October 2024

Post 13 Trivia Remember, when!

I’m going back to 1964, the New York World’s Fair opened in April at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens. I had just been discharged from the United States Coast Guard after spending four years at lifeboat stations on Long Island’s south coast. Thankfully, I as able to work for the World’s Fair Police (Pinkerton Agency) during the summer and United Parcel before being appointed to N.Y.P.D. in December 1964.

Eighteen months of foot patrol where I was originally assigned Patrol Post 13, but I was usually assigned to Special Post One (Clay Avenue, East 169th Street, north, down the hill to Webster Avenue.) It only had one store, a candy store belonging to Mr. Klein, a pain in the ass and a letter writer. Interesting that the four-eight had six radio cars (five sectors and a Sergeant’s car) back then and suddenly, the city found monies for new radio cars. Remember those 67′ Chevy Biscayne or Ford Broncos.

The next spring they added two sectors by splitting the two sectors up on the hill. Then came “Co-Terminology” in 1972, where the Bronx Precincts were realigned. The 48 lost the lower end, but we inherited “Little Italy” and everything north to Fordham Road. In fact, the new Four Eight station house was originally outside the precinct boundaries, and they had to take one square block from the Four Two and give it to the Four Eight. It had to do with “portal-to-portal” and the existence of a certain PBA delegate. In return, the city agreed to put a fence on the south side of the Cross Bronx Expressway. We must remember, the Black Liberation Army was still around.

We had over 425 patrolmen assigned to the precinct, and we were entitled to a fourth PBA delegate. After petitioning the organization, we had a June 1970 election and I won my first election by one vote. Luckily, I voted for myself. After the 1975 lay-offs, were had a run-off election and I remained a precinct delegate until retiring in June 1999. In March 1980, Charlie Petersen appointed me the Bronx Financial Sec’y and maintained that position until I gave it up in January 1999. Not a bad run, nearly twenty years on the board and thirty years as a precinct delegate.

Being a board officer, we had a full-time excusal. No morning roll calls and not having to write summons. I never liked writing summons to working individuals, Scum-bags were another matter, You could usually get them to cross the line, where handcuffs became the final solution . Back then, every click of the handcuff was money in the bank. October arrests usually came with the “Uniform” check and Santa Claus would bring lots of presents for under the Christmas tree.

My last several months saw me making two appearances before a Federal Grand Jury. It had to do with the “Lavoti” case. After my second appearance, the U.S. attorney said, “they would call me back after the holidays.” That never materialized and I started taking my used vacation and went on terminal leave. I retired July 1, 1999, on a service retirement. Thank God for the “Christmas” bonus. That’s what Bloomberg called it.

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