Confessions Of A Racial Profiler

I’m retired now after a wonderful career with the New York City Police Department, and I have a confession to make.

I used a person’s race to initiate investigations and makesubsequent arrests. In fact, according to the definition bandied aboutby those on the left who have no idea what they are talking about nor aclue when it comes to police work, I was – yes – a racial profiler.

A little background. I was a detective, a third generation member ofthe greatest police department in the world, descendant of mygrandfather who sailed from the west of Ireland and then served as a cop for 35 years. My dad, the man I most admire, is a retired first grade detective who put in 33.

In November 1992 I was transferred to Manhattan North Narcotics. We covered the precincts north of 59th St. but rarely did enforcement south of 96th St.

I never had a better time in my life than my early years inManhattan North. I worked with the greatest guys in the world and hadmore laughs than you could imagine. I went to war with these guys andgals, white, black, Hispanic.

Put it this way. When you were up there during this time, you didn’twant to take off or go on vacation and miss something. There wasnothing worse than coming back to work and have some guy say, “Wow, youshould have been here yesterday.”

I spent a lot of time in Washington Heightsduring those years, working narcotics in the confines of the 30thPrecinct. It was a busy place with loads of illegal drug activity -dealing on the street and in residential buildings outfitted andbarricaded as drug spots. We made arrests, thousands of arrests, andhere is one of the ways the white cops and Hispanic cops and black copsdid it.

We looked for white people.

That’s all you really had to do. Cruise Broadway or Amsterdam Ave.or Riverside Drive in an unmarked car, spot the white guy driving thevehicle with the Jersey plate slow and deliberate, watch him park andshuffle to the sale location, watch him walk back to the vehicle withthe pep in his step shortly thereafter and bingo. Most times you had acollar.

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2009-08-05