It would be in the 90th precinct that I would become a legend: Da Capo. But first I had to cut my teeth. Could I become an effective leader?
Unlike the 30th, the 90th was more like a pie, with the Hasidic Jews comprising about 40-50% of the population, the remaining 50% were mostly Hispanics, Puerto Ricans and Dominicans, and then Blacks. When I had begun in the 30th I knew very little about Blacks, and now in the 90th I knew nothing about the Hasidics. My first commanding officer told me that they are very politically connected with the Mayor’s office and vote as a 50,000 block. With a wink of the eye he said treat all equally but some more equal, and you will survive.
Now I was assigned to the 6th squad and informed by a mentoring sergeant that I had inherited a group of malcontents and cynical Police officers, who by the way were mostly of Italian ancestry. I was soon to be tested as they decided to go on a summons strike. I held a meeting and asked whose idea this was? They said they were doing it on their own. I told them that they were to do exactly what other squads were doing, no more no less. Message sent. I have to say that these guys went from #8 to #1 in the precinct. It didn’t take long for the Precinct C.O. to take notice and he assigned me to the role as the Anti-Crime supervisor. I was not only to be in this assignment for four years but also I was re-upped for 7 years until I would be transferred to the Narcotics Division.
In the 90th Precinct most crime occurred around the overhead Broadway train lines. There were numerous robberies and gold chain and pocketbook snatches. I supervised two platoons of police officers, a 10x6 and a 6x2am tours. Well, there was one station at Broadway and Flushing Ave that was getting hit very hard. I devised a plan where I would combine my two platoons into one for a week. Well it was like Midway, where we kept making arrests one after the other as we now had sufficient manpower. Crime decreased. I guess the bad guys got the message that there was a new sheriff in town.
The Anti-crime supervisor and the anti-crime units were so effective in reducing crime and recovering weapons that the mayor and other politicians would later disband them for being too good. What a joke! But this would happen after my retirement.
I really don’t know where I got the innovative ideas, more to come, but I always credited the Brothers at my High School, Monsignor McClancy, with my succesS.
Most of my 6th squad members would eventually join me in the Anti-Crime unit or the Detective Division. I don’t want to blow my own horn, but at later retirement parties these officers would thank me for giving them the opportunity. As one later Chief would say, “in the police department there are many chiefs but only one Capo”.
Note, besides being assigned in unmarked cars and street clothes most males would grow the Anti-Crime beard, even the Capo. In my last 14 years I very rarely wore my uniform.
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IMAGE NOTE:To the right of the flag pole is the entrance of the Precinct, to the left is the firehouse.The top floor had the Borough command which supervised all the precincts in Patrol Borough Brooklyn North, and also the precinct Detective division. Address 211 Union Ave.
Around the corner was E 8 truck, the emergency services division.
Now I was assigned to the 6th squad and informed by a mentoring sergeant that I had inherited a group of malcontents and cynical Police officers, who by the way were mostly of Italian ancestry. I was soon to be tested as they decided to go on a summons strike. I held a meeting and asked whose idea this was? They said they were doing it on their own. I told them that they were to do exactly what other squads were doing, no more no less. Message sent. I have to say that these guys went from #8 to #1 in the precinct. It didn’t take long for the Precinct C.O. to take notice and he assigned me to the role as the Anti-Crime supervisor. I was not only to be in this assignment for four years but also I was re-upped for 7 years until I would be transferred to the Narcotics Division.
In the 90th Precinct most crime occurred around the overhead Broadway train lines. There were numerous robberies and gold chain and pocketbook snatches. I supervised two platoons of police officers, a 10x6 and a 6x2am tours. Well, there was one station at Broadway and Flushing Ave that was getting hit very hard. I devised a plan where I would combine my two platoons into one for a week. Well it was like Midway, where we kept making arrests one after the other as we now had sufficient manpower. Crime decreased. I guess the bad guys got the message that there was a new sheriff in town.
The Anti-crime supervisor and the anti-crime units were so effective in reducing crime and recovering weapons that the mayor and other politicians would later disband them for being too good. What a joke! But this would happen after my retirement.
I really don’t know where I got the innovative ideas, more to come, but I always credited the Brothers at my High School, Monsignor McClancy, with my succesS.
Most of my 6th squad members would eventually join me in the Anti-Crime unit or the Detective Division. I don’t want to blow my own horn, but at later retirement parties these officers would thank me for giving them the opportunity. As one later Chief would say, “in the police department there are many chiefs but only one Capo”.
Note, besides being assigned in unmarked cars and street clothes most males would grow the Anti-Crime beard, even the Capo. In my last 14 years I very rarely wore my uniform.
###
IMAGE NOTE:To the right of the flag pole is the entrance of the Precinct, to the left is the firehouse.The top floor had the Borough command which supervised all the precincts in Patrol Borough Brooklyn North, and also the precinct Detective division. Address 211 Union Ave.
Around the corner was E 8 truck, the emergency services division.
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