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About the New York Police Department
(NYPD):
The first law-enforcement officer began
to patrol the trails and paths of New York City when it was known as New Amsterdam, and was a Dutch settlement and fort in
the year 1625. This lawman was known as a "Schout – fiscal" (sheriff – attorney) and was charged with keeping
the peace, settling minor disputes, and warning colonists if fires broke out at night. The first Schout was a man named Johann
Lampo.
The Rattle Watch was a group of colonists
during the Dutch era (1609 - 1664) who patrolled from sunset until dawn. They carried weapons, lanterns and wooden rattles
(that are similar to the ratchet noisemakers used during New Year celebrations). The rattles made a very loud, distinctive
sound and were used to warn farmers and colonists of threatening situations. Upon hearing this sound, the colonists would
rally to defend themselves or form bucket-brigades to put out fires. The rattles were used because whistles had not yet been
invented. The Rattle Watchmen also are believed to have carried lanterns that had green glass inserts. This was to help identify
them while they were on patrol at night (as there were no streetlights at that time). When they returned to their Watch House
from patrol, they hung their lantern on a hook by the front door to show that the Watchman was present in the Watch House.
Today, green lights are still hung outside the entrances of Police Precincts as a symbol that the "Watch" is present and vigilant.
When the High Constable of New York City,
Jacob Hays retired from service in 1844, permission was granted by the Governor of the state to the Mayor of the City to create
a Police Department. A force of approximately 800 men under the first Chief of Police, George W. Matsell, began to patrol
the City in July of 1845. They wore badges that had an eight-pointed star (representing the first 8 paid members of the old
Watch during Dutch times). The badges had the seal of the City in their center and were made of stamped copper.
Source:
nycpolicemuseum.org
/html/faq.html#begin
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As a patrolman and detective in the NYPD, JOHN BARRY made, or assisted in,
132 arrests in all Boroughs of New York City, except Staten Island. He was injured in the line of duty twice and received
several commendations.
Born 1926 in NYC, John attended Parochial elementary and high schools in the
Bronx. He worked many jobs for pocket money as soon as he could obtain working papers. As a radarman in the U.S. Navy in 1944,
he was stationed on several vessels anchored on the West Coast. John sums up his service career as boring and completely undistinguished.
A graduate of Hunter College in 1950, John worked as a social investigator
for the NYC Department of Welfare, joining the NYPD in 1951. John finished 65th on the Civil Service list of 25,000. He served
as a patrolman on foot and patrol car in the 34th Precinct in Upper Manhattan. His good arrest record moved him to Detective
Division where he was assigned to the Narcotics Squad, which eventually became the Narcotics Division. John resigned in 1959
after a rather violent disagreement with a superior officer. John Barry became a Long Island school teacher, retiring in 1987.
John Barry is the author of Baskets of Eyes.
According to the book description of Baskets of Eyes, “They were standing there in the drizzle. Some uniforms,
policemen and women, and the detectives, precinct and homicide; Bronx Homicide because the woman’s body lay in the Botanical
Gardens near the old Fordham Road entrance. All were watching the Medical Examiner who was kneeling in the pine straw working
over the corpse. The ME murmured to a nearby assistant who scribbled in a steno pad. Finally, he stood, brushed his knees
and spoke in a high firm voice to nobody in particular. “The deceased had her eyes ripped out, probably while alive.
Death from a broken neck, and ruptured spinal cord caused by violent twisting. Present body temperature indicates death occurred
approximately three to four hours ago.” The ME glanced at his watch. “Between five and six a.m. Ballpark.”
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