#NYPD Inspector General

[mirai-desu]

Miss Scarlet & The Duke Read-a-likes

I had already started on a post of Miss Scarlet & The Duke read-a-likes before The News, and now I want to prove that hey, you can have historical mysteries with romance and the leads get together! When MSATD first came out I thought, this is like the books love to read! (whoops). The following are series that I feel like, as a librarian, skew closer to the actual original premise (ahem) of MSATD, but aren't the Historical Romance genre (i.e. these books are rated closer to the TV show, when it comes to the steam factor). In these cases, I chose titles that aren't just mysteries but feature the romance prominently, but also aren't just HR with a mystery in the background.

Disclaimer: mileage may vary; for some of these it's been awhile since I've read them and there might be mistakes. There's also a few other series that might work that are on my TBR list, so I might be updating this list in the near future.

Top Picks:

Veronica Speedwell 1880s, London | POV: First person; heroine You've probably seen this book listed as a MSATD read-a-like before, because not only is the time period similar, but so is the dynamic between the leads. The main difference is that the protagonists are actually natural historians and not detectives, and some of the plots are more adventure-like (think "Cell 99") than police cases. If I had to pick one series to rec, it's this one.

Molly Murphy 1900s, New York | POV: First person; heroine While in New York (har har), this series I think has a most general set up to MSATD; a lady detective with an agency that she takes over, and her love interest, a detective with the police force. There's even an Arabella. But don't fret! (ngl, though, this series proves that William wouldn't have an easier time with the NYPD than he does SY… RN might have wanted to do some research…)

Captain Jim & Lady Diana 1890s, India, US, UK | POV: Differs between books, 1st book is more his POV The first book in this series has a more layered approach with the setting of British India (which is fascinating in its own right), but the next two are more in line with MSATD and the other series listed.

Carpenter & Quincannon 1890s, San Francisco | POV: Third person limited, both hero and heroine This series is written by a husband and wife duo (HA), and might be a little confusing to figure out the order given the characters' appearances in their other works, but the actual series linked here is about two former Pinkertons who form their own detective agency together. Some of the cases are a little predictable, and there are a few books where their cases don't intertwine as well as the others, but it's still an enjoyable read of two detectives who make it work both professionally and personally.

Other Picks:

Wrexford & Sloane Regency, London | POV: Third person limited, both hero and heroine The latest volumes actually name check MSATD in their blurbs. I think the feel is slightly different, given the time period and a few other elements that are clear when you start reading them, but they are similar enough that I get the comparison.

Daisy Dalrymple 1920s, UK | POV: Third person limited, both hero and heroine 1920s historical mysteries with romance are a genre all into themselves, but I recommend this series over some of the others because of the HEA. (also tacking this on here: Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries is loads better as a TV series, which is why I don't recommend the books).

Inspector Corravan 1870s, London | POV: Third person limited; hero There's only two of this series so far, but I feel like the male lead has shades of William to him.

Athenian Mysteries Ancient Greece | Male POV (from what I remember) This one is off the beaten path compared to the others, but I do recommend it because of the dynamic between the leads and the HEA.

Great series but… the Slow Burn is Still… Slow

Bess Crawford WWI, UK/France | POV: First person; heroine I really do like this series, but I have to have a somewhat spoilery caveat: we are still in the slow burn 13 books in. But I have to recommend it anyway, because there's some striking similarities in that the female lead's father is the mentor to the male lead. I will warn you; there are a few books that he barely appears in. So maybe try this one last lol

Promising Start

Dr. Julia Lewis 1860s, London | POV: Third person limited; hero and heroine + villain My hold on this debut literally showed up the day after I almost finished the post, but I after reading the first one, it's definitely in the same vein (there's also a very overt reference to something that I'm certain is a nod to MSATD...). Looking forward to the next one for sure.

[beardedmrbean]

Federal and local authorities arrested dozens of employees of New York City's public housing agency in a series of morning raids Tuesday linked to a massive bribery and extortion plot, according to prosecutors.

The raids, coordinated by Homeland Security Investigations and the city's Department of Investigation, netted the most single-day bribery arrests in the history of the Justice Department, according to Damian Williams, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.

In all, 70 people were arrested in six states.

ILLEGAL MASTERMINDS OF NYC ROBBERY RING HACKED BANK APPS, RESOLD STOLEN PHONES OVERSEAS

"As we allege, the 70 defendants charged today allegedly demanded over $2 million in bribe money from contractors in exchange for giving out over $13 million of work," he said at a news briefing. "And if the contractors didn't pay up, the defendants wouldn't give them the work."

According to court documents, an unnamed co-conspirator allegedly texted another asking how much of a bribe she should demand: "1k per cool?"

NYPD RELEASES MIGRANT RAID PHOTOS AS SOFT-ON-CRIME LEADERS FACE NATIONAL OUTRAGE

"No problem babe, as long as your are being blessed," Angela Williams, a 64-year-old suspect who is not related to the U.S. attorney, allegedly replied.

The New York City Housing Authority, or NYCHA, is the country's largest public housing system and takes in more than $1.5 billion in federal funding every year, according to the DOJ. 

As a public entity, it is required to bid contracts for most repairs or construction work and go with the lowest bidder. But there is an exemption for essential projects, such as plumbing emergencies or broken windows, that cost under $10,000.

Management at each building was allowed to make "no-bid" deals for those jobs.

All of the suspects were NYCHA superintendents or assistant superintendents when prosecutors say they demanded cuts of between $500 to $2,000 or more per job, ultimately collecting $2 million of taxpayers' money since it came out of the funds contractors received from city and federal agencies.

"That's classic pay-to-play, and this culture of corruption at NYCHA ends today," Williams said.

The kickback scheme was so pervasive it took place in almost a third of NYCHA's properties, he said.

Investigators are asking contractors who may have been victimized by similar demands for pay-to-play bribes to contact the DOJ's whistleblower program at USANYS.WBP@usdoj.gov or the city's inspector general.

Most of the suspects have been charged with taking bribes and extortion, which carry 10- and 20-year maximum sentences in federal prison, respectively. Several face more charges.

[hackernewsrobot]

NYPD is refusing to comply with NYC’s new surveillance tech laws

https://www.dailydot.com/debug/nypd-violating-post-act-inspector-general/ Comments

[indulgeamsterdam]

City promised a report on NYPD’s ‘secret’ gang database by end of 2022, advocates still waiting

City promised a report on NYPD’s ‘secret’ gang database by end of 2022, advocates still waiting

The Office of the Inspector General (OIG-NYPD), a Department of Investigation (DOI) agency, started to probe the Criminal Group Database—NYPD’s “secret” gang database—in 2018, but there’s still no official report on the furtive list today, despite Commissioner Jocelyn Strauber’s projection of a release by the end of 2022 during a City Council hearing last spring. She said a draft was already in…

[valortec]

Meet the instructors! Raul Q, Retired NYPD, analyst for the Government Accountability Office (GAO) -with a focus on Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agencies and programs. DHS Office of Inspector General (OIG). #nra #nrainstructor #veteranowned #womenowned #wearethegoodguys #tacticaltrainingorlando #firearmatrainingorlando #gunsafety #gunsofinstagram #photooftheday #instafamous #fireamstraining #concealedcarry (at Orlando, Florida) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cg9aaHLOmJw/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[jonathandesverneyusanews]

New York City's inspector general criticizes NYPD's handling of George Floyd protests

New York City’s inspector general criticizes NYPD’s handling of George Floyd protests

The New York Police Department was caught off guard by the size of the spring protests after the killing of George Floyd and resorted to aggressive disorder control methods that stoked tensions and stifled free speech, the city’s inspector general said in a report released Friday.  The Department of Investigation report followed a six-month probe that focused on the NYPD’s institutional planning…

[canadianabroadvery]

Biggest gang in NYC the NYPD.

[eacastilloc]

and here we are again | #2

Y aquí estamos de nuevo, una vez más, de pie sobre el borde, respirando, vacilando.

Siempre la toma por sorpresa por las mañanas; la forma en que la luz se filtra a través del vidrio, arrojando fractales en forma de diamante en el suelo; el escalofrío que atraviesa las capas de ropa, se le mete debajo de la piel y le llega a los huesos; los sonidos apagados de la ciudad despertando de su letargo, lentos y perezosos.

Akane camina rápidamente por las calles, con las manos escondidas en los bolsillos de su abrigo para protegerse de la brisa de la mañana, su aliento saliendo en pequeñas bocanadas de vapor. No es la primera vez que la envían a trabajar a Nueva York, pero es su primera experiencia del otoño fuera de Japón.

Debido al Proyecto 2501 y al incidente de tráfico de drogas Substance-D hace un año, el MWPSB ha estado trabajando en estrecha colaboración con el FBI y también ha enviado a sus inspectores y ejecutores para programas de capacitación de intercambio con el NYPD. Cinco años desde el incidente con Makishima Shogo y Japón está aprendiendo lentamente a abrir sus fronteras al mundo una vez más, como una flor mantenida demasiado tiempo en la oscuridad, desplegando cada pétalo lentamente, uno por uno, para beber y absorber todo el luz de la que se había ocultado antes. La SIBYL todavía ejercía la gobernanza sobre el bienestar público y todo el sustento y el futuro de una persona todavía están muy predeterminados para el ciudadano japonés medio. Tanto los ciudadanos como los extranjeros no son libres de viajar dentro y fuera de Japón todavía, pero incluso los administradores han comenzado a ver la importancia de mantener el comercio con otros países y, como mínimo, están dispuestos a aprender y adaptarse, a crecer. e intercambiar conocimientos, para cambiar.

Akane es inusualmente temprano esta mañana; la mayoría de los días se reunía con el resto de la Unidad 1 para desayunar en el comedor, antes de dirigirse al centro de formación.

Se había despertado de un sueño al amanecer- su corazón latía tan rápido dentro de su pecho que le dolía, su respiración escapaba en jadeos mientras trataba de ahuyentar las imágenes de rostros borrosos - "Yuki, Kagari, Masaoka-san… ¿Kougami?"

Incapaz de volver a dormirse, sintió la necesidad de salir de su habitación, eligiendo ahora vagar por las calles sin rumbo fijo; mirar el sol arrastrarse lánguidamente desde su nido metálico de rascacielos que bordean el horizonte y subir hacia arriba buscando el cielo; sentir el frío beso del otoño rozando su mejilla.

Respirar y recordar cómo es sentirse vivo.

A Masaoka-san le hubiera encantado ver el amanecer aquí, piensa, él le mostró sus pinturas del cielo al amanecer y al anochecer, compartiendo su fascinación por cómo los colores cambian con cada minuto que pasa, una ráfaga de emociones que se manifiesta en Cada tono. Ahora Kagari-chan... probablemente se había quejado por haber sido obligado a levantarse tan temprano solo para ver el amanecer, especialmente si no estaba de servicio. Akane sonríe un poco al pensarlo.

Mientras se abre paso entre la escasa multitud, pensando en tomarse un café caliente, oye una conmoción varios metros delante de ella. Ella mira hacia arriba para ver a un hombre (un ladrón) que amenaza a una mujer y a su hijo con un cuchillo, extendiendo una mano para arrebatarle el bolso a la mujer.

El niño, demasiado joven, demasiado ingenuo, pero tan imprudentemente valiente, se mueve para agarrar la muñeca del hombre, para alejarlo de su madre. El ladrón chasquea la lengua con molestia y corta al chico con el cuchillo.

Akane se apresura hacia adelante, agarrando el objeto más cercano que puede (un periódico enrollado de un puesto de carretera cercano) y lo arroja en su dirección, atrapándolo en el costado de la cabeza. Gruñendo en estado de shock, el ladrón tropieza, su cuchillo cortando el aire justo cuando el niño esquiva el golpe y libera a su madre del agarre del ladrón.

"¡Policía! ¡Suelta tu arma!" Ordena Akane, alcanzando a su Dominator (un arma de fuego). Aquí, sin la gobernanza de SIBYL, no puede medir el coeficiente de delincuencia del hombre. Pero el arma está bloqueada en el modo Paralizador y todavía puede disparar si también lo ha hecho. El ladrón maldice y sale disparado de la calle, con el bolso apretado fuertemente contra su pecho.

Akane les da a la mujer y a su hijo una mirada rápida, asegurándose de que los dos estén ilesos, antes de perseguir al hombre, siguiéndolo mientras corre hacia el parque de la ciudad.

Ella casi lo pierde de vista cuando él se abre paso a través de filas de arbustos cuidadosamente recortados. Akane reprime una maldición silenciosa mientras presiona hacia adelante, solo para escuchar un grito de sorpresa, seguido de un grito de dolor. Cuando finalmente dobla hacia la esquina, ve al ladrón dominado por otro hombre, uno a quien reconoce.

Ella se congela en seco, los ojos muy abiertos como si hubiera visto un fantasma; destellos de recuerdos de un tiempo pasado.

El ladrón lucha, pero el otro hombre más alto lo sujeta con fuerza. Un brazo está dolorosamente torcido detrás de él y la pelea habría terminado fácilmente si ella no hubiera dejado que su voz sonara mientras llamaba, "¿Kougami-san ...?"

Kougami se sobresalta cuando escucha los pasos que se acercan, escucha su nombre con esa voz tan familiar.

"Akane." Hay un tono en su voz, aunque no tan brusco como ella recuerda de años atrás. Es más suave, más suave, con algo parecido al cariño.

Un silencio momentáneo pasa entre ellos, sus miradas todavía se fijan el uno en el otro mientras ambos luchan por encontrar las palabras adecuadas para hablar.

No es una pausa larga, pero es suficiente para que el ladrón recupere su ingenio. Arrancando su brazo del agarre de Kougami, se libera y corta hacia arriba con su cuchillo.

El siseo de dolor de Kougami envía un escalofrío de miedo por su espalda; Más frío que el frío otoñal, frío como el hielo. Hace una mueca y da un paso atrás, la sangre brota de una herida en su brazo izquierdo.

"¡Kougami!" Akane se apresura hacia adelante y antes de que ninguno de los dos pueda moverse, apunta al Dominator y dispara. El ladrón cae al suelo fácilmente, un trozo de juguete roto desechado por un niño.

Akane deja escapar un suspiro de alivio, bajando su arma y las teclas un informe rápido a través de su comunicador de muñeca: los drones llegarán lo suficientemente pronto para recoger al ladrón. Entonces se acerca a Kougami, con una profunda preocupación en sus ojos mientras pregunta: "¿Estás gravemente herido?"

Kougami solo se encoge de hombros, esa familiar media sonrisa jugando en las comisuras de sus labios. "Es solo un corte..., no es nada serio..."

Sin embargo, ella toma su mano entre las suyas, revisándola antes de buscar un pañuelo en el bolsillo de su abrigo y comenzar a vendar la herida.

"Akane-"

"Kougami–"

Hacen una pausa, solo para reír torpemente, dándose cuenta de que ambos habían hablado al mismo tiempo.

Akane le ofrece una pequeña sonrisa. "Ha pasado un tiempo, Kougami-san."

"Ah, lo ha hecho".

"Parece que lo estás haciendo bien".

"Es..., diferente de antes, y toma un tiempo acostumbrarse, pero,..." Kougami hace una mueca cuando Akane aprieta el nudo alrededor de su vendaje improvisado. “Ha sido bueno en general, aunque es difícil encontrar trabajos ocasionales en esta época del año. Tal vez tenga que considerar ese trabajo de barista a tiempo parcial en la cafetería del centro."

"¿E-Eh? ¿En serio?" Las cejas de Akane se arquean con sorpresa. Intenta imaginárselo con un delantal de barista verde, con el logo de la cafetería estampado en el costado y una etiqueta negra con su nombre en la camisa.

La expresión de su rostro debe haberle delatado sus pensamientos, porque los labios de Kougami se curvan en una sonrisa más amplia ahora, antes de que estalle en carcajadas (no cree haberlo escuchado antes reír así).

Entonces ella se ríe, finalmente se da cuenta de que él solo se había estado burlando de ella. Cuando levanta la mirada para encontrarse con la de Kougami, solo puede sonreír, sintiendo el movimiento de las emociones y el alivio dentro de ella mientras dice en voz baja: "Me alegro de que estés bien, Kougami-san".

Y ella lo dice en serio, lo hace; ella está muy feliz de verlo de nuevo. Entonces, ¿por qué, entonces, hay lágrimas en sus ojos ahora? Ella no esta segura.

Una mirada extraña cruza el rostro de Kougami. Es un pequeño destello en su expresión de cara de póquer, pero ella sabe que está ahí (siempre lo ha hecho). Se da la vuelta y el silencio tenso se extiende entre ellos, una pared de vidrio de deseos no dichos que se elevan desde lo más profundo de sus corazones.

Cuando Kougami se gira para mirarla de nuevo, su mirada se suaviza, y tentativamente, con cautela, se acerca a ella. Inclinándose hacia adelante para que su frente toque la de ella, le roza las lágrimas con los dedos y dice: "Me alegra que tú también estés bien. Y lo siento. Por todo".

Y luego vuelve a sonreír, riendo entre lágrimas y levantando una mano para golpearlo suavemente en la nariz mientras dice: "Tonto. No hay nada de qué disculparse".

Las cosas nunca volverían a ser como eran antes, eso es lo que ella sabe.

Pero por ahora- Aquí sola, con sus brazos alrededor de su cuello en un fuerte abrazo, los sonidos de la ciudad en el fondo y sintiendo su toque, su abrazo a su alrededor, su voz; sintiendo todo eso y sabiendo que está vivo, está bien.

Por ahora, es suficiente para ella, para ellos, empezar de nuevo y tener un nuevo comienzo.

FIN

[sultanezamel]

General HH Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior in his office today with Dermot Francis Xie inspector general for the NYPD and his entourage.

[creepingsharia]

Abolishing the Police – A Terrorist's Dream Come True

by Patrick Dunleavy IPT News

What began as a sincere cry for justice in the tragic killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has evolved into a critical examination of policing in the United States. Some are calling for drastic changes in the way police departments operate in society.

And while that call has garnered support and triggered debate, it has also produced confusion.

Some voices demand that we "defund the police." What that actually means is not yet clear.

A more dangerous clarion call has come forth reaching fever pitch among some and that is to put an end to policing altogether. Mariame Kaba, director of Project NIA, penned an oped in the New York Times recently Friday calling for just that.

"The surest way of reducing police violence is to reduce the power of the police, by cutting budgets and the number of officers," she wrote. "But don't get me wrong. We are not abandoning our communities to violence. We don't want to just close police departments. We want to make them obsolete."

Words are important and while we can debate what is or isn't meant by the word defund, there is no ambiguity in the word abolish.

The group Muslims4Abolition, which counts Louis Farrakhan's Nation of Islam and Linda Sarsour's MPower Change among its supporters, wants "... to be part of the movement to abolish bail, abolish jails, abolish the police, abolish prisons, abolish immigration custody, abolish state surveillance, and to build the world we deserve."

In other words, they want to completely eradicate every important component in the criminal justice system.

"It is a fact," they claim, "that police brutality is a leading cause of death amongst young Black men."

While black people, especially black men have been killed by police, it is far from a leading cause of death.

Accidents, illness and homicide are the dominant causes of death among black men 44 years old and younger, Centers for Disease Control data shows.

So far, the movement to abolish police seems limited to activists and protesters. Elected officials seem more focused on reforms.

But what would the Muslims4Abolition world look like if the politics changed, and who would be happiest in it?

One group that probably would be ecstatic over the thought of no cops are the terrorists.

Police are often expected to wear a variety of hats: counselor, confessor, protector, etc.

The role of the local police officer and how he or she acts as a deterrent to terrorism is often overlooked.

We think of elite federal agencies like the CIA, FBI, or the even Navy Seals as the vanguard in defense from terrorist attacks. Too often, we forget the numerous occasions where it was a local cop who saved the day.

The FBI's vaunted Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) is comprised of city, state, and local law enforcement officers. The JTTF could not successfully operate without them.

Historically it has been a local officer or beat cop simply doing his or her job that deterred or thwarted the terrorists' evil goal.

For example, it was a New York Police Department cop named Don Sadowy who in 1993 uncovered the rear axle of the van used in the first World Trade Center bombing. That piece of evidence was used to identify the perpetrators who had rented the van from a company in New Jersey. Before becoming a cop, Sadowy attended an Automotive High School in Brooklyn where he learned to distinguish and recognize every component part of a motor vehicle. To the untrained eye, that axle might have simply appeared as another piece of twisted metal in the rubble.

Two years later, a routine traffic stop by Trooper Charlie Hanger resulted in the arrest of domestic terrorist Timothy McVeigh, responsible for the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, which killed 168 and injured hundreds more.

Hanger later remembered noticing "an old yellow Mercury" driving with no license tag. After pulling the car over, Hanger noticed a bulge in the driver's jacket. It turned out to be a loaded .45 caliber Glock, which led to an arrest.

It was hours later that Hanger learned he nabbed the Oklahoma City bomber.

In 1997, two Long Island Railroad police officers with less than two years on the job, John Kowalchuk and Eric Huber, played key roles in uncovering a plot by Islamic terrorists to bomb the New York City subway. They were approached by someone with information regarding a terrorist bomb factory in Brooklyn. The officers relayed the details to the NYPD Emergency Services Division, which responded to the location and captured the terrorists and defused the explosives before innocent lives were lost.

In 2015, Garland, Texas police officer Greg Stevens took down two heavily armed ISIS supported terrorists as they exited a car, hoping to attack a cartoon contest involving images of Islam's prophet Muhammad at the Curtis Culwell Center.

Stevens returned fire as the two terrorists started shooting.

"This whole event probably didn't take no more than 10 and probably 15 seconds," Stevens remembered several years later. "I'm a pretty good shooter. I'm not a great shooter. My training kicked in. I wasn't formulating a plan."

In 2017, NYPD officer Ryan Nash single-handedly captured Sayfullo Saipov, an Islamic terrorist who had just mowed down eight innocent civilians with a truck and injured 11 others during an ISIS inspired attack. Officer Nash was on a routine call at a nearby high school when he heard the call of the terror attack.

Saipov tried to run off after crashing his truck, but Nash and other officers were able to stop him. Nash shot Saipov in the abdomen, but the suspect recovered and remains in jail pending trial.

How many more people might have been injured or killed that day if Nash and his fellow officers weren't there to respond?

The list goes on of ordinary men and women wearing the uniform and carrying the badge who, with extraordinary courage, save lives, prevent tragedies, and capture the bad guys every day.

Calls for police reform are reasonable.

But to abolish the police would mean removing the very fabric of American society that protects us. That is neither wise nor well thought out. It is perilous.

IPT Senior Fellow Patrick Dunleavy is the former Deputy Inspector General for New York State Department of Corrections and author of The Fertile Soil of Jihad. He currently lectures a class on terrorism for the United States Air Force's Special Operations School.

[myweddingsandevents]

Police Watchdog Calls for Full Access to Body Cam Footage. The NYPD Says No. — ProPublica

[beardedmrbean]

NEW YORK (AP) — Six people were charged Friday in an alleged scheme to divert tens of thousands of dollars in public funds to New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ campaign months before his election.

The indictment announced by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg does not implicate Adams or any other city employees. Rather, it describes a straw donor scheme orchestrated by individuals with business before the city who hoped to maximize their donations to the future mayor in exchange for political favors.

“We allege a deliberate scheme to game the system in a blatant attempt to gain power,” Bragg said in a statement. “The New York City Campaign Finance Board program is meant to support our democracy and amplify the voices of New York City voters. When the integrity of that program is corrupted, all New Yorkers suffer.”

Prosecutors said the scheme was led by Dwayne Montgomery, a former NYPD inspector currently listed as the director of integrity for the Teamsters Local 237, which represents municipal workers.

According to the indictment, Montgomery recruited friends and relatives to take advantage of the city’s generous matching funds system, which provides an eight-to-one match for the first $250 donated by a city resident.

In addition to Montgomery, the indictment names as defendants Shamsuddin Riza, Millicent Redick, Ronald Peek, Yahya Mushtaq, and Shahid Mushtaq.

According to prosecutors, between 2020 and 2021, those who made donations in their own name were reimbursed by Montgomery, who provided more than $40,000 of his money. He worked with a string of co-defendants to help recruit donors, including Riza, who indicated he was hoping to secure work from the city.

“FYI ! This is the one I want , Safety , Drywall , and Security one project but we all can eat,” Riza wrote in a July 2021 email to Montgomery, sending along the information for a construction project called Vital Brooklyn, prosecutors allege.

Montgomery also worked alongside a campaign representative to organize a virtual fundraiser for Adams in August, 2020, prosecutors contend. The representative is not named in the indictment.

None of the defendants could immediately be reached for comment.

Adams' campaign released a statement denying any involvement in the alleged scheme.

“There is no indication that the campaign or the mayor is involved in this case or under investigation,” a spokesperson for Adams’ campaign, Evan Thies, said in a statement. “The campaign always held itself to the highest standards and we would never tolerate these actions.”

The defendants each face charges of conspiracy, attempted grand larceny, and offering a false instrument.

[trendingnewstracker]

City watchdog finds NYPD 'likely escalated tensions' at George Floyd protests

A city oversight agency pretty much found that the New York City Police Department handled anti-police brutality protests as horribly as viral videos implied. The New York City Department of Investigations, the city’s inspector general “with independent oversight of City government,” released a 115-page report Friday revealing that the NYPD “likely escalated tensions, and certainly contributed to both the perception and…

https://is.gd/IxlPya

[seriousbusinessforhumans]

June 7, 2020

Finally! After an unforgettable week in which America — already reeling from the brutal caught-on-video Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd, on top of a pandemic, a recession, and ... everything — watched with dropped jaw literally dozens of videos of police clubbing, shoving, or driving into peaceful protesters, or tear-gassing them, and even maiming some for life with rubber bullets, some officers are finally standing up and declaring: “I quit.”

The problem is, the 57 members of the police riot response unit in Buffalo, N.Y., who “resigned” — to be clear, these cops aren’t giving up their jobs, pay or benefits, but rather shirking their assignment to a special unit — on Saturday weren’t opposing the shocking brutality in their ranks but tacitly supporting it. They are instead protesting the local prosecutor who viewed a viral video of two Buffalo cops in full Robocop attire violently shoving a 75-year-old peace activist to the pavement and cracking his skull, and reached the same conclusion as the rest of America. He charged them with a criminal assault.

The shover-cop cheering society convened after the union president of the Buffalo Police Benevolent Association, John Evans, said in a statement that the officers had been “merely following orders” to clear the square where a protest had occurred, adding bizarrely that Gugino “did slip in my estimation. He fell backwards.” It’s not often that you hear the defense from the Nuremberg trials and the standard line of your garden-variety wife beater invoked in the same statement.

The almost unshakable influence of police unions in American civic life, and especially in big cities, has been building at least a half century — mainly since the aftermath of urban unrest in the 1960s and ’70s — but the six years since the Black Lives Matter movement emerged from the ashes of Ferguson have finally brought the issue into sharper focus.

Not only is the public now seeing cellphone videos of police brutality, but it’s learning that many of these cops have been the subject of multiple complaints — yet protected by union rules or arbitration from any meaningful discipline. What’s more, the mild reforms from America’s first black president, Barack Obama, the election of progressive mayors and prosecutors like Philadelphia’s Larry Krasner, and the rise of Donald Trump — endorsed in 2016 by many of these unions — has heightened a paranoid style and an embrace of authoritarianism by cop-union leaders.

A quick flyover of America reveals the problem:

In Minneapolis, amid the birth of Black Lives Matter and their city’s appointment of a reform-minded chief, the local police union in 2015 elected a new president, Lt. Bob Kroll, even though he’s the subject of 29 complaints, was accused in a lawsuit by black officers — including the current top cop — of promoting a hostile work environment (wearing a biker patch linked to white supremacy), and once boasted, “I was involved in three shootings myself, and not one of them has bothered me.” Kroll was a featured speaker at an October 2019 Trump rally in which he blamed Obama for “oppression” of police and praised the current president who "put the handcuffs on the criminals instead of [on] us.” Eight months later, after the handcuffed Floyd died under the knee of a Minneapolis cop, Kroll doubled down, writing in a letter to members that the citizens protesting his death are “a terrorist organization.”

In New York City, where online watchers have been shocked this week by the images of a police riot, with officers shoving, striking and abusing citizens, and using the excuse of an ill-advised curfew to arrest thousands of peaceful demonstrators, maybe viewers would be less surprised if they knew the head of NYC’s Sergeants Benevolent Association had not so benevolently tweeted in February at Mayor Bill de Blasio that “the members of the NYPD are declaring war on you!” When de Blasio’s adult daughter was arrested at a protest this week — a curious enough event — that same union event tweeted out her address, or “doxxing,” as kids today like to call it.

Closer to home in Delaware County, a police sergeant in the county seat of Media — and vice president of the county police union — is reportedly on administrative leave after a bizarre episode with a local shopkeeper who voiced support on Facebook for Black Lives Matter, only to see Sgt. Robert “Skippy” Carroll reply from the official FOP account: “If you choose to speak out against the police or our members, we will do everything in our power to not support your business,” later adding on his own personal Facebook page, “Try us. We’ll destroy you.”

OK, Skippy. The sergeant deleted the post and then there was a follow-up where Carroll and Delco’s new Democratic DA, Jack Stollsteimer, showed up at this guy’s sandwich shop and hugged it out, leading the shop owner to tell the Delaware County Daily Times that it was all a big misunderstanding. I guess you could say the shopkeeper slipped and fell backward, metaphorically speaking. Meanwhile, the Fraternal Order of Police in Philadelphia is still doing everything in its power to destroy the iconic South Philly food purveyor Di Bruno Bros. after its employees voiced objection to an offer of free cop lunches and the store said it would donate to Black Lives Matter.

Maybe it’s time to file a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization, or RICO, lawsuit aimed at breaking up this protection racket? The problem is that the bullying tactics work, with major policy consequences. It was so disheartening to watch Buffalo’s Democratic mayor, Byron Brown, defend some of the police actions, including the failure to attend to the injured Gugino (although he did criticize the union) on national TV Friday, in what looked like a hostage video.

In New York, de Blasio had been first elected in 2013 as a progressive reformer ending police stop-and-frisk tactics, but he clearly became cowed over the years by the massive resistance he encountered from police unions who famously turned their back on the mayor at a funeral for a slain officer. You can draw a straight line from de Blasio’s abandonment of police reform in his second term to his seeming tolerance for police brutality this week and his support of a disastrous curfew policy leading to pointless arrests of peaceful protesters and even essential workers. (Two officers accused of brutality toward protesters were suspended — not fired — on Saturday.)

Another serious consequence of police union influence and obstruction is that it’s been difficult, if not impossible, to end the career of the worst cops who commit many of the abuses. I watched this first-hand in Philadelphia over the 2010s as my Daily News friends and colleagues Wendy Ruderman and Barbara Laker won the Pulitzer Prize for exposing shocking abuses in a police narcotics unit, only to see prosecutors clear the cops — after vicious assaults by FOP leaders on the pair’s journalism — while a cop who was fired won his job back in union arbitration.

One officer identified in the Pulitzer series was Joseph Bologna, who oversaw an elite narcotics unit and was captured on video ordering officers to disable security cameras in a raid on a bodega. He received only a brief suspension for “failure to supervise” and got another plum assignment to run a West Philadelphia precinct where there were scores of new complaints. Promoted nonetheless to staff inspector, Bologna was caught on tape last week viciously beating a Temple University student, leading to felony assault charges — and serious questions about why he hadn’t been stopped sooner.

The biggest reason that police and their unions have been able to abuse their authority is because, generally speaking, voters — especially white voters — overwhelmingly trusted them. That has collapsed since the killing of George Floyd. One survey found that overall support for police in America has plunged by double digits, and a whopping 78% told pollsters from Monmouth University that the anger of these protests is justified or somewhat justified.

That’s important, because the issue with reining in police unions has never been lack of good ideas, merely a lack of will. Michael Chitwood, a 55-year police veteran who recently retired as chief in Upper Darby, told the Inquirer his No. 1 solution would be to fix the arbitration system to stop the recycling of bad cops — “that’s a bad omen that sends a horrible message.”

The way to fix it is through the collective bargaining process, and here in Philadelphia, Mayor Kenney —who’s been historically backed by the FOP — will get another bite at the apple next year. The time for action is long past, but some of the burden falls on us as voters. If you want to curb police abuses, you can’t elect politicians begging for their union donations or endorsements.

When police union leaders start sounding like Johnny Friendly in On the Waterfront, it’s time for the people to fight back for our rights.

(selected segments of the article)

[fifteenstrawberries]

You have one piece fic I know you have one piece fic please post a one piece fic :D

I still don’t know why you like this one so much?

For those of you who are not my twin sister and beta reader, this is a scene from a One Piece/Castle crossover I wrote a couple years ago, basically imagining how the Water 7 arc from One Piece would happen if it was set in the Castle universe. 

Castle is a police procedural show where a wealthy and eccentric author and a hard-nosed by the book detective team up to solve murders. One Piece is crazy anime pirates getting into crazy shenanigans in a crazy world.

If you’d like to see something else, check out this post for the full list.

And without further ado, here’s the fic!

“Are you sure we shouldn’t be going after this guy without more backup? I mean, he is a pirate.”

“He’s not a pirate, Castle. He just has a pirate flag on his boat. Plenty of people do that without actually being pirates.”

“But what if that’s just what he wants you to think? Maybe he’s just waiting for us to get up there and as soon as we do, the rest of his pirate crew will come swinging over from the next building with cutlasses between their teeth— maybe we could hire some ninjas instead–”

“Castle, are you going to take this seriously?”

“I am taking this seriously!” Award winning author Richard Castle pouted at his partner, Detective Kate Beckett, as the two of them climbed the stairs to the hotel roof, “You’re the one who’s dismissing the very real possibility of a pirate attack.”

Detective Kate Beckett of the NYPD paused on the landing, sighing and rubbing at the tension headache that inevitably formed whenever Castle got stuck on one of his ridiculous theories. “Castle. For the last time. We are here to question suspects in the attempted murder of Thomaso Ghiaccio. Not to accuse them of piracy. That’s the coast guard’s jurisdiction, not ours.” She continued climbing, “I’m still not sure why we’re on this instead of Major Crimes.”

“The chief probably just wanted his best detective on it.”

“That’s what he told me, but I’m homicide. I don’t usually get cases where the victim is still breathing.” She grimaced, remembering their trip to hospital to get witness statements from Ghiaccio’s teary secretary and the rest of his shaken employees. She’d seen the doctor’s report. The guy was lucky to be alive.

“It makes a nice change. To be able to stop a killer before they’ve actually killed someone instead of hunting them down after the fact.” Castle offered.

“It does,” Beckett admitted, “But still, this case! A prominent Italian engineer gets gunned down in his apartment without any sign of a break in. His employees are split between accusing a rival ship-building company or their most recent disgruntled customers, and are ready to lynch both of them, just in case. The rival company apparently has mafia ties, the customers sailed into town a week ago flying a pirate flag—they’re not really pirates, Castle, don’t even start. It sounds like something you would write, honestly…” She stopped dead, looking at the man beside her—the wealthy, well-connected, best-selling author, who had installed himself in her precinct and her life in search of ‘inspiration’ without so much as a by-your-leave—with growing disbelief. “Castle. You didn’t.”

Castle at least had the grace to look guilty. “You said so yourself, it’s a really interesting case.”

“Castle. Tell me you did not use your influence with the chief to land us this case because you wanted to investigate pirates.”

“…”

“Castle?”

“Ask me no questions and I’ll tell you no lies.”

“… I hope your pirates make you walk the plank.”

“Hey—! Wait, do you think Alexis would avenge me? She takes fencing. And she’ll probably bully you into helping her track them down… I can see it now. ’Allo, my name is Alexis Castle, you killed my father, prepare to die. No Alexis, don’t give in to the dark side—!”

“Focus, Castle.” Beckett instructed, rounding the corner of the final flight of stairs. “The roof’s just ahead.”

“Sorry,” Castle dropped his arms, running a little to catch up with Beckett, “You really think they’ll be on the roof? And if they’re not, ooh! Could we start a man-hunt? Because the only thing that would make this case better than it already is would be a city-wide manhunt for the attacker.”

“The manager saw one of them headed up these stairs.” Beckett said, deciding to ignore the bit about a city-wide manhunt for the sake of her sanity, “It’s as good a bet as any. Though why the alarms wouldn’t sound—ah,” She frowned at the wires hanging loose in front of the door, yanked out of the roof alarm, “They’re lucky we’re not building inspectors.”

“Thank God. Can you imagine trying to write a book about building code violations instead of murders? ” Castle said, and opened the door.

The first thing Castle noticed about the teenager leaning against the air-conditioning unit opposite the door was his hair. How did he even get it that color? It was a bright, almost glow-in-the-dark green. Combined with three piercings in one ear, cargo pants, ratty white wife-beater, and sullen glower, he looked like every boy he’d ever warned Alexis about, distilled into the archetypical punk.

The first thing Beckett noticed about the teenager was the unsheathed katana in his left hand.

Her hand dropped to her holster, drawing her gun and clicking off the safety in one move, “NYPD, drop your weapon.”

The teen glanced at her, his gaze dropping to the badge on her belt before he grunted in acknowledgement. “Yes. Choto, I am almost done.”

Beckett stiffened, about to demand that he put away his sword now, not when it suited him, but the teen had swiped a piece of thin paper along the edge of the blade and sheathed it before she could do more than open her mouth. He shifted onto his knees slowly and placed the sword on his far right, just out of easy reach. Then he leaned back again, slouching against the air conditioning unit, and raised an eyebrow as if to say, happy?

Castle was impressed. He wasn’t sure if it was teenage insolence or straight up arrogance, but either way, it took major guts to bait Beckett when she had her game face on.

Beckett twitched, eyes narrowed, looking like she still had half a mind to arrest him on general principles. But she holstered her gun, the only concession to still-twitching nerves the hand she rested on the grip. “We’re looking for Lufisacio D. Monkey.” She said, “Do you know where he is?”

That earned them a sharp look that even pulling a weapon on him hadn’t gotten. But his gaze shifted somewhere behind them, to the billboard toward the front of the building, and he yelled, “Oi, Luffy!”

“Hã?” Another boy’s voice called out, somewhere above them.

“Satsu-yo.”

“Satsuyo?” Beckett asked under her breath, not really expecting an answer as she looked for the owner of the second voice.

“Japanese slang for the police,” Castle replied, just as soft. He was still watching the green-haired teen, eyes alight, “You know, I think this guy might actually be yakuza! Well, no maybe not, no tattoos and he still has all his fingers. On a more important note; why didn’t you tell me that our prime suspect’s name was Lufisacio?”

“Because I knew that you wouldn’t shut up about it if you knew and it was a long drive.” Beckett muttered, then called louder, “Sir, would you mind coming out please?”

Gravel exploded beside them. Another teenager—shorter than the first, wearing a red basketball jersey and cut-off jeans– landed in a crouch. He straightened, placing the straw hat hanging around his neck back on to wiry black hair.

Beckett noted bandaged limbs and wondered where he had gotten the scar beneath his left eye.

Castle noted the sixteen foot difference between the top of the billboard and the roof, and wondered if the young man made a habit of jumping from high places.

Lufisacio D. Monkey glanced between the two of them, “Zoro said you are a polícia?”

“Yes,” Beckett said, “I’m Detective Kate Beckett, this is my partner Richard Castle.”

The teen, somewhat surprisingly, brightened, “Richard Castelo? O autor?”

“If, by that you mean the famous, best-selling author that has been translated into dozens of languages around the world, then yes, that’s me.” Castle smirked a bit, holding out a hand.

“Que barato!” The teen grinned widely, seizing Castle’s hand and shaking it enthusiastically before turning back to his friend. “Zoro, mee-te!”

“Ah, ah, wakkatte.” The green-haired teen waved lazily, then linked both hands behind his head and closed his eyes.

Unperturbed by the lack of enthusiasm, he turned back to face Castle and Beckett with the same wide grin, “Nami and Robin read your stories all the time to us. They are very good!”

“Glad you enjoyed them,” Castle was matching him grin for grin by this point, “It’s always good to meet a fan.”

“You will sign our books?”

“Sure!”

“Unfortunately,” Beckett broke in, “I’m afraid neither of you will have time for that.” She was immune to Castle’s reaction at this point, but she wasn’t quite prepared when they both turned puppy eyes on her. She had to steel herself before continuing, “We just have a few questions for you, Mr. Monkey—”

“Vovô?” The teen interrupted, looking around in alarm.

His friend snorted, mumbling something that sounded vaguely like, “aho, teme-ga.”

Whatever it was, Luffy relaxed, turning back to them with a grin, “My name is Luffy. Mr. Monkey is my vovô, my grandpa. Entendes?”

“Luffy is a lot better than Lufisacio.” Castle said, with a sympathetic smile at the awful name.

“Sim.” Luffy made a face, and glanced at Beckett, “Detetive, you have questions?”

“Yes.” Beckett said, pulling up a picture on her phone. “Do you recognize this man?”

“Avô Tom. Yes, I know him.” Luffy nodded. “He looked at our ship when we brought it for repairs.”

The president of the entire company personally evaluates a ship for damages? There’s got to be something up with that. Beckett nodded, making a mental note, “And were you satisfied with his work?”

Something in Luffy’s face shut down. Aha, Beckett thought. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Castle lean forward.

“Sim … talvez.” Luffy stared down at his feet, “Não.”

“English please, Luffy.” Beckett said, a touch impatiently.

“He said Allons-y Allégrement could no longer sail.”

“Is that your ship?” Luffy nodded, “Did you have an argument?”

“Sim,” he shrugged, “I wanted Avô to fix her. We brought lots of dollars to show we could afford the repairs, but he said it did not matter how much money we had, it was impossible.”

“Why was that?”

“Allons-y Allégrement is a wood ship. Her quilha, her keel … he said it was broken.”

“Did you believe him?”

To Beckett’s surprise, that question made him rally, He lifted his head, looking her in the eye. “I do not know how to fix ships,” He told her, “Meu tripulação does not know how to fix ships. If Avô Tom and his friends say she cannot go on, I must trust him.”

Which was not a ‘yes.’ Definitely something to look into.

“Still,” Castle interjected, “That must have been pretty difficult, just giving up on your ship like that. We saw pictures of her; she looks like she’s been through a lot.”

“Eh,” Luffy shrugged again, uncomfortable, “We need to keep moving. We need to buy a new ship. I wish it was not necessary, but it is what we must do.”

“Speaking of moving,” Castle said, “According to our records, you’re docked down at Liberty Landing Marina.” At Luffy’s nod, he continued, managing to sound only curious about a detail he was convinced would crack the case. “I can understand wanting to see the Big Apple, but what are you doing all the way in Brooklyn?”

“Cheap hotels.”

… Damn. Luffy can’t lie at all, can he? Beckett thought. If he was closed off before, he was positively stony now, and the contrast between that and the cheerfulness he had greeted them with made his reluctance to answer painfully obvious.

Hiding or not, Castle’s pet theory was going to have to wait. It was time to get down to business. “When was the last time you saw Mr. Ghiaccio?” Beckett asked.

“Yesterday.” Luffy glanced at her curiously. “Why? Is he lost?”

“Mr. Ghiaccio was shot last night in his home.”

“… Heh?” Luffy was staring, eyes wide and shocked, “Avô Tom was … fala serio!”

“He was shot twice in the front and three times in the back.” Beckett had to squash an instinctual rush of sympathy at Luffy’s expression, bearing on brutally. “He’s still alive. But only barely.”

“Não.” Luffy shook his head in denial.

Beckett and Castle shared a glance. Neither of them had understood all of what Luffy had said, but Beckett had broken the news of a loved one’s death to enough families that she could guess.

Which begged the question. Luffy was a suspect. The only possible suspect, according to Ghiaccio’s main foreman and quite a few employees.

Why was he acting like a victim?

“Quem—” Luffy began, stopped himself, and began again in English. “Who would shoot him? Why? He is a nice man, todos o amam. Who would shoot him?”

Beckett raised an eyebrow, letting her silence speak for itself.

When the silence crossed the line from ‘telling’ to ‘awkward’ and Luffy looked no closer to getting the message, Castle coughed slightly. “We were hoping you could tell us.” He said delicately.

Luffy gave him an exasperated look. “How can I know? We only come to town a week ago!” He crossed his arms with a considering frown, “Castelo tells good stories, but maybe he is not so good with real life mysteries?”

Beckett had to bite her lip to keep from laughing as Castle swelled indignantly. “I am too!” He all but squawked, and abandoned all notion of subtlety. “Why do you think we’re here talking to you? You’re the suspect!”

“Hãããããã?!?!?!?!” Luffy’s jaw dropped and eyes bugged as he gaped at them.

It would have been funny if they weren’t accusing him of attempted murder.

Any humor she felt at the situation evaporated. “Luffy,” She said, catching his attention, “Where were you between nine and eleven pm last night?”

“By a marina. Maybe in the park? Then walking to the hotel.”

“Is there anyone who could verify that?” Beckett asked, opening her notebook to write down names.

“Sim. My friends. We had lost one, but …” Luffy trailed off, looking positively grim before he shook himself and finished answering, “Todos de meu— all of my friends were there but her.”

Castle stayed quiet as Beckett asked the questions needed to complete Luffy’s alibi, considering the dark look that had crossed the boy’s face. It actually took some real effort for him to snap out of that, Castle thought, intrigued.

What are you hiding, Mr. Lufisacio D. Monkey?

Beckett was looking rather grim herself, though she hid it well under a layer of cool professionalism. “Would you mind coming down to the station while we check out a few things?” She asked.

“À delagacia?” Luffy blinked.

“Is he arrested?”

Castle started, glancing over at where the green-haired teen was no longer asleep.

The teen glowered suspiciously at them, “Is Luffy arrested or no?” He demanded.

“We just want to verify a couple parts of his alibi.” Beckett said smoothly, “He’s not under arrest.”

Yet, hung unspoken in the air. The teen’s eyes narrowed, trying to stare Beckett down.

Castle was rather glad that he wasn’t on the receiving end of that glare. From either of them. The green-haired teen was brimming with suspicion and hostility, and looked frankly dangerous despite his young age, while Beckett watched him with all the calm assurance of a senior detective of the NYPD, hand on the grip of her gun as if daring him to try something…. Darn it, why is there never popcorn when you need any?

“Dai jo bu, Zoro,” Luffy said easily, cutting through the tension in the air. The teenager broke off his staring contest with Beckett to give Luffy a worried scowl, “Even if I am arrested, está bom. We did not think to look in prison.”

“That woman would never allow herself to be caught unless she meant to be.” Zoro shot back.

Luffy shrugged, “Sim. But maybe a polícia know what we do not? Either way, I will go.”

Zoro scowled deeper for a moment, before sighing, “Shi, capitao.”

Luffy nodded, satisfied, then seemed to think of something and turned to Beckett in alarm, “Do you think Zoro is a killer too? His a-lee-by is to be with me, and if I must come with you—”

“Your friend isn’t under any suspicion.” Beckett assured him. Giving Zoro a look askance, she added “But if he wants to come with you, that would be fine.”

“Hmmmm.” Luffy crossed his arms, considering. He made a decision, going to crouch down beside his friend. “Zoro. You want to come?”

“… No.” Zoro rubbed his face, suddenly looking tired in a way that had nothing to do with his recent catnap. “No. I will wait.”

Luffy nodded, then stood up, walking to Beckett and Castle without hesitation, “Vamos!” He yanked the roof door open and ran down the stairs. His voice and footsteps echoed up the staircase as he called up to them, “You have a police car, yes? With sirens and lights? You will turn them on, yes …?”