First Day: 30th Precinct

The 30th Precinct is a section of West Harlem called Washington Heights. It encompasses the land from west 141th street to west 165th street and bounded by the Hudson River to Edgecombe Ave. The streets run east to west while the named thoroughfares run north to south in this order, Edgecombe Ave, St Nicholas Ave, Amsterdam Ave. Broadway, Fort Washington Ave., and Riverside Drive. The 30th precinct was located on 1854 Amsterdam Ave, the northwest corner of w.152 street, later a new building was built a block away at 451 West 151st street, the current location.

Upon graduation I was given instructions on how to get there. From Queens by car, the Triboro bridge to w 155 St. exit on the Major Deegan, (Yankee Stadium exit) proceed over the Macoombs Dam bridge and up the viaduct to Amsterdam Ave, left turn to w.152 street.

I think I took my dad’s 1956 Oldsmobile as we were told not to bring new cars to the precincts. I was to report at 0900 hours, in uniform and salute the desk officer, usually a Lieutenant and say my name and reporting for duty. Go up to the first floor to the clerical office for your assignment, Rookie. In 1969, they didn’t coddle you and you had to learn quickly what was not taught at the Police Academy. 

First day:

The clerical office is the command center of the precinct. In it are three major police officers who run the daily operations.

1- the Roll Call man, he types the daily work sheet which includes, assignment to the radio motor patrol sector cars, foot patrols and other assignments.

2-the Captain clerical man is responsible for handling all communications; ie, future assignments to special details like parades.

3-the payroll officer, he sees that you get paid for regular and overtime work.

The roll call officer then assigned me to a squad and said I would be doing mostly foot patrols and fill in as a sector partner. The clerical officer then took me one flight up to the locker room. As this was a very old building there was only one light on a black wire in the center of the room. Finally I was given a map of the Precinct which included both sector and foot assignments. I was told to go home and report for tomorrow 4x12 tour.

I had not hit the street as of yet, but that would soon come.

As I reported for the 4x12 tour I entered the sitting room where the Sergeant would give you your assignment. Before this a veteran Black officer said “what’s your name Rookie?" I replied Ptl. Joe DeStefano. He then said shut up that’s the last time you talk for the next month. Another, veteran Italian officer said don’t mind him I got your back Kid. Well I think I was assigned a foot patrol and not much happened and I was required to write in my memo at the conclusion of the tour, Nothing to report.

Every police officer wants to get that first arrest under his belt, mine would take another two weeks. In between that time I got assigned to a sector car. This is where you respond to all the calls from Central. After receiving the call you had to acknowledge it by ending with a “k” code. This signifies that you are finished talking. Note the Dispatcher handles all my precinct's sectors as well as 3 other precincts. Not an easy job before the computers. If the dispatcher used the words, “in the” you stopped what you were doing and your ears perked up for this was the signal 10-13 officer needs assistance. This call was not used lightly but for the most serious calls.

Note: the Macoombs Dam viaduct overlooked the old Polo Grounds where the NY Giants played. It was torn down and replaced by housing projects. Later, members of the Black Liberation Army, today they would be called a domestic terrorist organization, would call in phony police emergency calls to time response time. It would be here that they brutally assassinated Patrolman Waverly Jones and Patrolman Joseph Piagentini for no other reason than they were Police officers. They would go on to murder 10 more Police officers in their year and half reign of terror. Recently their leader Joanne Chesimard would die in Cuba.

Note: the 30th precinct had a dry moat around the building. That building was a classic and inside was a 4x4 plaque which we had removed and placed in the lobby of the new station house.The community was given the building.

Next up my first arrests, you have to remember it was 1969. ###