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
Friday, December 30, 2005
Friday, December 23, 2005
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
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
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
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
Extreme Covert Catalog
For some really buffy items, you�ll want to check out the Whole Spy catalog that has been assembled by Lee Lapin. This is a mammoth book on currently available spy gear including everything from fax interception devices to cell phone jammers to asphalt radio transmitters. Many of the items are restricted to law enforcement only. Manufacturer contacts are also included.
www.intelligencehere.com
Factiva.com
Factiva.com is the home base for the sweeping and powerful Dow Jones Interactive Publications Library.
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
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
Extreme Covert Catalog
For some really buffy items, you�ll want to check out the Whole Spy catalog that has been assembled by Lee Lapin. This is a mammoth book on currently available spy gear including everything from fax interception devices to cell phone jammers to asphalt radio transmitters. Many of the items are restricted to law enforcement only. Manufacturer contacts are also included.
www.intelligencehere.com
Factiva.com
Factiva.com is the home base for the sweeping and powerful Dow Jones Interactive Publications Library.
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
Friday, December 09, 2005
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
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
