Fat Freddie and Chuckie

When I entered the 30th Precinct in 1969 as a rookie, I soon realized that the “Irish Mafia” dominated the command structure of the entire Police Department. One of the Lieutenants was nick-named Fat Freddie and he was a terror to the Italians, Hispanics, and Blacks who were making inroads in the NYPD. His favorite words were “hey F-0h”.

One day while he was cursing me out, I took my career in my hands and challenged him. “I am a Patrolman and my name is Joe DeStefano and I work for you.” Well, the die was cast and he said, “understood, get back to work.” From that day on I could do no wrong and I actually became his favorite and he became my mentor to the chagrin of the entire command. I became known as Freddie’s boy.

Actually, he was the first to congratulate me when I was promoted to Sargeant. Later I learned that he pulled the strings to help many other officers who were often charged with unfounded Civilian complains.

 Chuckie Scholl

One of the finest and most active Police Officers in my Anti Crime unit was Chuckie. He was a street wise cop and usually one of the first officers to respond to serious crimes. Basically, the members of my unit were to effect arrests and get on the monthly arrest sheet. 

My job was to supervise and give my members a “scratch” in their daily memo book. One day as I was doing this I caught Chuckie reading a comic book. I admonished him, saying you should be reading the Patrol Guide for the upcoming sergeants exam. He replied, “Sarge, I got a photographic memory and I read it once, I got it.”

Well, he scored high on that exam and was one of my first officers to be promoted. Eventually he would rise up in the ranks to Chief. He was one of the most beloved bosses and he would receive the highest accolade in the Department, “a cop’s cop.”

Years later I met Chuckie at a retirement party, and he thanked me. I said, “what for? you had the photographic memory.” No, he said, “it’s for when you heard that I was on the Sergeants list, you made me your driver.”

Chuckie was a lifer and retired after 35 years. Sadly he died 3 months later, hardly enjoying his retirement. I saw a photo of him exhausted at the Barclay Center after the George Floyd protest. The caption under the photo simply said, “he took care of his men”. ###

Note: Here is a link to Chief Scholl's obituary.

The Capo in Brooklyn

Here are some incidents from my brother’s career as a sergeant in Brooklyn’s 90th Precinct during which he became known as the Capo.

On his beat was Peter Luger’s Steakhouse, a favorite eating place for celebrities. 


Mayor Koch had his own security detail of two detectives. The Patrol Borough which was upstairs in the precinct would get a call, “the Eagle would be at Lugers around 7 pm, no uniform cops”. As the anti-crime supervisor I would be notified to give this special attention. When Mayor Koch pulled up, I was talking to the doorman. As he walked by, he said, “I thought I said no cops.” I replied being in plainclothes, “I don’t see any cops.” He smiled and said thank you.

Now with Elizabeth Taylor, I only saw her as she was the Diva, i.e., front round table with a rose, she was the Queen of Hollywood.

John Lennon did not have any cash and as Luger did not accept credit cards, he was issued an instant credit card and wrote on application, international drug dealer. Although I didn’t drink, I was sitting at the long bar, with Charlie the bartender having been informed that John Lennon was inside. Maybe, I should have told him to retract that line, “the Beatles are more famous than Jesus”.

Peter Luger Steakhouse

My father used to make store deliveries to the new Waste Management center in the industrial section of the precinct. One day he jumped a red light and was pulled over by a marked patrol car. Before he gave the officer his identification, he told him that his son was a Sergeant in the precinct. The officer replied, “your son is the Capo, please don’t tell him I stopped you.” He truly made my Father’s Day.

There was a famous street in the precinct named Graham Avenue. South of Metropolitan Ave. It was called the Avenue of Puerto Rico, and north it was the Via Vespucci. Actually you thought you were in Puerto Rico with the stores and Hispanic music in the south side. In the north was a stronghold of Italians who had not left the neighborhood for Nassau County. One day I went into a pizza parlor, and the owner could not believe that there was an Italian Sergeant in the precinct.

Later his 6-year-old son would fall off his bike and break his arm, and me and my chauffeur took him and his mother directly to the hospital.The father and son never forgot and many years later I would coach his son in baseball at McClancy high school. I would always be their Capo.

There is a procedure when you place a female in a police vehicle that you have to notify Central, of female in/ out of car and give the times. One winter night it was cold and snowy, and I spotted a female with two young children at a bus stop. I asked her where she was going and then put them in the back of the unmarked police car. I advised Central that we had a female and 2 to a certain location. Upon arrival I once again advised Central, 90 Anti-crime supervisor “female and two out of car.” Well somebody in our division of 5 precincts keyed the radio and said, “way to go, Capo”.

I was now to be known as the Capo for my next 7 years in the 90th. The name would follow me when I was to be assigned to the Narcotic Division until I retired 7 years later.

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Note, when assigned to Anti-crime you wear your shield around your neck on a chain for identification purposes.