NYPD Confidential: Power and Corruption in the Country's Greatest Police Force |  | Author: Leonard Levitt
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
Category: Book
List Price: $25.99
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Rating:  8 reviews
Sales Rank: 185292
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 320
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.2
Dimensions (in): 9.2 x 6.2 x 0.9
ISBN: 0312380321
Dewey Decimal Number: 364.13230883632097471
EAN: 9780312380328
ASIN: 0312380321
Publication Date: July 21, 2009
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Product Description
For years, the police commissioner and the mayor of New York City have duked it out for publicity, credit, and power. Some have translated their stardom into success after leaving office, while others have been hung out to dry. In the battle for control of the country’s most powerful police force, these high-status government officials have often chosen political expediency over public honesty. The result is a legacy of systemic corruption and cover-ups that is nothing less than shocking. Respected journalist Leonard Levitt has covered the NYPD for New York Newsday, and the New York Post among other papers. His columns have made him persona non grata in police headquarters. In NYPD Confidential, he reveals everything he’s discovered throughout his decades-long career. With amazing details of backroom deals and larger-than-life powerbrokers, Levitt lays bare the backstabbing, power-grabs, and chaotic internal investigations that have run the NYPD’s reputation into the ground in the past—and the forces conspiring to do so once again. Leonard Levitt wrote the Newsday column "One Police Plaza," about the New York City Police Department, from 1995 to 2005. He has also worked as a reporter for the Associated Press and the Detroit News, as a correspondent for Time, and as the investigations editor of the New York Post. His work has appeared in Harper’s, Esquire, and the New York Times Magazine. He received an Edgar Award for his nonfiction work Conviction: Solving the Moxley Murder. For years, the police commissioner and the mayor of New York City have duked it out for publicity, credit, and power. Some have translated their stardom into success after leaving office, while others have been hung out to dry. In the battle for control of the country’s most powerful police force, these high-status government officials have often chosen political expediency over public honesty. The result is a legacy of systemic corruption and cover-ups that is nothing less than shocking. Respected journalist Leonard Levitt has covered the NYPD for New York's Newsday and the New York Post among other papers. His columns have made him persona non grata in police headquarters. In NYPD Confidential, he reveals everything he’s discovered throughout his decades-long career. With amazing details of backroom deals and larger-than-life powerbrokers, Levitt lays bare the backstabbing, power-grabs, and chaotic internal investigations that have run the NYPD’s reputation into the ground in the past—and the forces conspiring to do so once again. "Leonard Levitt has been covering the politics and personal relationships of One Police Plaza since 1983, giving him access to the city’s governing elite—connections he puts to excellent use here. The book examines New York’s heralded drop in crime in the nineties (with an egomaniacal Rudy Giuliani center stage), and it’s fascinating to see how toxic the atmosphere at NYPD headquarters became despite—or because of—that success. Levitt addresses the big issues via an engaging, character-driven narrative and wisely never resorts to the macho melodrama that poisons so much of tabloid police reporting. "—Ben Mathis-Lilley, New York magazine
"This is a veteran reporter's inside story about the New York City Police Department. It's a fascinating read. I couldn't put it down. Leonard Levitt delves into the murky backroom deals of City Hall, and the missing pieces to the NYPD's corruption fall skillfully into place."—Frank Serpico
"One thing you can be sure of: 35,000 New York cops always were the first to read Lenny Levitt's stories every time. It was true comedy to watch him, small and with a big pad, go down the hall in headquarters as top officials, brass jangling, egos scraping the ceiling, flew into their offices. Levitt's book also is depressing when he tells of an innocent being shot. Amadou Diallo was shot forty-one times by police in his Bronx doorway. The case was moved to Albany, where the only thing you could say about a cop was 'not guilty.' You will read every page of this book, as I did."—Jimmy Breslin
"When you read about the political and personal agendas at the top of the NYPD, it makes you feel sorry for the honest cops who signed on to protect and serve."—Bob Ingle, coauthor of The Soprano State
"Len Levitt's behind-the-scenes account of the NYPD is in the tradition of hard-hitting New York police reporters such as Jacob Riis and Lincoln Steffens. I find his work fascinating."—Thomas Reppeto, former president of the Citizens Crime Commission of New York City, and coauthor of NYPD: A City and Its Police
"A veteran reporter chronicles rampant New York City police corruption during the administrations of Mayors Rudy Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg. Since 1994, Edgar Award winner Levitt has written a hard-hitting column about the NYPD, first for Newsday and, since 2005, at NYPDConfidential.com. (The author lost his press pass to One Police Plaza in 2007.) Based on mostly anonymous interviews with police officials, his book details the latest scandals in a culture of corruption and cover-up as old as the 36,000-member department. Behind it lies the well-known loyalty of police officers (the 'Blue Wall of Silence'), which, says Levitt, has led to 'horrendous acts of corruption and brutality.' Although the NYPD refuses to acknowledge it, increasing numbers of cops are being accused of corruption, he says, while the city's media, in a 'post-9/11 swoon' over New York's finest, look the other way. Beyond recounting many familiar scandals, Levitt analyzes the endless posturing and politicking among city officials and police brass, whose egos and agendas clash endlessly while public-information officers scurry to manipulate media coverage. The author describes how Mayor Giuliani and Police Commissioner William Bratton jockeyed for credit as they pushed their 'zero tolerance' policing; how the mean, humorless Commissioner Howard Safir increased racial tensions by turning police officers into 'cowboys'; how Commissioner Bernard Kerik, Giuliani's former bodyguard and President George W. Bush's nominee to head the Department of Homeland Security, self-destructed in a series of scandals; and how Commissioner Ray Kelly's counterterrorism push has turned the department into a 'mini CIA' with little oversight. Levitt also offers bright snapshots of such characters as Jack 'the Jackster' Maple, a foppish deputy commissioner who developed a computerized system for collecting statistics on crime patterns. Eye-opening reporting on America's largest and most powerful police force."—Kirkus Reviews
"When he covered the NYPD for Newsday, Levitt had access to all levels of the country's largest law enforcement agency, and now the Edgar winner catalogues dirty cops and departmental scandals. While he doesn't withhold credit where it's due (such as in the World Trade Center attacks), Levitt is most interested in the corrupt underbelly of America's largest police department. '[S]acrificing truth for image while acting in secrecy' is the department's M.O., he says. Both the 1970s Knapp Commission corruption hearings and the Mollen Commission in the 1990s underscored that dirty cops weren't confined to the lower ranks—the dishonesty reached all the way to the highest echelons. Examining some of the department's most notorious acts of violence—e.g., the torturing of Abner Louima, the shooting death of the unarmed Amadou Diallo—he has little praise for supposedly tough-on-crime mayor Giuliani . . . Levitt's account is an engrossing in-depth look at scandal inside the NYPD."—Publishers Weekly
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 8
 Rick, Las Vegas, Nevada August 30, 2009
Rick (Las Vegas, Nevada)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Leonard Levitt's new book NYPD Confidential is a no holds barred look into the NYC Police Department and the corruption, collusion and relationships among mayors, mobsters and politicians. Noone is spared, not mayors,chiefs of police,politicians both local and national, district attorneys or mobsters.
Levitt names names and places and his sources are both named and unamed. Noone has yet denied or disputed any accusations made in this book.
As a NYC resident during the three decades covered in the book I can attest to the voluminous cases of police and political corruption reported so frequently in the daily newspapers. Levitt, however, goes much further into the details of what went on as well as shocking new allegations against people in power that the public was never aware of until now.
This is a very powerful book and I strongly suggest that any person that believes that power does not corrupt will surely change their minds after reading this book.
An Expert Look at Proper and Improper Police Practies September 16, 2009
LEON L CZIKOWSKY (Harrisburg, Pa USA)
5 out of 6 found this review helpful
This is an excellent historical and critical look about good and bad police practices from a journalist who has spent years in the forefront overseeing New York police operations. He recalls how John Guido, head of NYPD Internet Affairs for 15 years, observed that corruption has been a part of the New York police culture. Detective Frank Serpico went public with corruption which led to the Knapp Commission in 1970 that found corruption at all levels. There was a continuation of corrupt practices discovered by the Lexom Commission in the 1890s. Police were known to shake down the public and criminals. The Knapp Commission discovered officers known as "grass eaters" and "meat eaters" depending on the degree of corrupt practices in which they engaged. The police had a culture of covering up their misdoings. Reports were altered to make the police falsely appear correct. The highest uniformed officer, the Chief Inspector, admitted to receiving improper gifts from business leaders. Reports of corruption were reported to Mayor John Lindsay, who looked the other way in hopes of keeping the police ready in case of riots, which did occur.
Ironically, after the Knapp Commission, police leadership focused more on preventing policy corruption than on fighting crime. There was less managerial concern about the rising crime rate than on avoiding corrupt practices. Precinct cops and squad detectives were steered away from making drug arrests, which had led to kickbacks. Instead, arrests were made by specialized units, which resulted in decreased arrest rates. Broken police command led to tragic consequences.
The police were left to continue monitoring themselves. Yet, 33 officers were convicted of drug related charges. The Mollen Commission studied the police and concluded that officers placed loyalty to each other above the truth. Kelly slowly and reluctantly removed some senior officer alleged to be part of cover-ups. A permanent police monitoring agency was proposed but Mayor Guiliani opposed the idea.
Ray Kelly as Police Commissioner saw the murder rate decline during his tenure. He was known for fighting police corruption. His successful tenure at lowering crime helped boost the image of Mayor Rudy Guiliani. Yet Guiliani replaced him with William Bratton.
Bratton had NYPD increase arrest of "quality of life" crimes such as squeegee people, graffiti writers, people public urinating, shoplifters, marijuana dealers and users, etc.
Britton's successes made him more popular than was Mayor Guiliani. Guiliani was not happy with being overshadowed.
1,000 officers, or 4% of all officers, were in the Narcotics Division. Since 30% of crime was related to drugs, Bratton decided to transfer more police into the Narcotics Division. Once again, Bratton received more praise for this than did Guiliani. Guiliani demanded the police press office be reduced from 35 to 17, one less than the 16 who composed the Mayor's press office. Bratton objected, stating he ran the department. The head of the Press Corps refused to fire people as directed by the Mayor and resigned instead.
Giuliani's office began criticizing Bratton for out of town appearances. It is against Department policy to accept outside reward for public service and it was hinted those appearances violated that. Bratton signed a book contract that received more criticism. Bratton resigned.
Howard Safir was named Police Commissioner. Giuliani swung the spotlight back to his office. Crime continued decreasing. Giuliani, in a slap at Bratton, proclaimed Safir as "the greatest Police Commissioner in the history of New York City".
Several police scandals arose. An arrested man was deliberately abused physically and sexually in a police station. Safir canceled appearing before Council to instead attend the Oscars while staying two nights as the guests of George Fellows, the head of Revlon. When this was disclosed in the press, Safir reimbursed Fellows $7,100. There was also a highly controversial shooting of an unarmed Black who had committed no crime by white Streets Crime Unit officers who mistakenly thought he had a gun. Racial tensions arose. Bernard Kerik was named to replace Safir as Commissioner.
Bernard Kerik wrote his autobiography and had an affair with his publisher Judith Regan. She claims the affair was a means Kerik used to get her to publicize the book. He then ended the affair and she claims he stalked and threatened her and her children.
While Giuliani had criticized Bratton for signing a book contract, he was silent when Kerik signed one. Police resources were used to get information for the book. Kerik used police officers to travel to Ohio for research for his book. Kerit stated the work was not during work time and he reimbursed the officers who traveled to Ohio $838.74. He though was fined $2,500 by the Conflict of Interest Board for having the officers work on his book. Kerit also used official police photograph on 9/11 that Guiliani had previously banned their use.
Michael Bloomberg, as Mayor, administers by delegation. Giuliani, in contrast, sought to be in control. Bloomberg brought Raymond Kelly back as Commissioner. Kelly changed the Intelligence Division to hire more people fluent in Arabic, Urdu, and Pashto.
The crime rate continued decreasing. Some claimed more officers were downgrading complaints of crime to lesser offenses. The police became more transparent on public information.
The book offers many useful details and expert analysis. It is great for people interested in police history and administration.
Author of Practical Homicide Investigation December 29, 2009
Vernon J. Geberth (New York)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
NYPD CONFIDENTIAL:
Power and Corruption in the Country's Greatest Police Force
NYPD Confidential by Leonard Levitt certainly didn't spare any criticisms of the "Brass" at One Police Plaza or even City Hall for that matter. So, Levitt shouldn't have been surprised that the Police Commissioner, Ray Kelly and the other two major subjects of his book, Mayors Giuliani and Bloomberg didn't respond to his request for interviews. Levitt was already on record as having criticized them in his news editorials. Commissioner Kelly even had previously revoked his press credentials after a negative article that Levitt wrote about Kelly. Welcome to the New York City Police Department. "When your in you're a Guest when your out you're a Pest."
I spent twenty-two and a half years in the NYPD in a number of special assignments from the elite Tactical Patrol Force making my way up the ladder through the Detective Division and retiring as the Commander of Bronx Homicide. I can personally attest to what happens to anyone who criticizes the "High Command." I was there during many of the scandals that Lenny describes in his book. Although I thought that I knew most of what had taken place and some of the inside stories behind the news, I was amazed at how much I didn't know after I read Lenny's book. There are certainly some eye-opening details in this book that reveal the naked ambitions of some of the most powerful people I served under during my career with the NYPD. However, one thing I did notice is that Lenny didn't get everything right. That was probably because he was looking at the event through the eyes of a reporter and not a cop. Needless to say, as a dedicated law enforcement professional I found some of the revelations embarrassing. Yet, despite the revelations in NYPD Confidential, I can state unequivocally that there are more good cops than bad cops in the NYPD. As a student of human behavior I can comprehend how some of the folks that Lenny personally identified in NYPD Confidential chose to use political expediency to combat the truth. But is it any different in the federal government or private industry?
Thankfully, I was lucky enough to be assigned to the outer Borough of the Bronx for most of my career and had little interaction with the Headquarters. I found the "Headquarters Mentality" to be treacherous not to mention how devastating it was to people's careers. I think that Lenny did get it right regarding the egos, attitudes and rivalries, which permeate One Police Plaza. But, sadly, the duplicity of these folks will continue to be played out each and every day.
Even in his introduction Lenny admits that most of the police officials who did talk to him did so anonymously and that included high ranking members of the department. You have to read this book to understand how and why people like Commissioner Ray Kelly, who has been described as a megalomaniac in NYPD blogs, as well as others mentioned in this book can be dangerous adversaries and will go to any lengths to destroy the careers of anyone whom they suspect as disloyal or a threat to their ambitions. It's a testimony to Leonard Levitt that the police officials who did speak to him actually trusted him to keep them nameless. Ask yourself a question. Why?
A sweeping history of every NYPD gaffe September 22, 2009
Bradley F. Smith (Miami Beach, FL)
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
Not much good was ever done by the NYPD in this journalistic memoir. This recounts every scandal and shameful episode from the past 40 years, along with acerbic portraits of Guiliani and numerous police commissioners, most of whom are shown as egotistical, if not downright stupid. The author was buddies with a few of them and they get kid-glove treatment. You'll want to read this if you're a police or crime buff. It's pretty fascinating, if grim, stuff.
Exceptional view into the lives and actions of a big city police force June 12, 2010
R. C Sheehy (Foxboro,MA USA)
Leonard Levitt has written a book which is less an expose and more a study of how polices forces have been run in this country during the past 40 to 50 years. While his expertise is the NYPD he could have just have easily been the LAPD, Boston Police or NOPD all of which have had similar style coverage during the past few years. Where Levitt is truly exception is how well he knows everyone from the commissioner down to the rank and file. He knows exactly what he is writing about and most importantly seems to have created a climate of trust within the police force that he is able to break the fabled "blue wall of silence."
This is a very readable and highly interesting book. Levitt does not try to portray the police has totally corrupt, nor does he overlook the minor failing which resulted in major problems. He recognizes the cases of police officers who have been sacrificed in the name of political expediency while recognizing the cases of senior level people who have been forced out as much for their being right as anything else.
This is a very interesting book and I strongly recommend it to anyone with an interest in how a police force really works.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 8
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