NCJ Number
85012
Journal
Police Journal Volume: 55 Issue: 3 Dated: (July-September 1982) Pages: 208-218
Date Published
1982
Length
11 pages
Annotation
New York City's Office of the Special Prosecutor is charged with investigating and prosecuting allegations of police corruption, and the Office has developed investigative guidelines and techniques that include close cooperation with the police department itself.
Abstract
In 1972 the Governor of New York issued a series of executive orders that created the Office of the Special Prosecutor and directed the State Attorney General to appoint a deputy attorney general to head the office. The jurisdiction of the office encompasses (1) any and all corrupt acts and omissions by a public servant or former public servant, (2) corruption connected in any way with law enforcement or the administration of criminal justice in New York City, (3) corruption relating to the receipt, possession, or disposal of dangerous drugs by employees of the New York City Police Department, and (4) efforts to obstruct the work of the Office of the Special Prosecutor. Because of the limited resources of the office, guidelines for an investigation include the seriousness, the source, the subject, pervasiveness, and implications of the allegation, as well as the pervasiveness of the act alleged and the resources available to other law enforcement agencies to conduct their own investigations. The relative success of the office in investigating and prosecuting police corruption cases is due in part to the excellent cooperation it receives from other criminal justice agencies, notably through the anticorruption program of the Internal Affairs Division of the New York City Police Department. Although the office has developed special investigative techniques appropriate to prevalent types of cases, particular problems of prosecution are associated with using the evidence of known criminals and restrictions on the use of electronic surveillance. In the 9 years since its inception, the office has indicted 157 police officers and secured convictions or guilty pleas for 114.