21st Precinct 55-01-05 (078) The Trade - Harold's Old Time Radio

Podcast Summary: Harold's Old Time Radio

Episode: 21st Precinct 55-01-05 (078) The Trade

Date: February 25, 2026

Overview

This episode of "21st Precinct," presented by Harold's Old Time Radio, immerses listeners in the procedures and gritty realities of a New York City police station during the mid-1950s. The episode, titled "The Trade," centers on an urgent, potentially explosive allegation: a known narcotics pusher, Augie Bookham, claims that a police officer extorted $700 from him during a stop, exchanging money for leniency after discovering heroin in Augie's possession. Through procedural detail, sharp dialogue, and tightly wound tension, the precinct’s leadership investigates the claim, uncovering not only the truth of the incident but also deeper themes of trust, desperation, and bureaucracy within the NYPD.

Key Discussion Points & Segments

1. Initial Incident & Augie Bookham’s Claim

Starts at [00:53]

Precinct Scene Setting: Listeners are brought into the bustle of the 21st Precinct. The night is cold and unusually quiet, but drama brews beneath the surface.
Augie Bookham’s Arrest: Detective Fitzpatrick chases and apprehends Augie Bookham, a familiar narcotics dealer, who immediately claims he’s been robbed by a cop.
Augie alleges that while standing near a movie house, a police officer stopped him, searched him, and uncovered $700 and heroin. The officer, Augie claims, offered a choice—trade the $700 for avoiding a felony charge ([04:39]):
- Quote:
  "He said, 'Augie, this time you get the book. No more Rikers Island. This is a big time rap for sure.' And I said, well, what can I do? So he said, 'Go on, get in the car.'... Then he said, 'Wait a minute.' ...'How would I like that wish to come true?' ...'Supposing we only take a quarter into the station house.' ...He wondered, 'Wouldn't I like to trade the 700 for about seven years?'"
  —Augie Bookham [05:44]
The detectives interrogate Augie, pressing for details. He insists he can identify the officer and outlines the trade in remarkably detailed fashion.

2. Investigation Launches: Checking Records and Alibis

From [11:46]

Captain Kelly's Methodical Approach: Captain Kelly commands a review of sector car logs, switchboard records, and officer meal breaks to determine who could have interacted with Augie at the alleged time.
Sergeant Waters and Lieutenant King meticulously piece through records to eliminate officers from suspicion:
- Sector cars were all accounted for, except for Officer Baulny, whose partner was at a meal during the window; Baulny was thus on solo patrol and near the location ([15:42]).
- Baulny claims to have broken up a fight at a local candy store, which the logs do not substantiate.

3. Corroborating Alibi: Visiting the Candy Store

From [18:37]

Lieutenant King and Captain Kelly visit Mrs. Portilla, the candy store proprietor, to confirm Baulny’s story.
- Quote:
  "Ms. Portilla. Was there a fight in here tonight?"
  —Lieutenant King [19:18]
- Mrs. Portilla affirms only a minor scuffle took place and confirms a police officer (alone) did indeed break up the fight, staying approximately twenty minutes—directly supporting Officer Baulny’s story ([21:55]).
The officers carefully align these details with radio show timings, newspaper delivery, and her memory to confirm Baulny's presence and innocence within the time frame described by Augie.

4. Confronting Augie With Evidence

From [24:32]

Return to the Station House: Captain Kelly, Lieutenant King, and Detective Fitzpatrick confront Augie with inconsistencies in his story:
- All patrol cars and officers are accounted for; Baulny’s alibi is confirmed by a civilian witness.
- Pressed for the truth, Augie finally breaks, admitting to fabricating the entire story about the $700 to cover his own loss in a dice game.
  - Quote:
    "Okay, you want the truth? I'll give you the truth. Nobody took any 700 off me."
    —Augie Bookham [24:38]
  - Augie confesses he lost the money gambling and made up the police theft to explain it to an intimidating acquaintance expecting bail—"he's gonna get the 700 out of my jaw one tooth at a time" ([24:48]).
The officers express their frustration about nearly ruining a policeman’s life and note that Augie’s heart of gold is not his only trouble ([25:50]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Augie painted into a corner:
- "You guys just want to protect this cop..." —Augie [24:37]
Captain Kelly’s principle:
- "But I'm telling you that I'm not going to stand for a bum like you coming in here and giving us some line of bull about something that never happened that he dreamed up. I wasted a lot of time on this, Augie. I want the truth right now." —Captain Kelly [24:36]
Augie’s fatalistic humor:
- "What do you think he's gonna do to me when I show up in the same jail? He's going to get the 700 out of my jaw one tooth at a time." —Augie [24:50]

Thematic Insights

Procedural Integrity: The episode foregrounds the painstaking processes the police must follow when one of their own is accused. Relying on logs, witness statements, and rigid adherence to protocol, the officers demonstrate both the vulnerability and resilience of organizational trust.
Desperation Breeds Deception: Augie's confession illustrates how individuals—especially those enmeshed in crime—may fabricate stories that, if believed, could unjustly wreck another’s career.
The Karen Bureaucracy of Justice: Listeners are reminded of the volume of routine, paperwork, and checks accompanying any credible accusation against police in such a vast metropolis.
Gallows Humor and Camaraderie: Amid the tension, moments of levity and warmth emerge, especially in Mrs. Portilla’s scene, who tries to sell sodas and recounts past police heroics.

Important Segments and Timestamps

| Segment | Description | Timestamp | |---------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------| | The initial incident & Augie's story | Augie recounts his version of the "trade" with a cop | 04:30–09:00| | Detective work: Reviewing records | Kelly, Waters, King search for alibis and piece together logs | 11:46–17:45| | Witness interview at the candy store | Mrs. Portilla confirms Baulny's story; comic relief and crucial clarity | 18:37–23:19| | Confrontation & confession | Augie admits he lied, officers reveal evidence clearing Baulny | 24:32–26:00|

Tone & Style

True to the radio drama roots, the episode is dialogue-heavy, full of terse exchanges, deadpan camaraderie, wry humor, and echoes the hardboiled spirit of '50s crime fiction. Characters’ language is colloquial and tough-edged, lending both authenticity and immediacy.

Conclusion

"The Trade" shows the day-to-day grind at the 21st Precinct where both life-changing allegations and petty dramas can play out at any moment. Through sharp police work and a blend of suspicion and procedure, the detectives clear a fellow officer and expose how desperation can lead to serious, even dangerous accusations. The episode ends on a somber reminder that, in the NYPD, the line between trouble and order is thin—and patrolled round the clock.

For listeners who missed the episode:
This plot-driven, realistic procedural drama offers not only suspense but also a window into policing as it was—bureaucratic, relentless, and always human.

Transcript

A (0:00)

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B (0:35)

21st Precinct. Sergeant Waters chasing him. Where now? Who is it? A police officer. Yeah, yeah. What building did he run into? What is that? 452 or 492?

C (0:53)

What?

B (0:53)

Was the man armed? You are in the muster room at the 21st Precinct, the nerve center. A call is coming through. You will follow the action taken pursuant to that call from this minute until the final report is written in the 124 room at the 21st Precinct. All right, I'll send the officers right over there. No, you just stand there in front of the building. Show them where to go. Okay? Yeah, thanks.

D (1:21)

21st Precinct. It's just lines on a map of the city of New York. Most of the 173,000 people wedged into the 9/10 of a square mile between Fifth Avenue and the east river wouldn't know if you asked them that they lived or worked in the 21st. Whether they know it or not, the security of their homes, their persons and their property is the job of the men of the 21st Precinct.

B (1:41)

The 21st. 160 patrolmen, 11 sergeants and four lieutenants, of whom I'm the boss. My name is Kelly. Frank Canelli. I'm captain in command of the 21st. I was working my night tour, 4pm to 8am the weather had turned exceedingly cold and consequently it had been a quiet night in the precinct. Cold weather, like rain, keeps the troublemakers off the streets. After my meal, I had gone out on patrol of the precinct in sector car number two with Patrolman William Coley as operator. And I remained away from the station house until nearly 10pm Inspecting various conditions in the precinct and responding to several radio calls along with the sector cars and the sergeant. At 9:50 a call came over the air to ring into the station house. I instructed Patrolman Coley to stop at the nearest call box. Lieutenant Gorman, the desk officer, informed me that Lieutenant Matt King, commander of the 21st Detective Squad, wanted to see me as soon as possible. On an urgent matter. I told the desk officer to inform Lt. King that I was on my way in. I instructed Patrolman Coley to drive to the station house where after stopping at the desk to sign the blotter, I walked through the back room, up the stairs to the second floor and into the office of the 21st Detective Squad. Hello, Captain. Hello. Where's Lieutenant King? And it's ours, Captain. He asked me to ring in there when you got here. Okay. Who's with him? Fitzpatrick, Captain. And a suspect. Sergeant, would you ring Lieutenant Kings Line? Yeah. Thank you. What's going tonight, Pete? Oh, nothing too much, Captain. It's been pretty quiet. Battalion, Lieutenant. Captain Kelly's out here. Okay. Yes, sir. He's coming right out, Captain. All right. Three guys went here within an hour. Every one of them had his overcoat stolen. That's a sure sign of winter veep. Yes, sir. It's better than the calendar. Well, I'm glad you come in, Captain. Looks all right, Matt. What have you got? You come over here a minute? Yeah. Fitz brought a boy in here. The boy's got a pretty wild story. About what, Matt? About a cop taking $700 off him? No. Where up on Lexington Avenue. Can he identify the cop? He says he can. He'll be on at 8 o'. Clock. Who's he supposed to be? He just says he can identify him. He doesn't know who it is. Who is this boy? Man, his name's Augie Bookham. Yeah? He's been pushing narcotics up there as long as we know him. He's done two bits on it. Fitz spotted him on the street and went over to talk to him. He lit out. Fitz chased him into a building and collared him on the roof. Well, how does a cop taking $700 off him figure into it? Maybe you ought to hear that from Auggie. I'd like to. You think he's giving you a straight story? Man, I don't know. Captain Vitale. Yes, sir. Hold up my calls for a while. Yes, sir. Go ahead, Captain. Oh, Vince. Captain. Captain, this is Audrey Bookham. Captain Kennelly, commanding officer of the precinct. Go ahead. And are you, Captain? You told these detectives a cop took $700 off you, is that right? I wouldn't have told him if it wasn't. When was it? Tonight, about 8:30. Just a little while before he jumped me and Mr. Fitzpatrick. Where? Right up there, near there. He said he was standing under the marquee of that old picture house there. Captain, I was waiting to meet a fella the Car drove up and the cop got out to talk to him. The police officer was all alone? Yeah, all alone. Fine stuff. And he was in a car? Yeah, squad car, you know. Do you know who this police officer is? Well, I don't know his name. I've seen him around the neighborhood. He's been around a long time. Was he in uniform? Yeah, he's in uniform. What kind of car was it? Regular police car. I told you that. What'd it say on the side of the car? What do you mean? What was written there? Oh, 21 precinct. I saw that. 21 precinct. All the men in cars ride with partners. Where was the other police officer? Listen, don't ask me. There was only the one. How come he stopped to talk to you? Were you causing a disturbance there? No, I was just standing there waiting for this friend of mine. Well, then how come he stopped? Listen, I'm the kind of a guy, when a cop sees me, he stops to talk to me. Ain't that right? Ask Mr. Fitzpatrick here. I got a natural attraction for cops. All right, the cop pulled up and he got out. What happened then? Listen, I told these fellas all about it. Let them tell you I don't feel like going over and over. You'll go over it plenty. You've come in here, Augie, and made a statement about a police officer being guilty of misconduct. The captain's job to find out the identity of that police officer. Oh, you answer his questions. All right. Have I got her? I got her. You got her? He got out of the car and walked over to you? Yeah. What'd he say? I said, hello, Augie. He knew your name? I told you, everybody knows my name. But you didn't know his. No, I didn't know. I didn't care. All right, then what'd he say? He said, when'd you get out? You see, I've been doing this bit over Rikers Island. What for? Possession. Same old thing. Misdemeanor. Captain reduced him a felony and a pleiad guilty. Then what? Well, I told him when I got out. So he said, maybe I'm going back. He said, stick my hands up against the wall there. And I did. He looked me over. Oh, what did he find? He found the $700 and what else? He had 6/4 of H in my shed. He found them. An ounce and a half of heroin. Yeah. So he said, augie, this time you get the book. No more Rikers Island. This is a big time rap for sure. And I said, well, what can I do? So he Said, go on, get in the car. I started to go over. Get in the car. Then he said, wait a minute. So I waited a minute. Yeah. And a cop said to me. He said, look, Augie, you're an idiot. I told him I agreed with him because I can counter myself to get in a jam like this every time. So he says, why do I lay myself open for a felony by carrying more than a quarter ounce? You see, the guy's collared with more than an ounce. They got some gimmick that he's got it to sell. Prime of Facey, something like that. Yeah, we know what the lawyers. Well, that's two to 15 years between a full ounce and a quarter ounce is still a felony possession, but under a quarter is a misdemeanor. Just another couple months at Riker's island. So. So I agreed with him. I was an idiot. But I had to carry all that. Good, because I was just going to make a meep. It was only my wish. I had less than a quarter on me, preferably none at the time. So he says, how would I like that wish to come through? I said, what do you mean? Then he says, supposing we only take a quarter into the station house. I was beginning to get the idea. I said, how could that be arranged? So he wondered, wouldn't I like to trade the 700 for about seven years? No, he asked. Well, that didn't seem like too bad a trade to me. So he took five of the quarters and threw them in a pile of junk there. Then he took the other quarter and the seven bills and put them in his pocket. And he said, come on. So we walked over to the car. Why didn't he bring you in? Wait, I'm coming to that. We walked over to the car. He opened up the door. He was thinking, I guess when we walked over there, he had the seven bills. He didn't need me. So he put his foot up in the car. He said to me with a wink, like, he said, augie, I gotta tie my shoe. When I got my back turned. Don't you go walking away. Well, the way he said it, I figured that was just what he wanted me to do. Well, Rikers island is better than 2 to 15. But nothing is better yet than Rikers Island. So by the time he got through, tired of shoe, I was halfway down the block already. Then what did you do? Well, I stood in the door down the block there till I saw him get in the car and take off. So I figure I'm out seven bills But I'm off cheap. The five quarters was still laying there in a pile of junk. Where? He threw it under the old movie house there. So I walked back to get it. Why shouldn't I? I just picked it up. I'm heading back out and somebody hollers, augie. I looked around. It's him, Mr. Fitzpatrick. There I was with five quarters on me and not another cent to make a trade. So what was I going to do? I lit out him after me.