NYPD Corruption: Same As It Ever Was?

In 1970 the Knapp Commission investigated wide-spread corruption in the New York Police Department, and Michael Armstrong takes a look back at its work in his new book They Wished They Were Honest as reported by Sam Roberts for The New York Times:

"Mr. Armstrong, a criminal lawyer, was counsel to the Knapp Commission and is now the chairman of the city’s Commission to Combat Police Corruption. At the time of the Knapp Commission, he recalls, Sydney C. Cooper, a police commander, was quoted as saying that the police brass 'used to sit around discussing corruption with all the enthusiasm of a bunch of little old ladies talking about venereal disease.'"

The $64,000 question, of course, is whether rampant corruption still pervades law enforcement in the Big Apple.

One of the red flags to investigators at the time of the Knapp Commission of possible police corruption were the the numerous gay bars -- many presumably mobbed-up -- which openly flouted the time for last call. Armstrong writes:

"They [the investigators] had been focusing their attention on the West Village gay bars whose flamboyant after-hours activities seemingly should have attracted the attention of the area’s police. The area was one of warehouses and garages, and nestled among them were a number of after-hours bars and homosexual prostitution hangouts, operating loudly and openly well past legal closing time."

More than forty years later the mob still is in a few gay bars according to some sources, and other gay establishments seemingly are engaged in naughty behavior all to which the NYPD, the NYDA and other law enforcement agencies apparently are turning a blind eye.

Of course, such claims should not be startling. The Mafia once enjoyed near-monopoly control over gay bars in New York City, and even as late as 1985 reputed capo Matthew "Matty the Horse" Ianniello was convicted with several associates for skimming profits out of several bars including the tranny bar Gilded Grape and the hustler bar Hay Market.

One former barback of a currently-operating downtown gay bar claims that the place is run by the mob, and although only nineteen years old at the time of his under-the-table employment allegedly was allowed to guzzle all the alcohol he could at a discounted $1 a drink. A freelance writer who was working on an ultimately-killed story for a major online gay news site interviewed a bartender at that same establishment who reportedly acknowledged a "rumor" about Mafia control but was "too afraid" to ask about it.

And a former manager of a currently-operating uptown gay bar alleges that the establishment at which he worked – plus another one nearby – is run by "wise guys." A bartender at that same uptown joint even once identified an alleged mobster who from time-to-time made an appearance, and although married with children the purported wise guy apparently has a little sugar in his tank and is known to sample the merchandise.

A number of gay establishments seemingly are involved in prohibited commercial sex businesses under the cover of legitimate operations. These businesses have articles of incorporation with the New York Secretary of State representing that they were formed only for lawful purposes, and yet their operations behind closed doors may belie this representation which arguably could constitute filing a false instrument in violation of Penal Law section 175.30. Moreover, funneling proceeds generated from commercial sex businesses through purportedly lawful corporations perhaps could be considered as money laundering in violation of Penal Law section 470.05 which prohibits, among other things, engaging in transactions designed to "conceal or disguise the nature . . . of the proceeds of criminal conduct." Indeed, a case could be argued that such a business model if in fact true may amount to enterprise corruption under Penal Law 460 which is New York's version of the racketeering law.

The failure of law enforcement to act on gay bars which allegedly are Mafia-infiltrated or gay businesses which may be in violation of the law is seemingly inexplicable.

Frank Serpica, the NYPD detective who blew the whistle on police corruption which sparked the Knapp Commission, says it still all exists as reported by WNYC: "'In my time no, not every policeman was corrupt,' he said. 'But those that were corrupt were the ones that ran the show. And that's the way it works today.'"

Indeed, just last month, "three former detectives and a current one have filed lawsuits alleging that they were harassed for reporting corruption" within the NYPD as reported by New York Magazine. These lawsuits "and interviews with several officers who have called Internal Affairs to report their colleagues, seem to provide ample evidence that the anti-snitching culture in the Police Department remains virulent" as reported by Joseph Goldstein for The New York Times.

In addition to the big-time overt corruption, there’s pervasive small-time corruption that those involved don’t even view AS corruption. I’m not a cop...but I grew up around cops, I have family and friend that are currently cops. I’ve heard many conversations between cops about how they select the place they’re going to eat based on where they’re not expected to pay. They think nothing of it. The attitude is that the establishment likes to have police present, that it makes it a safer environment...so why wouldn’t - indeed why SHOULDN’T - they give us free food? They go there expecting a freebie if not outright asking. That’s a quid-pro-quo. And other times where they discussing buying stereos, camcorders or whatever really cheap from another cop that gets if from a “friend”. Really? Merchandise available below store prices on the street and it never occurs to them it may be stolen. Please. They’d laugh if a perp told them the same story. More stories about routinely obliterating the speed limit and flashing the badge when they’re pulled over...more about flashing the badge to get into concerts, ball games etc...official business ya’ know....and discussing the best places to sleep in the police car while on the 8 to 4 ....you never see any of this on the TV police shows......

What a great business model, run a gay prostitution ring and use it to gather dirt on all the bigwigs in NYC. No wonder no one does anything about it. Together with what it gathers from the hetero prostitution, the Mob probably can’t be touched by anyone. The minority who are clean can’t get anywhere. Did Michael Corleone think of that one, or did they copy the Soviets? Whichever, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama know how to play that game, too.

Not a prostitution ring.

“seemingly are involved in prohibited commercial sex businesses under the cover of legitimate operations” should read “seemingly are involved with prohibited commercial sex venues under the cover of legitimate operations.”

In my time no, not every policeman was corrupt,' he said. 'But those that were corrupt were the ones that ran the show. And that's the way it works today.

I've been saying that for years. When there's no accountability, the bad apples eventually take over. And the good guys either go along or else ...

Why is the a police Duty?!

“According to New York electoral procedure, the official vote count does not begin until the day following an election. The New York Police Department is responsible for releasing initial, unofficial vote counts to the press based on information provided by poll workers. In last Tuesday night’s unofficial count, according to the board of elections, the NYPD listed zero tallies in some districts where that information had been provided.”
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57465820-503544/rangel-rival-challenging-primary-results/

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