
December 23, 1939 Ptl John Briggs, 23 Pct, Auto accident on patrol
December 24, 1935 Ptl James Dowling, 25 Pct, Auto accident on patrol
December 24, 1980 PO Gabriel Vitale, 109 Pct, Shot-investigation
December 25, 1935 Ptl Joseph Reiner, Traffic H, Auto accident on patrol
December 27, 1944 Det Anthony McGinley, 5 DetDist, Shot-Domestic dispute
December 28, 1929 Ptl Joseph Jockel, McyDist, Shot-arrest
December 28, 1974 PO Kenneth Mahon, 41 Pct, Shot-robbery
December 28, 1978 PO David Guttenberg, 68 Pct, Shot-robbery
December 28, 1991 Sgt Keith Levine, CommDiv, Shot-robbery, off duty
December 29, 1878 Ptl Asa Furness, 10 Pct, Shot by EDP

AN OVERDUE HONOR TO NY�S FINEST

It was reported in most area news media that, on November 16, 2005, 100 names were added to the NYPD�s Memorial at 1 Police Plaza.

These additions included police officers killed between 1849 and 1997 who were not previously noted for their line of duty deaths.

The names, it was noted, were added by Mayor Bloomberg and Commissioner Kelly after the urging of some of these cops� relatives, the PBA, and Retired Sgt. Mike Bosak (who had a VERY active part in the addition).

Bosak and other city workers - including a crew of cops assembled by Kelly - combed through pension records, death certificates, command logs and newspaper clippings to compile the fallen heroes' stories.

The names of the officers � including one killed on patrol during the Civil War draft riots � were put on a new plaque on the Memorial Wall inside the lobby of 1 Police Plaza.

The mayor personally saluted John J. Sheridan, who was shot to death while trying to arrest a "gang of burglars" in Long Island City on July 16, 1902.

One of the longest-unrecognized heroes is Patrolman Peter McIntyre, who was beaten to death in July 1863 while trying to control a rampaging crowd during the Civil War draft riots.

Another victim of the Civil War riots was Patrolman Edward Dippel. On July 19, 1863, Dippel was shot and killed while clearing rioters who were looting the Gibbons House on 29th Street near Eighth Avenue.

Also added to the wall was Patrolman Patrick Cushing, who responded to a fire at Bush Terminal in Sunset Park on Oct. 28, 1904. He entered the building to rescue any victims inside. Cushing was cut off from his escape path and died in the fire.

The next time you pass through the lobby at 1PP, take a moment to stop and recognize those of our brothers and sister who have gone before us.


THE 1898 POLICE PARADE

On June 1, 1898, the Police Department of the City of New York paraded in Manhattan.

This was the first parade of the police force of the greater City of New York. Many firsts were established in this parade.

It was the largest police parade up to that time.

Of the 7,000 policemen in the department over 4,000 marched. All the superior officers, captains and above, wore the new style uniforms, and for the first time white dress helmets and white cords and tassels adorned their fancy parade batons.

While the lower ranks did not wear new style uniforms or new style shields, due to manufacturing problems, they did wear a new pearl gray summer helmet with the city's coat of arms in place of the old cap wreath.

This parade also saw the first official department presentation of a medal.

Previously, medal presentations were made in private ceremonies. This was the first award and presentation of the Rhineland Medal for Valor, presented to Patrolman Frederick L. Stahl of the 15th Precinct for rescuing twenty people at a fire on East Houston Street on Jan. 2, 1897. After the presentation by Mayor Van Wyck, Ptl. Stahl was invited to sit with the dignitaries on the reviewing stand.

Right after Ptl. Stahl joined the dignitaries, a spectator called out; "Why don't you make him a Roundsman?" "That is an excellent suggestion," said Mayor Van Wyck to Chief Devery who told Stahl that he was now a Roundsman (present day Sergeant).

This action set a precedent that was followed for a number of years after, in that patrolmen who received the Department Medal (Medal of Honor) or the Rhineland, Bell, or Meyer medal for valor were also promoted to Roundsman.


WHY IS IT CALLED SCOTLAND YARD?

The original headquarters of the Metropolitan Police was a house at 4 Whitehall Place, not far from Trafalgar Square, but the rear entrance, which the public used, was in Scotland Yard.

Great Scotland Yard still exists as a street today, and the building is used as stables for some of the Metropolitan Police Mounted Branch.

When the Metropolitan Police were being established in 1829, one of the first tasks was to find a building to act as the new headquarters. The building was at 4 Whitehall Place.

The new building was adjacent to the Public Carriage Office where a Commissioner was already responsible for the licensing of taxi cabs.

When the public went to see the new Commissioners, they used the back entrance of 4 Whitehall Place the rear of which was converted into a police station. The reception area soon became known as "Back Hall", an expression still used today in the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police. This entrance was in Great Scotland Yard, off Whitehall, and the building soon became known as Scotland Yard.

By 1890 a new headquarters had been needed for many years, and the Metropolitan Police moved into a new building, designed by Norman Shaw, on Embankment.

The building was to have been the site of an opera house, but the project had been abandoned when partly built. the new building was faced with granite quarried by prisoners on Dartmoor, and a female body, the victim of an unsolved murder, was found in the basement of the building, which became known as New Scotland Yard.

In 1967, the Metropolitan Police again moved their headquarters, this time to their current address of 10 Broadway, London, SW1H 0BG, on a site which also borders on Victoria Street.

The name "New Scotland Yard" was retained.


THE METROPOLITAN POLICE OF GREAT BRITAIN

In 1829, when Sir Robert Peel was Home Secretary, the first Metropolitan Police Act was passed and the Metropolitan Police Force was established.

This new force superseded the local Watch in the London area but the City of London was not covered. Even within the Metropolitan Police District there still remained certain police establishments, organised during the eighteenth century, outside the control of the Metropolitan Police Office.

The Metropolitan Police Service is famed around the world and has a unique place in the history of policing. It is by far the largest of the police services that operate in greater London (the others include the City of London Police and the British Transport Police).
The Royal Parks Constabulary have now become part of the Metropolitan Police Service.

Founded by Sir Robert Peel in 1829, the original establishment of 1,000 officers policed a seven-mile radius from Charing Cross and a population of less than 2 million.

Today, the Metropolitan Police Service employs 30,235 officers, 11,966 police staff, 493 traffic wardens and 1392 Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs), and, since the realignment of police boundaries in April 2000, it covers an area of 620 square miles and a population of 7.2million.

The Met works in conjunction with neighboring forces but has particularly close relationships with the other forces that police in London:

The British Transport Police, who are responsible for policing on the rail and tube systems.

The City of London Police, who cover the area within the boundaries of the Corporation of London.

The City of London Police is responsible for the safety of everyone in London's 'Square Mile'. There are about 6,000 residents in the City of London although this number is swelled daily by an influx of some 350,000 commuters, as well as people traveling through and tourists.The Force is organized into six command areas. The two territorial divisions, based at Snow Hill and Bishopsgate, are responsible for the day-to-day policing of the City.

Fifty per cent of Force staff work from these police stations, and their functions include giving crime prevention advice, investigating crime, patrolling, staffing the traffic and environmental zone, and dealing with public enquiries.

About 1,200 people work for the City of London Police. Around one third of these are civilian support staff performing a wide range of professional, administrative and some operational support roles.

The Term �Scotland Yard� refers to the officers of the Metropolitan Police Department.


THE ECCENTRIC SCREENWRITING-DETECTIVE

If you work in Brooklyn North you�ll probably know who this is.

Yes, he�s eccentric.

He�s been working on a screenplay for some time; a follow-up to the screenplay for the (as yet incomplete) movie about the sinking WWII U-Boat.

But that�s a whole other story in itself.

Anyway, our aspiring screenwriter takes a week off to finish writing his screenplay. Uninterrupted time away from the pressure of work.

Upon his return from his week of creativity, he�s asked �So, how did the writing go�?

To which he replied �No good, it rained�.

Which makes plenty of sense if you know our character. You just gotta love him!

Oh, if only Nicky could be in the same room with him�


INTERESTING NOTE ABOUT BROOKLYN PRECINCTS

You may find it of interest to note some of the locations, and history, of Brooklyn Police Precinct station houses.

Dating back to the days of the Brooklyn Police Department, here are some station houses of note:

164th Pct was located at 179 Hamburg Ave. It was so designated in 1909. The building is still in use, currently housing PBBN Operations on Wilson Ave. In between being known as the 164 Precinct and its current command, it was the 83 Precinct. Hamburg Ave was renamed Wilson Ave.
154th Pct was located at 16 Ralph Ave. It was known under this designation in 1909, and was located next to the current 81 Precinct station house.

144th Pct was located at 577 5th Ave, at 16 Street, and was replaced by the current 72 Precinct.

89th Pct was located at 44 Rappelyea Ave. This building was torn down to make way for the building of the BQE, and was replaced by the current 76 Pct.

37th Pct was located at 35 Snyder Avenue in 1924. Its use as a stationhouse was discontinued in May 1925. The 37-B Precinct was established in November 1926. This was located in the old Flatbush Town Hall, and was later replaced by the current 67 Pct.

IDENTITY THEFT UPDATE

Seeking information on Identity Theft issues?

Check the Federal Trade Commission�s web site on Identity Theft at:
www.consumer.gov/idtheft

There are two excellent handouts which you may want to get copies of.

These both can be downloaded or ordered in hardcopy from the FTC.

�ID Theft: What�s It All About� is a pocket size booklet that summarizes how ID theft occurs and what to do about it if you�re a victim.

�Take Charge: Fighting Back Against Identity Theft� is a 52-page manual that goes into great detail on the nature of the crime and how to fight it.

They can be bulk ordered, and may make for a good handout to victims when reporting such crimes.


"LEST WE FORGET..." THE NYPD MEMORIAL

December 4, 1923 Ptl Alfred Van Clieff, 63 Pct, Motorcycle accident
December 6, 1903 Ptl Frank Redican, 1 Pct, Fire rescue
December 6, 1941 Ptl Thomas Casey, 17 Pct, Shot-Robbery pursuit
December 7, 1937 Ptl Edward Lynch, 20 Pct, Shot-Burglary in progress
December 7, 1971 Det Harold Marshall, HAPD-Bklyn, Shot-off duty arrest
December 8, 1924 Ptl Joseph Pelosi, 60 Pct, Auto accident on patrol
December 8, 1932 Ptl Michael Moroso, 23 Pct, Shot by sniper
December 8, 1942 Det Joseph Miccio, 78 Sqd, Shot-investigation
December 8, 1946 Ptl Edward McAuliff, 18 Sqd, LOD injury
December 9, 1932 Ptl John Grattan, Mcy Unit, Motorcycle accident on patrol
December 10, 1929 Ptl Philip Morrissey, 85 Pct, Auto accident on patrol
December 11, 1922 Ptl Francis Mace, 73 Pct, Line of duty injury
December 12, 1966 Ptl Raul Yglesias, PA, Shot-off duty altercation
December 13, 1932 Ptl Louis Wiendieck, Traffic B, Line of duty pursuit
December 13, 1946 Det James Burke, 48 Sqd, Shot-robbery
December 14, 1932 Ptl George Gerhard, 20 Pct, Shot-Robbery pursuit
December 14, 1961 Ptl Hugh Willoughby, 26 Pct, Shot-robbery, off duty
December 16, 1920 Lt Floyd Horton, 40 Pct, Shot: GLA arrest
December 16, 1981 PO Anthony Abruzzo, Jr, 109 Pct, Shot-Robbery, off duty

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Wishing all a very healthy and Happy Thanksgiving!



THE GOOD OLD DAYS?

Reviewing the department�s 1960-1961 quota and salary schedule was enlightening, especially in today�s climate with all of the unions currently undergoing, or ratifying, new contracts.

Some of the items that were found for the 1960 NYPD include the following.

The highest ranking uniform MOS (actually, in 1960, it would have been referred to as MOF. The abbreviation for Member of the Force would have been used, at the time when the department would have been referred to as the police Force. Sometime in the late 60�s, early 70�s � possibly under Commissioner Patrick Murphy � it became a less than desirable term � Force � and everything changed to properly reflect what we do, that is, Police Service, hence Member of the Service � but I�ve digressed) was the Chief Inspector.

The Chief Inspector, equivalent to today�s Chief of Department, earned $20,124. per year. Incidentally, the progression from Chief Inspector to Chief of Department was not sudden; in between these titles there was the title Chief of Operations, which was the rank the highest uniform member was known as, in the early 70�s under the Patrick Murphy re-organization of the department. (Much more could be written about this time, and I will try to add more along the way. Perhaps some of our loyal historians can contribute some �Patrick Murphy � change the department� stories?)

I thought it was interesting to find that there was 1 Chief of Detectives, who was paid $13,664, and there was also a title for 1 Commanding Officer, Detective Bureau who was paid $10,806.

The Chief of Detectives salary was equivalent to those of the 1 Assistant Chief Inspector, Chief of Staff and the 1 Supervising Chief Inspector. The CO of the Detective Bureau salary was equivalent to the 35 Inspector�s, yet was listed in the department�s rank order as being between the title Deputy Inspector and Captain.

The 238 Captains earned between $9030 and $9611 per year.

Lieutenant CDS, of which there were 47, were paid $8106 to $8395. There was obviously a pay step system for CDS, SDS, and Detective Grades at this time.

SDS Sergeants (107 of them) earned between $7505 and $7794; Detective First Grade (269) earned the same as Lieutenants and SDS Sergeants, which was $7505 and $7794.

The 450 Second Grade Detectives earned between $6692 and $6981, while Third Grade Detectives (1762) earned $6324. A top pay Patrolman earned $6076, after 3 years.

This was at a time when the department had a separate Bureau of Policewomen. The Director of the Bureau of Policewoman was paid $10177 per year, the pay of a Deputy Inspector.

There were 4 Policewomen detailed as First Grade Detectives, 10 who were detailed as Second Grade Detectives, and 35 Third Grade Detectives. There were an additional 203 Policewomen, paid the same salary as Patrolmen.

There were 24,590 Members of the Force in 1960.


SOME GOOD OLD WAR STORIES

I�d like to relate a story that was passed on from a retired veteran who spent his days with the Transit Police, working Brooklyn North posts back in the 70�s.

Anyone from Brooklyn North will surely be able to relate to the corner of Franklin and Fulton � the Franklin Avenue shuttle overhead, the A train below, and all that goes on in between.

Franklin and Fulton always was, and still is, a renowned location. When Poppa C was patrolling the 79 Precinct in the early 60�s, it was just as renowned.

Anyway, the story goes like this.

Working an 8px4a tour on a Saturday night in the summer time, late 70's out of District 30, our story-telling cop just gets on post. The club across the street was rockin�, something had happened in the club, and the NYPD with about 10 radio cars had just left with some collars. After all the precinct cops had gone, and it's just 1 lone Transit cop upstairs on the shuttle platform and one downstairs on the A line, some shots are heard coming from the street.

Looking down from the shuttle line, our cop sees a guy with a gun shooting at another guy 6 feet away from him.

The catch is, the other person is armed with� a six pack of beer, and as he�s being shot at he�s throwing the bottles at the guy with the gun.

It's going like this: shot, bottle, shot, bottle...

No one is hit, glass all over the street. The guy with the gun runs away!

The guy with the bottles looks up, sees the uniform cop on the platform looking down at him, and yells up "SORRY OFFICER�.

To which the cop replies with a thumb's up...no big deal, just another night on the shuttle. Seven more hours to go.


NYPD ANGELS: A GREAT WEB SITE

Between 1849 and today there have been 704 members of the NYPD killed in the line of duty. This website is dedicated them - the 577 Patrolmen/Police Officers, 79 Detectives, 38 Sergeants, 8 Lieutenants, 2 Captain and 1 Inspector that gave their lives for us.

They gave unselfishly and now walk through Heaven's streets where they continue to serve and protect us.

May their memories live on forever.

This site is dedicated not only to our Angels but to all members of the New York City Police Department. The men and women that put their lives on the line every day. They truly are New York's Finest.

www.NYPDAngels.com


SOME TESTIMONY TO LIFE ON THE STREETS OF BROOKLYN NORTH

A recent newspaper story detailed a homicide in Brooklyn North that is worth reciting here.

The headline read: �Dealer slain in B'klyn.�

�A 22-year-old convicted drug dealer who friends say often bought ice cream for neighborhood kids was gunned down in a drive-by shooting in Brooklyn yesterday. The victim died at Brookdale University Hospital after the noon shooting in Brownsville.�

The story then continued: �He was one of the good drug dealers�, said a nearby resident. �he was quiet, funny and loyal. When I got shot, he was there for me.�


INTERESTING WEB SITES

Need a Presidential Pardon?
All requests for presidential pardons are to be submitted to:
Pardon Attorney, Department of Justice
www.usdoj.gov/pardon/

Federal Inmate History

Sentry is the Federal Bureau of Prison�s database that keeps track of the location and status of current and former (going back to 1982) federal inmates.

Much of the information was formerly available to the public via phone. Now an internet lookup will be needed to learn the location/status of a current or former inmate. Exceptions include defense attorneys, victims and prisoner family members (and, I assume, law enforcement) who may call for information.

On the website click �Inmate Information link�.

www.bop.gov

202-307-3126 or, for pre-1982 information: 202-307-2934


GOOD AND WELFARE

Friends, family members and colleagues are gathering on December 4 for the first benefit of the Mike Shortell Memorial Fund.

Mike was an NYPD Inspector who died in a tragic accident last July. A veteran of over 26 years in the NYPD, he was an Inspector in command of Bronx Narcotics at the time.

Mike was electrocuted while trying to pump water from his Rockland County home after a rainstorm. He was posthumously promoted to Deputy Chief.

He left behind a widow and three children, and the benefit is seeking to help them along.

The benefit will take place from 3pm to 7pm at the Pearl River Elks Club, 2041 Elks Drive in Nanuet, NY. Tickets are $20 for adults and $50 for family. The NYPD Emerald Society Pipes and Drums and the Verlin School of Irish Dancing, the Linnane School of Irish Music and Dead Mile Dance will provide entertainment.

For information call (845) 735-4647; donations can also be mailed to:

Mike Shortell Memorial Fund
PO Box 173
Pearl River, NY 10965


�LEST WE FORGET�� THE NYPD MEMORIAL
�It is not how they died that makes them a hero, but how they lived their lives�.

November 27, 1963 Det Ronald Rolker, 18 Sq, Shot-robbery, off duty
November 29, 1941 Ptl. James Collins, 62 Pct, Line of duty heart attack
November 30, 1900 Ptl William Baumeister, 29 Pct, Shot- assault arrest
November 30, 1957 Ptl Joseph Rauchut, Mcy2, Motorcycle accident on patrol
December 2, 1873 Ptl Edward Burns, 8Pct, Arrest � assaulted
December 2, 1994 PO Raymond Cannon, 69 Pct, Shot-robbery in progress
December 3, 1922 Ptl John Kennedy, 123 Pct, LOD injury
December 3, 1934 Ptl John Monahan, 14 Div, Shot-arrest
December 3, 1954 Ptl Joseph Norden, 105 Pct, Shot by EDP
December 3, 1973 PO Vincent Connolly, Bomb Sqd, Auto accident on duty

BULLITT 1968

An all guts, no glory San Francisco cop becomes determined to find the underworld kingpin that killed the witness in his protection.


Steve McQueen stars as Frank Bullitt, a tough San Francisco police lieutenant assigned to protect a mob witness. When the witness is gunned down, it is up to Bullitt to exact his own brand of justice, much to the dismay of Robert Vaughn, a smarmy congressman who wishes to further his political career by prosecuting organized crime. He holds Bullitt responsible for the death of his star witness, and it is up to the super cop to bring the killer down, while showing Vaughn that he is nothing but a gussied-up sissy-boy.

McQueen's performance in this all-time classic is the archetype for not only anyone who aspires to become an actor, but also for the proper way to live like a real man. Think about it. He disregards such nonsense as police procedure, he gets to drive a really cool car (1968 Mustang GT390), and if that's not enough, Jacqueline Bisset worships the ground he walks on. Not too bad!

San Francisco has been the setting of a lot of exciting movie car chases over the years, but this 1968 police thriller is still the one to beat when it comes to high-octane action on the steep hills of the city by the Bay. The outstanding car chase earned an Oscar for best editing, but the rest of the movie is pretty good, too.

Bullitt is a perfect star vehicle for cool guy Steve McQueen, who stars as a tenacious detective (is there any other kind?) determined to track down the killers of the star witness in an important trial. Director Peter Yates (Breaking Away) approached the story with an emphasis on absolute authenticity, using a variety of San Francisco locations.

Jacqueline Bisset and Robert Duvall (plays a taxi driver at the airport!) appear in early roles, and Robert Vaughn plays the criminal kingpin who pulls the deadly strings of the tightly wound plot.

Based on the gritty novel "Mute Witness" by Robert L. Pike, this was the first, and only, time McQueen portrayed a police officer (albeit a maverick one) in his movie career. In 1968 Steve was then riding high on the success of his previous crime film, "The Thomas Crown Affair", and "Bullitt" just propelled his star to even higher stardom!

Moody Detective Frank Bullitt (McQueen) is charged with the protection of a key witness vital to an upcoming trial involving Mafia connections.

Whilst hidden away in a supposed secure location, the witness and his police guard are brutally gunned down by unknown assailants. The heat is turned up on Bullitt by his tough Captain (Simon Oakland) and the manipulative, opportunistic politician Walter Chalmers (Robert Vaughn) to come up with the right answers fast! Between the draining investigation, Bullitt struggles to maintain his relationship with his cultured, sensitive girlfriend, Cathy (Jacqueline Bisset).

Director Yates would later to go onto direct Robert Mitchum in the excellent "sleeper" crime film "The Friends of Eddie Coyle"!

And of course "Bullitt" is renowned for it's now legendary car chase between Frank Bullitt's 390 GT Mustang and the two hit men in their black, Dodge Charger 440 Magnum barreling through the city streets and highways of San Francisco....just don't pay too much attention to how many times they pass that slow-moving, green VW Beetle !!

DRESS THE PART

If you liked Steve McQueen in BULLITT, you may want to check out the September issue of ESQUIRE magazine.

Fashion tips for the detective: How to Dress Like Steve McQueen in BULLITT.

Although this wouldn�t pass muster with the Chief of Detective�s dress code, it would certainly be head and shoulders above many of our outer-borough detectives (unfortunately!; doesn�t anyone dress like a DETECTIVE anymore???).

Start with the shoulder holster; that�s always a fashionable item for the Hollywood detective. (Chicks dig it!)

For that same 60�s cool that McQueen had, you�ll need a turtleneck short. Simple cotton turtleneck will do; not too bulky. A slim dark three-button wool jacket to wear over your shoulder holster, with some dark flat-front trousers that aren�t too baggy. Combine this with some comfortable suede shoes, of the �hush-puppy� type, and you�re looking ready for the part!


DNA ISSUES

The following information was passed on from Ret. Det Al Meller, who rightly felt that this information could be of value.

An important priority for law enforcement is the safe return of missing persons. But few of the approximately 18,000 law enforcement agencies in the United States have uniform procedures for taking a missing persons report or obtaining critical information for the identification of human remains.

At the same time many coroners and medical examiners have not been able to obtain the benefits of a national database that can help identify missing persons.

Under the President�s DNA Initiative, the U.S. Department of Justice has developed model State legislation that suggests how States can improve the way missing persons and human remains information is collected, analyzed, and shared. The model legislation is the product of collaboration with Federal, State, and local law enforcement, experts, victim advocates, forensic scientists, and key policymakers. It takes into account many proposals and comments received at a national strategy meeting held in Philadelphia in April 2005.

The Justice Department encourages all States to use and adapt the model State legislation to meet their needs. The legislation, support materials, case studies, field assessments, and other additional resources can be found on
www.DNA.gov.

Note also that this is an excellent site for investigative information on all DNA issues. There is a training course available for investigators which can be ordered here as well (free of charge).

Now available on:
www.DNA.gov

is the NIJ training course �What Every Law Enforcement Officer Should Know About DNA�.


PROBLEM WITH HORSE RUSTLERS?

Just in case you�ve been having a problem with horse rustlers, I thought I�d pass along the following.

DNA testing of horses is now possible, and can be determined to a 99.999% accuracy.

A test has been developed that can now provide accurate, permanent and unalterable results in determining the DNA of a horse. This is known as EDNA � with the E standing for equine.

Need more info? Check for more details at:
www.ednatest.org


INTERESTING WEB SITES

Here�s a site that lists most departments throughout the country, providing contact information as well. An excellent source if you are seeking out-of-city assistance in hunting a perp, etc.

www.usacops.com

This site can help provide prisoner inmate searches and sex offender registry searches throughout the country.

www.ancestorhunt.com


NORTH, SOUTH, EVERY WHICH WAY

The 1956 Manual of Procedure indicates that the location of the Brooklyn South Homicide Squad is at 72 Poplar Street, the location of the 84 Precinct Station House.

At that time, the 84 was within the confines of Brooklyn South.

By the way, the Brooklyn North Homicide Squad was at 148 Vernon Ave, that very police-looking building at Vernon & Tompkins. That building also housed other Division and Borough offices, like the Plainclothes Unit.


HOW�S YOUR LAUNDRY?

One of the items that was kept on file in a detective squad used to be copies of the �Laundry Mark�, which was an identifiable item every laundry used. Dry Cleaners also used marks, which were also kept on file.

These marks could be helpful in identifying a dead body, or a lost person. Laundromats and dry cleaners kept records with people�s names, and often the detective�s would match up a laundry tag to the person.

The DD27A was the Laundry Mark Card, and the DD27B was the Dry Cleaning Mark Card.

Does anyone know what a DD49, known as a �Stop Card�, was?

We�ve all heard of, and continue to use, the UF49, but I thought it was interesting to find out that there was a DD49 as well; what a �Stop Card� is remains a mystery.

How about it, some Detective veterans � John Reilly, or Frank Bolz � anyone know about a �Stop Card�?


IN THE LINE OF DUTY: SGT JOHN MCGARTY, 68 SQD � 1930

The William McLain Freeman Medal was awarded in 1930 to Sgt. John B. McGarty, shield 927, of the 68th Squad (he was attached to 76th Pct., at time of occurrence).

At about 12.30 A.M., March 19, 1929, off-duty and in the vicinity of Bay RidgeAvenue and Third Avenue, Brooklyn, Sgt. McGarty encountered several men in aengaged in a shooting fray. Sgt. McGarty interrupted the incident, exchanged shots with the perps, and killed one of them. He was able to arrested two others. Later that same year Sgt. McGarty would again be called to high duty.

It was at one minute before midnight, Oct. 19, when Ptl. Sauer of the 76 Pct. was waiting to be relieved at the end of his tour. Ptl. Sauer was notified of a hold-up in a barber shop at 59 Summitt Ave., Brooklyn. Hailing Sgt. John B. McGarty, he ran with him to the shop. They broke in a rear door and were confronted by three hold-up men.

Sauer was shot through the head, and died on a hospital cot.

Sgt. McGarty made two arrests and was later cited for Honorable Mention. Ptl. Sauer was given a posthumous award of the NYPD Medal of Honor.Note that while John McGarty received two awards of Honorable Mention, one for the incident on March 19, 1929 and another for the incident on Oct. 19, 1929, he only received one medal award, probably because there were more awards of Honorable Mention than there were medals that could be awarded.

In 1929 there were 28 awards of Honorable Mention made but only 11 medal awards other than the Medal of Honor that could be given.
Thanks again to Ret. Det1 John Reilly for providing the historical background that is so important for us to commemorate today.


CORPORATE LESSON WORTH SHARING

A crow was sitting on a tree, doing nothing all day. A small rabbit saw the crow and asked him, "Can I also sit like you and do nothing all day long?"
The crow answered: "Sure, why not."
So, the rabbit sat on the ground below the crow, and rested.
All of a sudden a fox appeared, jumped on the rabbit and ate it.

Moral of the story: To be sitting and doing nothing, you must be sitting very high up.


�LEST WE FORGET�� NYPD Memorial
�It is not how they died that makes them a hero, but how they lived their lives�.

November 19, 1926 Ptl Edward Byrns, 45 Pct, Shot-pursuit
November 20, 1980 PO James Dunston, PSA5, Shot-Burglary arrest
November 22, 1857 Ptl Horatio Sanger, 9 Pct, Head injury
November 22, 1930 Ptl William Senk, Mcy2, Motorcycle accident
November 23, 1938 Ptl Clarence Clark, 105 Pct, Auto Accident
Ptl. Victor Cooper, 105 Pct, Auto Accident
November 23, 1989 Det Keith Williams, QDAOS, Shot by prisoner
November 24, 1939 Ptl Michael Lonto, 75 Pct, Auto accident on patrol
November 24, 1971 Ptl Patrick O�Connor, ESU, Auto accident
November 24, 2004 PO William Rivera, 78 Pct, LOD injury
November 25, 1933 Ptl Peter Costa, 3Div, Shot-robbery in progress
November 25, 1946 Lt Charles Michie, ESU, Explosion-Rescue
Ptl Peter Kundsen, ESU, Explosion-Rescue
Ptl Francis O�Hara, 102 Pct, Explosion-Rescue
November 25, 1904 Ptl James Devens, 66 Pct, Trampled by horse

THE NY YANKEES AND NYPD � AN HISTORICAL LOOK

The following information is provided thanks to Retired Sgt. Michael Bosak, and provides a very interesting picture of the Yankees history.

NOTE: THIS ITEM IS COPYRIGHTED BY MICHAEL BOSAK.

�For the longest time, any official N.Y. Yankees reference to their history began with the purchase of the N.Y. Yankees by Colonels Tillinghast L�Hommediu Huston and Jacob Rupert, for the sum of $460,000 in January of 1915. The Yankees have never mentioned the significant influence that the NYPD and Chief of Police William S. Devery have had on Yankee tradition.

Many articles have appeared in various N.Y.C. newspapers, touting a history dating back to 1903, and proclaiming 2003 as the 100 Year Anniversary of the New York Yankees. And we�ll have to go back even farther, to January of 1877 to get an even truer picture of Yankee tradition.

But let�s not get ahead of ourselves. We�ll start with the original purchase of the American League Baltimore ball club. On January 9, 1903, Tammany Democrat leader, Frank Farrell, and NYPD retired �Chief of Police� and former First Deputy Police Commissioner, William �Big Bill� Devery, purchased the defunct and bankrupt Baltimore American League franchise for the measly sum of $18,000.

Being two of the most powerful Tammany politicians in New York City at this time, approval for any and all NYC permits for a professional ball club and park was a foregone conclusion. Franchise approval by the American League was granted on March 12, 1903, and construction on an all-wood ballpark was started at 168th Street and Broadway on the grounds of what is now Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital. Because the ballpark was constructed on one of the highest spots in Manhattan, Farrell and Devery named it �Hilltop Park� and called the team the �N.Y. Highlanders.�

However, during the 1905 baseball season, the name "Yankees" began to appear in many newspapers. And by the time Devery and Farrell moved the ball club from decaying Hilltop Park to the Polo Grounds in 1913, the club�s official name had been changed to the now commonly used "New York Yankees."

The interlocking "NY" made its first appearance on the uniforms of the New York Yankees in 1909 at the bequest of �Big Bill� Devery. The design actually comes from the Patrolman John McDowell Medal or, as �Boss� George Steinbrenner would later name it, �The Thurmon Munson Yankees� Captain�s Medal of Valor.�

Louis B. Tiffany created the original silver medal in 1877 for Ptl. John McDowell, who had been shot early in the morning on January 8, 1877. Today, the original silver medal, having been mistakenly bronzed by the Department, can be seen at the Police Museum�.


PATROLMAN JOHN MCDOWELL

NOTE: The following information is also copyrighted by Retired Sgt Michael Bosak, and is provided here as a great historical anecdote from the NYPD files.

�On January 8, 1877, at 2:45 AM in the morning, a burglar by the name of George, a/k/a James, Flint, an Irishman, along with two other burglars (who were not apprehended), came in through the skylight of Bernard Courtney�s Saloon, located at 315 7th Avenue with the intention of stealing whatever they could.

Patrolman John McDowell and Detective Max Schmittberger, along with Capt. Alexander �Clubber� Williams, were all in civilian clothes and had been drinking heavily. In all probability, McDowell and Schmittberger, as the 29th Precinct�s detectives, were Captain Williams� bagmen.

According to sworn testimony given in court, all three had passed out from drink and were sleeping in various positions in the saloon, when the burglars came in thru the skylight. When McDowell came to, he realized what was going on and he began to struggle with the skells. In the struggle, McDowell was shot behind his left ear by a ball fired from a black powder flintlock pistol. He survived his injuries and helped make the arrest.

He was awarded the silver medal in question for his efforts. A few years later, McDowell retired as a �Roundsman� from the 22nd Precinct. (Today�s Midtown North Pct.) to work security in the Federal Reserve Bank�s Sub Treasury in lower Manhattan.

Max Schmittberger would later be caught taking a bribe of $500 from the French Steamship Company. He then rolled over, and in sworn testimony in front of the Lexow Commission, admitted to being �Clubber�s� bagman and running a pad for him. This sworn testimony caused many police officers to lose their jobs and go to jail. Because of his testimony, Teddy Roosevelt, then President of the Board of Police Commissioners pardoned Schmittberger. Catching religion, he went on to hold the position of what today is titled �Chief of Department�.

Alexander �Clubber� William was promoted to Inspector, and as X.O. to Superintendent of Police Thomas Byrnes, he retired as second in command of the NYPD. When given command of the 29th Precinct in Manhattan, he coined the name �The Tenderloin� for this area of over 3,000 French and Irish prostitutes and more than 300 after-hour bars and illegal saloons. Later, he and �Big Bill� Devery went on to become close and longtime personal friends�.


�SEND THE STENOGRAPHER�

I noted some duties that were designated in the 1956 Department Manual of Procedure, pertaining to Homicide cases, that I found of interest.

It is noted that, at a homicide crime scene, the department photographer will respond to take photos of the deceased, the scene, etc.

Also, the photographer is responsible to take the fingerprints of the victim, while still at the scene, as well as the fingerprints of any other people that may have had access to the location that the victim is found at. There was no waiting for the body to be taken to the morgue � fingerprints taken right there.

Also, at homicide scenes, the ranking Detective MOS at the scene would �dictate to the stenographer from the homicide squad, a detailed description of the surroundings, layout of the premises, description of the body��

I was just wondering: whatever happened to this stenographer? Couldn�t you use one at your crime scene today? Try and get someone else you work with to take notes for you, and see how far that goes.


INFO FOR THE INVESTIGATOR: READING SIM CARDS

A device has recently been developed that reads SIM cards from mobile phones.

This will certainly be something we�d like to see TARU get access to.

The new program can recall all deleted messages in the card. As long as there is memory available, the program will show what is in the card. The information can be copied to a spreadsheet for future reports and analysis.

Some police agencies have already started using the device, which originated in Europe.

Sound interesting? You can check the company�s web site at:

www.verdisikring.as

Or you can e-mail them direct at: post@verdisikring.as



MORE ON BROOKLYN POLICE PRECINCTS

Here�s some more information on the location of old Brooklyn Police precincts, continued from a previous posting to this site.
In 1887, the Brooklyn Population was estimated as 765,000, and the police force consisted of 930.

Location of Brooklyn Police Station Houses 1887.
Pct: Location:
1st Adams St. near Myrtle Ave. (1st floor of Police Court House.)
2nd York & Jay Sts.
3rd Butler St. just off Court St.
4th Corner of Myrtle & Vanderbilt Aves.
(One of oldest S.H. in Brooklyn, was 44th Pct. in Metro. P.D.)
5th Corner of North 1st St. & Bedford Ave. This was a 3 story brick building, built 1859/1860 by Cornelius Woglon- a carpenter, who later joined the Brooklyn P.D. and was Captain of this Precinct.
6th S/E corner of Stagg St. & Bushwick Ave. This building was erected about 1860 for a court house.
6th-Sub. Graham Ave., between Frost & Richardson Sts.
7th Corner Greenpoint & Manhattan Aves.
8th Corner 5th Ave. & 16th St.
8th-Sub. 3rd Ave. near corner of 35th St.
9th Near corner of Gates & Marcy Aves.
10th N/W corner of Bergen St. & 6th Ave. (Red Hook)
11th Corner of Van Brunt & Seabring Sts. This was built as a 4 story brick dwelling house, made into a S.H. on April 19, 1876.
12th South side of Fulton St., just above Schenectady Ave.
13th Bartlett St. & Flushing Ave.
14th No location given. This was an old 2 story wooden building: In July 1887, a new S.H. at 16 Ralph Ave. was opened.
15th Congress St. near Columbia St.
16th Clymer St. near Kent Ave. This was built as a tenement house, later became the 5th-Sub. Pct. S.H; then became 16th Pct. S.H. July 15, 1885.)
17th Bradford St. near Atlantic Ave., New Lots. This was a 2 story brick building, and was originally occupied by the New Lots Police Department on Dec. 11, 1873. On Aug. 1, 1886, the New Lots Police Department was annexed (merged in today�s term) to the Brooklyn Police Department, and became the 26th Ward; the S.H. became 17th Pct.


YOU CAN�T MAKE THIS UP

Some more from the files of �truth is stranger than fiction�.

A story reported recently in news sources � and documented as a true story � takes place in California.

I�m sure some of our boaters will get a real kick out of this; something Steve Stemmler or Mike McWilliams can certainly relate to � those crazy new boat owners!

It seems that down on Lake Isabella, located in the high desert, an hour east of Bakersfield, CA, some folks, new to boating, were having a problem. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn't get their brand new 22 foot boat, going.

It was very sluggish in almost every maneuver, no matter how much power they applied. After about an hour of trying to make it go, they putted into a nearby marina, thinking someone there may be able to tell them what was wrong.

A thorough topside check revealed everything in perfect working condition. The engine ran fine, the out-drive went up and down, and the propeller was the correct size and pitch.

So, one of the marina guys jumped in the water to check underneath. He came up choking on water, he was laughing so hard.(Now, remember...THIS IS TRUE.)

Under the boat, still strapped securely in place, was the trailer!


�LEST WE FORGET�� THE NYPD MEMORIAL

October 13, 1968 Ptl David Turman, TPF, Shot-mistaken ID, off duty
October 13, 1970 Ptl Maurice Erben, Harbor, Boat accident
October 13, 1996 PO Brian Jones, PSA4, Shot-off duty dispute
October 15, 1932 Ptl John Fink, 71 Pct, Fire rescue
October 15, 1964 Det James Donegan, 71 Squad, Shot effecting arrest
October 15, 1964 Det Salvatore Potenza, 71 Sqd, Shot effecting arrest
October 15, 1994 PO William Kennedy, Info unavailable
October 17, 1989 PO Anthony Dwyer, MTS, Pushed from roof, burglary
October 18, 1938 Ptl Martin Hanke, 68 Pct, Shot-accidental
October 18, 1988 PO Christopher Hoban, MN Narco, Shot-warrant execution
October 18, 1988 PO Michael Buczek, 34 Pct, Shot-Investigation
October 18, 1996 Lt Federico Narvaez, 70 Pct, Shot-Investigation
October 19, 1929 Ptl Charles Saver, 76 Pct, Shot-robbery in progress
October 20, 1967 Ptl James Dandridge, 32 Pct, Shot:Accidental by MOS

MY ERROR OF OMISSION:
DET. ROBERT PARKER AND DET PATRICK RAFFERTY

I omitted the entry of these two Detectives, from the 67 Squad, who gave their lives on September 10, 2004 effecting an arrest.

I apologize to all, and ask that you keep their families in your prayers. May they rest in peace.

THE CITY'S TOUGHEST COP: JOHNNY BRODERICK

I came across an old newspaper article from June 18, 1966, from the New York Herald-Tribune, that had some interesting NYPD information.

Titled �The City�s Toughest Cop�, it discussed Detective Johnny Broderick, and a time in New York City that will be quite foreign to today�s officers.

I am including it for its information. I found it interesting, and sure that many of you will too. As with much in history, understanding your past is helpful in understanding how you got to where you are.

�Even the fat dictionary doesn't have such a word, but for a 20 year period until 1947, a common expression heard around town, especially in and around the Times Square area was "To Broderick".

It meant to " rough Up, clout, belt, clobber." And the underworld coined it in grudging respect for a bulldog faced cop who rarely used his service revolver, preferring to go in with his fists. While there have been apocryphal stories about Johnny Broderick, who signed his name John J., it is a hard fact that his knuckles were so badly bent from banging the heads of bad guys that Bellevue Hospital once used him as a live exhibit to show what the human fist can endure.

Johnny Broderick who died in 1966 (this article was an obituary to Broderick) would be miserable in today's Police Force. He retired as a first grade Detective in 1947 after more than 24 years on the job.

In all probability, he'd be pelted with constant criticism from groups accusing him of brutality--and in all likelihood he would have quit.

His view was "Legalismo is a lot of bunk". For instance, he once walked into a cafeteria looking for a murder suspect. He saw him. The man identified himself, as requested. Johnny picked up a fully loaded sugar bowl and knocked the suspect cold. As Johnny picked him up off the marble floor, the detective pulled a loaded .38 Caliber revolver out of the man�s pocket. "Case closed." said Johnny.

Fellow officers regarded him as brave, all right, but also fierce and foolish. Along Duffy Square, "Broadway Rose" and bookies were laying 9 to 5 that their pal Johnny would be knocked off any day, in all probability by the likes of Jack (Legs) Diamond; the notorious Legs Diamond was one of the many hoodlums whom Johnny Broderick whacked on the chin, picked up and dumped into an ash can head first, legs flopping.

But Johnny fooled them all. He died of natural causes in the bucolic surroundings of his home in Middletown, on his 70th birthday. Surviving are his wife, a daughter 3 sisters and a brother.

To the end, he kept in touch with his New York, which he found distasteful in recent years. He felt that fists and nightsticks would clean up the town.

Young Broderick was born in the old East-side Gashouse District, which now house Stuyvesant Town. His father died when Johnny was 12, and he went to work driving a truck to support his mother. As a member of the Teamsters Union he somehow met Samuel Gompers, president of the AFL, at a convention and Gompers took a fancy to the husky youth, and made him a bodyguard.

After serving in the Navy during WW1, where he excelled as a boxer, he spent nine months as a fireman. He then, in 1922, found the firematic career tame and donned a Police uniform in January 1923. With the right connections, he was a First Grade Detective within 5 years. He soon became the best known officer on the force.

He worked out of the so called "Main Office Squad" which meant he could go anywhere he pleased. He liked Midtown, where he became as much of a part of the scenery as Madison Square Garden, The Palace, and Lindy's. Inevitably he became the bosom buddy of the greats of the fight game, especially of Jack Dempsey, who once reportedly remarked, "I'd take Johnny on in the ring under Marquis of Queensbury rules--but not in an alley."

The cop with the thin lips and full round face stood only 5' 9" and weighed 175 but he had a mania for physical fitness and worked out almost every day at Stillman�s gym. He shunned tobacco and booze.

It was Johnny Broderick who in 1931, went in and pulled James (two gun ) Crowley out of a West Side building after hundreds of fellow cops laid down a siege and tried to smoke him out. By then, Johnny's knuckles were beginning to ache, so he developed the method of grabbing the tie-wearing gangsters by the knot and twisting until the felon fell back, almost choked to death.

In 1926 three inmates escaped killing the warden and a keeper. Scores of police surrounded the prison. Johnny got there late. He picked up the top of an ash can, weaved his way into the Tombs courtyard, crawled on his belly to where the three convicts were hiding behind a coal bin. He had emptied his revolver by the time he got to where he found them dead. The apocryphal story is that Johnny killed them. He did not-they had committed suicide, possibly because they saw him coming.

He knew all the big-time rum runners-and they knew him. As long as they behaved themselves, they were not Brodericked. Old timers along Times Square recall how Johnny picked up three punks who were misbehaving in a restaurant and threw them through the plate glass window- and charged them with the breakage.

It was amazing too, to see hoodlums slink out of eating places when he came sauntering in with his tight, custom tailored light-weight suit, wearing monogrammed shirts, handkerchiefs and underwear.

Oh there were times when he got his lumps. Before he made detective a thug he had once beaten up telephoned and invited him to have it out. Johnny showed up -and walked into a room loaded with 16 gangsters. He broke a few noses before he emerged-bloody but in one piece, and he hung around until reinforcements came, when he got back at the thug that had invited him.

Besides the Main Office Squad, he was at times assigned to other squads known as the Broadway Squad, Strong-arm Squad and the Industrial Squad. On occasion he served as body guard for Dempsey and Queen Marie of Romania, and he was really honored when in 1936 President Roosevelt specifically asked that Johnny Broderick be close to him on his New York visit.

He had detective partners who made names for themselves too, such as the famed Johnny Cordes.

Johnny Broderick was busted from first grade detective to patrolman, back to uniform, in 1934, during the LaGuardia regime. In a few months, though, he was a detective again driving around in his Cadillac.

In 1949, two years after retiring he took a fling at politics seeking the Democratic leadership of the Times Square area. He got clobbered but Hollywood paid him in excess of $100,000 to do his life story the film being called "Bullets for Ballots" which, inevitably, Edward G. Robinson played the part of the one man anti-crime force.

He vehemently denied that he quit the Police Force under pressure to avoid a scandal. His political foes so charged, saying he had been forced to retire because he had accompanied underworld figures to places such as Hot Springs for the Baths.

The detective who had won eight citations, always cringed when he heard this story: That Johnny Broderick walked into a funeral parlor where a Hudson Duster gangster was laid out and spit in the thugs eye. �I Brodericked him when he was alive," Johnny would say, "But it's against my religion to do anything like that to the dead."

He had a sense of humor and would tell stories on himself:

"One day I was in a detective squad and I started to ride a rookie cop; he told me to cut it out, but I refused. We went at it right there in the squad room. He knocked me out. When he learned who he had done this to, the rookie fainted. He didn't know that I was THE "tough " Johnny Broderick".

BROOKLYN PRECINCTS

With a thank-you to Ret Det1 John Reilly, here�s a listing of old Brooklyn police precinct�s that you may find of interest. Initially police by the Metropolitan Police Department, the following is a breakdown of the Brooklyn Precinct�s along with their manpower.

METROLITAN Police Department:
Brooklyn Police Station Houses- 1868.
Pct: Strength: Location:
41st 47 Washington St. near Johnson.
42nd 41 York & Jay Sts.
43rd 56 Butler
44th 51 Myrtle Ave. corner Vanderbilt Ave.
45th 55 North 1st St. corner 4th St.
46th 46 Wyckoff St. near Ewen St.
47th 24 Franklin St. corner Union Ave.
48th 27 19th St. & 4th Ave. (Gowanus)
49th 39 Fulton & Bedford Aves. Later this Pct. moved to a new S.H. at Gates & Marcy Aves, becoming the 9th Pct. of the Brooklyn Police Department. (Later, the 79 Pct!)
50th 27 Flatbush Ave. near 5th Ave.



INTERESTING WEB SITES

http://www.soople.com/
A more �intense� google-search system. Try it out!


SURVEILLANCE TIP: SHAVING CREAM?

Surveillance during inclement weather can create a host of problems for the investigator.

Keeping your windows clear, if your surveillance is inside a car, is certainly problematic. Try this next time.

Keep your vehicle windows fog-free by smearing a light coat of shaving cream on the interior of each window. Wipe it away with toilet tissue or paper towels and buff out the streaks. Do the same thing with eyeglasses, camera lenses, etc.

In addition, a wax coat on the outside of car windows also precludes moisture runs and allows quick wipes.


NADDIS

You�ve probably used it countless of times. �Check the address in NADDIS�, or �Run the name through NADDIS�.

This was a common check conducted on shootings and homicides, especially when there was a suspected drug connection.

HIDTA was the source for the info in the past; now we run the records via the Real Time Crime Center.

What is NADDIS?

It stands for the Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information System. A centralized automated file of summaries of reports on subjects of interest to DEA, consisting of over 3,500,000 individuals, businesses, vessels and selected airfields identified through the DEA investigative reporting system, and related investigative records. It probably goes back to the agency which preceded the DEA, which was then known as the BNDD � Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs.


YOU CAN�T MAKE THIS UP

Here are some more from the files of the moronic.

Are we communicating?

A man spoke frantically into the phone. "My wife is pregnant and her contractions are only two minutes apart!""Is this her first child?" the doctor asked. "No," the man shouted, "This is her husband!"

Certainly not the sharpest tool in the shed.

In Modesto, CA, Steven Richard King was arrested for trying to hold up a Bank of America branch without a weapon. King used a thumb and a finger to simulate a gun.

Unfortunately, he failed to keep his hand in his pocket.


�LEST WE FORGET�" THE NYPD MEMORIAL

October 1, 1963 Ptl John Donovan, GCP-Hwy3, Motorcycle accident on patrol
October 2, 1960 Ptl Philip Curtin, 19 Pct, Info not available
October 2, 1969 Ptl Salvatore Spinola, ESU, Asphyxiation during rescue
October 3, 1913 Sgt Joseph McNierney, 29 Pct, Stabbed during arrest
October 3, 1929 Ptl William McCaffrey, Traffic Div, Auto accident on patrol
October 4, 1928 Ptl John Gibbons, Mcy1, Motorcycle accident on patrol
October 6, 1864 Ptl Charles Curren, 42 Pct Brooklyn, shot during arrest
October 7, 1968 Ptl John Varecha, 18 Pct, Shot-investigation
October 7, 1989 PO William Chisolm, 45 Pct, Shot-off duty incident
October 8, 1900 Ptl Charles Horn, 58 Pct Brooklyn, Stabbed
October 8, 1928 Ptl William Stoeffel, 4 Pct, auto accident on patrol
October 8, 1956 Det William Christmas, 92 Sqd, Shot-off duty incident
October 8, 1966 Ptl James Cosgrove, Mcy4(Hwy3), Auto accident on patrol
October 8, 1993 PO John Williamson, HA-PSA6, head injury-bucket from roof
October 9, 1866 Ptl John Hipwell, 45 Pct Brooklyn, Shot,burglary
October 9, 1928 Ptl Thomas Wallace, Mcy2, Motorcycle accident on patrol
October 9, 1965 Ptl Philip Shultz, HA-B/SI, Shot-off duty arrest
October 10, 1973 PO George Mead, 42 Pct, Shot-off duty robbery
October 10, 1975 PO Walter Tarpey, MSTF, Auto accident on patrol
October 12, 1946 Ptl George Hunter, 30 Pct, Shot-robbery

DECISION LOGS: GREAT BRITAIN CASE MANAGEMENT FOR POLICING

I mentioned in a recent posting, concerning our brothers and sisters in the Metropolitan Police in London, how case documentation takes place to record the decision making of London�s counterpart to our �squad commander�, the Senior Investigating Officer, who may be a Detective Chief Inspector or such similar rank.

In any event, the idea of the �Decision Log�, is to record what decisions are being made at the time, and what information these decisions are being based on.

Not a small task at all.

With the assistance of Detective Chief Inspector Matthew Horne, of the Metropolitan Police, I present some information to our investigators and squad commanders on �this side of the pond�.

The Decision Log, also known as a �Policy File�, is intended to accurately reflect the strategic and important tactical decisions made by supervising detectives as they relate to the investigation. All strategic and important tactical decisions should be recorded with the rationale behind the decisions.

The investigative plan is referred to in British police terms as the investigative strategy.

�There is no absolutes as to what should be included and that is very much left to the individual senior investigating officer (SIO)� notes DCI Horne. �But you would include any theories and hypotheses as to what and how things happened, suspect strategies i.e. who is regarded as a suspect and why as well as who may not be. We are big in recording what we do. Yes, it is often quite onerous and the last thing you want to do it write everything down when you should be catching the guy. We have a saying here and it goes 'if it isn't written anywhere, it didn't happen.'� Sound familiar?

In the past, policy files were subjected to scrutiny by criminal courts, civil courts, inquests and reviews. Scrutiny now may also include judicial reviews and public inquiries. If Decision Logs are skillfully prepared, they can serve as a critical record supporting the accurate management of crime investigation.

SIOs must be mindful that this log is the definitive record upon which they will rely when subsequently asked to account for their decisions.

�Where these decision logs have really assisted is where things haven't gone as well as we had hoped they would and two years down the line we are in court having to justify something that at the time didn't seem so controversial. Recording a decision and documenting the reasons shows why it was done (or wasn't done)and why it was reasonable in the circumstances helps down the line. We now included other things that might be happening at the time such as another big case whereby resources and manpower were taken away and therefore some of the obvious things were done late, or even pressures being placed on the SIO by the community such as a need to make quick arrests to prevent disorder or revenge type attacks�, explains DCI Horne.

Probably the most important aspect of managing any major investigation is the systematic recording of the SIO's decisions. The recording of why various lines of enquiry and tactical decisions were, or were not, pursued is critical.

DCI Matt Horne explains further that, while this is a rather tedious procedure, it seems to work in the British legal system � which he is quick to advise differs from our legal system in many respects.

The other difference that is quickly observed? When our British counterparts relax after a long days work, they often do so over a � warm � beer!


WHAT IS THIS SH*T???

Thanks to Retired Det.Capt. FRANK BOLZ for the following contribution on sh*t.

Now, they can't say you don't know S_ _ _.

Subject: Manure

In the 16th and 17th centuries, everything had to be transported by ship, and this was also before the invention of commercial fertilizer. Large shipments of manure were common.

It was shipped dry, because in dry form it weighed a lot less than when wet, but once water (at sea) hit it, it not only became heavier, but the process of fermentation began again, of which a by product is methane gas. As the stuff was stored below decks in bundles you can see what could (and did) happen. Methane began to build up below decks and the first time, someone came below at night with a lantern, BOOOOM! Several ships were destroyed in this manner before it was determined just what was happening.

After that, the bundles of manure were always stamped with the term "Ship High In Transit" on them, which meant for the sailors to stow it high enough off the lower decks so that any water that came into the hold would not touch this volatile cargo and start the production of methane.

Thus evolved the term "S.H.I.T " , (Ship High In Transit) which has come down through the centuries and is in use to this very day.

You probably did not know the true history of this word. Neither did I. I always thought it was a golf term, or the last word on the cockpit tape just before the aircraft crashes.


NOTORIOUS NEW YORK

NATHAN HALE: 44 Street and Vanderbilt Avenue

Nathan Hale, hanged for spying on the British during the Revolutionary War, is most famous for his last words, uttered just before the Brits slipped a noose around his neck: � I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country.�

Great quote; it got him a statue outside City Hall, only trouble is that it seems he never said it.

British troops caught the blond, blue-eyed soldier snooping around Brooklyn around the time of September 21, 1776. They charged that he was spying on British military installations. Nathan, with pen and paper in hand, claimed he was a schoolteacher doing research. The Brits smiled, put a bayonet in his face and took him captive. The following day British commanders, prided on being civilized, executed Hale possibly at a site where the United Nations now stands.

Besides the statue at City Hall, there is also a fresco, located at Hale House on East 51 Street, that depicts his trial (a very short one) and death, as well as a plaque at the yale Club at 44 Street and Vanderbilt Avenue. Hale attended Yale.


MORE ON THE POLICE TARGET: WHO IS THAT MAN?

Several different versions of a story exist regarding just who that man is on the police target. Here�s another one.

This one is from a Retired Captain, Thomas J. O�Connell, who wrote a letter to the Wilmington, NC Morning Star newspaper. He apparently saw a story that paper ran, which was from a NY Times newswire story, on this subject.

�Several editions ago you published an article on the front page regarding the identity of the individual on the New York City Police Department pistol rangetarget. Let me clear something up. There was a first-class detective named Jim McShane who was a real classy guy. An ex-fighter, he knew his way around New York City. He knew all the right peopleand all the wrong people. He was a friend of Rocky Marciano, the now deceased heavy weight champ.

One day Mr. McShane's photo was on the front page of the New York Daily News, holding anumbrella over Rocky's head after he had been at a weigh in or whatever. Unfortunately, for Jim McShane, the police commissioner Steve Kennedy, who was a real stiff and alleged disciplinarian, thought Mr. McShane's action inappropriate, and Jim went from a first grade detective to a patrolman in uniform.

Later Bobby Kennedy, as the attorney general, made Mr. McShane the boss of the United States Marshal Service.Mr. Kennedy sent him down South to supervise the integration of the school system during the turbulent 1960s. It was there that Jim McShane gained his most notoriety.

So, that's who is on that target, none of the other guys mentioned in the article. I was on the job then, and that was everybody's opinion. ...�


A NOTE TO INVESTIGATORS

Remember, your work product � and your reports � are a direct reflection of who you are.

Sloppy written reports reflect poorly on your investigation; a jury will be led to believe that a sloppy report reflects a sloppy investigation. Just think embarrassment on the witness stand.

Spelling errors in a report reflect poorly on your investigation. Some detectives have turned to the word processor to help in this aspect, but keep this in mind � spell check is different from intent-check.

Spell check can fix, or even highlight, misspellings, but cannot identify what you meant to say. It does not know the difference between the word �to, two and too� and which word should have been used in the context of the sentence. If you misspell a word but your misspelling is actually another word, it is not going to be corrected and if left in the report that way, looks sloppy and unprofessional. It also shows that you do not proofread your work.

If you have pre-set wording for common tasks, such as for an interview of the complainant, or photo viewing, you need to make sure that the wording is proper; otherwise you�ll be duplicating the error every time you utilize it.

If you prepared a pre-set wording text and left items out to be filled in, make sure you fill them in.

A common example would be a sentence wording where you �fill in the blank� appropriately, i.e. �On the above date I xxx the complainant for an interview�, wherein you would appropriately enter �called�, or �visited� in place of the xxx.

If you fail to do this, your report will most certainly be brought up for review � and potential embarrassment - at trial. Proofread your pre-set wording!

Remember � a detective writes reports � be sure your reports properly reflect your work.


CRIME SCENE TEXT FROM ONE OF THE EXPERTS

Illustrated Guide To Crime Scene Investigation
By Nicholas Petraco, Hal Sherman
Hardcover / 470 Pages / July 2005 / List Price $79.95

One of the true crime scene experts, Retired Det. Hal Sherman, has co-authored a textbook on Crime Scene Investigations.

Many of you will recall working a case that Hal responded to from CSU, or you may have sat in on one of his fantastic crime scene lectures. Truly an expert, Hal is one of the losses this department has seen in the past few years.

The book is described as a crime scene investigation book that provides instruction and review in a pictorial format useful to both professional crime scene investigators and those in law enforcement who may be required to process a scene in the absence of certified technicians.

Using hundreds of photographs and a minimum of text, the guide takes the reader through one continuous case study. Each module illustrates with photographs, diagrams, and short lists of instructions, detailing each step of the crime scene processing function.

Illustrated Guide to Crime Scene Investigation covers all steps necessary to recognize, document, process, collect, package, preserve, and safeguard potential evidence.

I believe you can find the text at Barnes & Noble, or through their web site, www.bn.com, for approximately $58.00



�LEST WE FORGET�� THE NYPD MEMORIAL

September 25, 1895 Ptl John Delehanty, 21 Pct, assaulted
September 25, 1953 Ptl Harry Widder, GCP-Hwy3, Auto accident
September 25, 1971 PO Arthur Pelo, HA-BkSI, Shot-robbery arrest
September 25, 1995 PO David Willis, 10 Pct, Auto accident, radio run
September 26, 1977 PO Vito Chiaramonte, HA-CCU, Shot
September 27, 1945 Det Frank McGrath, 2 Sqd, Shot-investigation
September 27, 1992 PO William Gunn, 67 PDU, Shot-investigation
September 28, 1921 Ptl Joseph Reuschle, 42 Pct, Shot by prisoner
September 28, 1934 Ptl John Fraser, 4 Div, Shot-robbery in progress
September 29, 1854 Ptl James Cahill, 11 Ward, Shot-Burglary **
September 29, 1965 Ptl Donald Rainey, Auto Crime, Shot-Mistaken ID, off duty
September 29, 1983 PO Joseph McCormack, ESU, Shot-barricade situation