POLICE HEADQUARTERS

One of the finest buildings in all New York is also one of the least-appreciated and most forgotten.

The old Police Headquarters at No. 240 Centre Street was built in 1909 on a triangular lot in what was then solidly Little Italy.

It is today located in the ever-expanding Chinatown, with that area today often thought to be part of Soho, or what is also now increasingly known as NoLIta, ‘North of Little Italy’.

In 1973, the NYPD moved into the brand new headquarters at 1 Police Plaza, a red-brick modernist box behind the Municipal Building and next to the Church of St. Andrew.

The large building at 240 Centre Street sat empty for a number of years while a series of proposals were mulled over- hotel, cultural center, museum, et cetera.

Finally in 1983 the City accepted the proposal of developer Arthur Emil to turn the building into luxury condominiums.

The plan agreed upon called for fifty-five apartments as well as office space for non-profit organizations. Emil paid the City of New York $4,200,000 for the old Police Headquarters and then proceeded on a $20,000,000 renovation of the building. The grandiose entrance hall was preserved and restored, but most of the interiors, as police offices did not transform easily into residential use, were scrapped and redone.

The older old Police Headquarters, where reformer Teddy Roosevelt held court as Police Commissioner, was located nearby on Mulberry Street.

When the nerve center of the N.Y.P.D. shifted to 240 Centre St. between Broome and Grand, the gun shops, cop saloons, and police reporters followed suit.

One restaurant across the street was simply called ‘Headquarters’. With its oak bar and ceiling of carved wood, the ‘Headquarters’ restaurant became a particular favorite among the brass of the N.Y.P.D.



FROM OUT OF THE PAST: THE UF 5 ARREST CARD

A way to keep track of arrests made in a squad was by the use of the UF5 – Arrest Disposition Card.

Whenever a detective made an arrest, or was assigned to take fingerprints for an arrest made by a patrol officer, the UF5 was prepared and filed in the detective squad.

Up until the early 70’s, arrests requiring fingerprints were printed only by detectives.

The fingerprints were only taken by the detectives; the measure was designed to ensure that prints were properly taken (when you do enough fingerprints, you can’t help but get at it – as most of us have learned!), but also provided the detectives the opportunity to see all those arrests within the precinct.

This provided opportunity for detectives’ future sources of information to be developed – standing and holding someone’s hand for the time it takes to roll several fingerprint cards is certainly a good opportunity to strike up a conversation – and most good detectives utilized this to their advantage.

The disposition of the arrest was noted on the card as well, as a way of keeping track of the “bad guys” in the neighborhood. Prior to computerization, the hand records kept in the squad was the lifeblood of a good investigation.

This provided a reference source when it was necessary to “round up the usual suspects.”


DNA EXEMPLAR

If your suspect has his DNA on file in the DNA database, why is it necessary to get a DNA exemplar from him?

One of the reasons may have to do with the way that mixed DNA samples are treated.

Often, when a crime scene is processed, DNA evidence will be extracted from a piece of evidence, but the DNA will be a “mixed” version.

Mixed DNA can be retrieved from evidence in many logical manners- a hammer that was handled by multiple people, a knife that was handled by multiple people- these may all result in “mixed” DNA profiles being retrieved.

The problem with a mixed profile is that it cannot be loaded into a DNA database to conduct a search.

Mixed samples mean the search capability of the various DNA databases cannot be utilized. You may have a suspect, and you see that your suspect has his DNA on file- you need to know if the DNA extracted from the evidence was suitable for uploading to the DNA database. If it was mixed, or if there were not enough loci to load into the database, then you will not be afforded a search.

That is where the exemplar DNA from your suspect comes in handy.

The Criminalist is able to type the exemplar from the suspect and conduct a direct comparison to the mixed DNA from the evidence, thereby providing the opportunity for a DNA match.

Remember, a mixed sample of DNA developed from evidence cannot be loaded into the DNA database for a search. That’s why the suspect exemplar is so important.



OLD HABITS ARE HARD TO BREAK

Many of our everyday nomenclature has its origin from outdated sources.

Here’s a short sample of the origin of some of the terms we regularly use yet may not know where they came from:

124 Room: This derived from the original Manual Of Procedure section that had to do with the preparation and reporting of crime complaints (Section 1.24). It was NOT the room number!

Others nomenclatures of the department have evolved over time.

Chief of Department: As we now know it, originated as the Chief Inspector.

It was Chief Inspector until the early 70’s, when, for a short time it became Chief of Operations (under P.C. Patrick Murphy), eventually being changed to the Chief of Department.

The other Chief titles at the time included the “Inspector” category: Deputy Chief was the Deputy Chief Inspector (DCI), and Assistant Chief was the Assistant Chief Inspector (ACI).

It was on April 24, 1973 that the official change from the titles patrolman and policewoman was made, designating and creating the title of Police Officer for all, regardless of gender.


DETECTIVE REPORTS

Department forms, when being created, at one time were prefaced by the Bureau or the Division within the department that used the form.

The Quartermaster had forms that were numbered QM1, etc. Youth Division had the YD1, and so on. The patrol force used reports that were prepared for the uniformed force of the department, and were hence preceded by the “UF” designation.

The Detective Bureau was originally referred to as the Detective Division. Thus, the forms that were part of the Detective Division were preceded by the “DD” format.

That is why the most popularly known Detective form, which is used to document case investigations, is the DD5- the Complaint Follow-Up Report.

When the department streamlined the report process by making it a snap-out form and eliminating the detective from having to insert carbon paper between each page and make sure he/she typed hard so the print would go through, the form was then re-numbered under a new department procedure. These re-numbered forms replaced the old Division/Bureau designations, and the DD5 became the PD-313-081A!

It just sounds so much easier and more “detective-like, to call it a DD5 instead of a “PD313081A”!

So, if DD5 was report #5 of the Detective Division, what were the reports #1-4?

Here’s a little breakdown and chronological history on some of the detective forms.

The 1913 Manual of Procedure notes the following detective reports.

DD1 Continuous Precinct Detective Report
DD2 Continuous District Detective Report.
DD3 Consolidate Continuous Detective Report.
DD4 Complaint card.
DD5 Supplementary Complaint card.
DD6 Connecting Reference Card.
In 1929, the manual of Procedure records the following reports.

DD1 Line-up sheet
DD2 (white) Notice of investigation
DD2 (blue) Notice of investigation
DD2 (pink) Notice of investigation
DD3 Record receipt
DD4 Complaint report
DD5 Supplementary Complaint Report
DD6 Watch card.

It was in the 1930’s that the detectives supplementary case report became known as the DD5.

In the 1950’s, the DD62 Chronological Record of cases was added.

Changed once again along the way, the 1965 Manual of Procedure lists the following.

DD1 Line-up sheet
DD4 Index of Unidentified persons
DD5 Supplementary Complaint report
DD6 Dealer's and Pawnbroker's Watch card.
DD8 Index of Person Wanted
DD14 Resume of Homicide Case
DD 52 Wanted Card
DD 52a Resident Known Criminal Card
DD 52b Parolee Card- State Board of Parole
DD 52c Parolee Card- Parole Commission, City of New York
DD 52d Released Prisoner Card- State Dept. of Correction
DD 52e Released Prisoner Card- City Dept. of Correction

As the detective reporting system becomes computerized, we have replaced the typed DD5 reports with the Enterprise Case Management System. Now, with all DD5’s computerized, the pink and blue DD5 forms have become obsolete.

Obsolete or not, it may be the ECMS, but Detectives will always refer to the case reports as “DD5’s”!


BED & BREAKFAST?

Did you enjoy your stay Sir?

An article in the London Mail newspaper in August 2009 detailed a procedure that was being instituted by some police agencies in Great Britain.

Prisoners were being handed hotel-style questionnaires upon their discharge from the police holding areas, and were being asked to comment on the conditions of their jail time!

The newspaper detailed the process with the story that noted:

“A night in the cells is now followed by a 'customer satisfaction' survey, with those detained in custody asked to rate the 'services' on offer behind bars.

The hotel-style questionnaire asks their views on the brightness of the cells and the quality of the food on offer”.The survey was to be given to 1,000 detainees as part of a pilot scheme by Devon and Cornwall Constabulary. Detainees were invited to judge the quality of a variety of aspects of their incarceration, including the food, how 'safe' they felt, cleanliness, lighting and air temperature, and the provision of towels.

The questionnaire begins by stating: “Devon & Cornwall are committed to providing the best possible service to people who are detained in custody.”

“We would be grateful if you could complete the following survey and return it to the custody centre.”

Recipients of the questionnaire are asked a total of 41 questions, the results of which will eventually be entered into a database for analysis by senior officers.

Some of the questions:

* If you used the toilet, were the following things provided on request? Toilet paper/Sanitary wear/soap/water/towel

* How would you rate the condition of your cell for Cleanliness/ Ventilation/ Temperature/ Lighting

* Did staff explain to you the correct use of the bell/buzzer?

* Was the food/drink suitable for your dietary requirements?

* If requested were you given reading material?

Although this information is somewhat dated- it appeared in a 2009 newspaper story- I thought it was too good to not pass along.

I will try and find out what the results were of their survey!

IN MEMORIAM

DET RODNEY ANDREWS #1034 OCCB FIREARMS INVESTIGATIONS UNIT
DET JAMES NEMORIN #6690 OCCB FIREARMS INVESTIGATIONS UNIT
MARCH 10, 2003

Thirty-six year old James J. Nemorin and thirty-four year old Rodney Andrews were fatally shot in the back of their heads, killed execution style during an undercover operation in Tompkinsville, Staten Island.

The two undercover detectives were the first NYPD officers to die in the line of duty since the World Trade Center attack and the first gunned down since 1998.

They were posing as gun buyers to try to arrest those who sell the guns in a dangerous effort to make us safer. For that they paid the ultimate price.

They were shot dead by the two people who were supposed to sell them the guns. We do not know if their cover was blown or what happened on that fateful winter night. Most of those details probably died with the detectives when they were shot at point blank behind the head and thrown into a deserted street in Staten Island.

We should all stop and say a prayer for these dedicated brothers and their families.


IN MEMORIAM: PTL. JOHN F. SCOTT #8786, 32 PCT- MARCH 11, 1930

It has been brought to my attention by Lt. (Ret) Harry Scott that his great uncle is incorrectly listed in my last posting of the “Lest We Forget” section as having been killed in an auto accident.

Ptl. Scott was intentionally struck and killed by a motor vehicle. The details are as follows.
At about 0405 hours Patrolman Scott was standing at St. Nicholas Avenue between West 135th and West 134th Streets. There was a speeding car coming from down St. Nicholas Avenue which was north of Patrolman Scott. The driver of the car was driving at a reckless speed. Patrolman Scott stepped off the curb and pounded his night stick.

The vehicle deliberately turned and crashed into Patrolman Scott, dragging him for a distance before leaving his body in the gutter. The car went on the sidewalk and back into the street again. The driver then tried to take down another Patrolman on West 133rd Street. That Patrolman got out of the way then jumped on the running board of a taxi cab and fired shots at the vehicle.

The chase went south on St. Nicholas Avenue to 110th Street, east on 110th Street, then south on 5th Avenue. At East 96th Street and 5th Avenue the other Patrolman lost sight of the vehicle.Patrolman Scott was taken by a citizen from there to Harlem Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Patrolman Scott had served with the New York City Police Department for two years and was survived by a wife and a 3 year old son.

Patrolman Scott was assigned to the 32nd Precinct.


THE LOST POSTING

Thanks so much to a loyal reader, Robert Sassok, I am able to reprint here the posting that was “lost” when I accidentally deleted the posting.


I had just installed a new “app” on my iPad that would help me to post to this site in a mobile manner; not realizing what I was doing, though, I hit the wrong button and deleted the prior posting. I soon learned that there was no going back from this delete option; no recovery button, no trash bin to retrieve it from- it was gone! I will be sure not to push that button again!

LINE OF DUTY

An inquiring letter in the NY Times Metropolitan Section on Sunday, February 6, 2011 asked a simple question.

"Aside from 9/11, what year saw the most homicides against New York City police officers? Did fatal shootings of officers rise and fall with the city's overall crime rate"?

The answer was provided by Deputy Commissioner Paul J. Browne.

Leaving aside the terror attacks of Sept 11, 2001 when 23 Police Officers died, the worst year was 1971, when 15 officers died in the line of duty, 12 by gunfire.

It was not unusual during the balance of the 70's for six or more police officers to be killed annually.

In 1980 10 officers were shot and killed in the line of duty; in 1987 and again in 1988, six were shot and killed.

By contrast, fatal shootings of officers dropped in the 1990's and dropped even further in the past decade.

In the past three years, one police officer was shot and killed, and that fatality was a police shooting in 2009 that resulted from mistaken identity.

In the city as a whole, the number of homicides peaked in 1990, with 2,245 killings. The city's violent crime and homicide rates for the past 25 years also peaked in 1990, according to statistics reported to the FBI. They dropped sharply in the 1990's and 2000's, and city homicides have annually remained below 600 since 2002.

They reached a record low of 471 in 2009.

NOTORIOUS NEW YORK: FRENCH CONNECTION


The French Connection was first a true crime book written by Robin Moore and later turned into the 1971 hit crime film by William Friedkin.

It tells a fictionalized version of the true story of the narcotics bust that netted 112 pounds of heroin sent over from France.

The movie version has NYPD Detectives “Popeye” Doyle and Buddy Russo cracking the case that, in real life, was accomplished by Narcotics Detectives Eddie Egan and Sonny Grosso.

Both Egan and Grosso played parts other than themselves in the movie.

Gene Hackman as Popeye Doyle, was the porkpie hat wearing detective portraying Eddie Egan. Hackman won an Oscar for his role as Best Actor in a Leading Role.

Roy Scheider played Detctive Buddy Russo (Sonny Grosso) and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor as well.

The film is noted as being the first R-rated movie to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.If you get a chance to see this film when it is run on AMC cable network with the “information subtitles”, it is well worth viewing. In that version of the film subtitles are run providing real-life information and other interesting background items as the movie is shown, and for any true crime buff it is a magnificent way to view it.

Here are some interesting notorious New York locations from this film, and the real life investigation that was conducted.

228 West 47 Street, Edison Hotel

This is the site of the hotel where the Frenchman, Jean Jehan, checked into Room 909. The Frenchman, as he is referred to in the film, is followed from the hotel throughout midtown Manhattan by the detectives, only to lose their “tail” in the infamous scene on the Times Square shuttle.

Bushwick Avenue and Maujer Street, Brooklyn (90 Precinct)

The location of the luncheonette that was run by Patsy and Barbara Fuca, and the location at the beginning of the film where the Detectives follow their drug mark to after a night out partying.

45 East End Avenue (at East 81 Street), Manhattan (19 Precinct)

The luxury Manhattan apartment building where the famous automobile, a 1960 Buick Invicta owned by the French television star Jacques Angelvin, that was loaded with heroin was hidden before its secret cargo was removed at the Police Tow Pound. The car was found to have 112 pounds of heroin secreted in secret traps located in the rocker panels.



THE MINISTER OF INVESTIGATION

Remember that you can contact the Minister of Investigation at:

Ltjac77@yahoo.com

“No mans knowledge can go beyond his experience”.
John Locke: philosopher

FOR THE DEATH INVESTIGATOR: CAUSE AND MANNER OF DEATH

We often hear, and refer incorrectly, that the Medical Examiner “Determined the cause of death to be homicide”.

While we all understand the meaning of this phrase, it isn’t entirely correct.

Medical Examiners will determine, based on their autopsy examination and the facts of the investigation as presented by the detective, the “Cause” and the “Manner” of death.

Homicide is NOT a “Cause of Death”. It is correctly a “Manner” of death.

The Medical Examiner has one of these 5 choices in determining the “Manner of Death”:
1. Pending Further Study
2. Natural
3. HOMICIDE
4. Accident
5. Suicide
6. Undetermined

Homicide- death caused by another – is a Manner, and not a Cause.

A “Cause” of death would more properly be listed as “complications from stab wound to chest”, “complications from gunshot wound to head”, “blunt force trauma injuries to head”, etc. The action that resulted in the death is the cause.

Action (gunshot wound to head) is what resulted in the (manner) death.

A DETECTIVE

A detective must possess patience and perseverance.
To succeed he must not be easily discouraged.
His duty is to detect.
Detection is something more than a mere conclusion or expression of opinion.
Do not jump at conclusions from the information submitted at the time the complaint is received – investigate at once.
Take nothing for granted – investigate and be convinced.
A good detective is always more or less suspicious and very inquisitive.

From the 1940 NYPD Manual of Procedure; it may be over 70 years old, but just as valid today as it was then!


CHIEF OF DETECTIVES

Did you know that for the longest time the title “Chief of Detectives” was only an honorary title, even well into the 20th Century?

The position as the “chief” of detectives was held by either a Captain or an Inspector.

The exception to this was Thomas Byrnes. But then too, there were lots of exceptions made for Byrnes.

Thomas Byrnes was the only person to hold all three of the following ranks: “Chief Inspector” (pre 20th Century); he held the title (not rank) of ‘Chief of Detectives’ while in the ranks of captain, inspector and chief inspector. He also is the only person to the hold both the rank (& title) of “Superintendent of Police,” and “Chief of Police” on the NYPD. (That was the highest uniform rank on the job at the time.)

BOROUGH COMMANDS

From the 1950 Roster of the Department, here are the locations and command of the various patrol boroughs.

Boro Headquarters Manhattan: 153 East 67th Street, Commanded by an Assistant Chief
Borough Office-Manhattan East: 153 East 67th Street, Deputy Chief
Borough Office- Manhattan West: 306 West 54th Street, Deputy Chief
Boro Headquarters Bronx and Queens: Barkley and Revere Avenues, Bx - Asst Chief
Borough Office- Bronx: 1925 Bathgate Ave, Deputy Chief
Borough Office- Queens: 91-03 168 Street, Jamaica, Deputy Chief
Boro Headquarters- Brooklyn and Richmond: 485 Bergen Street, Bklyn, Asst Chief
Borough Office Brooklyn West and Richmond: 485 Bergen Street, Bklyn; Deputy Chief
Borough Office Brooklyn East: 148 Vernon Ave., Brooklyn Deputy Chief
Traffic Division: 400 Broome Street, Manhattan; Assistant Chief

PEP SQUAD

Back in the late 60’s and into the early 70’s, a specialized patrol component was organized in Manhattan North known as the “PEP SQUAD”.

PEP stood for "Preventive Enforcement Patrol".

This unit gained some notoriety in this time, not all of it, though, in a positive way.

The PEP squad was assembled in 1969 by Assistant Chief Inspector Eldridge Waith, then in charge of the Manhattan North uniformed patrol force, who sought out "dedicated" young black and Hispanic patrolmen who would work hard "not because they want to be cops but because they want to make the community the kind of place they would want to live in and raise their families in." Certainly all the bearings of a positive command.

The PEP Squad was commanded by 1 Lieutenant and two sergeants, and the 20 patrolman that comprised the unit were all volunteers.

Initially made up of only black officers, this was in response to community complaints about the cultural differences and conflicts resulting from white officers patrolling black neighborhoods.

Formed in the latter part of the 1960’s, this was held out as another great policing social experiment.

The PEP Squad worked in pairs, on foot in the 28 and 32 precincts, and was expected to address all conditions they encountered. They were especially deployed to address what today would be known as quality of life issues, including street drug and vice activity.

Their original stated goal was to patrol the 5 precinct area north of 59th Street, river to river, and cut down on street crime-to cut into the sprawling activities of policy makers, narcotics peddlers, purse snatchers. In their two years of operation, the squad made 1,500 arrests.

Notching up early success stories, the squad was on its way to success before some bad times hit. The unit was disbanded just before the Knapp hearings, under a bad cloud of corruption.
Many of the officers had been arrested or were under suspension for crimes such as bribe receiving, shaking down merchants, contractors, peddlers and motorists.

A story that ran in the October 27, 1971 New York Times (page 54), by James M. Markham, noted the downfall of the unit.

“The Preventive enforcement patrol-or PEP squad-celebrated its second birthday in Harlem last Saturday. Yesterday the elite black and Puerto Rican unit was stunned by the allegation of a former member that all but two of the team’s 20 patrolmen were actively involved in "scores" on policy operators, narcotics pushers and other criminals.

"The charge was made yesterday by Waverly B. Logan (a former police officer), in testimony before the Knapp Commission, investigating police corruption”.

“The witness also specifically discussed an incident in which an unnamed lieutenant from the PEP squad allegedly joined in a shakedown of a narcotics pusher and several incidents involving at least one sergeant from the squad who also allegedly "scored." It was not clear whether Mr. Logan was referring to one or several sergeants in his testimony”.

The commander of the unit was then quoted as saying that the allegations of widespread corruption were all false, and that “we would welcome a full investigation of these allegations.

The NY Times went on to quote several members and former of the PEP Squad.

"A former Sergeant of the squad, a 15 year veteran of the force and an original member of the PEP squad who is now in the department’s personnel section, had bittersweet recollections of the team".

"I think the squad has a beautiful relationship with, shall we say, the 'silent majority' of the community," he said, recalling a PEP Squad Day at the Harriet Tubman school on West 127th Street, when the team members were given certificates by the school children.

"Mr. Logan, who now drives a taxicab in New York, testified at the Knapp Commission hearings that at the beginning PEP squad members felt a sense of elation-"It was like a new police department-but that this mood soured about a month later with the discovery that some of the patrolman were on the take”.

Editors Note 1: Reporting on the history of the department is never easy when it involves “bad cops”, corruption and the like. The cloud that surrounded the PEP Squad came at a time when this department went through a very bad time- and certainly came out of it growing much better for it. The Knapp Commission was not easy to sit and watch if you were a cop at that time; or a family member of a cop. My personal conversations with such members attest to that fact. The cloud of corruption that attached itself to every member of the department could not be easily lifted, and scarred many more good cops than it did the bad cops that were around.

While I do not normally use this forum to discuss the bad, to make believe it didn’t happen is not right either.

While the cloud of corruption attached itself to the PEP Squad, it did so also to those that worked “Plainclothes” and every cop who worked vice and gambling and even narcotics enforcement was painted with the same brush stroke, suffering from the sins of others.

As I have said before, we need to know our past in order to understand where we are now, and where we are moving to. In no way do I mean to demean or denigrate the good work that was sure to have been done by many members of the PEP Squad, as well as those working plainclothes, in this same single stroke.

Editors Note #2: My gratitude to Sgt (Ret) Michael Bosak for his interesting contributions to items in this posting. I have recognized Mike in the past as “the true historian of the department”, and I stand by that recognition. Thanks Mike!

“LEST WE FORGET…” THE NYPD MEMORIAL

February 26, 1988 PO Edward Byrne, 103 Pct, Shot-assassination guarding witness
February 27, 1909 Ptl Thomas Smith, NFI
February 27, 1925 Ptl Harold Ormsby, NFI
February 28, 1928 Ptl John Hubbard, Traffic A, Auto accident on patrol
February 28, 1952 Sgt Paul Brooks, GCP Pct, Motorcycle accident
February 28, 1970 Ptl Michael Melchionna, TPD1, Shot-investigation
February 29, 1980 Ptl Irving Smith, TPD-PA, Shot-off duty robbery
March 1, 1945 PO Albert Black, Traffic F, Fire rescue
March 1, 1970 PO Joseph Mariconda, Aviation and
PO Patrick Harrington, Aviation
Helicopter Accident
March 2, 1924 PO Thomas Gaffney, 26 Pct, Auto accident on patrol
March 3, 1989 PO Robert Machate, BSTF, Shot-car stop
March 4, 1927 PO Henry Farrell, 3A Pct, Fire rescue
March 5, 1973 PO Irving Wright, 20 Pct, Shot-arrest
March 5, 1975 PO Robert Rogerson, Div.Licenses, Auto accident
March 9, 1948 PO Julius Mirell, 34 Pct, Shot-burglary
March 9, 1974 PO Timothy Hurley, 103 Pct, Shot-robbery
March 10, 1917 Ptl Deforest Fredenburg & Ptl John Lober, No information available
March 10, 1994 PO Sean McDonald, 44 Pct, Shot-Robbery
March 10, 2003 Det Rodney Andrews, OCCB Firearms, Shot-UC gun buy
March 10, 2003 Det James Nemorin, OCCB-Firearms, Shot-UC gun buy
March 11, 1930 Ptl Joseph Scott, 32 Pct, auto accident on patrol
March 11, 1947 Ptl Winthrop Paris, 30 Pct, Shot-Investigation, off duty
March 11, 1959 Ptl Robert Forrest, 24 Pct, Off duty LOD heart attack
March 11, 1987 Det Louis Miller, FTU10, Shot-Burglary in progress
March 12, 1909 Lt Joseph Petrosino, Det Div; Shot – Investigation in Italy
March 12, 1931 Ptl James Flanagan, 25 Pct, Shot- off duty investigation
March 14, 1872 Det Phillip Lambreck, 19 Pct, Assaulted
March 14, 1967 Det John Pollins, Narc, Arrest- narcotics buy/bust
March 14, 1996 PO Kevin Gillespie, SCU, Shot – investigation

 DETECTIVE FIRST GRADE EDWARD ZIGO
Retired, 1982- Brooklyn South Homicide; 60 Squad; 73 Squad; 73 Pct

FATHER, FRIEND, DETECTIVE

On Sunday, February 20, 2011, the world lost a good man.

Known by many as the Detective who caught The Son of Sam, I knew Mr. Zigo as the father of a friend. I am honored to be able today to call him a friend.

At 84 years old, surrounded by his family, Ed passed away, succumbing to cancer. May his family recall fond memories of their father, grandfather, husband. And all that ever had the pleasure of his company will recall greatness in a man that lived his life doing the right thing.

An inspiration to more than he ever knew. As a Detective. As a person.

When it was used with Edward Zigo, FIRST GRADE was not a rank, it was a definition of the man. God bless you, Mister Zigo.





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FRENCH CONNECTION AND THE WAY OF THE JEDI







As I lounge in nice weather away from the new snow storm hitting New York, I tried to find, in order to repost, my deleted edition. Dare I try to utilize Blog-Post once again?

I recall that the deleted posting included some facts about the movie, French Connection, as well as a leadership piece related to "teaching the way of the Jedi".

While I cannot find a copy of the French Connection part, I did find the Jedi documentary.

I will repost the French Connection facts when I put it all together. In the meantime, here's my diatribe on the "way of the Jedi".


TEACHING THE WAY OF THE JEDI


In a recent NY Times article by Julie Greenwald, the Chairwoman and CEO of Atlantic Records, a interview in which she discussed her leadership style had me making an analogy to the detective squad.

Talking about her leadership style she states that she spends a lot of time in small meetings, making sure they are "constantly talking about culture and what we need and why something is not just one person's responsibility, and that we all have to have ownership".

As I read this statement I immediately saw the assimilation to what we need to accomplish as a detective squad supervisor or commander.

"Talking about culture" is what we need to be doing with our newest detectives, and reinforcing with our older staff. Louis Savarese used to use a term that I feel sums things up pretty much in a nutshell: "Someone has to teach them the way of the Jedi". How true this is.

If you want your detectives to perform as a team then you need to teach them that. If you have certain expectations of what the role of the detective should be, then you need to communicate this "culture" to your staff. You cannot expect compliance with that which you have not explained.

The responsibility of each member to perform as part of a team is exemplified in great terms when a squad responds to a major c rime incident. The need for each member to perform his/her role as if it was the most important, and to perform their tasks as they would want it to be done if they were the "catching" detective, is critical if success is to be accomplished.

"Having ownership" is a corporate term that is bandied about in management circles, and one which you may think has no analogy to criminal investigations. But if you think about this in line with those thoughts on individual responsibility as part of a team task, then I think you will agree with me that "having ownership" is very applicable to what we do.

Providing a feeling of ownership to those who work in your squad is a valuable concept. All too often messages are sent downhill with the directive of "do this or else", without anyone taking the time to explain to those who are being expected to do why it is important for them to do this. By explaining how specific tasks are applicable to the investigative process, and by bringing the troops into the circle of understanding on why certain procedures are initiated, or why it is that you- as the supervisor- want certain things done in a certain way, then you mission of compliance will start off on the right foot.

Letting all members of the team- your squad- feel that they possess "ownership" on what is performed by their squad, in a team concept, is critical to having a successful command.

Not every case will, or can, be solved just by teamwork. But when all members are working together for the same common goal, your chances of success are greatly increased.

Isn't that what our mission as detective supervisors is?

"All hands on deck" approach to the major crime response will become second nature when your investigative understand the culture of the detective, the culture of their squad, and they have a feeling of ownership in the end result of their squad's investigation.

Teach the culture, and expect teamwork as second nature.

Teach the way of the Jedi, and communicate expectations if you wish to have success.




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(which is why I haven't yet figured out how to highlight and colorized titles. Will have to do the best I can for now. Hey, give me a break- I'm on vacation!) Ed Note 2: I just figured it out!

Note to Readers: somehow, in using new technology that allows me to post to this site direct from my iPad, I mistakenly deleted a previous weeks post. Which wouldn't be so bad if I actually had the entry saved somewhere. Oh well, now I know what that "Delete" button really does. The Minister


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

IN MEMORIAM: PO EDWARD BYRNE- FEBRUARY 26, 1988

Police Officer Edward R. Byrne
End of Watch: Friday, February 26, 1988

Age: 22
Shield Number: 14072
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: Friday, February 26, 1988

Officer Byrne was shot and killed while protecting a witness in a drug case. He was parked in a marked patrol car when two suspects approached him. One of suspects knocked on the passenger window to distract him as the second suspect ran up to him the driver's window and opened fire, striking him in the head five times. Two additional suspects served as lookouts.

The four suspects were members of a gang who were instructed to kill a police officer. The four were apprehended and sentenced to 25 years to life.

Officer Byrne was survived by his parents and three brothers.


You can view a PO Edward Byrne Tribute Video at:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2FHgpokWqg

THE INVESTIGATORS TOOLS: SOURCING AND FACTS

There are two very important tasks that need to become second nature to the investigator.

Sourcing your information is the first.

Presenting facts that lead to conclusions- and not merely presenting the conclusion- is the other.

What does this mean in everyday terms?

As an investigator you gather facts in an effort to reach a conclusion. You ask questions, many many questions if you're doing it right, and you base your conclusion on these answers.

Make sure that, in asking your questions, you are "Sourcing" the information you collect.

When you ask a question, consider if the answer is from the source, or is it being passed along. When you ask "what train station did the victim use", and you receive the answer "Main Street , make sure you "source" the info by determining how that answer was developed. How does the person know this? Was this fact verified by a MetroCard, or by someone who factually knows this? Or was this a "guess" based on location?

If you are told your victim was last seen Thursday night, you need to be asking yourself, and the person who tells you this, "How do we know this?" "Who told you that, and how do they know? What are the facts to support this"?

Without properly sourcing your facts you may find yourself spinning your wheels working on a "lead" that isn't valid. Or perhaps missing a key fact for days due to a misplaced assumption.

"Who told you, and what facts support this" - all part of SOURCING your information.

FACTS VS. CONCLUDING STATEMENTS

As an investigator you must always be aware of the need to let your facts lead you to your conclusion- through all parts of your investigation.

This remains as necessary during the interview stage as much as it does in the final conclusion stage. Consider these examples.

Upon arrival at a crime scene you receive the information "the victim had a gang tattoo and gang beads". You need to be asking the inquiring questions regarding what exactly does this mean.

"A gang tattoo" is a concluding statement. What exactly does the tattoo look like? That is the info you will need. You should be describing the tattoo, and then you can make the statement "which is known to be a gang indicator" or something along those lines. To pass along the statement "he had a gang tattoo" is not complete unless you also know the facts of that conclusion-what the tattoo looked like.

Be aware of the necessity of sourcing your information, and providing facts leading to a conclusion, in both your verbal updates as well as in your written reports, in order to produce the investigation which you could be proud of.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

"He went looking for trouble but trouble found him".

A quote from Mike Hammer, Private Eye

NOTORIOUS NEW YORK: DRIGGS AVENUE AND FRANK SERPICO

Seated inside the small but renowned fried chicken and southern style food kitchen, Pies & Thighs on Driggs Avenue and S.4 Street in Williamsburg, you look out of the front window and across Driggs Avenue to a building that gained particular NYPD notoriety 40 years ago.

778 Driggs Avenue is the location where, in 1971, Patrolman Frank Serpico, then assigned to Narcotics Unit#7, was shot in the face during an attempted drug bust.

Serpico, of course, gained notoriety when, during the Knapp Commission hearings, he came forward and told his tale of corruption occurring within the Police Department at the time. His story was documented in a best selling book, Serpico, as well as a hit movie of the same name.

It was in the early morning of February 3, 1971 that Serpico was shot.

Serpico and his two partners were conducting a drug surveillance operation at 778 Driggs Avenue (between S4 and S3 streets, Williamsburg; 90 Pct) when they followed a junkie into, and then out of this building. The apparent drug sale was conducted out of Apartment #3G, on the 3rd floor.

The officers went to the suspect apartment. Serpico acted as the “undercover” and knocked on the door, with his partners secreted close by. The drug sale went bad, and shots were fired; Serpico was shot in the face by Edgar “Mambo” Echevaria.

His partners were able to drag him out of the building and drove him to what was then Greenpoint Hospital, which was located on Jackson Avenue and is now used as a Homeless Shelter. There were much uncorroborated and unverified inferences that Serpico was either “set up” by his partners because of his anti-corruption position, or that after he was shot they did not come to his aid quickly enough. Once again, though, I must add that neither of these “anonymous allegations” was ever proven to be anything more than “media conjecture”.

While still recovering from his wounds, he was promoted to Detective in May 1971 (Shield# 761). He was awarded the Medal of Honor in the Spring of 1972.

He never returned to the job, retiring shortly after with a medical disability. He is still alive, and lives in a very secretive and isolated lifestyle. Every once in a while he surfaces in a news story, often when allegations of corruption or other wrongdoing is involved.

Now 40 years after the incident, the building remains an occupied multiple dwelling. It has undergone some renovations and is attractive to the new population that is bringing Williamsburg a new life. It is currently covered in scaffolding as work on the façade is being completed.

FROM THE DETECTIVE’S LIBRARY- TERRORIST COP

Terrorist Cop: The NYPD Jewish Cop Who Traveled the World to Stop Terrorists
by Mordecai Dzikansky and Robert Slater

Mordecai Dzikansky, Retired Detective First Grade, spent his 25-year police career with the New York City Police Department.

This book is described as “a colorful, haunting, and highly graphic tale”.

Dzikansky, who became a cop in 1983 and retired in 2008, was among the few Orthodox Jews ever on the force.

A Brooklyn native, Dzikansky's career began as a uniformed patrolman. Periods in the homicide and detective squads led to selection as a lead investigator of the then newly formed specialized Torah Task Force in 1993. He served also as a detective in the Midtown North Squad, before being assigned to the Manhattan South Homicide Squad in 1999.

From 2003 until 2007, Dzikansky was in Israel as the first NYPD Intelligence Division Overseas Liaison to the Israel National Police. His intelligence gathering and immediate relay of key information back to NYC enhanced the Department's ability to recognize, react to, and prevent or recover from terrorist acts.

Currently, Dzikansky lectures and consults to law enforcement and academics on global security and policing topics using his expertise to provide first-hand analysis of the current terror trends, lessons learned, and worldwide application to prevent and respond to terrorism. This is his first book.

TOOLS OF THE DETECTIVE: FOLLOW UP ON YOUR EVIDENCE

Don’t be foolish and neglect to follow-up on your key pieces of evidence.

Don’t “assume” that a piece of evidence that was secured at a crime scene is being processed at the Lab for DNA evidence- check and verify! You should be able to answer an inquiry about your evidence with certainty, and not with a “I’m waiting to hear from the Lab” answer. You may be “waiting to hear” about evidence that the Lab is NOT processing!

If you have an important piece of evidence that may, after forensic examination, help to identify the culprit don’t wait for the Lab to send you results- call early. Speak with the PD Liaison at the Lab, and if possible get in touch with the Criminalist conducting the examination. Be sure that the lab technicians understand the value of the evidence and what it is that you are hoping to get from this piece of evidence.

If your investigation leads you to believe that the hat discarded on the street is the perp’s, then this information needs to be relayed to the Lab. At the same way, if you submitted a hat for exam and learn that it is the victim’s, then let them know that as well. There may be no reason to waste time, and resources, to test a hat for DNA when you know it’s your victims!

Communication is certainly a key ingredient when evidence is submitted for forensic examination.

Get ahead of the curve and contact the Liaison or anyone else that is necessary, and follow up on your evidence, to ensure positive results in your investigations.

MORE ON PLAINCLOTHES

Following my recent posting on this site regarding Police Officers assigned to “Plainclothes”, I have received some input from others providing some first hand knowledge and information.
Among these was the information received from a notable retiree who added the following.
“In the 50's and early 60's, if you had been assigned to Plainclothes, it was almost a complete bar from getting into the Detective Bureau".

It seems that the assignment in Plainclothes was not a favorable prerequisite for a Detective Bureau assignment, possibly because of the “suspected corruption”.

This same MOS noted how a local and well known business man thought he would do him a favor after a good arrest was made that prevented his wife from being robbed, and arranged for him to get an interview with the CO of the Division plainclothes.

He went on his interview but politely turned it down, saying he wanted to be a detective. The Inspector said, "Kid you should be a detective", and advised him to just tell the business man that they had the interview.

As things would happen, a few months later he made the Bureau with a field promotion after he and his partner made a good collar as radio car partners- a double homicide.

The PC at the time made a written notation on the Unusual that "this warrants DD" – a pretty sound recommendation for the Detective Division if there ever was one- and shortly after he and his partner were promoted to detective.

And the rest is history!

OLD TIME DETECTIVE TELEVISION- MANNIX

Joe Mannix paved the way for all of the TV private eyes we grew up with.

He was tough, bull-headed, good-looking, and had a flair for cool cars and fantastic sports coats.

We can see traces of Mannix in Rockford (think bright plaid and patterned sports jackets).

Magnum took the cool car theme to a whole new level, but it was Mannix who first pulled surveillance in a hey-look-at-me-stand-out-in-a-crowd car.

A Korean War veteran, Mannix knew how to maintain a level head. Whether he was careening down a dirt road in a snazzy convertible or engaged in gun-play with mobsters in ill-fitting, wide-collared, poly-blend suits, Mannix was solid. He’d readily throw a punch, rely on a hunch, and more often than not eschew technology and gadgets for a good old confrontation.

This rough-and-tumble Armenian-American detective was, in short, what every woman in the early seventies wanted. And yet, despite the passel of hot polyester-clad babes that strolled in and out of his life, Mannix, it seemed, was a bachelor’s bachelor, doomed to fly solo. Sharing his most intimate moments with his trusty and “oft-kidnapped” secretary Peggy.

Mannix put a modern face on the private eye of the postwar-noir era, bringing the fictional detective into the seventies with a clear nod to the genre. Mike Connors, the actor who brought Mannix to life, once said that somewhere out there "Mannix is still working.

There was a decency and a dignity about the man.


I HAVE SOME CUBAN CIGARS FOR YOU

Every cigar smoker will, sooner or later, be faced with this dilemma.

A friend or relative, knowing your fancy of cigars, hands you as a gift what they believe to be the golden choice of cigar smokers- a Cuban cigar. Or, at least, what they believe to be a Cuban cigar.
One look at the label, though, tells you this is a counterfeit.

What do you say? Do you burst their bubble and tell them, “Thanks, but this is a fake”?

Or do you just thank them kindly, knowing that this is truly one of those cases when the thought is what counts- and not the gift! Probably the choice most of us have made.

Of course, if you believe that your friend is actually purchasing these at great cost, you will want to – gently, probably – let them know whoever they are purchasing these from is not reputable.

Not an easy thing to do, for sure.

If you’re lucky you realize the quality as soon as you receive the counterfeit; the label is so flawed that you know it’s not real. Sometimes it takes to actually light up to realize the subterfuge. Whether or not the label passes muster, once the cigar is lit the smoke, aroma and taste will surely give it away. If you’re lucky, the counterfeit is at least a “smokeable” alternative.

Alas, many of us have had to take the “put it out and throw it away right now” option. Oh, well. It’s the thought that counts, remember?

Why are Cuban cigars so expensive? And why are they in demand?

Goes back to Economics 101 – supply and demand.

The supply is low- and Cuban cigars have the notoriety of good quality tobacco, hence the demand is high, results in high cost. And attractiveness to counterfeiters.

What should you know about Cuban cigars, and how to spot the fakes?

All Cuban cigars are called Habanos, and are controlled by a government corporation of the same name. Cigars are collected each day from the various factories and sent to the Habanos warehouse to await distribution. Located throughout the world are authorized Habanos dealers who get a large portion of these cigars, although the quantities shipped represent only a small proportion of what the dealer’s desire. A much smaller portion of the factory output is divided amongst the 20 or so domestic cigar stores, almost all of which are located in Havana.

Every week or two, the Havana stores receive an allotment of cigars, mostly small cigars but also a few of the large models (robustos, churchills, torpedoes, double coronas) that everybody is looking for.

You cannot hop a plane to Havana on a whim and buy any cigar you want. Large-size cigars are very difficult to find. Relatively few are produced, and only a fraction is sold in Cuba. Spread these precious few around to all the domestic and international dealers vying for them, and you can understand why few store-bought Cuban cigars ever reach America.

While it is possible to buy Cuban cigars in countries such as Mexico and Canada and then resell them in America, there is minimal profit in buying a box in Mexico for, say, $325, and reselling it for $400. Tobacco taxes usually nullify this third-country concept in every country but one: Spain. Factor into the equation the risk of losing cigars to customs, and it becomes clear that reselling cigars bought abroad doesn't make much business sense. Smugglers are interested only in making money, and their preferred method is to buy a box of counterfeit cigars for $30 in Havana and sell it for $400 in the States.

Even if they wanted to buy legitimate Habanos they couldn't, since there aren't enough available. Store prices in Cuba have recently risen 40%, forcing even more smugglers to the dark side in an attempt to maintain large profit margins.

Thus, the counterfeit cigar business is booming. Hundreds of street hustlers in Havana will offer to sell cigars to anyone who doesn't look Cuban. The more sophisticated smugglers operate large private factories that turn out thousands of boxes of the top brands, although the tobacco quality and construction of these cigars will never approach the strict quality standards of a real Cuban factory.

The Cuban police are trying to control the situation, but so far they are losing the battle. Additionally, some of these illicit cigar factories have sprung up in Central America, where there is an abundance of good rollers and tobacco. The cigars are shipped to the U.S. as non-Cubans and re-packed in counterfeit Cuban boxes.

The bottom line is that the cigar craze in America has awakened a deep thirst for Cuban cigars, which has spawned a whole underground industry. Unfortunately, the counterfeiters are getting better and better at their craft.

Excellent site for verifying the validity of your “Cuban” cigar:

http://www.cigaraficionado.com/counterfeit

The following is also a good site to look at regarding the methods to use when inspecting your cigar gift:

http://www.smokemag.com/0398/feature2.htm

INTERESTING WEB SITE

Although this site has not been updated in some recent time, you could spend hours looking over the material that is on it including the excellent photographs included in the site.

Take a look, and bookmark:

http://www.policeny.com/



“LEST WE FORGET…” THE NYPD MEMORIAL

February 1, 1935 Sgt George Nadler, ESU, Explosion-investigation
February 2, 1975 PO Frank Bugdin, Midtown North, Shot-investigation
February 4, 1933 Sgt Eugene Monahan, 34 Pct, Shot: Robbery pursuit
February 6, 1864 Ptl John Hoffman, 25 Pct – Accident, runaway horse
February 6, 1864 Ptl Austin Easterbrook, NFI
February 6, 1914 Ptl Edward Murtha, 147 Pct, Shot-Robbery investigation
February 6, 1944 Ptl Eugene Mahoney, 5 Det Sq, Auto accident on patrol
February 9, 1963 Det Richard Arundell, DetDiv, LOD Heart attack
February 10, 1926 Ptl Frank White, 35 Pct, Shot-Burglary in progress
February 11, 1966 Ptl Stanley Butch, Harbor, Fell from boat
February 11, 1982 PO James Carragher, PSA1, Shot: Off duty robbery
February 12, 1930 Ptl George Miller, 22 Pct, Auto accident on patrol
February 12, 1936 Ptl James Young, Mounted, Shot-robbery
February 12, 1940 Ptl John Holt, 28 Pct, Off-duty burglary
February 12, 1980 PO Robert Bilodeau, SCU, Shot-investigation
February 13, 1918 Ptl Samuel Rosenfeld, 102 Pct, Shot-Robbery in progress
February 14, 1921 Ptl John Sheridan, 70 Pct, Line of duty incident
February 14, 1925 Det Chester Hagan, DetDiv, Shot-investigation
February 14, 1963 Ptl Vincent Zichetella, 14 Pct, Shot-robbery
February 14, 1984 PO Thomas Ruotolo, 41 Pct, Shot-Robbery
February 14, 1999 PO Matthew Dziergowski, 123 Pct, Auto accident
February 15, 1917 Ptl Samuel Cunningham, 42 Pct, Shot-GLA Arrest
February 15, 1932 Ptl James Goodwin, 34 Pct, Shot-off duty robbery
February 15, 1971 Det Joseph Piciano, 41 Sq, Shot by prisoner


Note to readers: You can conduct a “search” on this Blog for “Bilodeau” for more information on PO Robert Bilodeau who was killed in the line of duty on February 12, 1980. Bilodeau was awarded his second Medal of Honor posthumously after this incident.

Readers are also encouraged to send comments, suggestions and criticisms to the Minister of Investigation at:

Ltjac77@yahoo.com