First Gun Arrest

 

Usually I was assigned to a foot patrol but on the day of my first gun collar I was assigned to an RMP (Radio Motor Patrol).  We received a call 10-30, Robbery in progress, man with a gun w143 st. and Broadway, liquor store. As we were a block away we pulled up and surprised the young robber. Before we cuffed him, he handed me his jacket in which later I recovered the pistol. His mother went to the precinct and said her son was innocent and that I had planted the gun on him. I told her I’ll see you in court tomorrow. 

 

Well in those days if you didn’t get a ride you took the iron horse downtown. On the train I met the mother and she says she heard that things are bad at Rikers. Is there anything I could do? I told her I would talk to the Assistant District Attorney as this was his first offense. The judge released him into her recognition. As we walked out of court, she thanked me. I learned that no child is ever guilty in a mother’s eyes.

I then went across the street to the famous bar, Marofi’s for a pastrami on rye from the Hawk. The court house was located in lower Manhattan, 100 Centre street, the infamous Tombs. Marofi was a bar behind the court house where Judges, ADAs, and defense attorneys settled a lot of cases over pastrami and rye and of course a pint of suds.

In my ten years I effected 22 arrests, mainly because my other assignments would soon take me off the streets. In a new assignment I would become the Station house officer, a position held by Lieutenants for more than 100 prior years. The
Police Department was evolving at a very fast rate as society was.

Maybe I should have prefaced that never in my career did I fire my revolver, but I was prepared to do so.To this day I thank the Lord.


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First Arrest

It had been more than two weeks since I had been assigned to the 30th Precinct and I had not effected an arrest. Well my time was soon coming but I had not expected how it turned out. I was assigned to a 4x12 shift and after reporting for duty, I was assigned to the Central Park detail, not unusual for rookie or young officers. Well I got back early, and the desk officer reassigned me to Patrol post #6.

I actually went out to w145 street to w152 street and Convent Ave. Note this was the house post and I did not know that I was supposed to go to the locker room and complete my tour. About 2300 hours I witnessed a woman crossing an intersection and two males jumped her and stole her pocket book. I was about a block away, and it happened so fast. They fled and I approached the woman and asked her if she was alright. She said yes, and then I saw that their footprints led into a 5 story walk up. [It was March and there must have been snow on the ground]

She accompanied me as we went to the roof in order to recover her pocket book. Now on the roof, I saw that their footprints led to the fire escape. Lo and behold as I looked over, I saw the two robbers going thru her bag and I told them "police, my partner is at the bottom of the fire escape." They walked up to the roof where I handcuffed them right hand to right hand and said if they fought or tried to escape I would shoot them. I walked them about 5 blocks back to the precinct and once again stated that I would shoot them if anybody tried to assist them.

When I walked into the precinct, the Lieutenant asked where I was as they were looking for me. I said I got two under for Robbery. He said good job and take them up to the detectives.

Somethings I recall: the detectives helped me process the arrests and fingerprints. I think the patrol wagon took me and the prisoners to court. I met the female complainant in the room where the court docket was typed up, a very long process. Then had to wait in courtroom for arraignment. First the prostitution cases were heard for their pimps paid $50 to get the girls back on the streets. A tax even then in this money making scheme. Then my case was heard, I don’t recall much, propbably remanded to Rikers for later court appearance, or they might have plead guilty.

The female stayed with me and I think we took the subway home, she told me that she was about 3 buildings from her residence when she was robbed. I think I kept my first memo book, I will check today to refresh my memory. [see image]

Looking back, it was the element of surprise that assisted me, as it could have gone very bad. In 1969 I could have shot them. This policy started to change in about 1972, with the Knapp Commission. In 1969 I guess I had stupid courage but that’s what Cops do. When the word got out in the Precinct, I went from being a rookie to a seasoned veteran, and respected by all.

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Note: I was attempting to recover the woman’s pocketbook, I never expected to find the two robbers going thru it on the fire escape.   

 

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. ###