BIRTH OF THE NYPD
New Year's Day, 1898, the weather forecast predicted light snow in the morning, far from unusual for that time of year, but a significant change had taken place overnight amid the fireworks and hoopla welcoming the New Year. At the stroke of midnight, Manhattan and the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Richmond had officially consolidated to become the Greater City of New York, a metropolis whose sum was to be greater than its parts.
That same day saw the birth of the New York Police Department as the eighteen separate police departments in the area merged into a single force of 6,396 members, a number fixed by the terms of the City Charter. Included in this number were twenty-nine women designated as matrons.
The top annual salary for patrolmen in the consolidated department was $1,400 for a schedule that called for a minimum of 292, sixteen hour work days. Of the ninety-six hour work week, sixty-four hours were either spent on patrol or reserve at the precinct, and thirty-two hours were considered unsupervised home time. Every ninety-six hours, patrolmen received a sixteen hour swing.
Although the bulk of the force's members came from the New York Police, some of the other jurisdictions represented were the Brooklyn Police Department, Long Island City Police Department, the Brooklyn Bridge Police, the Park Police (Central Park) and the Telegraph Bureau, a forerunner of today's Communications Bureau. In the weeks preceding the new year, the smaller departments added numbers to their complement and promoted others in an effort to increase their ranks and status in the merged force. When it was later discovered that the actual number of police officers exceeded the number allotted by the Charter, these extra men were fired. Then the Police Board promptly declared the size of the force was inadequate for the city of 3,400,000 people.
There was controversy almost immediately because the Charter also severely restricted who the first Chief of Police of the merged force could be. The new department's highest ranking uniformed member had to be one of four men, either the Chief of Police, New York, or his deputy, or the Chief of Police, Brooklyn, or his deputy.
In the interim, the Board named John McCullagh, Chief of Police, the equivalent of today's Chief of Department. Although McCullagh was a respected police leader and the former head of the New York Police, he was also a Republican. His future, therefore, was extremely tenuous. Meanwhile, Devery was quietly elevated to Deputy Chief of Police, bypassing the rank of Inspector entirely.
Among Chief McCullagh's first duties was a complete assessment of the new department. His inspection of department facilities led him to declare, "Several are entirely unfit for use and are dangerous to the health of the officers and men stationed there." Plans were made to refurbish and repair station houses throughout the old city. Note how some things never seem to change!
In addition, he created new precincts in the outer boroughs, realigned others, and renumbered the existing precincts since many in Brooklyn shared the same number designation as those in Manhattan. McCullagh also questioned the effectiveness of having all of the department's 271 detectives working out of the Central Office at Police Headquarters, 300 Mulberry Street. There was a belief that since part of their function was to funnel graft through Headquarters to the local politicians, the mayor was predictably slow to act on his recommendation.
During his stewardship, patrolmen he personally assigned to investigative duties as detectives sought monetary compensation at the higher rate of pay given to permanently appointed detectives. When the officers petitioned the Police Board for a raise, the commissioner's responded that it was within the department's prerogative to detail them to the Detective Bureau; however, it was not obligated to pay them at the higher salary. All the grievants were returned to patrol. The President of the Police Board admitted that the action brought by the patrolmen to recognize them as detectives had something to do with their reassignment.
FROM THE DESK OF PRACTICAL HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION
SOME NOTABLE TERMS:
Blanchability: When lividity first develops, if you press your finger firmly against the discolored skin, the pressure will cause �blanching�. When pressure is released, the discoloration returns. After four or five hours the discoloration becomes clotted and pressure will NOT cause blanching.
Rigor: Result of stiffening or contraction of the body muscles related to chemical changes occurring within the muscles after death. As a general rule, rigor mortis begins two to four hours after death. It starts at the same time throughout the body, however it is first observed in the jaws and neck. It then progresses in a head-to-foot direction and is complete in eight to twelve hours after death. This complete rigor begins to disappear about 18 to 36 hours after death, and in the average body is completely gone within 48-60 hours. Note: This factor is the poorest of the gauges used in estimating time of death because of the many variables involved. For example, obese people do not always develop rigor, skinny people develop it fast; heat speeds up the process, while cold retains it; a fight or body shock (i.e. violent death) usually accelerates it; no two bodies develop it at the same time, etc. (Remember the previous posting to this site on the �Body Farm�?)
INTERESTING WEB SITE
This site has been mentioned here on prior postings, but is certainly worth mentioning again.
If you haven�t already done so, you should bookmark this site.
www.nycop.com
One of the features The Minister regularly refers to is the �Book Review� section. Here you can find reviews of current true-crime books as well as fiction books worth noting. Many of the authors reviewed are retired members of the department.
Internet Search Engine: COPERNIC
Conventional search directories like Yahoo and Lycos can still be a hit or miss proposition. COPERNIC is a software solution that results in more effective searching in less time. When you enter the search criteria on the COPERNIC screen it will simultaneously send the search to leading search engines and organize returns in quick-to-use order after eliminating duplicates and dead links. This search is free. You can download the �Free� version of the basic search engine; it�s pretty good.
www.copernic.com
ANI-ALI
No, it�s not the name of the bodega owner.
�ANI� stands for Automatic Number Identifier.
�ALI� stands for Automatic Location Indicator.
Hence, �The Ani-Ali shows the 911 call came from 718-444-1234 which is at 123 Bushwick Street 1st Floor�.
Note: True story� I once read a DD5 that said �I attempted to interview the 911 caller, Mr Ani Ali at 718-123-4567, but there was no answer�.
REMEMBER� TO CONTACT THE MINISTER OF INVESTIGATION
SEND AN E-MAIL TO: LTJAC77@yahoo.com
Wednesday, August 28, 2002
Friday, August 23, 2002
NO SUCH THING AS A DETECTIVE THIRD GRADE
Many people may not realize, but the designation �Detective Third Grade� no longer exists in the department. Not since June 1972.
It was at this promotion in June 1972, when Tom Nerney was one of the last members to be designated a Detective Third Grade, that the last official �Third Grade� designations were made. Since that time all subsequent detective promotions were designated either �Detective-Investigator� or �Detective-Specialist�.
The promotion designations, Detective Second Grade and Detective First Grade, continued.
By the way, it was in 1972 that the title Patrolman was replaced with Police Officer.
Tom Nerney is the last will tell you, if you ask, that he never served as either a Police Officer or a Detective Investigator. (He was hired as a Patrolman, then promoted to Detective Third Grade prior to the �Detective-Investigator� designation).
FLAG OF THE NEW YORK CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT
During the year 1919, the Police Flag, representative of the Police Department of the City of New York, was adopted.
The disposition of the Jack and stripes is that consecrated in American tradition by National colors. The five alternate bars of white and brilliant green have been chosen to symbolize the five boroughs of Greater New York. There are three green and two white stripes on the flag.
The original group of villages, towns and cities which have by coalescence formed the Greater City of New York are placed in circular constellation of white stars upon the field of the Jack. The cities form the center of this constellation, the towns surround the cities, villages lie in an outer circle about the towns - and these stars reposing in unbroken order have been set upon a field of deep blue - the color of the uniform by which the guardians of our security and order are daily recognized by the millions who are within the shielding of their vigilance and strength. The fringes and tassels of gold, the blue field and the white stars and stripes, bring all the colors of our City Flag in this, our Police Flag.
The brilliant green is the traditional and sentimental Police color.
LANDMARK LEGAL DECISIONS
1803: Marbury v. Madison. If a law passed by Congress conflicts with the Constitution, the Supreme Court must base its decision on the Constitution. This ruling established the court�s power of judicial review - that is, its authority to declare laws unconstitutional.
1974: United States v. Nixon. The President cannot withhold evidence needed in a criminal trial. This ruling established that the President�s executive privilege - the right to keep records confidential - is not unlimited.
1919: Schenck v. United States. The government can restrict freedom of speech if the speech creates a �clear and present danger� of violence or some other evil that the government has a right to prevent.
1964: New York Times Co. v. Sullivan. A newspaper cannot be punished for untrue statements about a public official unless it deliberately published a falsehood.
INTERESTING WEB SITES
The VirtualChase
These pages include one heck of a lot of very valuable time saving tips. Check them out!
http://www.virtualchase.com/tips.shtml
Global Internet name search
By typing in the web site name, leaving out the �www�, you can find out who has registered the domain name. (Ex.: nycop.com)
http://www.whonami.com/
�LEST WE FORGET�� The NYPD Memorial
August 20, 1971 Ptl Kenneth Nugent #16022, 103 Pct, Shot-robbery
August 20, 1987 Det Myron Parker #294, Bx Narco, Injured-assaulted
August 21, 1931 Ptl Walter Webb #4947, 40 Pct, Shot-robbery in progress
August 21, 1931 Ptl Edwin Churchill #10431, McyDist, Shot-robbery in progress
August 22, 1924 Ptl Harry Blumberg #604, 10 Pct, Auto accident on patrol
August 22, 1925 Ptl David Sheehan #11006, 4 Pct, Shot-burglary arrest
August 22, 1941 Ptl Harold King #16722, Traffic B, Shot-GLA arrest
August 25, 1864 Ptl John O�Brien 19 Pct, Arrest-robbery
August 25, 1928 Ptl Joseph Dursee #9522, 8A Pct, Shot-robbery in progress
August 25, 1946 Ptl Michael Zawoltk #14286, Traffic K, Shot by perp
August 26, 1918 Ptl William Barrett #1808, 13 Pct, Thrown from horse
August 26, 1936 Ptl Richard McCormack #4524, 20 Pct, Injured on patrol
August 26, 1971 Sgt Joseph Morabito #2365, 1st Div Narco, Shot-investigation
Many people may not realize, but the designation �Detective Third Grade� no longer exists in the department. Not since June 1972.
It was at this promotion in June 1972, when Tom Nerney was one of the last members to be designated a Detective Third Grade, that the last official �Third Grade� designations were made. Since that time all subsequent detective promotions were designated either �Detective-Investigator� or �Detective-Specialist�.
The promotion designations, Detective Second Grade and Detective First Grade, continued.
By the way, it was in 1972 that the title Patrolman was replaced with Police Officer.
Tom Nerney is the last will tell you, if you ask, that he never served as either a Police Officer or a Detective Investigator. (He was hired as a Patrolman, then promoted to Detective Third Grade prior to the �Detective-Investigator� designation).
FLAG OF THE NEW YORK CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT
During the year 1919, the Police Flag, representative of the Police Department of the City of New York, was adopted.
The disposition of the Jack and stripes is that consecrated in American tradition by National colors. The five alternate bars of white and brilliant green have been chosen to symbolize the five boroughs of Greater New York. There are three green and two white stripes on the flag.
The original group of villages, towns and cities which have by coalescence formed the Greater City of New York are placed in circular constellation of white stars upon the field of the Jack. The cities form the center of this constellation, the towns surround the cities, villages lie in an outer circle about the towns - and these stars reposing in unbroken order have been set upon a field of deep blue - the color of the uniform by which the guardians of our security and order are daily recognized by the millions who are within the shielding of their vigilance and strength. The fringes and tassels of gold, the blue field and the white stars and stripes, bring all the colors of our City Flag in this, our Police Flag.
The brilliant green is the traditional and sentimental Police color.
LANDMARK LEGAL DECISIONS
1803: Marbury v. Madison. If a law passed by Congress conflicts with the Constitution, the Supreme Court must base its decision on the Constitution. This ruling established the court�s power of judicial review - that is, its authority to declare laws unconstitutional.
1974: United States v. Nixon. The President cannot withhold evidence needed in a criminal trial. This ruling established that the President�s executive privilege - the right to keep records confidential - is not unlimited.
1919: Schenck v. United States. The government can restrict freedom of speech if the speech creates a �clear and present danger� of violence or some other evil that the government has a right to prevent.
1964: New York Times Co. v. Sullivan. A newspaper cannot be punished for untrue statements about a public official unless it deliberately published a falsehood.
INTERESTING WEB SITES
The VirtualChase
These pages include one heck of a lot of very valuable time saving tips. Check them out!
http://www.virtualchase.com/tips.shtml
Global Internet name search
By typing in the web site name, leaving out the �www�, you can find out who has registered the domain name. (Ex.: nycop.com)
http://www.whonami.com/
�LEST WE FORGET�� The NYPD Memorial
August 20, 1971 Ptl Kenneth Nugent #16022, 103 Pct, Shot-robbery
August 20, 1987 Det Myron Parker #294, Bx Narco, Injured-assaulted
August 21, 1931 Ptl Walter Webb #4947, 40 Pct, Shot-robbery in progress
August 21, 1931 Ptl Edwin Churchill #10431, McyDist, Shot-robbery in progress
August 22, 1924 Ptl Harry Blumberg #604, 10 Pct, Auto accident on patrol
August 22, 1925 Ptl David Sheehan #11006, 4 Pct, Shot-burglary arrest
August 22, 1941 Ptl Harold King #16722, Traffic B, Shot-GLA arrest
August 25, 1864 Ptl John O�Brien 19 Pct, Arrest-robbery
August 25, 1928 Ptl Joseph Dursee #9522, 8A Pct, Shot-robbery in progress
August 25, 1946 Ptl Michael Zawoltk #14286, Traffic K, Shot by perp
August 26, 1918 Ptl William Barrett #1808, 13 Pct, Thrown from horse
August 26, 1936 Ptl Richard McCormack #4524, 20 Pct, Injured on patrol
August 26, 1971 Sgt Joseph Morabito #2365, 1st Div Narco, Shot-investigation
Friday, August 09, 2002
DETECTIVE FIRST GRADE TOM NERNEY
Everyone knows Tom Nerney.
Detective First Grade, Major Case Squad. Hostage Negotiator. Lecturer, Homicide Investigations. Lecturer, Hostage Negotiations. 36-year member of the NYPD. Former Marine (there are NO former Marines, I know!).
Tom will be retiring soon. Sometime by the end of August, early September. Ask Tom when he retires. He won�t know. Tom is currently working his terminal leave, as hard as ever. If no one stops him, Tom will continue to come to work for years. Not for the money, but because he truly loves what he is doing.
A Marine Corps web site has just posted a story on Tom. �CorpsStories�, which can be found at www.corpsstories.com.
�Det. Nerney has helped solve the cases of 22 slain NYPD officers, and continues to work on other cases, some recent, some old. He is the only detective in the Major Case Squad hunting cop-killers full time�. He�s still working on the homicide of Ptl. Robert Bolden, killed more than 30 years ago in Fort Greene, Brooklyn.
We should all have the energy and devotion that Tom has after 36 years on the job!
"Tom Nerney looked like a TV detective. He dressed impeccably and was immaculately groomed; his full head of closely cropped graying hair and mustache perfectly in place. He spoke in a deliberate, yet flowing professional manner. He rarely swore and showed respect to the uniformed officers and supervisors who were present. Although it was apparent that this detective was a confident true professional who knew he was excellent at what he did, there was nothing pretentious about him. His 5'9" medium build frame was not imposing but his piercing blue eyes and perfectly chiseled face sent a message, "Don't even think about [messing] with me." Those same eyes softened when he smiled and showed genuine empathy for crime victims and their families."
There will probably be no Retirement Dinner for Tom. You have to stop working to get one. One night in the near future they�ll probably be several hundred friends gathered together for a good time. Talking old times, talking about �the job�, reminiscing about war stories. Former Marines, current and retired members of the department. Tom will be walking around �beaming� his palm-pilot directories to anyone who asks. People will come from far and wide. There will be a celebration, for sure. But don�t call it a �retirement� dinner. Tom can NEVER retire!
Thanks, Tom, for everything you�ve done, and what you continue to do!
(Check out the complete story at: www.corpsstories.com)
CORRECTION
A previous posting made mention to the Retirement Dinner for Joe Heffernan, Kevin Coursey and Richard Bergin.
Please note the following correction:
The event will be at RUSSO�S ON THE BAY, Howard Beach, Queens.
It was incorrectly listed as Giando�s. Please note the change, and looking forward to seeing everyone there, September 18, for this celebration.
PHOTO EXHIBIT: BEYOND GROUND ZERO
The New York Historical Society is sponsoring a photo exhibit titled �BEYOND GROUND ZERO: The Forensic Science of Disaster Recovery�.
The exhibit will be shown from July 23 through October 20, 2002.
The New York Historical Society is located at 2 West 77 St, at Central Park West, in New York City.
You may learn more about the exhibit at: www.nyhistory.org
MODD AND COBS
One of the previous listings to this site regarding the NYPD Memorial made mention of an MOS assigned to the command �MODD�.
Checking with some historical sources, it seems that MODD was the acronym for the �Main Office - Detective Division�. This was at a time when the Detective Bureau was known as a Division, and was divided into the precinct squads and the main office (specialized) squads.
Later on, the Detective Division changed the acronyms, and the Main Office Squads became knows as the Central Office Bureau & Squads (COBS).
A 1954 issue of SPRING 3100 that outlined the organization of the NYPD at the time lists the following concerning the Detective Division.
There were approximately 2,500 men and women in the Detective Division. They were divided into the Central Office Bureaus and Squads (COBS), Bureau of Technical Service; Detective Bureau Borough Headquarters Commands, and Precinct Detective Squads. (Apparently at that time a Division consisted of Bureaus and Squads).
The COBS consisted of the: Auto, Forgery and Pickpocket Squad; the Bureau of Special Service and Investigations (BOSSI, the forerunner to the Intell. Division); Bureau of Criminal Information; District Attorney�s Office Squad, New York County; Narcotic Squad; and the Safe, Loft and Truck Squad.
The Borough Headquarters Commands consisted of the Specialized Detective Units: the Riverfront Squad; Burglary Squads; Youth Squads; and the Homicide Squads. Each Borough command (Manhattan East and West, Brooklyn East and West, Queens, Bronx, and Richmond) had one of each of these squads. Finally, there were the Precinct Detective Squads.
MEDAL DAY BOOK REQUEST
If anyone has a copy, Ret Det1 John Reilly is looking for the 1982 Medal Day Booklet.
John, as you probably know from reading this site, is a true NYPD historian. Anyone who may have a copy of this booklet can greatly help John out.
If you have a copy, you may contact John at the following e-mail address:
jtmr71@davtv.com
TELEPHONE TIPS
This telephone number is supposed to let you know the phone number of the telephone you are calling on. It will READ YOU BACK THE PHONE NUMBER YOU ARE ON.
Known as ANAC numbers, there are thousands of such numbers that work
regionally, and a few that work nationwide.
Here is one that currently works nationwide: (888) 324-8686.
DETECTIVE ATTIRE
Following the recent column on proper attire for detectives, I received an e-mail from Ret. Det1 John Reilly, with some comments on the proper attire of detectives.
It seems that having worked all night on a narcotics operation, back in the 60�s (when Narcotics was part of the Detective Division), he had an interesting interaction with a Manhattan judge.
After working all night in Harlem making narcotics arrests they took their prisoners to court for arraignment. As they had been going over rooftops and in back yards, they were wearing old clothes that had become quite dirty. When the court session opened the Judge took the bench and asked everyone to raise and to join him in the pledge of allegiance to the flag. After the pledge was over, the judge motioned to the detectives to come up to the bench. As they walked up John recalls his partner said to him, �I hope he does not want us to sing the national anthem.� He did not, but admonished the detectives for not appearing in proper dress for court. They tried to explain that they had been out all night, had no place to wash or change clothes, but the judge took no notice of and warned them to be in proper dress the next time they appeared in his court room. It was good for the detectives that the judge was a Staten Island judge only filling in Manhattan court for the day.
Everyone knows Tom Nerney.
Detective First Grade, Major Case Squad. Hostage Negotiator. Lecturer, Homicide Investigations. Lecturer, Hostage Negotiations. 36-year member of the NYPD. Former Marine (there are NO former Marines, I know!).
Tom will be retiring soon. Sometime by the end of August, early September. Ask Tom when he retires. He won�t know. Tom is currently working his terminal leave, as hard as ever. If no one stops him, Tom will continue to come to work for years. Not for the money, but because he truly loves what he is doing.
A Marine Corps web site has just posted a story on Tom. �CorpsStories�, which can be found at www.corpsstories.com.
�Det. Nerney has helped solve the cases of 22 slain NYPD officers, and continues to work on other cases, some recent, some old. He is the only detective in the Major Case Squad hunting cop-killers full time�. He�s still working on the homicide of Ptl. Robert Bolden, killed more than 30 years ago in Fort Greene, Brooklyn.
We should all have the energy and devotion that Tom has after 36 years on the job!
"Tom Nerney looked like a TV detective. He dressed impeccably and was immaculately groomed; his full head of closely cropped graying hair and mustache perfectly in place. He spoke in a deliberate, yet flowing professional manner. He rarely swore and showed respect to the uniformed officers and supervisors who were present. Although it was apparent that this detective was a confident true professional who knew he was excellent at what he did, there was nothing pretentious about him. His 5'9" medium build frame was not imposing but his piercing blue eyes and perfectly chiseled face sent a message, "Don't even think about [messing] with me." Those same eyes softened when he smiled and showed genuine empathy for crime victims and their families."
There will probably be no Retirement Dinner for Tom. You have to stop working to get one. One night in the near future they�ll probably be several hundred friends gathered together for a good time. Talking old times, talking about �the job�, reminiscing about war stories. Former Marines, current and retired members of the department. Tom will be walking around �beaming� his palm-pilot directories to anyone who asks. People will come from far and wide. There will be a celebration, for sure. But don�t call it a �retirement� dinner. Tom can NEVER retire!
Thanks, Tom, for everything you�ve done, and what you continue to do!
(Check out the complete story at: www.corpsstories.com)
CORRECTION
A previous posting made mention to the Retirement Dinner for Joe Heffernan, Kevin Coursey and Richard Bergin.
Please note the following correction:
The event will be at RUSSO�S ON THE BAY, Howard Beach, Queens.
It was incorrectly listed as Giando�s. Please note the change, and looking forward to seeing everyone there, September 18, for this celebration.
PHOTO EXHIBIT: BEYOND GROUND ZERO
The New York Historical Society is sponsoring a photo exhibit titled �BEYOND GROUND ZERO: The Forensic Science of Disaster Recovery�.
The exhibit will be shown from July 23 through October 20, 2002.
The New York Historical Society is located at 2 West 77 St, at Central Park West, in New York City.
You may learn more about the exhibit at: www.nyhistory.org
MODD AND COBS
One of the previous listings to this site regarding the NYPD Memorial made mention of an MOS assigned to the command �MODD�.
Checking with some historical sources, it seems that MODD was the acronym for the �Main Office - Detective Division�. This was at a time when the Detective Bureau was known as a Division, and was divided into the precinct squads and the main office (specialized) squads.
Later on, the Detective Division changed the acronyms, and the Main Office Squads became knows as the Central Office Bureau & Squads (COBS).
A 1954 issue of SPRING 3100 that outlined the organization of the NYPD at the time lists the following concerning the Detective Division.
There were approximately 2,500 men and women in the Detective Division. They were divided into the Central Office Bureaus and Squads (COBS), Bureau of Technical Service; Detective Bureau Borough Headquarters Commands, and Precinct Detective Squads. (Apparently at that time a Division consisted of Bureaus and Squads).
The COBS consisted of the: Auto, Forgery and Pickpocket Squad; the Bureau of Special Service and Investigations (BOSSI, the forerunner to the Intell. Division); Bureau of Criminal Information; District Attorney�s Office Squad, New York County; Narcotic Squad; and the Safe, Loft and Truck Squad.
The Borough Headquarters Commands consisted of the Specialized Detective Units: the Riverfront Squad; Burglary Squads; Youth Squads; and the Homicide Squads. Each Borough command (Manhattan East and West, Brooklyn East and West, Queens, Bronx, and Richmond) had one of each of these squads. Finally, there were the Precinct Detective Squads.
MEDAL DAY BOOK REQUEST
If anyone has a copy, Ret Det1 John Reilly is looking for the 1982 Medal Day Booklet.
John, as you probably know from reading this site, is a true NYPD historian. Anyone who may have a copy of this booklet can greatly help John out.
If you have a copy, you may contact John at the following e-mail address:
jtmr71@davtv.com
TELEPHONE TIPS
This telephone number is supposed to let you know the phone number of the telephone you are calling on. It will READ YOU BACK THE PHONE NUMBER YOU ARE ON.
Known as ANAC numbers, there are thousands of such numbers that work
regionally, and a few that work nationwide.
Here is one that currently works nationwide: (888) 324-8686.
DETECTIVE ATTIRE
Following the recent column on proper attire for detectives, I received an e-mail from Ret. Det1 John Reilly, with some comments on the proper attire of detectives.
It seems that having worked all night on a narcotics operation, back in the 60�s (when Narcotics was part of the Detective Division), he had an interesting interaction with a Manhattan judge.
After working all night in Harlem making narcotics arrests they took their prisoners to court for arraignment. As they had been going over rooftops and in back yards, they were wearing old clothes that had become quite dirty. When the court session opened the Judge took the bench and asked everyone to raise and to join him in the pledge of allegiance to the flag. After the pledge was over, the judge motioned to the detectives to come up to the bench. As they walked up John recalls his partner said to him, �I hope he does not want us to sing the national anthem.� He did not, but admonished the detectives for not appearing in proper dress for court. They tried to explain that they had been out all night, had no place to wash or change clothes, but the judge took no notice of and warned them to be in proper dress the next time they appeared in his court room. It was good for the detectives that the judge was a Staten Island judge only filling in Manhattan court for the day.
Monday, August 05, 2002
SOME ANCIENT HISTORY: SEARCH WARRANTS
Thanks once again to a contribution by Ret. Det1 John Reilly, who adds this story on search warrants.
When he entered the Detective Division in 1960, it was very rare that a Detective ever applied for a search warrant. Unlike Federal Law, New York State Law since 1926 had held the exclusionary rule did not apply to evidence in State court cases. Judge Cardozo in People v DeFore had held that in N.Y. State court cases, evidence no matter how obtained could be admitted. Judge Cardozo wrote in his opinion "is the criminal to go free, because the constable has blundered."
This all changed after 1961. On June 19, 1961, the U.S. Supreme Court in Mapp v Ohio ruled that all evidence obtained by seizures in violation of the Federal Constitution was inadmissible in a criminal trial in a state court.
He recalls having applied for his first search warrant. After first calling the Narcotics Bureau liaison at the Manhattan District Attorneys Office, giving him the facts, he was then told to come to Manhattan Supreme Court at 12.45 pm. When he arrived he was given the prepared affidavit and warrant. He signed it, then the Court Clerk took the paperwork and told him that he had to enter the application in the logbook. He went to a large ledger book, which he said had been opened in the 1930s and that by 1961 was not quite one quarter full. About the only time anyone had applied for a search warrant was when someone needed to enter a bank safe deposit box, or in a very heavy case.
The Judge signed the warrant, and it was ready to be executed. If it was a daytime warrant, then it could only be executed between sunrise and sunset. Detectives then would look in a daily newspaper to find the times of sunrise and sunset. This time period was later changed for daytime warrants to 6.00 am to 9.00 pm.
Long before battering rams came into use, entry was made using a �Harlem Key� (sixteen pound sledgehammer), �or a size 12� to kick doors open.
John recounts that during his time in the Narcotics Bureau, which was around 7 1/2 years, he obtained many search warrants. He particularly remembers the day he obtained 9 warrants, and started knocking on doors at 2 pm and reached the last door at 8.57 pm. They just made it before the 9pm deadline! On this day all the doors were opened upon their knock, and they did not have to use the "Harlem Key" once.
There was only one time that he recalls a Supreme Court Judge refused to sign a warrant. After reading the affidavit and starting to sign the warrant, he stopped and said "wait a minute, this building is owned by my brother-in-law, no way am I going to allow you to knock down doors in his house." They then had to find a Judge not related to the building owner to sign it.
PROMOTION CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations are in order for some Brooklyn North Detectives.
Congratulations to Luis Martinez of Homicide on his deserved promotion to Detective First Grade.
Also receiving a well deserved nod is Stephen Hunter of the 73 Squad, promoted to Detective Second Grade. Extremely fitting as his partner received the same nod last time around. Great work!
Also receiving a well earned promotion, to Inspector, is Tom Moran. Tom is currently the C.O. of the 83 Pct. He served as C.O. of the 73 and of PSA2 before that. Congratulations, Inspector!
Our southern neighbor, Brooklyn South, has one detective being promoted to First Grade, Maureen Dunne, of Brooklyn South Homicide. Wayne Harrison, of the 63 Squad, is receiving the Second Grade bump. Todd Heiman, a 75 alumni, is receiving Second Grade from the 17 Squad. Another former Brooklyn North member, Eddie Mullane, is being promoted to deputy Inspector. Ed is the C.O. of the 43 Pct, and was formerly the X.O. of the 77 Pct.
In all there were 10 promotions to First Grade, and 13 to Second Grade.
LANDMARK LEGAL DECISIONS: CRIMINAL LAW
1961: Mapp v. Ohio. Hence the term �Mapp Hearing�. Evidence obtained b y illegal means cannot be used in a criminal trial.
1963: Gideon v. Wainwright. The states must provide free legal counsel to any person accused of a felony who cannot afford a lawyer. (See Argersinger in 1972).
1966: Miranda v. Arizona. Known by anyone who watches TV, but sometimes incorrectly applied. An accused person must be informed of his or her constitutional rights, including rights to remain silent and to have the assistance of a lawyer, before being questioned. Note that it says �before being questioned�.
1972: Argersinger v. Hamlin. The states must provide free legal counsel to any person accused of a misdemeanor that involves a jail term if the person cannot afford a lawyer. It�s interesting to note that, more recently, this same principal is attempting to be applied when the accused is facing a violation such as a traffic infraction as well.
REMEMBER NICKY DIMONDA?
You must remember Det Nicky Dimonda, a legend of the 77 Squad � no, the Department!
Nicky is the person who took a mechanic with him to a car auction in Pennsylvania, looking to buy a car. He then chose the car that the mechanic said he shouldn�t touch with a ten-foot pole; then wondered why the car broke down on him on his trip to Florida.
Nicky is the infamous MOS of Brooklyn South �stuffed-animal-head� fame. �Let the record reflect it was a large animal head� I believe are the minutes recorded in his department trial.
So what�s Nicky up to recently? Well it seems that the same car of Florida road-trip fame has been officially �totaled�. While leaving the command after a recent tour he was struck by a car that blew a stop sign, totaling the car. Nicky, although shaken up, was not injured.
At least that�s one of the scenarios being voiced by Nick. Conflicting stories place the scene of this accident at �Prospect & Utica�, according to one story, and at �StJohns & Utica� according to another. Of course, the offending stop-light auto fled the scene, and no license plate was observed. According to Nicky, �Prospect and Utica, St Johns and Utica, what�s the difference? They�re both the same!� You know how Nicky could get.
How does he explain his bumper being recovered at Linden Blvd and the Conduit? Vito�s still trying to get to the bottom of that one!
Nicky�s looking for another car. I understand the mechanic he previously used on his auction-mission has flatly refused the offer. �You�re on your own. Heck, you didn�t listen to me anyway� he was heard to say.
Hey, Nicky� Maybe you can hire Jimmy Leake to pick you up each day and bring you to work. He�s not doing anything, anyway. You�d just have to meet him somewhere on the Interboro, because Leake only knows one way into and out of Brooklyn.
�LEST WE FORGET�� The NYPD Memorial
July 30, 1945 Ptl Howard Hegerich, 28 Pct, shot during investigation
July 31, 1947 Ptl William Panczyk, Traffic Unit, Auto accident on patrol
July 31, 1965 Ptl. Maifland Mercer, 76 Pct, Shot-off duty arrest
July 31, 1998 PO Gerard Carter, SIHU, Shot-ambush
Aug 1, 1913 Ptl Bernard O�Rourke, 146 Pct, Dragged by horse
Aug 2, 1922 Lt Albert Duffy, HQDiv, Explosion investigation
Aug 2, 1966 Ptl Edward Monzillo, Mcy2, Auto pursuit
Aug 2, 1979 Sgt Michael Russell, 75 Pct A/C, Shot:Off duty arrest
Aug 4, 1913 Ptl Patrick Cotter, 65 Pct, Shot making arrest
Aug 4, 1928 Ptl Arthur Fash, 52 Pct, Electrocuted
Aug 4, 1953 Ptl Henry Ergen, 79 Pct, Assaulted
Aug 5, 1927 Ptl Hubert Allen, 52 Pct, Auto accident on patrol
Aug 6, 1861 Ptl David Martin, 2 Pct, Stabbed during burglary
Aug 6, 1917 Ptl Robert Holmes, 38 Pct, Shot, robbery in progress
Aug 6, 1925 Det Richard Heneberry, DD, Shot-GLA arrest
Aug 6, 1926 Ptl Oscar Oehlerking, 9 Pct, Shot-robbery in progress
Aug 6, 1935 Ptl Thomas Burns, 5 Pct, Injured on patrol
Aug 7, 1927 Ptl. William Goddy, 7 Pct, Line of duty injury
Aug 7, 1928 Sgt James Barry, 9A Pct, Auto accident on patrol
Aug 8, 1926 Ptl Frank Murphy, Mcy Dist, Shot-GLA arrest
REMEMBER� YOU CAN CONTACT THE MINISTER OF INVESTIGATION AT:
Ltjac77@yahoo.com
Thanks once again to a contribution by Ret. Det1 John Reilly, who adds this story on search warrants.
When he entered the Detective Division in 1960, it was very rare that a Detective ever applied for a search warrant. Unlike Federal Law, New York State Law since 1926 had held the exclusionary rule did not apply to evidence in State court cases. Judge Cardozo in People v DeFore had held that in N.Y. State court cases, evidence no matter how obtained could be admitted. Judge Cardozo wrote in his opinion "is the criminal to go free, because the constable has blundered."
This all changed after 1961. On June 19, 1961, the U.S. Supreme Court in Mapp v Ohio ruled that all evidence obtained by seizures in violation of the Federal Constitution was inadmissible in a criminal trial in a state court.
He recalls having applied for his first search warrant. After first calling the Narcotics Bureau liaison at the Manhattan District Attorneys Office, giving him the facts, he was then told to come to Manhattan Supreme Court at 12.45 pm. When he arrived he was given the prepared affidavit and warrant. He signed it, then the Court Clerk took the paperwork and told him that he had to enter the application in the logbook. He went to a large ledger book, which he said had been opened in the 1930s and that by 1961 was not quite one quarter full. About the only time anyone had applied for a search warrant was when someone needed to enter a bank safe deposit box, or in a very heavy case.
The Judge signed the warrant, and it was ready to be executed. If it was a daytime warrant, then it could only be executed between sunrise and sunset. Detectives then would look in a daily newspaper to find the times of sunrise and sunset. This time period was later changed for daytime warrants to 6.00 am to 9.00 pm.
Long before battering rams came into use, entry was made using a �Harlem Key� (sixteen pound sledgehammer), �or a size 12� to kick doors open.
John recounts that during his time in the Narcotics Bureau, which was around 7 1/2 years, he obtained many search warrants. He particularly remembers the day he obtained 9 warrants, and started knocking on doors at 2 pm and reached the last door at 8.57 pm. They just made it before the 9pm deadline! On this day all the doors were opened upon their knock, and they did not have to use the "Harlem Key" once.
There was only one time that he recalls a Supreme Court Judge refused to sign a warrant. After reading the affidavit and starting to sign the warrant, he stopped and said "wait a minute, this building is owned by my brother-in-law, no way am I going to allow you to knock down doors in his house." They then had to find a Judge not related to the building owner to sign it.
PROMOTION CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations are in order for some Brooklyn North Detectives.
Congratulations to Luis Martinez of Homicide on his deserved promotion to Detective First Grade.
Also receiving a well deserved nod is Stephen Hunter of the 73 Squad, promoted to Detective Second Grade. Extremely fitting as his partner received the same nod last time around. Great work!
Also receiving a well earned promotion, to Inspector, is Tom Moran. Tom is currently the C.O. of the 83 Pct. He served as C.O. of the 73 and of PSA2 before that. Congratulations, Inspector!
Our southern neighbor, Brooklyn South, has one detective being promoted to First Grade, Maureen Dunne, of Brooklyn South Homicide. Wayne Harrison, of the 63 Squad, is receiving the Second Grade bump. Todd Heiman, a 75 alumni, is receiving Second Grade from the 17 Squad. Another former Brooklyn North member, Eddie Mullane, is being promoted to deputy Inspector. Ed is the C.O. of the 43 Pct, and was formerly the X.O. of the 77 Pct.
In all there were 10 promotions to First Grade, and 13 to Second Grade.
LANDMARK LEGAL DECISIONS: CRIMINAL LAW
1961: Mapp v. Ohio. Hence the term �Mapp Hearing�. Evidence obtained b y illegal means cannot be used in a criminal trial.
1963: Gideon v. Wainwright. The states must provide free legal counsel to any person accused of a felony who cannot afford a lawyer. (See Argersinger in 1972).
1966: Miranda v. Arizona. Known by anyone who watches TV, but sometimes incorrectly applied. An accused person must be informed of his or her constitutional rights, including rights to remain silent and to have the assistance of a lawyer, before being questioned. Note that it says �before being questioned�.
1972: Argersinger v. Hamlin. The states must provide free legal counsel to any person accused of a misdemeanor that involves a jail term if the person cannot afford a lawyer. It�s interesting to note that, more recently, this same principal is attempting to be applied when the accused is facing a violation such as a traffic infraction as well.
REMEMBER NICKY DIMONDA?
You must remember Det Nicky Dimonda, a legend of the 77 Squad � no, the Department!
Nicky is the person who took a mechanic with him to a car auction in Pennsylvania, looking to buy a car. He then chose the car that the mechanic said he shouldn�t touch with a ten-foot pole; then wondered why the car broke down on him on his trip to Florida.
Nicky is the infamous MOS of Brooklyn South �stuffed-animal-head� fame. �Let the record reflect it was a large animal head� I believe are the minutes recorded in his department trial.
So what�s Nicky up to recently? Well it seems that the same car of Florida road-trip fame has been officially �totaled�. While leaving the command after a recent tour he was struck by a car that blew a stop sign, totaling the car. Nicky, although shaken up, was not injured.
At least that�s one of the scenarios being voiced by Nick. Conflicting stories place the scene of this accident at �Prospect & Utica�, according to one story, and at �StJohns & Utica� according to another. Of course, the offending stop-light auto fled the scene, and no license plate was observed. According to Nicky, �Prospect and Utica, St Johns and Utica, what�s the difference? They�re both the same!� You know how Nicky could get.
How does he explain his bumper being recovered at Linden Blvd and the Conduit? Vito�s still trying to get to the bottom of that one!
Nicky�s looking for another car. I understand the mechanic he previously used on his auction-mission has flatly refused the offer. �You�re on your own. Heck, you didn�t listen to me anyway� he was heard to say.
Hey, Nicky� Maybe you can hire Jimmy Leake to pick you up each day and bring you to work. He�s not doing anything, anyway. You�d just have to meet him somewhere on the Interboro, because Leake only knows one way into and out of Brooklyn.
�LEST WE FORGET�� The NYPD Memorial
July 30, 1945 Ptl Howard Hegerich, 28 Pct, shot during investigation
July 31, 1947 Ptl William Panczyk, Traffic Unit, Auto accident on patrol
July 31, 1965 Ptl. Maifland Mercer, 76 Pct, Shot-off duty arrest
July 31, 1998 PO Gerard Carter, SIHU, Shot-ambush
Aug 1, 1913 Ptl Bernard O�Rourke, 146 Pct, Dragged by horse
Aug 2, 1922 Lt Albert Duffy, HQDiv, Explosion investigation
Aug 2, 1966 Ptl Edward Monzillo, Mcy2, Auto pursuit
Aug 2, 1979 Sgt Michael Russell, 75 Pct A/C, Shot:Off duty arrest
Aug 4, 1913 Ptl Patrick Cotter, 65 Pct, Shot making arrest
Aug 4, 1928 Ptl Arthur Fash, 52 Pct, Electrocuted
Aug 4, 1953 Ptl Henry Ergen, 79 Pct, Assaulted
Aug 5, 1927 Ptl Hubert Allen, 52 Pct, Auto accident on patrol
Aug 6, 1861 Ptl David Martin, 2 Pct, Stabbed during burglary
Aug 6, 1917 Ptl Robert Holmes, 38 Pct, Shot, robbery in progress
Aug 6, 1925 Det Richard Heneberry, DD, Shot-GLA arrest
Aug 6, 1926 Ptl Oscar Oehlerking, 9 Pct, Shot-robbery in progress
Aug 6, 1935 Ptl Thomas Burns, 5 Pct, Injured on patrol
Aug 7, 1927 Ptl. William Goddy, 7 Pct, Line of duty injury
Aug 7, 1928 Sgt James Barry, 9A Pct, Auto accident on patrol
Aug 8, 1926 Ptl Frank Murphy, Mcy Dist, Shot-GLA arrest
REMEMBER� YOU CAN CONTACT THE MINISTER OF INVESTIGATION AT:
Ltjac77@yahoo.com
Thursday, August 01, 2002
WOMEN IN POLICING: NASSAU COUNTY STYLE
Joan Yale, a 32-year veteran of the Nassau County Police Department, stood beside Police Commissioner James H. Lawrence as he announced her appointment to Chief of Patrol, a promotion that will make her the highest-ranking woman in either the Nassau or Suffolk Police Departments.
Chief Yale joined the force in 1970, when the uniform for Nassau's female police officers was a navy-blue skirt below the knee, a jacket, blouse and tie, a hat, and a black department-issued pocketbook equipped with a built-in holster for easy access.
Women had to have a minimum of two years of college, she said, while
men did not. They took separate tests to become sergeant and then could be designated only as a sergeant in charge of other female officers. Women were not allowed to go out on patrol or work later than midnight.
"Like we'd turn into a pumpkin or something," she said.
After the state did away with separate tests in the mid-1970s, Yale
became the department's first female sergeant appointed who had tested against men.
Her career is peppered with other "firsts," as she made department history with her promotions to lieutenant, captain, deputy inspector, inspector and deputy chief. Yale said the percentage of women on the police force has remained static over the past 15 years, but attitudes have changed drastically.
Before the mid-1970s, women in the department were assigned to a
Detective squad or to the vice squad for undercover work, Yale said. Little guidance was given to women officers who often served as filing clerks, she said.
Yale, who proved herself through each rank, was more fortunate. "These turnarounds take a long time," Yale said. "You just can't rush in and full-charge ahead. If you're fortunate, like I was, they'll give you a chance."
(Excerpted from NY Newsday)
FROM THE FASHION POLICE
It goes without saying that the only proper attire for a detective is business attire.
Furthermore, business attire NEVER involves the wearing of a shirt that stops at the elbows. Long sleeve shirts are the ONLY proper shirt for true business attire. Cufflinks optional.
However, as rules are made to be broken, the following may be considered acceptable, under the circumstances mentioned. But only under those circumstances, and not as a rule, but more of a �wink of the eye� acceptable.
Short sleeve shirts may be worn by the detective only when ALL of the following criteria have been met.
1. There is a declared �heat wave�. This means one that has been so declared on the weather channel, and maybe noted on network TV on the bottom of the screen. You know what I mean �There is a heat wave emergency. Stay inside. �..�.
2. Your duty may require you to spend at least 50% of your time outside, OR you may be required to move from one location to another with questionable air conditioning expected. (i.e. city buildings). Clerical staff in headquarters buildings are not included in this rule change.
3. You must wear a short sleeve shirt that would still look like a business hirt if the sleeves were long. No Gap shirts or crazy Hawaiian motifs. Simply a dress shirt, with short sleeves.
4. The wearing of a tie may never be replaced.
While not an acceptable form of business dress as recognized by the Esquire Answer Man, I feel that such conformance would be appropriate when necessary. Remember, this is not a rule change � merely an acceptable deviation. Don�t push it and try to get away with it for more than two days at a time; it won�t work.
And what about golf shirts, you ask? That's a whole other issue!
SOME NOTES FROM THE TRUE CRIME LIBRARY
The following are either newly released, or soon to be released, true crime books that you may find of interest.
�I� by Jack Olsen, Keith Hunter Jesperson
If you want to get inside the mind of a serial killer, here's your chance.
Prolific true crime writer Jack Olsen gets up-close and personal with "Happy Face Killer" Keith Hunter Jesperson in �I: The Creation of a Serial Killer�.
Written with unprecedented access to Jesperson, his diaries, and court materials, and with much of the narrative told in the first-person perspective of the brutal killer himself, this chilling book �will keep readers' lights on way past midnight�.
Base Instincts: What Makes Killers Kill?
by Jonathan H., MD Pincus
Pincus explores the biological, psychological and social influences at work within the minds of contemporary murderers in this collection of case studies. Pincus is a recognized expert on the mind of a killer who has received prior media attention, including coverage by the New Yorker. This is a text-book presentation that delves into the root causes leading to violence and murder.
�The Scorpion and the Frog� by Donato Ripelli
The true story of one man�s fraudulent rise and fall on the Wall Street of the Nineties.
This book will be released October 2002.
�Edinburgh�s Murder Mile: Close and Deadly: Chilling Murders in the Heart of Edinburgh� by Alanna Knight
In 1923, Philip Murray went to the gallows for a brutal murder in Jamaica Street, thanks to a local prostitute turning in evidence. In the late 1970s, two girls went missing from the World's End pub never to be seen alive again-case unsolved. In the late 1990s a young woman met a terrifying end in South Clerk Street-case unsolved. These horrendous crimes have one thing in common. They all happened in Edinburgh.
Edinburgh's Murder Mile offers a fascinating selection of the most notorious murders of the last century within a mile radius of Edinburgh's famous Princes Street. Alanna Knight-one of Edinburgh's favorite crime authors-revisits the crime scenes and unravels the fascinating details of the police investigations, posing new questions, and offering a new perspective on famous and lesser-known cases.
This will be published in September 2002.
�Cape May Court House� by Lawrence Schiller
It's a just-the-facts account that, nevertheless, keeps the pages turning. The question of whether or not a crime has actually been committed drives the narrative. Late one winter night in 1997, Eric Thomas, a dentist, and his wife, Tracy, were found in a car crash on a New Jersey highway; Tracy, pregnant, was dead in the driver's seat. The medical examiner determined that the airbag in the Ford Explorer caused her death, and Thomas brought a suit against Ford. But there are some disturbing questions: Why, before going on a vacation with her husband, had Tracy told her mother, "if anything happens to me," her mother should take Tracy's daughter, Alix, to her home? Why did Thomas go on several unexplained trips after his wife's death? And there were no prior cases on record of air-bag asphyxiation. Based on the report of its own forensic expert, Dr. Michael Bader, and their discovery that Thomas had been having an affair just before the accident, Ford accused Thomas of strangling his wife to death. Was this, as Thomas's lawyers claimed, a case of a huge corporation throwing its weight against a bereaved individual? Or was it, as Ford's lawyers said, a case of murder disguised as an accident? Much of the narrative consists of legal battles over discovery and pretrial motions and extracts from Thomas's and others' depositions, and it is compelling, though Thomas (who did not grant Schiller interviews) remains a frustrating cipher.
This will be released September 2002.
NYPD 5K MEMORIAL RUN
Sunday, July 14, 2002 was the day of the first annual NYPD 5K Memorial Run. The event was organized by the NYPD Runners Club (www.nypdrunningclub.com).
At exactly 10:13 AM, the race started from Liberty Street and West Street north and back for a distance of five kilometers (3.1 miles). There were 500 runners who participated in this first inaugural event. What made this a special event was the location and the fact that the Survivors of the Shield (SOS) would receive a donation from the proceeds.
Sergeants Tom Biggers (formerly of Brooklyn North) and Tom Lowney, with PO Timothy O�Neill, NYPD and members of the club selected Liberty and West because of the proximity of the NYPD Memorial Wall located in Battery Park City.
The names of the 23 members of the NYPD who perished on September 11th, 2001 have not yet been inscribed on the wall. Their names will be added to the over 500 other names of members of the NYPD who died in the line of duty over the years.
To read more about the race, view some great race photos, and to learn more about the NYPD Runners Club, go to:
www.nycop.com/Features/NYPD_5K_Memorial_Run/nypd_5k_memorial_run.html
COUNTERFEIT CIGARS
How many counterfeit cigars find their way into the humidors of unwitting smokers each year?
It's impossible to say for sure, but many experts put the number at more than three million -- in the United States alone. The streets of Havana teem with black-market smokes, most of them counterfeit, and even European markets are reporting an influx of fakes. To help you spot a counterfeit, Cigar Aficionado has introduced their �Online Counterfeit Gallery�. You can check it out at:
http://www.cigaraficionado.com/Cigar/Aficionado/Counterfeit/countgal.html
Many times the cigar band can give an indication as to the cigars true value.
Cohiba is the most commonly counterfeited Cuban cigar. The white markings on the band are tiny squares, not circles. There should be four rows of squares, with just two above the word "Cohiba." The "La Habana, Cuba" script is grand and elongated. The Cubans added the script in the early '90s.
Keep in mind, though, that the counterfeit bands have gotten quite good. The true test, the taste test, is something that cannot be forged. Unfortunately, it is often too late � by the time you get to smoke it, you�ve already bought it.
Something the Minister has found to be helpful� Offer to buy the box, but only after you�ve bought and tested one cigar. If the seller won�t �take a chance� by selling you one cigar to light up right then, after you�ve assured him/her of the sale as long as the cigars are �legit�, then it�s probably not worth it.
Remember: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Real Cuban Cohiba�s for $5.00 a cigar? They�re probably not real!
Joan Yale, a 32-year veteran of the Nassau County Police Department, stood beside Police Commissioner James H. Lawrence as he announced her appointment to Chief of Patrol, a promotion that will make her the highest-ranking woman in either the Nassau or Suffolk Police Departments.
Chief Yale joined the force in 1970, when the uniform for Nassau's female police officers was a navy-blue skirt below the knee, a jacket, blouse and tie, a hat, and a black department-issued pocketbook equipped with a built-in holster for easy access.
Women had to have a minimum of two years of college, she said, while
men did not. They took separate tests to become sergeant and then could be designated only as a sergeant in charge of other female officers. Women were not allowed to go out on patrol or work later than midnight.
"Like we'd turn into a pumpkin or something," she said.
After the state did away with separate tests in the mid-1970s, Yale
became the department's first female sergeant appointed who had tested against men.
Her career is peppered with other "firsts," as she made department history with her promotions to lieutenant, captain, deputy inspector, inspector and deputy chief. Yale said the percentage of women on the police force has remained static over the past 15 years, but attitudes have changed drastically.
Before the mid-1970s, women in the department were assigned to a
Detective squad or to the vice squad for undercover work, Yale said. Little guidance was given to women officers who often served as filing clerks, she said.
Yale, who proved herself through each rank, was more fortunate. "These turnarounds take a long time," Yale said. "You just can't rush in and full-charge ahead. If you're fortunate, like I was, they'll give you a chance."
(Excerpted from NY Newsday)
FROM THE FASHION POLICE
It goes without saying that the only proper attire for a detective is business attire.
Furthermore, business attire NEVER involves the wearing of a shirt that stops at the elbows. Long sleeve shirts are the ONLY proper shirt for true business attire. Cufflinks optional.
However, as rules are made to be broken, the following may be considered acceptable, under the circumstances mentioned. But only under those circumstances, and not as a rule, but more of a �wink of the eye� acceptable.
Short sleeve shirts may be worn by the detective only when ALL of the following criteria have been met.
1. There is a declared �heat wave�. This means one that has been so declared on the weather channel, and maybe noted on network TV on the bottom of the screen. You know what I mean �There is a heat wave emergency. Stay inside. �..�.
2. Your duty may require you to spend at least 50% of your time outside, OR you may be required to move from one location to another with questionable air conditioning expected. (i.e. city buildings). Clerical staff in headquarters buildings are not included in this rule change.
3. You must wear a short sleeve shirt that would still look like a business hirt if the sleeves were long. No Gap shirts or crazy Hawaiian motifs. Simply a dress shirt, with short sleeves.
4. The wearing of a tie may never be replaced.
While not an acceptable form of business dress as recognized by the Esquire Answer Man, I feel that such conformance would be appropriate when necessary. Remember, this is not a rule change � merely an acceptable deviation. Don�t push it and try to get away with it for more than two days at a time; it won�t work.
And what about golf shirts, you ask? That's a whole other issue!
SOME NOTES FROM THE TRUE CRIME LIBRARY
The following are either newly released, or soon to be released, true crime books that you may find of interest.
�I� by Jack Olsen, Keith Hunter Jesperson
If you want to get inside the mind of a serial killer, here's your chance.
Prolific true crime writer Jack Olsen gets up-close and personal with "Happy Face Killer" Keith Hunter Jesperson in �I: The Creation of a Serial Killer�.
Written with unprecedented access to Jesperson, his diaries, and court materials, and with much of the narrative told in the first-person perspective of the brutal killer himself, this chilling book �will keep readers' lights on way past midnight�.
Base Instincts: What Makes Killers Kill?
by Jonathan H., MD Pincus
Pincus explores the biological, psychological and social influences at work within the minds of contemporary murderers in this collection of case studies. Pincus is a recognized expert on the mind of a killer who has received prior media attention, including coverage by the New Yorker. This is a text-book presentation that delves into the root causes leading to violence and murder.
�The Scorpion and the Frog� by Donato Ripelli
The true story of one man�s fraudulent rise and fall on the Wall Street of the Nineties.
This book will be released October 2002.
�Edinburgh�s Murder Mile: Close and Deadly: Chilling Murders in the Heart of Edinburgh� by Alanna Knight
In 1923, Philip Murray went to the gallows for a brutal murder in Jamaica Street, thanks to a local prostitute turning in evidence. In the late 1970s, two girls went missing from the World's End pub never to be seen alive again-case unsolved. In the late 1990s a young woman met a terrifying end in South Clerk Street-case unsolved. These horrendous crimes have one thing in common. They all happened in Edinburgh.
Edinburgh's Murder Mile offers a fascinating selection of the most notorious murders of the last century within a mile radius of Edinburgh's famous Princes Street. Alanna Knight-one of Edinburgh's favorite crime authors-revisits the crime scenes and unravels the fascinating details of the police investigations, posing new questions, and offering a new perspective on famous and lesser-known cases.
This will be published in September 2002.
�Cape May Court House� by Lawrence Schiller
It's a just-the-facts account that, nevertheless, keeps the pages turning. The question of whether or not a crime has actually been committed drives the narrative. Late one winter night in 1997, Eric Thomas, a dentist, and his wife, Tracy, were found in a car crash on a New Jersey highway; Tracy, pregnant, was dead in the driver's seat. The medical examiner determined that the airbag in the Ford Explorer caused her death, and Thomas brought a suit against Ford. But there are some disturbing questions: Why, before going on a vacation with her husband, had Tracy told her mother, "if anything happens to me," her mother should take Tracy's daughter, Alix, to her home? Why did Thomas go on several unexplained trips after his wife's death? And there were no prior cases on record of air-bag asphyxiation. Based on the report of its own forensic expert, Dr. Michael Bader, and their discovery that Thomas had been having an affair just before the accident, Ford accused Thomas of strangling his wife to death. Was this, as Thomas's lawyers claimed, a case of a huge corporation throwing its weight against a bereaved individual? Or was it, as Ford's lawyers said, a case of murder disguised as an accident? Much of the narrative consists of legal battles over discovery and pretrial motions and extracts from Thomas's and others' depositions, and it is compelling, though Thomas (who did not grant Schiller interviews) remains a frustrating cipher.
This will be released September 2002.
NYPD 5K MEMORIAL RUN
Sunday, July 14, 2002 was the day of the first annual NYPD 5K Memorial Run. The event was organized by the NYPD Runners Club (www.nypdrunningclub.com).
At exactly 10:13 AM, the race started from Liberty Street and West Street north and back for a distance of five kilometers (3.1 miles). There were 500 runners who participated in this first inaugural event. What made this a special event was the location and the fact that the Survivors of the Shield (SOS) would receive a donation from the proceeds.
Sergeants Tom Biggers (formerly of Brooklyn North) and Tom Lowney, with PO Timothy O�Neill, NYPD and members of the club selected Liberty and West because of the proximity of the NYPD Memorial Wall located in Battery Park City.
The names of the 23 members of the NYPD who perished on September 11th, 2001 have not yet been inscribed on the wall. Their names will be added to the over 500 other names of members of the NYPD who died in the line of duty over the years.
To read more about the race, view some great race photos, and to learn more about the NYPD Runners Club, go to:
www.nycop.com/Features/NYPD_5K_Memorial_Run/nypd_5k_memorial_run.html
COUNTERFEIT CIGARS
How many counterfeit cigars find their way into the humidors of unwitting smokers each year?
It's impossible to say for sure, but many experts put the number at more than three million -- in the United States alone. The streets of Havana teem with black-market smokes, most of them counterfeit, and even European markets are reporting an influx of fakes. To help you spot a counterfeit, Cigar Aficionado has introduced their �Online Counterfeit Gallery�. You can check it out at:
http://www.cigaraficionado.com/Cigar/Aficionado/Counterfeit/countgal.html
Many times the cigar band can give an indication as to the cigars true value.
Cohiba is the most commonly counterfeited Cuban cigar. The white markings on the band are tiny squares, not circles. There should be four rows of squares, with just two above the word "Cohiba." The "La Habana, Cuba" script is grand and elongated. The Cubans added the script in the early '90s.
Keep in mind, though, that the counterfeit bands have gotten quite good. The true test, the taste test, is something that cannot be forged. Unfortunately, it is often too late � by the time you get to smoke it, you�ve already bought it.
Something the Minister has found to be helpful� Offer to buy the box, but only after you�ve bought and tested one cigar. If the seller won�t �take a chance� by selling you one cigar to light up right then, after you�ve assured him/her of the sale as long as the cigars are �legit�, then it�s probably not worth it.
Remember: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Real Cuban Cohiba�s for $5.00 a cigar? They�re probably not real!
