SOME MORE HARD-BOILED DETECTIVE QUOTES
�Did anybody ever tell you dumb is forever�?
Mike Hammer (by Mickey Spillane)
�I never expect anything, and I still get disappointed�.
Mike Hammer (by Mickey Spillane)
WHY ARE THERE GREEN LIGHTS OUTSIDE THE ENTRANCES OF POLICE PRECINCT BUILDINGS?
It is believed that the Rattle Watchmen, who patrolled New Amsterdam in the 1650's, carried lanterns at night with green glass sides in them as a means of identification.
When the Watchmen returned to the watch house after patrol, they hung their lantern on a hook by the front door to show people seeking the watchman that he was in the watch house.
Today, green lights are hung outside the entrances of Police Precincts as a symbol that the "Watch" is present and vigilant.
FINNEGAN AND FALLON- A FOLLOW UP
Following the recent posting on this site regarding the line of duty deaths of Det�s. Finnegan and Fallon, I received a response from Ret. Det. Capt Frank Bolz.
Frank recalled being a detective in the 81 Squad at the time these detectives were killed. He was a new detective in the 81 Squad, and was on vacation at the time.
�In those days before overtime pay, whenever an incident occurred, it was expected that all off duty detectives would respond to the squad handling the investigation�.
After some diligent detective work, Jerry Rosenberg would be arrested for the homicide. Al Seedman, who was the distict detective Captain at the time, would have his photo appear in the NY POST holding up Rosenberg�s head by the hair for the camera.
�He caught some flack for that�. In fact, as Seedman noted in his autobiography, it held up his promotion to Deputy Inspector for some time.
�Jerry Rosenberg would become the jail house lawyer in Attica, during the Attica riots. He would later get his law
degree in jail, for FREE, and then sue the N.Y. Bar ethics committee to try to be admitted to the NY bar�.
A TV film would be produced about Rosenberg, played by Tony Danza. �All this time, the children of Finnegan and
Fallon would struggle to get their college education�. As the Director of the Police Line of Duty Widows scholarship fund, Frank was well aware of the problems they encountered.
Thanks, Frank, for your insight. It�s ALWAYS appreciated!
ON THE MEND
Your friends in Brooklyn North wish JOHN AMODEO a speedy recovery from his recent heart surgery.
John, the Squad Commander of the 75 Squad, went in for a stress test recently, and found himself facing heart surgery that involved six stents placed in two arteries! Thankfully, John wasn�t more seriously injured.
While he is at home recovering, we know he misses all of us here in Brooklyn North, but it�s not as much as we miss you, John! Hoping you a speedy recovery, and looking to see you at our Squad Commander�s lunch meetings soon!
We all miss you!
INTERESTING WEB SITES FOR THE INVESTIGATOR
Here are some sites that are very useful in helping to locate people.
PeopleSpot: A new portal dedicated to helping you find people. There is a huge reference list of sources, aids, and resources you can use from this new portal.
www.peoplespot.com
SkipEase: A massive link list providing links to dozens of search sites that are very useful in locating missing persons.
www.skipease.com/index.html
Skip Tracer Tool Box: Another very well done and extensive links page.
http://skiptoolbox.freeyellow.com/
Telephone Directories on the Web: This site links you to over 350 telephone directories, yellow pages, business directories and email directories in over 150 different countries.
www.teldir.com/eng
FOR THE INVESTIGATOR�S ROLODEX
Insurance companies maintain a Special Investigations Unit to conduct specialized fraud investigations. Usually staffed by retired detectives, the Special Investigations Unit�s are probably a good starting point for the detective seeking investigative assistance.
When contacting an insurance company, ask to speak to someone in their Special Investigations Unit.
For more information you can check out the web site for the:
International Association of Special Investigations Units
410-931-8100
www.iasiu.com
Wednesday, May 19, 2004
Monday, May 10, 2004
NATIONAL POLICE MEMORIAL WEEK
This week has been set aside and designated NATIONAL POLICE OFFICERS MEMORIAL WEEK throughout the country.
May 15 has been the day designated as the national day of remembrance for all police officers who have performed the ultimate sacrifice. Let�s not forget our brothers and sisters throughout the country on this day.
CONSTABLE KILLED IN 1675 ADDED TO THE ROLLS
As reported by the Associated Press this past Sunday, a Constable who was killed in 1675 in Springfield, Mass is the newest name added to that city�s memorial for fallen police officers.
Constable John Miller was killed protecting the town against American Indians in 1675. He is reported to be the first known law enforcement fatality in what later became the United States.
�Miller is the earliest known law enforcement person in the country to die in the line of duty, Margaret R. Sullivan, a Boston University administrator who researches police fatalities in her free time, told The Republican of Springfield.�
It is noted that The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial recognizes New York City Deputy Sheriff Isaac Smith, who was shot May 17, 1792, as the first law enforcement death in the nation's history.
Retired Det. Mike Bosak, a noted police historian, notes that Deputy Sheriff Isaac Smith should properly be known as a Westchester County Deputy Sheriff, not New York City, as The Bronx at that time was part of Westchester County.
Mike Bosak is the historian who discovered the account of the murder of Deputy Sheriff Isaac Smith by John Ryer at Levi Hunt's Inn in court records archived at the Westchester County Records Center in Elmsford. Deputy Sheriff Isaac Smith was killed in what is now known as the West Farms area of the Bronx.
I would like to add that one of Mike Bosak�s points of agreement with the National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington, DC is that the Washington Memorial honors fallen American law enforcement heroes, not constables or soldiers working for a foreign government fighting American Indicans in military actions prior to the origin of the nation.
The earlier constables were British. Those constables worked for the British Government, better known at that time as "States-General of the United Provinces", or as it is known today: "The British Colonies in America". These constables were under the direct command of the British Army and his majesty King George, King Henry or for that matter King Phillip in 1675. While they may have been performing a law enforcement role, they were technically not American law enforcement officers.
NEW YORK CITY POLICE MUSEUM EXHIBIT
If you get the chance, try to visit the New York City Police Museum, located at the old 1st Precinct on Old Slip in downtown Manhattan, for the 4th Annual Antique Police Car Show.
The show, on Saturday, June 5, 2004 from 10am to 4pm, will feature some new cars this year.
In addition to the 1971 and a 1968 Plymouth Fury, there will also be a 1973 Plymouth Fury � the first blue and white car � and a green, black and white 1966 Chevy Biscayne.
In addition to other museum exhibits, the antique police cars are sure to be a fun exhibit for all.
IN MEMORIAM: DET. LUKE FALLON AND DET. JOHN FINNEGAN
Det. Luke J. Fallon #489, 70 Squad
Det. John J. Finnegan #1613, 70 Squad
On May 18, 1962, Detective Luke Fallon and Detective John Finnegan, partners in the 70 Detective Squad, were shot and killed in a gun battle with bandits caught in the act of robbing a tobacco and confectionary shop in Brooklyn's Boro Park section.
Both men were gunned down in a vicious exchange of shots with the robbers. Five suspects, the two in the store and the driver of the getaway car, plus two accessories, were rounded up within five days. One was picked up in Chicago, another in Connecticut, two in New York and the fifth surrendered to The New York Daily News.
The detectives were on patrol when they learned of the robbery. As they entered the store, both men were met by a hail of fire. They returned the fire as they fell, mortally wounded.
Detective Fallon was 55 years old and had been with the NYPD for 26 years.
Detective Finnegan was 29 years old and was with the department for six years. He had been a Patrolman in the 79 Precinct, and went to the Detective Bureau following an arrest he made for a cab robbery.
FOR THE INVESTIGATOR�S ROLODEX
Stolen Vehicle Investigations
The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) is an insurance industry funded investigative agency formed to combat insurance fraud. They are very active in combating vehicle theft and vehicle fraud.
703-430-2430
www.nicb.org
International Association of Auto Theft Investigators
www.iaati.org
WHAT�S GOING ON IN TIMES SQUARE?
If you want to check out the live camera feed of Times Square, go to:
EarthCam- Times Square
http://www.earthcam.com/usa/newyork/timessquare/
CHARLIE CHAN
Another somewhat notorious fictional American detective is Charlie Chan of the Honolulu Police Department.
The hero of a series of films that ran from 1931 to 1949, Inspector (he started out in the earlier films as a Sergeant) Charlie Chan � meek, simple, humble, overweight, and family-loving with his eleven kids � was never played by a Chinese, Asian or Hawaiian actor! The lead characters were all white males, with the appropriate moustache and chin whiskers � and squint � to help them carry off the role of the Hawaiian-Asian detective.
Known for his jovial character, Chan had a saying for almost every occasion. He often referred to his oldest child as �Number 1 son�, and throughout the series he was a respected and powerful figure that was never questioned about his authority. He seems to have barely enough time to solve cases because he is too busy overseeing his ever increasing brood of children. When the Chan book series started in 1925, he had nine children; when it ended seven years later, he had eleven. Much of the humor of the Chan series comes from this contradiction: How many Great Detectives have to deal with family problems?
As Chan would say, �He who runs with light conscience makes the most speed�.
HIDDEN GOOGLE FEATURES
Did you know that you can type a VIN into GOOGLE and it will link you to information on the year, make and model of the VIN?
Likewise, this same type of search can be performed with several other number sets including UPS/Fed EX tracking numbers, UPC codes, telephone area codes, patent numbers, FAA tail numbers and FCC equipment IDs.
For more details go to google.com and click the What's new at Google? link and then scroll down to search by numbers.
Now, I'll really be impressed when you can type in a SSN and get back info!
�LEST WE FORGET�� THE NYPD MEMORIAL
May 10, 1922 Ptl Henry Pohndorf, 38 Pct, Shot-robbery arrest
May 10, 1979 PO Robert Soldo, 108 Pct, Shot-0ff duty incident
May 11, 1959 Ptl Harry Hafner, GCP Pct (Hwy3), Motorcycle accident on patrol
May 12, 1925 Ptl Charles Godfrey, 16 Pct, Shot-arrest
May 12, 1932 Sgt Theodore Werdann, 87 Pct, Injured on patrol
May 12, 1944 Ptl Joseph Curtis, Mtd Unit, Line of duty heart attack
May 12, 1951 Ptl Harold Randolph, 75 Pct, Shot-off duty police action
May 13, 1913 Ptl Charles Teare, 12 Pct, Shot-arrest
May 15, 1934 Ptl John Morrissey, Telegraph Bur, Injured assisting an officer
May 16, 1864 Ptl George Duryea, 19 Pct, Arrest-robbery
May 16, 1947 Ptl Frank Golden, 108 Pct, Shot-accidental discharge, burglary arrest
May 17, 1927 Det Morris Borkin, Det Div, Shot-burglary arrest
May 17, 1930 Ptl William Duncan, 18 Pct, Shot-GLA arrest
May 18, 1922 Ptl Douglas Hay, 49 Pct, Assaulted
May 18, 1962 Det Luke Fallon and Det John Finnegan, 70 Sqd, Shot-Robbery
This week has been set aside and designated NATIONAL POLICE OFFICERS MEMORIAL WEEK throughout the country.
May 15 has been the day designated as the national day of remembrance for all police officers who have performed the ultimate sacrifice. Let�s not forget our brothers and sisters throughout the country on this day.
CONSTABLE KILLED IN 1675 ADDED TO THE ROLLS
As reported by the Associated Press this past Sunday, a Constable who was killed in 1675 in Springfield, Mass is the newest name added to that city�s memorial for fallen police officers.
Constable John Miller was killed protecting the town against American Indians in 1675. He is reported to be the first known law enforcement fatality in what later became the United States.
�Miller is the earliest known law enforcement person in the country to die in the line of duty, Margaret R. Sullivan, a Boston University administrator who researches police fatalities in her free time, told The Republican of Springfield.�
It is noted that The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial recognizes New York City Deputy Sheriff Isaac Smith, who was shot May 17, 1792, as the first law enforcement death in the nation's history.
Retired Det. Mike Bosak, a noted police historian, notes that Deputy Sheriff Isaac Smith should properly be known as a Westchester County Deputy Sheriff, not New York City, as The Bronx at that time was part of Westchester County.
Mike Bosak is the historian who discovered the account of the murder of Deputy Sheriff Isaac Smith by John Ryer at Levi Hunt's Inn in court records archived at the Westchester County Records Center in Elmsford. Deputy Sheriff Isaac Smith was killed in what is now known as the West Farms area of the Bronx.
I would like to add that one of Mike Bosak�s points of agreement with the National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington, DC is that the Washington Memorial honors fallen American law enforcement heroes, not constables or soldiers working for a foreign government fighting American Indicans in military actions prior to the origin of the nation.
The earlier constables were British. Those constables worked for the British Government, better known at that time as "States-General of the United Provinces", or as it is known today: "The British Colonies in America". These constables were under the direct command of the British Army and his majesty King George, King Henry or for that matter King Phillip in 1675. While they may have been performing a law enforcement role, they were technically not American law enforcement officers.
NEW YORK CITY POLICE MUSEUM EXHIBIT
If you get the chance, try to visit the New York City Police Museum, located at the old 1st Precinct on Old Slip in downtown Manhattan, for the 4th Annual Antique Police Car Show.
The show, on Saturday, June 5, 2004 from 10am to 4pm, will feature some new cars this year.
In addition to the 1971 and a 1968 Plymouth Fury, there will also be a 1973 Plymouth Fury � the first blue and white car � and a green, black and white 1966 Chevy Biscayne.
In addition to other museum exhibits, the antique police cars are sure to be a fun exhibit for all.
IN MEMORIAM: DET. LUKE FALLON AND DET. JOHN FINNEGAN
Det. Luke J. Fallon #489, 70 Squad
Det. John J. Finnegan #1613, 70 Squad
On May 18, 1962, Detective Luke Fallon and Detective John Finnegan, partners in the 70 Detective Squad, were shot and killed in a gun battle with bandits caught in the act of robbing a tobacco and confectionary shop in Brooklyn's Boro Park section.
Both men were gunned down in a vicious exchange of shots with the robbers. Five suspects, the two in the store and the driver of the getaway car, plus two accessories, were rounded up within five days. One was picked up in Chicago, another in Connecticut, two in New York and the fifth surrendered to The New York Daily News.
The detectives were on patrol when they learned of the robbery. As they entered the store, both men were met by a hail of fire. They returned the fire as they fell, mortally wounded.
Detective Fallon was 55 years old and had been with the NYPD for 26 years.
Detective Finnegan was 29 years old and was with the department for six years. He had been a Patrolman in the 79 Precinct, and went to the Detective Bureau following an arrest he made for a cab robbery.
FOR THE INVESTIGATOR�S ROLODEX
Stolen Vehicle Investigations
The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) is an insurance industry funded investigative agency formed to combat insurance fraud. They are very active in combating vehicle theft and vehicle fraud.
703-430-2430
www.nicb.org
International Association of Auto Theft Investigators
www.iaati.org
WHAT�S GOING ON IN TIMES SQUARE?
If you want to check out the live camera feed of Times Square, go to:
EarthCam- Times Square
http://www.earthcam.com/usa/newyork/timessquare/
CHARLIE CHAN
Another somewhat notorious fictional American detective is Charlie Chan of the Honolulu Police Department.
The hero of a series of films that ran from 1931 to 1949, Inspector (he started out in the earlier films as a Sergeant) Charlie Chan � meek, simple, humble, overweight, and family-loving with his eleven kids � was never played by a Chinese, Asian or Hawaiian actor! The lead characters were all white males, with the appropriate moustache and chin whiskers � and squint � to help them carry off the role of the Hawaiian-Asian detective.
Known for his jovial character, Chan had a saying for almost every occasion. He often referred to his oldest child as �Number 1 son�, and throughout the series he was a respected and powerful figure that was never questioned about his authority. He seems to have barely enough time to solve cases because he is too busy overseeing his ever increasing brood of children. When the Chan book series started in 1925, he had nine children; when it ended seven years later, he had eleven. Much of the humor of the Chan series comes from this contradiction: How many Great Detectives have to deal with family problems?
As Chan would say, �He who runs with light conscience makes the most speed�.
HIDDEN GOOGLE FEATURES
Did you know that you can type a VIN into GOOGLE and it will link you to information on the year, make and model of the VIN?
Likewise, this same type of search can be performed with several other number sets including UPS/Fed EX tracking numbers, UPC codes, telephone area codes, patent numbers, FAA tail numbers and FCC equipment IDs.
For more details go to google.com and click the What's new at Google? link and then scroll down to search by numbers.
Now, I'll really be impressed when you can type in a SSN and get back info!
�LEST WE FORGET�� THE NYPD MEMORIAL
May 10, 1922 Ptl Henry Pohndorf, 38 Pct, Shot-robbery arrest
May 10, 1979 PO Robert Soldo, 108 Pct, Shot-0ff duty incident
May 11, 1959 Ptl Harry Hafner, GCP Pct (Hwy3), Motorcycle accident on patrol
May 12, 1925 Ptl Charles Godfrey, 16 Pct, Shot-arrest
May 12, 1932 Sgt Theodore Werdann, 87 Pct, Injured on patrol
May 12, 1944 Ptl Joseph Curtis, Mtd Unit, Line of duty heart attack
May 12, 1951 Ptl Harold Randolph, 75 Pct, Shot-off duty police action
May 13, 1913 Ptl Charles Teare, 12 Pct, Shot-arrest
May 15, 1934 Ptl John Morrissey, Telegraph Bur, Injured assisting an officer
May 16, 1864 Ptl George Duryea, 19 Pct, Arrest-robbery
May 16, 1947 Ptl Frank Golden, 108 Pct, Shot-accidental discharge, burglary arrest
May 17, 1927 Det Morris Borkin, Det Div, Shot-burglary arrest
May 17, 1930 Ptl William Duncan, 18 Pct, Shot-GLA arrest
May 18, 1922 Ptl Douglas Hay, 49 Pct, Assaulted
May 18, 1962 Det Luke Fallon and Det John Finnegan, 70 Sqd, Shot-Robbery
Monday, May 03, 2004
�FORGET IT JAKE, IT�S CHINATOWN�
The infamous closing line from that great 1974 classic, starring Jack Nicholson as P.I. Jake Gittes, and Faye Dunaway playing the stunning starlet (�my sister, my daughter��), is just one of the classic movie lines to come from Roman Polanski�s classic noir.
Here are some other memorable quotes from the movie.
�I goddamn near lost my nose. And I like it. I like breathing through it.�
Escobar: Isn't that your phone number?
Jake Gittes: Is it? I forget. I don't call myself that often.
Evelyn Mulwray: I don't get tough with anyone, Mr. Gittes. My lawyer does.
Evelyn Mulwray: Hollis seems to think you're an innocent man.
Jake Gittes: Well, I've been accused of a lot of things before, Mrs. Mulwray, but never that.
Noah Cross: , most people never have to face the fact that, at the right time and the right place, they're capable of... anything!
Telephone caller: Are you alone?
Jake Gittes: Aren't we all?
Jake Gittes: To tell you the truth, I lied a little.
MEMORIAL SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT
On March 10, 2003, Detective Rodney Andrews and Detective James Nemorin made the �Ultimate Sacrifice� when they were gunned down helping to take guns off the street.
In honor of their efforts, and to let all know that they are not forgotten, an Annual Softball Tournament was arranged. Over 45 teams came out for the 2nd Annual Event, which was hosted this year on April 24 � 25 at Cunningham Park.
The finals for the 2nd Annual Tournament will be played at Keyspan Park on Saturday, May 8th, at 1pm.
There will be 2 games played, from the two divisions, and between games a special tribute to these Detectives will take place. There will also be a silent auction for sports memorabilia and other collectible items taking place.
An after-game party will take place at Peggy O�Neils, also located at Keyspan Park, that will also include live music and entertainment.
Tickets are available from your DEA Reps, as well as at the Keyspan Box Office, or by calling 646-372-1013.
Hope to see everyone there, for this very worthwhile cause.
PROMOTION KUDOS ARE IN ORDER
Congratulations are in order for two of Brooklyn North�s gumshoes.
Promoted to Detective Second Grade are Tommy Donohue of the 88 Squad and Marko Vulich of the 90 Squad. Two very deserving promotions indeed! We all wish you the best on this happy occasion.
Congratulations to Thomas Reilly of the Brooklyn Robbery Squad on his promotion to Commander Detective Squad!
Also noted in the promotions was Patrick Dolan�s promotion to Second Grade as well. Patrick is assigned to the Cold Case Squad; a very knowledgeable and professional investigator, he was an active part of the 40 Cal Task-Force last year. Well done, Paddy!
It was also nice to see Al Materasso�s name on the promotion list. Chief Materasso, who recently served as Chief of Queens Detectives (Bronx Detectives before that) was given a second star and promoted to Assistant Chief. A real gentleman, and a true professional. Congratulations, Chief.
FOR THE INVESTIGATOR�S ROLODEX
Tele-Track: Tele-Track is otherwise referred to as the �Fourth Credit Bureau�.
It�s a great source for locating hard to find low income and transient persons. TeleTrack collects information from what are referred to as �Sub-Prime� businesses such as rent-to-own furniture stores, check cashing facilities, used car dealers, secured credit card issuers, cable TV companies and others.
To find out more, check out their site at:
www.teletrack.com
800-729-6981
770-449-8809
SALVATION ARMY MISSING PERSONS BUREAU
Did you know that the Salvation Army has a Missing Person�s program?
This may be one of the few options for persons who cannot afford the services of a traditional private investigation agency. This is a place to refer proper family members who cannot afford any other service.
The service is only for persons trying to locate missing family members who have not been heard from for six months or longer. The privacy of the missing person who does not wish to be located will be maintained. Searches will not be done for legal, adoption or genealogical purposes or when the missing person is under 18 years of age.
There�s a $25 application fee. If the case is accepted, the investigation is done free of charge. There are four regional bureaus. Locally to New York, the contact is:
Eastern Territory 800-315-7699
www.salvationarmy-usaeast.org
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
Did you happen to catch the fine article in the April 28th edition of the NY TIMES by Shaila Dewan?
The article documented how New York�s COMPSTAT approach to policing has spread across the country, through the numerous retirees who are now leading departments throughout the country.
In addition to the more well known, like Bill Bratton who now heads LAPD and John Timoney who is leading Miami, there are a host of other department leaders.
Former Deputy Chief Jane Perlov, who was the first female to head a borough detective command (Queens), is now the chief in Raleigh, N.C. Jose Cordero, a former inspector, now leads the Newton, Mass. police department. Kevin Clark, an NYPD deputy chief, now heads the Baltimore police department, and is assisted by Anthony Romano, another former NYPD.
In Sarasota, Florida, Peter Abbott is the chief of police, and Daniel Oates leads the department in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
It was fine reporting on how the Compstat process is being broadened throughout the nation. What we now take for granted is often a radical change in other places. Chief Cordero is quoted as saying �It�s common-sense police management�, and it seems to be working.
An interesting note in the article was a reference made by Kevin Clark, the current Baltimore commissioner, who was a deputy chief in the Narcotics Bureau at NYPD before he retired.
�The former New Yorkers are true believers, despite, or perhaps because of, the fact that they have suffered through the ordeal of accountability themselves. Very few rose high enough in the New York ranks that they no longer had to answer questions with maps projected behind them (at the podium!). Commissioner Clark noted �It was the best job in the world (deputy chief in Narcotics), he said without irony. I was finally freed of Compstat�.
It was also noted that �several chiefs said they had tones down the confrontational aspect, shifting the emphasis to sharing information. Peter Abbott calls his version a �kinder, gentler Compstat�, while Chief Oates calls his �Compstat Ultralite�.
IN MEMORIAM: INSPECTOR THOMAS BOYLAN
The highest ranking Member of the Service to be killed in the line of duty is Inspector Thomas Boylan.
Inspector Boylan was killed on April 5, 1952, while on patrol when an airplane struck his auto.
Inspector Thomas V. Boylan was a 30 year veteran of the Police Department. He had an outstanding reputation for establishing good working relationships between the Police Department and the community. As the new Commanding Officer of the 22nd Division, housed in the 103rd Precinct, he often would be found on patrol getting to know the community better.
Such was the case on April 5th, 1952. At approximately 8:25a.m. he and his driver, Patrolman William O�Shea, were in a RMP patrol. Without warning a C-46 cargo plane, having missed the runway at Idelwild Airport (JFK), suddenly plunged into a row of houses on 169th Street and 88th Avenue, directly in front of them. Debris from the plane struck the RMP killing Inspector Boylan instantly. Patrolman O�Shea survived.
In February 1954, a Police Athletic League (PAL) youth center was named in Inspector Boylan's honor.
�LEST WE FORGET�� THE NYPD MEMORIAL
May 3, 1913 Ptl William Heaney, 12 Pct, Shot-arrest
May 3, 1921 Ptl John Conk, 97 Pct, Struck by horse
May 3, 1931 Ptl Bernard Sherry, 15 Pct, Shot-burglary in progress
May 3, 1964 Det Joseph Greene, DetDiv, Auto accident on patrol
May 4, 1863 Ptl Francis Mallon, 4 Pct, Shot by EDP
May 4, 1914 Ptl Michael Kiley, 156 Pct, Shot-arrest
May 4, 1931 Ptl John Hoey, 40 Pct, Auto accident on patrol
May 4, 1938 Ptl Thomas Hackett, 4 Pct, Auto accident on patrol
May 4, 1968 Ptl Gerard Apuzzi, 107 Pct, Asphyxiated-rescue
May 4, 1981 Lt Jan Brinkers, PSA8, Shot-off duty robbery arrest
May 5, 1934 Ptl Arthur Rasmussen, 3 Pct, Shot-robbery in progress
May 5, 1971 Det Ivan Lorenzo, Narcotics, Shot-off duty incident
May 6, 1934 Ptl Lawrence Ward, 23 Pct, Shot-investigation
May 6, 1964 Ptl Stanley Schall, 70 Pct, Line of duty heart attack
May 7, 1931 Ptl John Ringhauser, 102 Pct, Auto accident on patrol
May 9, 1939 Ptl William Holstein, Mcy2, Motorcycle accident on patrol
The infamous closing line from that great 1974 classic, starring Jack Nicholson as P.I. Jake Gittes, and Faye Dunaway playing the stunning starlet (�my sister, my daughter��), is just one of the classic movie lines to come from Roman Polanski�s classic noir.
Here are some other memorable quotes from the movie.
�I goddamn near lost my nose. And I like it. I like breathing through it.�
Escobar: Isn't that your phone number?
Jake Gittes: Is it? I forget. I don't call myself that often.
Evelyn Mulwray: I don't get tough with anyone, Mr. Gittes. My lawyer does.
Evelyn Mulwray: Hollis seems to think you're an innocent man.
Jake Gittes: Well, I've been accused of a lot of things before, Mrs. Mulwray, but never that.
Noah Cross: , most people never have to face the fact that, at the right time and the right place, they're capable of... anything!
Telephone caller: Are you alone?
Jake Gittes: Aren't we all?
Jake Gittes: To tell you the truth, I lied a little.
MEMORIAL SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT
On March 10, 2003, Detective Rodney Andrews and Detective James Nemorin made the �Ultimate Sacrifice� when they were gunned down helping to take guns off the street.
In honor of their efforts, and to let all know that they are not forgotten, an Annual Softball Tournament was arranged. Over 45 teams came out for the 2nd Annual Event, which was hosted this year on April 24 � 25 at Cunningham Park.
The finals for the 2nd Annual Tournament will be played at Keyspan Park on Saturday, May 8th, at 1pm.
There will be 2 games played, from the two divisions, and between games a special tribute to these Detectives will take place. There will also be a silent auction for sports memorabilia and other collectible items taking place.
An after-game party will take place at Peggy O�Neils, also located at Keyspan Park, that will also include live music and entertainment.
Tickets are available from your DEA Reps, as well as at the Keyspan Box Office, or by calling 646-372-1013.
Hope to see everyone there, for this very worthwhile cause.
PROMOTION KUDOS ARE IN ORDER
Congratulations are in order for two of Brooklyn North�s gumshoes.
Promoted to Detective Second Grade are Tommy Donohue of the 88 Squad and Marko Vulich of the 90 Squad. Two very deserving promotions indeed! We all wish you the best on this happy occasion.
Congratulations to Thomas Reilly of the Brooklyn Robbery Squad on his promotion to Commander Detective Squad!
Also noted in the promotions was Patrick Dolan�s promotion to Second Grade as well. Patrick is assigned to the Cold Case Squad; a very knowledgeable and professional investigator, he was an active part of the 40 Cal Task-Force last year. Well done, Paddy!
It was also nice to see Al Materasso�s name on the promotion list. Chief Materasso, who recently served as Chief of Queens Detectives (Bronx Detectives before that) was given a second star and promoted to Assistant Chief. A real gentleman, and a true professional. Congratulations, Chief.
FOR THE INVESTIGATOR�S ROLODEX
Tele-Track: Tele-Track is otherwise referred to as the �Fourth Credit Bureau�.
It�s a great source for locating hard to find low income and transient persons. TeleTrack collects information from what are referred to as �Sub-Prime� businesses such as rent-to-own furniture stores, check cashing facilities, used car dealers, secured credit card issuers, cable TV companies and others.
To find out more, check out their site at:
www.teletrack.com
800-729-6981
770-449-8809
SALVATION ARMY MISSING PERSONS BUREAU
Did you know that the Salvation Army has a Missing Person�s program?
This may be one of the few options for persons who cannot afford the services of a traditional private investigation agency. This is a place to refer proper family members who cannot afford any other service.
The service is only for persons trying to locate missing family members who have not been heard from for six months or longer. The privacy of the missing person who does not wish to be located will be maintained. Searches will not be done for legal, adoption or genealogical purposes or when the missing person is under 18 years of age.
There�s a $25 application fee. If the case is accepted, the investigation is done free of charge. There are four regional bureaus. Locally to New York, the contact is:
Eastern Territory 800-315-7699
www.salvationarmy-usaeast.org
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
Did you happen to catch the fine article in the April 28th edition of the NY TIMES by Shaila Dewan?
The article documented how New York�s COMPSTAT approach to policing has spread across the country, through the numerous retirees who are now leading departments throughout the country.
In addition to the more well known, like Bill Bratton who now heads LAPD and John Timoney who is leading Miami, there are a host of other department leaders.
Former Deputy Chief Jane Perlov, who was the first female to head a borough detective command (Queens), is now the chief in Raleigh, N.C. Jose Cordero, a former inspector, now leads the Newton, Mass. police department. Kevin Clark, an NYPD deputy chief, now heads the Baltimore police department, and is assisted by Anthony Romano, another former NYPD.
In Sarasota, Florida, Peter Abbott is the chief of police, and Daniel Oates leads the department in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
It was fine reporting on how the Compstat process is being broadened throughout the nation. What we now take for granted is often a radical change in other places. Chief Cordero is quoted as saying �It�s common-sense police management�, and it seems to be working.
An interesting note in the article was a reference made by Kevin Clark, the current Baltimore commissioner, who was a deputy chief in the Narcotics Bureau at NYPD before he retired.
�The former New Yorkers are true believers, despite, or perhaps because of, the fact that they have suffered through the ordeal of accountability themselves. Very few rose high enough in the New York ranks that they no longer had to answer questions with maps projected behind them (at the podium!). Commissioner Clark noted �It was the best job in the world (deputy chief in Narcotics), he said without irony. I was finally freed of Compstat�.
It was also noted that �several chiefs said they had tones down the confrontational aspect, shifting the emphasis to sharing information. Peter Abbott calls his version a �kinder, gentler Compstat�, while Chief Oates calls his �Compstat Ultralite�.
IN MEMORIAM: INSPECTOR THOMAS BOYLAN
The highest ranking Member of the Service to be killed in the line of duty is Inspector Thomas Boylan.
Inspector Boylan was killed on April 5, 1952, while on patrol when an airplane struck his auto.
Inspector Thomas V. Boylan was a 30 year veteran of the Police Department. He had an outstanding reputation for establishing good working relationships between the Police Department and the community. As the new Commanding Officer of the 22nd Division, housed in the 103rd Precinct, he often would be found on patrol getting to know the community better.
Such was the case on April 5th, 1952. At approximately 8:25a.m. he and his driver, Patrolman William O�Shea, were in a RMP patrol. Without warning a C-46 cargo plane, having missed the runway at Idelwild Airport (JFK), suddenly plunged into a row of houses on 169th Street and 88th Avenue, directly in front of them. Debris from the plane struck the RMP killing Inspector Boylan instantly. Patrolman O�Shea survived.
In February 1954, a Police Athletic League (PAL) youth center was named in Inspector Boylan's honor.
�LEST WE FORGET�� THE NYPD MEMORIAL
May 3, 1913 Ptl William Heaney, 12 Pct, Shot-arrest
May 3, 1921 Ptl John Conk, 97 Pct, Struck by horse
May 3, 1931 Ptl Bernard Sherry, 15 Pct, Shot-burglary in progress
May 3, 1964 Det Joseph Greene, DetDiv, Auto accident on patrol
May 4, 1863 Ptl Francis Mallon, 4 Pct, Shot by EDP
May 4, 1914 Ptl Michael Kiley, 156 Pct, Shot-arrest
May 4, 1931 Ptl John Hoey, 40 Pct, Auto accident on patrol
May 4, 1938 Ptl Thomas Hackett, 4 Pct, Auto accident on patrol
May 4, 1968 Ptl Gerard Apuzzi, 107 Pct, Asphyxiated-rescue
May 4, 1981 Lt Jan Brinkers, PSA8, Shot-off duty robbery arrest
May 5, 1934 Ptl Arthur Rasmussen, 3 Pct, Shot-robbery in progress
May 5, 1971 Det Ivan Lorenzo, Narcotics, Shot-off duty incident
May 6, 1934 Ptl Lawrence Ward, 23 Pct, Shot-investigation
May 6, 1964 Ptl Stanley Schall, 70 Pct, Line of duty heart attack
May 7, 1931 Ptl John Ringhauser, 102 Pct, Auto accident on patrol
May 9, 1939 Ptl William Holstein, Mcy2, Motorcycle accident on patrol
Monday, April 26, 2004
SIGN OF THE TIMES: THE CRIME SCENE
A look at contrasting crime scene photos, one taken in the 1950's and the other a recent 2004 scene, will reveal some obvious - and not so obvious- changes.
The earlier scene is sure to find a group of well-dressed detectives, who can be easily recognized by their gray fedoras and gold shields affixed to their lapels, all meticulously examining the scene, some with notebooks - and mechanical pencils - in their hands. They are doing what they should be doing - detecting. The "hat" squad, as Tommy Joyce likes to refer to them as.
The recent scene finds several well - dressed detectives also examining a crime; they, however, do not wear the fedora of their predecessors. They all have another common item, though. Each one is standing their with a cell phone to his ear, undoubtedly providing some form of real-time update to a superior who has the belief that he/she "needs to know" all parts of the investigation as it develops.
Some of those viewed in the photo may not actually be detective investigators, but may be aides to those they are talking over the cell phone with. Real time information limited only by the latest in modern technology. Technology which is not, however, readily available to those performing the actual task of investigating. You probably don't see the notebooks in their hands, either. Have you ever tried talking on a cell phone while trying to write in a notebook?
Real time information. It may change a hundred-fold in the next hour, but it's as close to accurate as you can get right now.
While intelligence may be best served medium-well, we regularly are asked to serve ours rare. (A quote I give full credit to a well respected associate).
MURDER AT THE HARLEM MOSQUE: A FOLLOW UP
As reported in the last posting, the incident that has become known by the title of the 1977 book by Sonny Grosso that details it, MURDER AT THE HARLEM MOSQUE, describes the death of Ptl. Philip Cardillo of the 28 Precinct in 1972, and the blight on the city and the department in its aftermath.
In 1971, the 28 Precinct was leading the city in homicides for the third straight year. In one year cops in the 28 made more than eight thousand arrests, more than any other precinct except the 5th, which covered the Bowery, where vagrants were being arrested hundreds of times a year each. This was before the crack epidemic, when the 75 took over the lead, but back then the 28 had 121 homicides for the year.
At the height of the police assassination era, a group known as the Black Liberation Army - the BLA - was gunning down police officers in major American cities, including New York, while the public officials were denying their existence.
While the FBI was reporting the organized structure of the BLA throughout the country, New York's mayor, John Lindsay, and police commissioner, Patrick Murphy, were describing the BLA as consisting of only a handful of people and nothing for cops to be concerned about.
Lindsay, who was campaigning for the Democratic Presidential nomination, did not need his image tarnished.
Reporting on this incident in the April 18, 2004 edition (after being scooped on this site), the NY Daily News featured an article written by veteran Police Bureau Chief Michelle McPhee, that outlined this incident.
"It was a bogus cry for help that would spark the slaying of a patrol cop and mark a period of political strife pitting City Hall against rank-and-file cops for years." The call for help was received by police operators on the fourth floor of police headquarters, April 14, 1972. "I am Detective Thomas of the 28th Precinct", he said. "There is a patrolman in trouble on the second floor of the mosque," the caller said breathlessly before hanging up.
It was at 11:41 on that hazy morning that Patrolman Phil Cardillo was driving a patrol car along Manhattan Avenue near West 112th Street, with his partner, Patrolman Vito Navarra, in the recorders seat beside him. Within minutes they were heading to the scene of the 10-13 call.
As reported in the Daily News, they heard a commotion on the second floor and made their way up the stairs - only to be jumped by militant Muslims who beat and stomped the two uniformed officers.
Two other cops, Victor Padilla and Ivan Negron, responded. Once inside, they were outnumbered and attacked.
In the confusion, two of the cops' guns were snatched as attackers yelled, "Die, pig!"
Before the day was over, Cardillo was shot point-blank in the chest and would later die. Five other cops were gravely wounded.
The scene immediately erupted, as responding officers were forced out of the building, the crime scene compromised, and suspects that were being held were ordered released by police brass on the scene.
While most people present at the scene, and the aftermath, would clearly describe the outbreak as a riot, this was something that city leaders were not willing to do. With Lindsay campaigning for president, a riot was inconceivable.
At St. Luke�s Hospital, Det. Randy Jurgensen met Commissioner Murphy, who had gone there to visit the injured officer. �How is it there� the PC asked? When Jurgensen replied that there were 10-13�s being called, and people in the streets turning over patrol cars, the PC didn�t seem to like the answer. �We have been assured by Commissioner (he was wrong, it was Inspector) Knapp that everything is under control�, Murphy replied, as he walked away from the officers.
When Mayor John Lindsay met up with Deputy Commissioner Robert Daley at St. Luke�s Hospital, Daley told him �It certainly was delicate there. It came close to a riot. So close.� Daley had mentioned the magic word, that caused Lindsay to go off on him.
He snapped at Daley, �Riot? What do you mean, riot. There can�t be any riot. There won�t be any riot. It never came close to a riot. How can you say such a thing?� Keep in mind that neither Murphy or Lindsay ever went to the scene. Lindsay�s major claim to the presidency was that there had been no riots and burnings in the biggest city in the nation during his administration, while such actions had taken place in Detroit, Washington, Chicago, Watts and Cleveland. The last thing he wanted to hear from anyone that there was a riot going on!
Nevertheless, Daley persisted. �I�ve been around riots before�, Daley maintained. �This was as close to one as I�ve ever seen�. When Lindsay pressed him on how many people were in the street, Daley answered �at least twelve hundred people in the street�.
Lindsay�s response, �What�s a thousand people? Twelve hundred people? You can�t have a riot with a thousand people or twelve hundred people�, ended any further discussion on the topic.
It is noted, quite explicitly in Grosso's book, that the police commissioner chose not to respond to the scene. His deputy commissioner of community affairs, Ben Ward, did respond and, after meeting with Minister Farrakhan and Congressman Rangel, ordered that the suspects being held b y the police be released. In a pact that Ward worked out with Farrakhan and Rangel, those that were being held would surrender to the stationhouse on their own the next day!
They are still waiting for that surrender to take place today!
Six days after he was shot, Phil Cardillo died. Commissioner Murphy was notified, and told his DCPI, Robert Daley, that he would not be going to the hospital. He said he didn't feel well.
The biggest area of contention was the department�s � and the city�s � failure to acknowledge that Ptl. Phil Cardillo died while doing what he was supposed to be doing. It was this failure to support the officers actions that resulted in the Chief Of Detectives, Albert Seedman, to retire two weeks later, and the precinct commander, Inspector Haugh, to do so as well. Inspector Haugh could not believe that the department was not openly backing Cardillo, and for that he kept his word to his officers � he resigned.
Thirty-two years later, the slaying of Cardillo is still unsolved.
The Daily News further noted that there is one retired NYPD Detective, Randy Jurgensen, who remains committed to bringing Cardillo's killer to justice. He was one of the dozens of cops who went to the mosque that dark day more than three decades ago.
"Cardillo went into the ground, and for the first time ever, the mayor [John Lindsay] and the [police] commissioner [Patrick Murphy] did not go to the funeral. It was a horrifying breach of tradition," Jurgensen said. "That's the day City Hall lost the rank and file."
The incident also widened the racial divide in the city. It came at a time when the Black Liberation Army was randomly shooting cops dead - killing four and wounding two by the time Cardillo was killed.
The incident also was a blot on the career of Benjamin Ward, who later became the NYPD's first black commissioner. As the deputy commissioner of community affairs, he ordered white cops to leave the mosque - without securing a crime scene and without Cardillo's body.
Ward was criticized for appeasing Farrakhan, who would go on to lead the Nation of Islam. Months later, Jurgensen became the lead investigator on the case. He spent two years on the run protecting a black militant Muslim who witnessed the cop beatings. That witness, Foster XX Thomas, would testify against mosque member Lewis 17X Dupree. Dupree was acquitted.
"There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Cardillo was shot by Louis 17X Dupree. The police could not present a case with evidence from a crime scene that never existed. The NYPD never allowed a crime scene to be set up," Jurgensen said.
"Two years after the shooting, I went into that mosque and dug three bullets out of a wall there," Jurgensen said. "That should have been removed the day of the shooting if there was a crime scene.
"For this case," he added, "justice died the day Phil Cardillo died."
Another fine report on this incident, and that era in New York City history, is the book written by Robert Daley, TARGET BLUE. Daley served as the Deputy Commissioner of Public Information at the time; he holds no punches in reporting things as they were. Suffice it to say that he probably does not exchange Christmas gifts with his former boss, the former police commissioner Patrick Murphy.
I highly recommend these two books to anyone interested in New York City policing.
Maybe one day we'll have Detective Randy Jurgensen's memoirs to add to this prestigious list. I'd be the first on line for that book!
INTERESTING WEB SITES
Skip-Trace.com Magazine: The Premiere Internet Publication for Skip Tracing and Private Investigations Professionals
The inaugural issue of Skip-Trace.com Magazine is now available on line. This new digital "zine" may be useful; the best part is, it's FREE!
http://www.skip-trace.com
Free search of registered sex offenders:
http://www.criminalcheck.com/sxowebsite/CriminalCheck.jsp
Don't forget to check out this great site. It grows daily, and there are many resources here for investigators.
http://www.spiesonline.net/
�LEST WE FORGET�� THE NYPD MEMORIAL
April 23, 1977 PO Robert Mandel, 77 Pct, Shot-arrest
April 24, 1969 Det John Roth, DetDiv, Auto accident on patrol
April 24, 1980 PO Robert Sorrentino, 101 Pct, Shot-robbery
April 25, 1955 Sgt Donald Wiseman, 107 Pct, Auto accident on patrol
April 27, 1988 Sgt John McCormick, BxNarco, Shot-arrest
April 27, 1994 PO Jose Perez, BSTF, Auto accident on patrol
April 29, 1945 Ptl Jacob Szwedowski, 24 Pct, Shot-cross fire
April 30, 1979 PO Robert Betsch, 76 Pct, LOD heart attack
May 1, 1964 Ptl Edmond Schrempf, TPF, Assaulted
May 1, 1981 PO John Scarangella, 113 Pct, Shot-car stop
May 2, 1974 PO William O�Brien, 10 Pct, auto accident on patrol
A look at contrasting crime scene photos, one taken in the 1950's and the other a recent 2004 scene, will reveal some obvious - and not so obvious- changes.
The earlier scene is sure to find a group of well-dressed detectives, who can be easily recognized by their gray fedoras and gold shields affixed to their lapels, all meticulously examining the scene, some with notebooks - and mechanical pencils - in their hands. They are doing what they should be doing - detecting. The "hat" squad, as Tommy Joyce likes to refer to them as.
The recent scene finds several well - dressed detectives also examining a crime; they, however, do not wear the fedora of their predecessors. They all have another common item, though. Each one is standing their with a cell phone to his ear, undoubtedly providing some form of real-time update to a superior who has the belief that he/she "needs to know" all parts of the investigation as it develops.
Some of those viewed in the photo may not actually be detective investigators, but may be aides to those they are talking over the cell phone with. Real time information limited only by the latest in modern technology. Technology which is not, however, readily available to those performing the actual task of investigating. You probably don't see the notebooks in their hands, either. Have you ever tried talking on a cell phone while trying to write in a notebook?
Real time information. It may change a hundred-fold in the next hour, but it's as close to accurate as you can get right now.
While intelligence may be best served medium-well, we regularly are asked to serve ours rare. (A quote I give full credit to a well respected associate).
MURDER AT THE HARLEM MOSQUE: A FOLLOW UP
As reported in the last posting, the incident that has become known by the title of the 1977 book by Sonny Grosso that details it, MURDER AT THE HARLEM MOSQUE, describes the death of Ptl. Philip Cardillo of the 28 Precinct in 1972, and the blight on the city and the department in its aftermath.
In 1971, the 28 Precinct was leading the city in homicides for the third straight year. In one year cops in the 28 made more than eight thousand arrests, more than any other precinct except the 5th, which covered the Bowery, where vagrants were being arrested hundreds of times a year each. This was before the crack epidemic, when the 75 took over the lead, but back then the 28 had 121 homicides for the year.
At the height of the police assassination era, a group known as the Black Liberation Army - the BLA - was gunning down police officers in major American cities, including New York, while the public officials were denying their existence.
While the FBI was reporting the organized structure of the BLA throughout the country, New York's mayor, John Lindsay, and police commissioner, Patrick Murphy, were describing the BLA as consisting of only a handful of people and nothing for cops to be concerned about.
Lindsay, who was campaigning for the Democratic Presidential nomination, did not need his image tarnished.
Reporting on this incident in the April 18, 2004 edition (after being scooped on this site), the NY Daily News featured an article written by veteran Police Bureau Chief Michelle McPhee, that outlined this incident.
"It was a bogus cry for help that would spark the slaying of a patrol cop and mark a period of political strife pitting City Hall against rank-and-file cops for years." The call for help was received by police operators on the fourth floor of police headquarters, April 14, 1972. "I am Detective Thomas of the 28th Precinct", he said. "There is a patrolman in trouble on the second floor of the mosque," the caller said breathlessly before hanging up.
It was at 11:41 on that hazy morning that Patrolman Phil Cardillo was driving a patrol car along Manhattan Avenue near West 112th Street, with his partner, Patrolman Vito Navarra, in the recorders seat beside him. Within minutes they were heading to the scene of the 10-13 call.
As reported in the Daily News, they heard a commotion on the second floor and made their way up the stairs - only to be jumped by militant Muslims who beat and stomped the two uniformed officers.
Two other cops, Victor Padilla and Ivan Negron, responded. Once inside, they were outnumbered and attacked.
In the confusion, two of the cops' guns were snatched as attackers yelled, "Die, pig!"
Before the day was over, Cardillo was shot point-blank in the chest and would later die. Five other cops were gravely wounded.
The scene immediately erupted, as responding officers were forced out of the building, the crime scene compromised, and suspects that were being held were ordered released by police brass on the scene.
While most people present at the scene, and the aftermath, would clearly describe the outbreak as a riot, this was something that city leaders were not willing to do. With Lindsay campaigning for president, a riot was inconceivable.
At St. Luke�s Hospital, Det. Randy Jurgensen met Commissioner Murphy, who had gone there to visit the injured officer. �How is it there� the PC asked? When Jurgensen replied that there were 10-13�s being called, and people in the streets turning over patrol cars, the PC didn�t seem to like the answer. �We have been assured by Commissioner (he was wrong, it was Inspector) Knapp that everything is under control�, Murphy replied, as he walked away from the officers.
When Mayor John Lindsay met up with Deputy Commissioner Robert Daley at St. Luke�s Hospital, Daley told him �It certainly was delicate there. It came close to a riot. So close.� Daley had mentioned the magic word, that caused Lindsay to go off on him.
He snapped at Daley, �Riot? What do you mean, riot. There can�t be any riot. There won�t be any riot. It never came close to a riot. How can you say such a thing?� Keep in mind that neither Murphy or Lindsay ever went to the scene. Lindsay�s major claim to the presidency was that there had been no riots and burnings in the biggest city in the nation during his administration, while such actions had taken place in Detroit, Washington, Chicago, Watts and Cleveland. The last thing he wanted to hear from anyone that there was a riot going on!
Nevertheless, Daley persisted. �I�ve been around riots before�, Daley maintained. �This was as close to one as I�ve ever seen�. When Lindsay pressed him on how many people were in the street, Daley answered �at least twelve hundred people in the street�.
Lindsay�s response, �What�s a thousand people? Twelve hundred people? You can�t have a riot with a thousand people or twelve hundred people�, ended any further discussion on the topic.
It is noted, quite explicitly in Grosso's book, that the police commissioner chose not to respond to the scene. His deputy commissioner of community affairs, Ben Ward, did respond and, after meeting with Minister Farrakhan and Congressman Rangel, ordered that the suspects being held b y the police be released. In a pact that Ward worked out with Farrakhan and Rangel, those that were being held would surrender to the stationhouse on their own the next day!
They are still waiting for that surrender to take place today!
Six days after he was shot, Phil Cardillo died. Commissioner Murphy was notified, and told his DCPI, Robert Daley, that he would not be going to the hospital. He said he didn't feel well.
The biggest area of contention was the department�s � and the city�s � failure to acknowledge that Ptl. Phil Cardillo died while doing what he was supposed to be doing. It was this failure to support the officers actions that resulted in the Chief Of Detectives, Albert Seedman, to retire two weeks later, and the precinct commander, Inspector Haugh, to do so as well. Inspector Haugh could not believe that the department was not openly backing Cardillo, and for that he kept his word to his officers � he resigned.
Thirty-two years later, the slaying of Cardillo is still unsolved.
The Daily News further noted that there is one retired NYPD Detective, Randy Jurgensen, who remains committed to bringing Cardillo's killer to justice. He was one of the dozens of cops who went to the mosque that dark day more than three decades ago.
"Cardillo went into the ground, and for the first time ever, the mayor [John Lindsay] and the [police] commissioner [Patrick Murphy] did not go to the funeral. It was a horrifying breach of tradition," Jurgensen said. "That's the day City Hall lost the rank and file."
The incident also widened the racial divide in the city. It came at a time when the Black Liberation Army was randomly shooting cops dead - killing four and wounding two by the time Cardillo was killed.
The incident also was a blot on the career of Benjamin Ward, who later became the NYPD's first black commissioner. As the deputy commissioner of community affairs, he ordered white cops to leave the mosque - without securing a crime scene and without Cardillo's body.
Ward was criticized for appeasing Farrakhan, who would go on to lead the Nation of Islam. Months later, Jurgensen became the lead investigator on the case. He spent two years on the run protecting a black militant Muslim who witnessed the cop beatings. That witness, Foster XX Thomas, would testify against mosque member Lewis 17X Dupree. Dupree was acquitted.
"There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Cardillo was shot by Louis 17X Dupree. The police could not present a case with evidence from a crime scene that never existed. The NYPD never allowed a crime scene to be set up," Jurgensen said.
"Two years after the shooting, I went into that mosque and dug three bullets out of a wall there," Jurgensen said. "That should have been removed the day of the shooting if there was a crime scene.
"For this case," he added, "justice died the day Phil Cardillo died."
Another fine report on this incident, and that era in New York City history, is the book written by Robert Daley, TARGET BLUE. Daley served as the Deputy Commissioner of Public Information at the time; he holds no punches in reporting things as they were. Suffice it to say that he probably does not exchange Christmas gifts with his former boss, the former police commissioner Patrick Murphy.
I highly recommend these two books to anyone interested in New York City policing.
Maybe one day we'll have Detective Randy Jurgensen's memoirs to add to this prestigious list. I'd be the first on line for that book!
INTERESTING WEB SITES
Skip-Trace.com Magazine: The Premiere Internet Publication for Skip Tracing and Private Investigations Professionals
The inaugural issue of Skip-Trace.com Magazine is now available on line. This new digital "zine" may be useful; the best part is, it's FREE!
http://www.skip-trace.com
Free search of registered sex offenders:
http://www.criminalcheck.com/sxowebsite/CriminalCheck.jsp
Don't forget to check out this great site. It grows daily, and there are many resources here for investigators.
http://www.spiesonline.net/
�LEST WE FORGET�� THE NYPD MEMORIAL
April 23, 1977 PO Robert Mandel, 77 Pct, Shot-arrest
April 24, 1969 Det John Roth, DetDiv, Auto accident on patrol
April 24, 1980 PO Robert Sorrentino, 101 Pct, Shot-robbery
April 25, 1955 Sgt Donald Wiseman, 107 Pct, Auto accident on patrol
April 27, 1988 Sgt John McCormick, BxNarco, Shot-arrest
April 27, 1994 PO Jose Perez, BSTF, Auto accident on patrol
April 29, 1945 Ptl Jacob Szwedowski, 24 Pct, Shot-cross fire
April 30, 1979 PO Robert Betsch, 76 Pct, LOD heart attack
May 1, 1964 Ptl Edmond Schrempf, TPF, Assaulted
May 1, 1981 PO John Scarangella, 113 Pct, Shot-car stop
May 2, 1974 PO William O�Brien, 10 Pct, auto accident on patrol
Monday, April 19, 2004
LEARNING SOME OF THE TERMS: SKIPTRACING
What the criminal investigator commonly refers to as �Tracking the Fugitive�, is also known in common investigative circles as �Skiptracing�.
The end result is the same: Locating the person.
The criminal investigator seeks to locate the individual who may be a suspect, or perhaps a witness or even, at times, the victim who has relocated. Many of these same tactics in tracking an individual are performed by the non-law enforcement investigator who may be seeking an individual who may be �missing�, owing on a loan, or for some other non-criminal matter.
It is sometimes beneficial to explore other avenues not commonly examined when seeking to improve your investigative skills. To think that you, the ace detective, cannot learn some tricks of the trade from the �PI� is shortsighted. Especially when you realize that most of those performing the �PI� work are one-time detectives themselves; many of them very good ones at that.
Tools of the Trade: Cross Directory
When seeking to locate an individual, a term often encountered in the private sector is the use of a �cross directory�.
One would think that as criminal investigators in the largest police department in the world time that we would have untold sources of information at our fingertips. We, however, know better than that. For that reason, you have to make yourself fully knowledgeable of the sources you do have, and improvise on ways to enhance what is available.
A �cross-directory� consists of a database of names, addresses and phone numbers.
A coles directory (which we no longer have) is one example of this.
A very good cross directory, which we have available through HIDTA and through the Borough Intell Teams (you remember them, right) is known as �Auto-Track�. Another cross directory which recently has become available (by contacting the Cold Case Squad) is known as �Accurint�; this performs essentially the same search as Auto Track.
A good, prompt, reliable cross-directory for name and phone number searches is not readily available to us, and many of us have taken to using a private commercial database, such as LocatePlus (www.locateplus.com), at our own out-of-pocket expense, in order to improve effectiveness in these types of searches. (This search is then performed by accessing our own, out-of-pocket paid internet service provider, like a personal AOL account, in order to access). The relatively low cost per search that LocatePlus charges has been paid back in positive results.
Investigative tip for using a cross-directory:
The value of a cross directory is not necessarily in finding a number and/or address of the subject, but may be in finding a phone number for someone who knows your subject or someone who may lead you to your subject, such as a neighbor or relative.
The investigative skill of reviewing and analyzing cross-directories, and the ability to elicit the necessary information from those who may not realize what they are providing, or for what purpose, is the sign of a truly professional investigator.
A LOOK AT INSURANCE FRAUD
Did you know that the annual loss relative to non-health insurance fraud is approximately $1.5 billion dollars? The National Insurance Crime Bureau (www.nicb.com) reports that ten percent or more of property & casualty insurance claims are fraudulent.
Insurance is classified as either external fraud, or internal fraud.
External fraud includes fraudulent activity committed by applicants for insurance policies, third party claimants, or professionals who provide insurance services to claimants.
Internal fraud refers to fraud within the insurance industry itself. This includes bribery of company officials, misrepresentations of facts by insurance personnel, employees, agents, etc. for their personal enrichment.
Elements of Fraud
For insurance fraud to exist, four key elements need to be present:
1. Intent to defraud.
2. Knowledge � that what the person is doing is wrong, or a false statement.
3. Misrepresentation � creating or making a false impression that leads to payment
4. Reliance � The insurer would not have paid for the claim but for the misrepresentation.
Some good sources of information concerning insurance fraud can be found at these sites:
www.zalma.com
Barry Zalma is a west coast attorney who specializes in insurance fraud, and his web page contains numerous articles on various aspects of insurance fraud, as well as some good links.
www.iii.org
The Insurance Information Institute carries current stories on various forms of fraud.
www.nicb.org
The National Insurance Crime Bureau is an excellent source of fraud information. Almost all insurers belong to this group and there is a lot of material available on their site.
If you�re looking for some checklists on insurance fraud, you c an check the web sites of these private insurance companies:
www.converium.com
www.aig.com
REALITY TV AT ITS BEST
I don�t know about you, but I�ve had it up to here with so-called �reality TV shows�.
Some day, historians will mark the fall of our civilization with the proliferation of these forms of entertainment. In the mean time, how about some real-life reality shows, like some of these.
Larry Eggers has been pitching a reality show that follows the theme, Where Cops Eat.
I have to give him a lot of credit for this one; it actually sounds feasible. If you�re like me, you�re tired of hearing of the latest �firehouse recipe� by some firefighter, who has nothing else to do all day but prepare meals for his co-�workers�. Well, we could top that by showing them where the real cops go to eat.
Try to imagine following the crew as they order roast pork and mozzarella heros at Mama�s of Corona, on Thursdays, behind hald the staff of DBQ, DBB, and BNDO. This idead has a lot of promise; we�ll see who�s laughing when Larry�s collecting the royalty checks from the Food Channel for this one.
Along those same lines, we could follow a weekend in the life of Larry Eggers; follow him out to the Hampton�s, where he meets with Bobby (DeNiro) and Alec (Baldwin), as he crams in the final chapters to his yet-to-be-released movie, Sub Men. You can only imagine the possibilities.
Or perhaps we can base a show on man�s second greatest interest, the car.
Let�s follow Nicky Dimonda as he accompanies Joe Falcone to an auto auction. Heck, you could get paid-TV to witness that experience. Maybe Nicky and Larry can take part in a �Queer-Eye� makeover; perhaps they can get Larry to kick his already stunning wardrobe up a notch. Here�s a new idea : Trade-a-wardrobe. John Muller and Larry Eggers trade their wardrobe for a day; Who wouldn�t pay to see that?
For the sports minded, we could follow a weekend excursion where Jay Genna visits Fenway Park, to see his Sox lose another one to the terrible-Yanks, then follow it up with a Shea visit to see the Met�s blow yet another 8 run lead, while the camera�s are also following the Harrington clan rooting on the Cubs from a rooftop seat. That�s sports!
Chucky Johnson could host a combination cooking show - art auction. He could get Mark Pouria to mix up a batch of salsa for the finale.
How about some safe-driving tips by Al Meller? Travel tips by Joe Guerra. Packing for your airline flight by Kevin McCann. The ideas are endless.
Reality TV. Just wait.
What the criminal investigator commonly refers to as �Tracking the Fugitive�, is also known in common investigative circles as �Skiptracing�.
The end result is the same: Locating the person.
The criminal investigator seeks to locate the individual who may be a suspect, or perhaps a witness or even, at times, the victim who has relocated. Many of these same tactics in tracking an individual are performed by the non-law enforcement investigator who may be seeking an individual who may be �missing�, owing on a loan, or for some other non-criminal matter.
It is sometimes beneficial to explore other avenues not commonly examined when seeking to improve your investigative skills. To think that you, the ace detective, cannot learn some tricks of the trade from the �PI� is shortsighted. Especially when you realize that most of those performing the �PI� work are one-time detectives themselves; many of them very good ones at that.
Tools of the Trade: Cross Directory
When seeking to locate an individual, a term often encountered in the private sector is the use of a �cross directory�.
One would think that as criminal investigators in the largest police department in the world time that we would have untold sources of information at our fingertips. We, however, know better than that. For that reason, you have to make yourself fully knowledgeable of the sources you do have, and improvise on ways to enhance what is available.
A �cross-directory� consists of a database of names, addresses and phone numbers.
A coles directory (which we no longer have) is one example of this.
A very good cross directory, which we have available through HIDTA and through the Borough Intell Teams (you remember them, right) is known as �Auto-Track�. Another cross directory which recently has become available (by contacting the Cold Case Squad) is known as �Accurint�; this performs essentially the same search as Auto Track.
A good, prompt, reliable cross-directory for name and phone number searches is not readily available to us, and many of us have taken to using a private commercial database, such as LocatePlus (www.locateplus.com), at our own out-of-pocket expense, in order to improve effectiveness in these types of searches. (This search is then performed by accessing our own, out-of-pocket paid internet service provider, like a personal AOL account, in order to access). The relatively low cost per search that LocatePlus charges has been paid back in positive results.
Investigative tip for using a cross-directory:
The value of a cross directory is not necessarily in finding a number and/or address of the subject, but may be in finding a phone number for someone who knows your subject or someone who may lead you to your subject, such as a neighbor or relative.
The investigative skill of reviewing and analyzing cross-directories, and the ability to elicit the necessary information from those who may not realize what they are providing, or for what purpose, is the sign of a truly professional investigator.
A LOOK AT INSURANCE FRAUD
Did you know that the annual loss relative to non-health insurance fraud is approximately $1.5 billion dollars? The National Insurance Crime Bureau (www.nicb.com) reports that ten percent or more of property & casualty insurance claims are fraudulent.
Insurance is classified as either external fraud, or internal fraud.
External fraud includes fraudulent activity committed by applicants for insurance policies, third party claimants, or professionals who provide insurance services to claimants.
Internal fraud refers to fraud within the insurance industry itself. This includes bribery of company officials, misrepresentations of facts by insurance personnel, employees, agents, etc. for their personal enrichment.
Elements of Fraud
For insurance fraud to exist, four key elements need to be present:
1. Intent to defraud.
2. Knowledge � that what the person is doing is wrong, or a false statement.
3. Misrepresentation � creating or making a false impression that leads to payment
4. Reliance � The insurer would not have paid for the claim but for the misrepresentation.
Some good sources of information concerning insurance fraud can be found at these sites:
www.zalma.com
Barry Zalma is a west coast attorney who specializes in insurance fraud, and his web page contains numerous articles on various aspects of insurance fraud, as well as some good links.
www.iii.org
The Insurance Information Institute carries current stories on various forms of fraud.
www.nicb.org
The National Insurance Crime Bureau is an excellent source of fraud information. Almost all insurers belong to this group and there is a lot of material available on their site.
If you�re looking for some checklists on insurance fraud, you c an check the web sites of these private insurance companies:
www.converium.com
www.aig.com
REALITY TV AT ITS BEST
I don�t know about you, but I�ve had it up to here with so-called �reality TV shows�.
Some day, historians will mark the fall of our civilization with the proliferation of these forms of entertainment. In the mean time, how about some real-life reality shows, like some of these.
Larry Eggers has been pitching a reality show that follows the theme, Where Cops Eat.
I have to give him a lot of credit for this one; it actually sounds feasible. If you�re like me, you�re tired of hearing of the latest �firehouse recipe� by some firefighter, who has nothing else to do all day but prepare meals for his co-�workers�. Well, we could top that by showing them where the real cops go to eat.
Try to imagine following the crew as they order roast pork and mozzarella heros at Mama�s of Corona, on Thursdays, behind hald the staff of DBQ, DBB, and BNDO. This idead has a lot of promise; we�ll see who�s laughing when Larry�s collecting the royalty checks from the Food Channel for this one.
Along those same lines, we could follow a weekend in the life of Larry Eggers; follow him out to the Hampton�s, where he meets with Bobby (DeNiro) and Alec (Baldwin), as he crams in the final chapters to his yet-to-be-released movie, Sub Men. You can only imagine the possibilities.
Or perhaps we can base a show on man�s second greatest interest, the car.
Let�s follow Nicky Dimonda as he accompanies Joe Falcone to an auto auction. Heck, you could get paid-TV to witness that experience. Maybe Nicky and Larry can take part in a �Queer-Eye� makeover; perhaps they can get Larry to kick his already stunning wardrobe up a notch. Here�s a new idea : Trade-a-wardrobe. John Muller and Larry Eggers trade their wardrobe for a day; Who wouldn�t pay to see that?
For the sports minded, we could follow a weekend excursion where Jay Genna visits Fenway Park, to see his Sox lose another one to the terrible-Yanks, then follow it up with a Shea visit to see the Met�s blow yet another 8 run lead, while the camera�s are also following the Harrington clan rooting on the Cubs from a rooftop seat. That�s sports!
Chucky Johnson could host a combination cooking show - art auction. He could get Mark Pouria to mix up a batch of salsa for the finale.
How about some safe-driving tips by Al Meller? Travel tips by Joe Guerra. Packing for your airline flight by Kevin McCann. The ideas are endless.
Reality TV. Just wait.
Friday, April 09, 2004
RADIO PROCEDURAL: �K� ?
Do you know why you say "K" on the radio when finishing a sentence?
What I have learned, is that Morse Code Operators punch out a "K" at the end of a transmission, which indicates "I'm finished. You go ahead".
When technology advanced from morse-code telegraph systems to a radio system, these same people became Radio Dispatchers and took this habit with them. This was intended to prevent overlapping conversations on the radio.
Remember also that in the early uses of radio communications, it was a two-way system; if the dispatcher was still talking and you keyed the microphone to speak the dispatcher would not hear any of your conversation. This use of �K� prevented this from happening.
IDENTITY ISSUE: MEXICAN DRIVERS LICENSE AND MATRICULA CONSULAR CARDS
Many investigators in California, Texas and the rest of the Southwest are already familiar with identification cards called Matricula Consular. The cards look somewhat like a driver's license and have been issued en masse over the last year or two by Mexican consulates throughout the United Stated to Mexican nationals living here. The intended purpose of the cards is to serve as legal identification for Mexican citizens who have been unable to obtain state-issued driver's licenses because of illegal immigration status.
The problem for investigators is, as a form of identification, the cards are virtually worthless. All that is required to receive one is a trip to a nearby Mexican consulate, a fee of $29 and proof of Mexican citizenship which could be anything as flimsy as an
uncertified Mexican birth certificate. To further make these documents worthless, there is no central database where the registrations are stored and thus no way to validate a Matricula Consular card.
Already lines are being drawn as to what private and public institutions will accept Matricula Consular cards as legal identification. Against the cards are the FBI which has all but called them worthless. In California, the Secretary of State has notified notaries that they are not to be accepted as legal identification. However, on the other side, hundreds of banks, financial institutions and insurance companies are already accepting
them. The Transportation Security Administration accepts them as I.D. for boarding an aircraft. Further, a number of municipalities including Denver, Colorado and Berkeley, California have established official policies making the cards legal identification within their jurisdictions.
The bottom line: In cases where the identity of a suspect, claimant, or witness is in question and the sole proof of identity is a Matricula Consular card, great caution should be exercised by an investigator.
To see a Matricula Consular card, check out the following site:
http://www.crimetime.com/matricula.htm
IN MEMORIAM: PTL. PHILLIP CARDILLO
Ptl. Phillip Cardillo, #26620 of the 28 Precinct, was shot and killed in the line of duty on April 14, 1972, and what has become known as the �Murder at the Harlem Mosque� incident.
This incident, which is one of the most controversial department incidents of recent times, started out with a radio call of an anonymous and unverified �10-13�.
A brother officer's life might have been in, danger. So that was all Ptl Phillip Cardillo and his partner, Ptl. Vito Navarra, of the 28 Pct., were concerned about as they sped to the location transmitted by Sixth Division Radio as "102 West 116 Street, on the second floor," on April 14, 1972.
Arriving first at the scene, the officers raced into the building, which was a Black Muslim Mosque. They heard scuffling on the above floor. As they made it up the staircase they were intercepted by 15 to 20 men who forced the officers to retreat down the stairs and back into the hallway.
Meanwhile, Ptl. Victor Padilla and Ivan Negron, 25 Pct., along with additional units, arrived and entered the premises. The officers, who were out numbered, were then attacked and overwhelmed. All of them except Ptl. Cardillo, Padilla and Negron were forced out of the building. A steel door was closed behind them.
Ptl. Padilla was then beaten and blackjacked into semi-consciousness while his partner fought off several men who were trying to grab his
revolver. With his back to the door, Ptl. Negron suddenly heard shots. He turned and saw a man with a gun in his hand who seemed to be getting up from the floor where Ptl. Cardillo now lay shot. Negron, managing to free himself from his attackers, drew his revolver and fired three shots.
It is not known if the man with the gun was hit; he escaped. There were 20 to 25 men in the hallway when Ptl. Navarra and Ptl. Rudy Andre, 28 Pct., who had been beaten out of the Mosque moments earlier, broke a glass on the metal door and saw the patrolmen inside on their backs.
They fired several shots through the broken glass into the hallway. This scattered the men who had been assaulting the officers and enabled Ptl. Negron to unbolt the double metal door. During the melee, Ptl. Cardillo and Padilla, seriously injured, had their service revolvers taken from them.
Immediately upon getting out into the street these officers were rushed to St. Luke�s Hospital. Despite intensive efforts on the part of surgeons, hospital personnel and numerous blood donors, a week later Ptl. Cardillo died. His chest wound was inflicted by a bullet fired at such a close distance that powder burns were on his jacket.
Ptl Padilla never fully recovered from the brutal beating he received.
An investigation of the incident disclosed that the original ''assist patrolman" phone call, made by a man who identified himself as a
detective, was unfounded. Thus far, two men have been arrested on assault charges. The person responsible for Ptl. Cardillo�s murder has never been identified.
An Inspector's Funeral was given to Officer Cardillo. The five-year-veteran of the force left behind a wife and three children.
This controversial incident, and the department�s response in the aftermath, was documented in an excellent book by Sonny Grosso, who was one of the officers on the scene that day. If you ever have the opportunity, I urge you to read this book. Although it�s out of print, you may be able to find a copy in your public library, or on line through one of the used-book-selling sites.
CYBER-CRIME INVESTIGATORS AIDS
This is an article from cyber-crime alerts. Cyber-crime alerts is a super newsletter. If your interested in it subscribe to it at:
http://www.freelists.org/cgi-bin/list?list_id=cybercrime-alerts
INTERESTING WEB SITES
PI DAILY! A Daily Online Newspaper For Investigators!
http://www.pimall.com/nais/pinewspaper.html
Virtual Gumshoe: This site contains some good links. Check it out while the web site lasts. It's for sale so check out some of the links and make your bookmarks to them before it disappears.
http://www.virtualgumshoe.com/
FOR THE INVESTIGATOR�S ROLODEX
National Insurance Crime Bureau
www.nicb.org
Clearinghouse for information and industry assistance to combat vehicle theft and insurance fraud.
�LEST WE FORGET�� THE NYPD MEMORIAL
April 2, 1914 Det Joseph Guarneri, DetDiv, Shot-arrest
April 2, 1930 Ptl Thomas Harnett, 13 Pct, Auto accident on patrol
April 2, 1978 PO Christie Massone and PO Norman Cerullo, 79 Pct, Shot-car stop
April 3, 1953 Ptl John Pendegrass, 32 Pct, Shot-robbery
April 3, 1972 Ptl Phillip Cardillo, 28 Pct, Shot-investigation
April 4, 1947 Ptl Jack Chason, 79 Pct, Shot-robbery
April 5, 1926 Ptl Charles Reilly, 13 Pct, Shot-Robbery arrest
April 5, 1952 Insp Thomas Boylan, Airplane struck auto
April 6, 1937 Ptl Daniel Sullivan, Mcy Unit, motorcycle accident
April 6, 1953 Ptl Sam Katz, 32 Pct, Shot-investigation
April 6, 1955 Ptl John Conlon, 28 Pct, Injuries sustained on patrol
April 10, 1937 Det Michael Foley, 9 Sq, Shot-robbery arrest
April 10, 1950 Ptl Louis Balzano, line of duty incident
April 10, 1960 Ptl Vito Valenzano, 20 Pct, LOD heart attack
The Minister of Investigation would like to wish everyone a happy holiday during this special week. Spring seems to be breaking from under the ice, and it is certainly welcome! Certainly a great time for lacrosse...
Do you know why you say "K" on the radio when finishing a sentence?
What I have learned, is that Morse Code Operators punch out a "K" at the end of a transmission, which indicates "I'm finished. You go ahead".
When technology advanced from morse-code telegraph systems to a radio system, these same people became Radio Dispatchers and took this habit with them. This was intended to prevent overlapping conversations on the radio.
Remember also that in the early uses of radio communications, it was a two-way system; if the dispatcher was still talking and you keyed the microphone to speak the dispatcher would not hear any of your conversation. This use of �K� prevented this from happening.
IDENTITY ISSUE: MEXICAN DRIVERS LICENSE AND MATRICULA CONSULAR CARDS
Many investigators in California, Texas and the rest of the Southwest are already familiar with identification cards called Matricula Consular. The cards look somewhat like a driver's license and have been issued en masse over the last year or two by Mexican consulates throughout the United Stated to Mexican nationals living here. The intended purpose of the cards is to serve as legal identification for Mexican citizens who have been unable to obtain state-issued driver's licenses because of illegal immigration status.
The problem for investigators is, as a form of identification, the cards are virtually worthless. All that is required to receive one is a trip to a nearby Mexican consulate, a fee of $29 and proof of Mexican citizenship which could be anything as flimsy as an
uncertified Mexican birth certificate. To further make these documents worthless, there is no central database where the registrations are stored and thus no way to validate a Matricula Consular card.
Already lines are being drawn as to what private and public institutions will accept Matricula Consular cards as legal identification. Against the cards are the FBI which has all but called them worthless. In California, the Secretary of State has notified notaries that they are not to be accepted as legal identification. However, on the other side, hundreds of banks, financial institutions and insurance companies are already accepting
them. The Transportation Security Administration accepts them as I.D. for boarding an aircraft. Further, a number of municipalities including Denver, Colorado and Berkeley, California have established official policies making the cards legal identification within their jurisdictions.
The bottom line: In cases where the identity of a suspect, claimant, or witness is in question and the sole proof of identity is a Matricula Consular card, great caution should be exercised by an investigator.
To see a Matricula Consular card, check out the following site:
http://www.crimetime.com/matricula.htm
IN MEMORIAM: PTL. PHILLIP CARDILLO
Ptl. Phillip Cardillo, #26620 of the 28 Precinct, was shot and killed in the line of duty on April 14, 1972, and what has become known as the �Murder at the Harlem Mosque� incident.
This incident, which is one of the most controversial department incidents of recent times, started out with a radio call of an anonymous and unverified �10-13�.
A brother officer's life might have been in, danger. So that was all Ptl Phillip Cardillo and his partner, Ptl. Vito Navarra, of the 28 Pct., were concerned about as they sped to the location transmitted by Sixth Division Radio as "102 West 116 Street, on the second floor," on April 14, 1972.
Arriving first at the scene, the officers raced into the building, which was a Black Muslim Mosque. They heard scuffling on the above floor. As they made it up the staircase they were intercepted by 15 to 20 men who forced the officers to retreat down the stairs and back into the hallway.
Meanwhile, Ptl. Victor Padilla and Ivan Negron, 25 Pct., along with additional units, arrived and entered the premises. The officers, who were out numbered, were then attacked and overwhelmed. All of them except Ptl. Cardillo, Padilla and Negron were forced out of the building. A steel door was closed behind them.
Ptl. Padilla was then beaten and blackjacked into semi-consciousness while his partner fought off several men who were trying to grab his
revolver. With his back to the door, Ptl. Negron suddenly heard shots. He turned and saw a man with a gun in his hand who seemed to be getting up from the floor where Ptl. Cardillo now lay shot. Negron, managing to free himself from his attackers, drew his revolver and fired three shots.
It is not known if the man with the gun was hit; he escaped. There were 20 to 25 men in the hallway when Ptl. Navarra and Ptl. Rudy Andre, 28 Pct., who had been beaten out of the Mosque moments earlier, broke a glass on the metal door and saw the patrolmen inside on their backs.
They fired several shots through the broken glass into the hallway. This scattered the men who had been assaulting the officers and enabled Ptl. Negron to unbolt the double metal door. During the melee, Ptl. Cardillo and Padilla, seriously injured, had their service revolvers taken from them.
Immediately upon getting out into the street these officers were rushed to St. Luke�s Hospital. Despite intensive efforts on the part of surgeons, hospital personnel and numerous blood donors, a week later Ptl. Cardillo died. His chest wound was inflicted by a bullet fired at such a close distance that powder burns were on his jacket.
Ptl Padilla never fully recovered from the brutal beating he received.
An investigation of the incident disclosed that the original ''assist patrolman" phone call, made by a man who identified himself as a
detective, was unfounded. Thus far, two men have been arrested on assault charges. The person responsible for Ptl. Cardillo�s murder has never been identified.
An Inspector's Funeral was given to Officer Cardillo. The five-year-veteran of the force left behind a wife and three children.
This controversial incident, and the department�s response in the aftermath, was documented in an excellent book by Sonny Grosso, who was one of the officers on the scene that day. If you ever have the opportunity, I urge you to read this book. Although it�s out of print, you may be able to find a copy in your public library, or on line through one of the used-book-selling sites.
CYBER-CRIME INVESTIGATORS AIDS
This is an article from cyber-crime alerts. Cyber-crime alerts is a super newsletter. If your interested in it subscribe to it at:
http://www.freelists.org/cgi-bin/list?list_id=cybercrime-alerts
INTERESTING WEB SITES
PI DAILY! A Daily Online Newspaper For Investigators!
http://www.pimall.com/nais/pinewspaper.html
Virtual Gumshoe: This site contains some good links. Check it out while the web site lasts. It's for sale so check out some of the links and make your bookmarks to them before it disappears.
http://www.virtualgumshoe.com/
FOR THE INVESTIGATOR�S ROLODEX
National Insurance Crime Bureau
www.nicb.org
Clearinghouse for information and industry assistance to combat vehicle theft and insurance fraud.
�LEST WE FORGET�� THE NYPD MEMORIAL
April 2, 1914 Det Joseph Guarneri, DetDiv, Shot-arrest
April 2, 1930 Ptl Thomas Harnett, 13 Pct, Auto accident on patrol
April 2, 1978 PO Christie Massone and PO Norman Cerullo, 79 Pct, Shot-car stop
April 3, 1953 Ptl John Pendegrass, 32 Pct, Shot-robbery
April 3, 1972 Ptl Phillip Cardillo, 28 Pct, Shot-investigation
April 4, 1947 Ptl Jack Chason, 79 Pct, Shot-robbery
April 5, 1926 Ptl Charles Reilly, 13 Pct, Shot-Robbery arrest
April 5, 1952 Insp Thomas Boylan, Airplane struck auto
April 6, 1937 Ptl Daniel Sullivan, Mcy Unit, motorcycle accident
April 6, 1953 Ptl Sam Katz, 32 Pct, Shot-investigation
April 6, 1955 Ptl John Conlon, 28 Pct, Injuries sustained on patrol
April 10, 1937 Det Michael Foley, 9 Sq, Shot-robbery arrest
April 10, 1950 Ptl Louis Balzano, line of duty incident
April 10, 1960 Ptl Vito Valenzano, 20 Pct, LOD heart attack
The Minister of Investigation would like to wish everyone a happy holiday during this special week. Spring seems to be breaking from under the ice, and it is certainly welcome! Certainly a great time for lacrosse...
Monday, March 29, 2004
CYBER-CRIME: THE NEW ERA OF GUMSHOE
New software tools and tactics help investigators search computers and networks for evidence that lawbreakers thought they had deleted.
Taken from an article written by Steven Marlin of InformationWeek for the February 23, 2004 issue, this is an example of where modern investigative efforts are landing. The age old gumshoe image of the detective pounding the pavement to get information is being replaced by the computer-hacking cyber-crime investigator, using modern technology to outsmart the fraudster.
Technology has played a role in criminal investigations since before Sherlock Holmes' time. But today's gumshoes are as likely to be skilled in reading spreadsheets as well as rap sheets, screen shots as well as mug shots, paper trails as well as powder trails, thanks in part to new laws such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the USA Patriot Act.
So corporate felons beware: Those files you thought you erased can and will be used against you in a court of law. Investigators today possess software tools that search PCs, servers, and networks for evidence such as text files, images, and E-mails that can be used to ferret out white-collar criminals.
In searching for bits of evidence, investigators look in places many computer users don't even know exist: the unallocated memory containing fragments of deleted files or, if they're lucky, the entire file.
Such a search can produce the smoking gun in a case, says Ives Potrafka, senior examiner at the Center for Computer Forensics, a private company that assists law firms and legal departments. Before joining the company, he spent four years with the High Tech Crimes Unit of the Michigan attorney general's office.
Computer forensics is a combination of science and art. "It's a marriage of technology and good old-fashioned detective work," he says.
In one case, a client sued a brokerage firm, alleging that it had denied access to its Web site, preventing the client from executing a large trade in 2000. By the time the case came to trial 2-1/2 years later, the firm assumed that all relevant electronic files had been deleted. Using sophisticated search tools, however, the center was able to find Web-site records to prove that the client had indeed visited the site on the day in question. The case was thrown out of court.
Since the Enron case, in which its auditor, Arthur Andersen, destroyed piles of evidence, recovery and analysis of data has come to form a central part of internal investigations. Also, provisions in Sarbanes-Oxley require companies to collect, search, and preserve electronic data.
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act isn't the only thing likely to trigger forensic investigations. The California Security Breach law requires companies to investigate and report incidents in which customer-account information has been compromised. The Basel Committee, an international regulatory body, requires banks to collect and preserve forensic evidence to "contain and mitigate incidents, ensure business continuity, and prosecute the perpetrator."
There's still an extensive backlog of pre-Sarbanes-Oxley investigations waiting to be tackled, says Philip Upton, head of forensic technology solutions at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Investigations can take months or, in some cases, years.
Investigations can be triggered by noncompliance issues, such as violation of company policies, circulation of inappropriate content, or misappropriation of information. Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal LLP, a 600-attorney law firm, has a thriving computer-forensics practice. It uses Guidance Software Inc.'s EnCase
to create bit images of the hard drives of up to 20 PCs simultaneously, cutting 90% off the time it would take to search each hard drive separately.
Computer-forensics software is a fast-growing part of the $500 million-a-year corporate investigations industry; Guidance's revenue doubled from $10 million in 2002 to $20 million last year, and it's projected to double again this year as companies build in-house investigative capabilities while still relying on
outside consultants for more-difficult cases.
Computer forensics has evolved steadily as a discipline, says Jim Doyle, director of Northeast operations at Guidance. Like many in the profession, he's a former cop. In 1995, he was tapped to form the New York Police Department's computer crimes unit, which dealt with investigating computer-related crimes. Recruits were given a crash course in evidence-gathering techniques. Says Doyle, "We took detectives off the street working on homicide, rape, and robbery cases and made them computer crime investigators."
INTERESTING WEB SITES FOR THE CYBER-CRIME SLEUTH
The following include links related to computer crime, data recovery, and other interesting techno-fraud articles.
Digital Forensics Links
http://www.dfrws.org/dfrws-links.html
Kulish Forensics
http://isis.poly.edu/kulesh/forensics/list.htm
Huge Reference and some articles to read
http://www.forensics.nl/linksto
Computer Crime Related Links
http://www.crime-research.org/links.html
Kim K's Forensic page
http://www.kruglaw.com/forensic.htm
Check out "Gov't Forensic Publications"
http://www.crimelynx.com/forensic.html
Zeno's Computer Forensic
http://forensic.to/links/pages/Forensic_Sciences/Field_of_expertise/Computer_Investigation/index.html
FOR THE INVESTIGATOR�S ROLODEX
Medical Information Bureau 781-329-4500
www.mib.com
Life Insurance industry�s database and clearinghouse of information.
MIB Group, Inc. ("MIB") is an association of over 500 U.S. and Canadian life insurance companies providing information and database management services to the financial services industry. Organized in 1902, MIB's core fraud protection services protect insurers, policyholders and applicants from attempts to conceal or omit information material to the sound and equitable underwriting of life, health, disability, and long term care insurance.
This is one of the ways the industry protects itself from insurance fraud and fraudulent applications for life insurance. It can also provide information for an investigator seeking background on life insurance policies.
CONGRATULATIONS FOR SOME BROOKLYN NORTH SLEUTHS
It was nice to see Sgt. TOM FOX of the 90 Squad attain the SDS designation.
We are all glad to see CHRIS SCANDOLE of the 79 Squad get recognized with the Detective SECOND GRADE designation! Chris is a hard worker and a credit to all; we wish you all the best. Could a celebratory steak-fest be in sight?
Also promoted to Second Grade was Richard Brittson of Computer Crime Sqd. Richie is a Brooklyn North Alum, and continues to do a superb job over at Computer Crimes.
Best wishes extended to all!
IN MEMORIAM: PO KEVIN GILLESPIE
PO Kevin Gillespie, Shield # 4503 of the Street Crime Unit was killed in the line of duty on March 14, 1996. Kevin was shot while conducting an investigation.
Officer Gillespie was shot and killed by a man he had just pulled over. Officer Gillespie and his partner, members of the City Wide Street Crime Unit, had stopped a BMW in the Bronx which had been car-jacked earlier in the evening. As the two officers were approaching the vehicle, the men inside opened fire. One bullet struck Officer Gillespie in the shoulder, above his vest. The bullet went straight down his torso striking many organs. He died an hour later at nearby St. Barnabas Hospital. Officer Gillespie's partner thought that he had dove for cover and pursued the suspects in a running gun battle down the Grand Concourse. One suspect was shot five times and the other was arrested at the scene. The suspect later committed suicide in jail by hanging himself.
Officer Gillespie was killed a few days before his 34th birthday. Ten thousand police officers attended Officer Gillespie�s funeral; afterwards, the young father of two sons, a Marine veteran of the Gulf War, was given a proper hero�s burial in a military cemetery on Long Island.
New software tools and tactics help investigators search computers and networks for evidence that lawbreakers thought they had deleted.
Taken from an article written by Steven Marlin of InformationWeek for the February 23, 2004 issue, this is an example of where modern investigative efforts are landing. The age old gumshoe image of the detective pounding the pavement to get information is being replaced by the computer-hacking cyber-crime investigator, using modern technology to outsmart the fraudster.
Technology has played a role in criminal investigations since before Sherlock Holmes' time. But today's gumshoes are as likely to be skilled in reading spreadsheets as well as rap sheets, screen shots as well as mug shots, paper trails as well as powder trails, thanks in part to new laws such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the USA Patriot Act.
So corporate felons beware: Those files you thought you erased can and will be used against you in a court of law. Investigators today possess software tools that search PCs, servers, and networks for evidence such as text files, images, and E-mails that can be used to ferret out white-collar criminals.
In searching for bits of evidence, investigators look in places many computer users don't even know exist: the unallocated memory containing fragments of deleted files or, if they're lucky, the entire file.
Such a search can produce the smoking gun in a case, says Ives Potrafka, senior examiner at the Center for Computer Forensics, a private company that assists law firms and legal departments. Before joining the company, he spent four years with the High Tech Crimes Unit of the Michigan attorney general's office.
Computer forensics is a combination of science and art. "It's a marriage of technology and good old-fashioned detective work," he says.
In one case, a client sued a brokerage firm, alleging that it had denied access to its Web site, preventing the client from executing a large trade in 2000. By the time the case came to trial 2-1/2 years later, the firm assumed that all relevant electronic files had been deleted. Using sophisticated search tools, however, the center was able to find Web-site records to prove that the client had indeed visited the site on the day in question. The case was thrown out of court.
Since the Enron case, in which its auditor, Arthur Andersen, destroyed piles of evidence, recovery and analysis of data has come to form a central part of internal investigations. Also, provisions in Sarbanes-Oxley require companies to collect, search, and preserve electronic data.
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act isn't the only thing likely to trigger forensic investigations. The California Security Breach law requires companies to investigate and report incidents in which customer-account information has been compromised. The Basel Committee, an international regulatory body, requires banks to collect and preserve forensic evidence to "contain and mitigate incidents, ensure business continuity, and prosecute the perpetrator."
There's still an extensive backlog of pre-Sarbanes-Oxley investigations waiting to be tackled, says Philip Upton, head of forensic technology solutions at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Investigations can take months or, in some cases, years.
Investigations can be triggered by noncompliance issues, such as violation of company policies, circulation of inappropriate content, or misappropriation of information. Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal LLP, a 600-attorney law firm, has a thriving computer-forensics practice. It uses Guidance Software Inc.'s EnCase
to create bit images of the hard drives of up to 20 PCs simultaneously, cutting 90% off the time it would take to search each hard drive separately.
Computer-forensics software is a fast-growing part of the $500 million-a-year corporate investigations industry; Guidance's revenue doubled from $10 million in 2002 to $20 million last year, and it's projected to double again this year as companies build in-house investigative capabilities while still relying on
outside consultants for more-difficult cases.
Computer forensics has evolved steadily as a discipline, says Jim Doyle, director of Northeast operations at Guidance. Like many in the profession, he's a former cop. In 1995, he was tapped to form the New York Police Department's computer crimes unit, which dealt with investigating computer-related crimes. Recruits were given a crash course in evidence-gathering techniques. Says Doyle, "We took detectives off the street working on homicide, rape, and robbery cases and made them computer crime investigators."
INTERESTING WEB SITES FOR THE CYBER-CRIME SLEUTH
The following include links related to computer crime, data recovery, and other interesting techno-fraud articles.
Digital Forensics Links
http://www.dfrws.org/dfrws-links.html
Kulish Forensics
http://isis.poly.edu/kulesh/forensics/list.htm
Huge Reference and some articles to read
http://www.forensics.nl/linksto
Computer Crime Related Links
http://www.crime-research.org/links.html
Kim K's Forensic page
http://www.kruglaw.com/forensic.htm
Check out "Gov't Forensic Publications"
http://www.crimelynx.com/forensic.html
Zeno's Computer Forensic
http://forensic.to/links/pages/Forensic_Sciences/Field_of_expertise/Computer_Investigation/index.html
FOR THE INVESTIGATOR�S ROLODEX
Medical Information Bureau 781-329-4500
www.mib.com
Life Insurance industry�s database and clearinghouse of information.
MIB Group, Inc. ("MIB") is an association of over 500 U.S. and Canadian life insurance companies providing information and database management services to the financial services industry. Organized in 1902, MIB's core fraud protection services protect insurers, policyholders and applicants from attempts to conceal or omit information material to the sound and equitable underwriting of life, health, disability, and long term care insurance.
This is one of the ways the industry protects itself from insurance fraud and fraudulent applications for life insurance. It can also provide information for an investigator seeking background on life insurance policies.
CONGRATULATIONS FOR SOME BROOKLYN NORTH SLEUTHS
It was nice to see Sgt. TOM FOX of the 90 Squad attain the SDS designation.
We are all glad to see CHRIS SCANDOLE of the 79 Squad get recognized with the Detective SECOND GRADE designation! Chris is a hard worker and a credit to all; we wish you all the best. Could a celebratory steak-fest be in sight?
Also promoted to Second Grade was Richard Brittson of Computer Crime Sqd. Richie is a Brooklyn North Alum, and continues to do a superb job over at Computer Crimes.
Best wishes extended to all!
IN MEMORIAM: PO KEVIN GILLESPIE
PO Kevin Gillespie, Shield # 4503 of the Street Crime Unit was killed in the line of duty on March 14, 1996. Kevin was shot while conducting an investigation.
Officer Gillespie was shot and killed by a man he had just pulled over. Officer Gillespie and his partner, members of the City Wide Street Crime Unit, had stopped a BMW in the Bronx which had been car-jacked earlier in the evening. As the two officers were approaching the vehicle, the men inside opened fire. One bullet struck Officer Gillespie in the shoulder, above his vest. The bullet went straight down his torso striking many organs. He died an hour later at nearby St. Barnabas Hospital. Officer Gillespie's partner thought that he had dove for cover and pursued the suspects in a running gun battle down the Grand Concourse. One suspect was shot five times and the other was arrested at the scene. The suspect later committed suicide in jail by hanging himself.
Officer Gillespie was killed a few days before his 34th birthday. Ten thousand police officers attended Officer Gillespie�s funeral; afterwards, the young father of two sons, a Marine veteran of the Gulf War, was given a proper hero�s burial in a military cemetery on Long Island.
