Muhheakannuck Nations at Nu Scodack
It takes 40 years to make a Sagamore .... S 7 2022
The Making of a Sagamore
Never Called by His Given Name
Auxiliary Police I
Auxiliary Police
In the summer of 1972, he completed the Auxiliary Police 10 week Primary Training course given at the Bronx Auxialiry Police Headquarters in the basement of Lehman College, across from the Reservoir. He was now Auxiliary Police Officer D'Amico of the 46th Precinct. He told her that they took women in Emergency Service so she also joined, completing her Primary training at Lehman at the end of December, 1972.
The purpose of the Auxiliary Police program was Civil Defense preparedness, to handle disasters, natural and otherwise. When Lindsey became Mayor, the program was revitalized.
Relations between regular Poice Offcers and Auxiliary Offficers were not always cordial. Regular officers thought the Auxiliary Program would threaten their jobs.
One evening, A/Sgt. D'Amico was checking a team on 188th Street when three small children came up to him and asked if he knew about the man being watched by the detectives. He didn't, but asked "What about him?" The little ones said that the man had moved out a week earlier. Children told him all kinds of things and he passed the information on through the auxiliary established channels.
Ladies of the evening also liked to talk with him as he was always respectful. He was following in the footsteps of their first Auxilairy Police Coordinator, Police Officer George Clark III. George liked to give informants S&H green stamps and other trading stamps in return for information. He had no stamps to give them but they had no use for certain types of crime in their work place. They both took the Intermediate training course at Lehman together at the end ot 1973 with Sgt. D. One of the things Sgt D emphasized was how to report an incident. A report was always begun with "While performing my duties in the prescribed manner, I did observe ...." with no mention made of what actually preceeded the incident. This was done to avoid incriminating oneself in any way and to keep the focus on what mattered, which was what was being reported The humor of the example situation of being in the wrong place at the wrong time [having a drink in a bar while on duty and then having a crime committed in ones presence] helped one remember the basic advice. She was promoted first, the night they completed the training. Unbeknowst to them, George had submitted her promotion papers during the course while holding Mike's papers until it was finished to insure her promotion because she was a female. This did not impact their marriage however, He was annoyed with George for "losing" his papers and making him wait another 3 months but was pleased that she had made Sergeant.
It would be years later before she would understand why she always outranked him in the program.
The 46th Precinct was a training command. Recent Academy graduates were assigned to a training precinct for their first months of patrol. In the 46th, a pair of rookies and an Auxiliary Police team were assigned to the same foot post, so the rookies could ask the Auxiliaries questions and the Auxiliaries could tell them about the area and remind the rookies of certain procedures if necessary. Both teams benefitted from this practice and long term friendships developed.
Three Rules:They established three rules every auxiliary had to observe: #1- Shined shoes: This resulted in the best dressed precinct in the city. People with shined shoes keep the rest of themselves spotless and it is contagious. It was so effective, the PD made it a requirement that officers wear corfams. Thia was a disaster, however, as they don't breathe and didn't need to be polished which eliminates the psychological benefit somewhat.#2- If an auxiliary was going to be absent on the agreed upon duty night, s/he had to notify the command: This made APOs aware that their presence and absence was noticed. It greatly improved reliability. The penalty for failing to notify was to write a "49" explaining why they were absent. This improved the writing capability of the officers and led to some getting hired in clerical jobs.#3- A patrol had to notify the command prior to leaving their post. They were aware this was for their safety and so knew someone cared about them. They were also made aware and continuously reminded of the need for caution.These three rules were enough to maintain a dsiciplined command.
Three Rules:They established three rules every auxiliary had to observe: #1- Shined shoes: This resulted in the best dressed precinct in the city. People with shined shoes keep the rest of themselves spotless and it is contagious. It was so effective, the PD made it a requirement that officers wear corfams. Thia was a disaster, however, as they don't breathe and didn't need to be polished which eliminates the psychological benefit somewhat.#2- If an auxiliary was going to be absent on the agreed upon duty night, s/he had to notify the command: This made APOs aware that their presence and absence was noticed. It greatly improved reliability. The penalty for failing to notify was to write a "49" explaining why they were absent. This improved the writing capability of the officers and led to some getting hired in clerical jobs.#3- A patrol had to notify the command prior to leaving their post. They were aware this was for their safety and so knew someone cared about them. They were also made aware and continuously reminded of the need for caution.These three rules were enough to maintain a dsiciplined command.
Civil Service
While taking the Auxiliary Primary training at Lehman College, she had seen notices about courses offered by the College and decided to enroll in a computer course at Lehman.
The first one, in the fall of 1973, was in PL1 taught by an IBMer whose job had him commuting from White Plains to Washington, D.C. several times a week. He taught at Lehman as a community service which IBM encouraged.
In the Spring of 1974, she enrolled in the next course which was in Assembler language. It was generally thought the instructor did not mark on a curve. If one scored in the 60s, one received a D, 70s got a C, etc. She received an A on the first course. However, on the midterm of the second course she scored 125. It was then she realized, the tests were scored on the basis of 150 with anything 100 or over as an A+. She had broken the man's curve.
At the 46, George encouraged her to take the Civil Service test for NYC Policer Officer and she applied. She noticed there was an exam for Computer Programmer Trainee for which she also applied. She passed both. She was called for Police Officer. She took and passed the physical, medical and psychological tests.
She met with an Officer in the 47 who was assigned to do her background investigation. He didn't ask anything which would lead to learning of her involvement with the Department and she didn't volunteer wanting to see if it would turn up in the investigation. The last time she met with him, she was told the investigation was finished but there was still no mention of the Auxiliary Program. She told the officer there was something else that didn't come up in the investigation, making him pause and nearly panic.
She was an Auxiliary Police Sergeant.
She was to enter the January 1975 class. As part of the preparation, they were invited to the Police Academy, along with her parents. It was then that her father told them a few things he thought she should know.When she was in the Marianettes, St.Catherine's all girl Drum and Bugle Corps, her Dad would wait for the bus to bring the girls home from contests with the other fathers. During one of these waits, one of the fathers, a New York City Police Officer, had told Dad about what he did as a Police Officer. He worked under cover on special assignments. He would receive orders to eliminate certain criminals for whom convictions could not be obtained due to legal loop holes. He was an official assassin. For some reason, she was not surprised.No one, however, from her list was called. All the members of the January 1975 class were scoured off every other Police Officer list in existence. And they were laid off 2 months later. The Department had not wanted to alienate the top 500 from the most recent exam. This list would expire in 4 years without a single person ever being hired off it.
The layoffs at the Academy were followed by 2000 layoffs in the precincts. There was no advance warning. The day began as any other, except those being laid off were instructed to turn in their shield, id and firearm. The parade to the Desk went on all through the day and into the evening and included those who had the day off. Sgt Epstein manned the Desk throughout. Of the 300 officers assigned to the 46, 180 were laid off. Morale plummeted. Auxiliary patrols ceased because of the high level of anger among the regular officers and disgust among the auxiliaries.There was conflict between Mike and Officer Grauer, the PBA rep. With his labor background, Mike had always had an affinity with union organizations. The PBA was no exception. However, there were differences of opinon as to the best course of action.
Bike Day
A summer program was instituted in the Bronx on Sundays on the Concourse. Known as Bike Day, it came to be run by the 46 Auxiliary Police under the supervision of the Patrol supervisor of the day.. The center lanes from 188th St south to 181st St were closed to vehicular traffic Sunday mornings to mid afternoons. This area was reserved to pedestrians, skate boarders and cyclists.
Streets Rolled up/ All hell breaks loose
On one of the rare occasions that they were actually out together, she was driving them back to the 46 when they observed a vehicle slam into a 46 marked van on 181st ST entering the Grand Concourse. The van was sent up on a concrete triangle with the two officers knocked unconscious. A/Lt. D'Amico went to check out and assist the injured officers while she handled traffic across the intersection. Officers began arriving on foot from the 46 only a block away. Traffic virtually disappeared. As usual, the action folllowed Mike. As Mike opened the driver's door, the driver's service weapon fell to the pavement. Mike retrieved it for safe keeping. A non Member of the Service from 1 Police Plaza pulled a gun on Mike. Within seconds every gun within 30 feet was pointing at the visitor, with Sgt. Epstein's in his face. He quietly disappeared.
Bi-Centennial 1976
OpSail and the Independence bi-centenial celebration in July 1976 was the first major uptick in the mood of the 46th Precinct. Officers assigned to monitor the festive crowds during the 3 day celebration began to relax and remember that most people were not the enemy but neighbors, people like themselves. As the 4th of July weekend progressed, more and more officers were smiling once again.
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