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21st preaching. Sergeant Waters. He jumped or he's gonna jump. Where is he? On a ledge. Where is it? E71. You are by transcription 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 assistance right away. You just stay there. Wait for the officer. Yeah, wait right there. 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. The 21st. 160 patrolmen, 11 sergeants and four lieutenants, of whom I'm the boss. My name is Cronin, Vincent P. Cronin. I am captain in command of the 21st Precinct. I was doing day duty 8am to 6pm when I returned from patrol to the precinct at 2:20pm the desk officer, Lieutenant Gorman, told me he'd received word from the District Attorney's office that nine of my men, Sergeant Collins, and eight patrolmen had been instructed to appear before the New York county grand jury at 10 the following morning. All the men had been present at the scene when a gang of five safe burglars were apprehended in the act three weeks earlier. I took the teletype communica communication concerning this matter and went upstairs to the 21st Detective Squad on the second floor. Discussed it with Detective Dan Goldman, then came back down to the muster room. Captain. Yeah, Red, what's doing? Got a piece of bad news. Yeah, one. A woman called in here. She said she was a neighbor of Sergeant Waters and his wife. Yes. She says that Mrs. Waters just got a telegram in the army. Her boy was stationed at Fort Devens. He was killed in an accident this morning. Oh. Oh, Red, that's just bad. Neighbor said she was calling from his house. The doctor's there for Bill's wife. I think he ought to come home right away. Where is he? On patrol, Captain. All right, Red, you better call him out. Yes, sir. Sergeant. Without a call for Sergeant Waters. Okay, Lieutenant. Sergeant Collins is the 21st. If you had a 651 call, how did it happen, Red? Did they know? Oh, sir. Just a telegram notifying them so far. Neighbor said it didn't say much. How old was it, boy? About 19, 20. An only child, wasn't he? Yes, sir. His name was bill, too. William Jr. Always talking about that kid. He loved to fish together. That's all he used to do when he was swinging and working on the night tour. Go fishing with his boy. He'd hate to be the one to tell him. Have him come out of the house right on. Talk to him. Yes, sir. 21st briefing Sergeant Collins. Pierre. Captain. Yeah. Detective Goldman. He checked. They don't need any of our men for the grand jury tomorrow. Okay. That was some deal, wasn't it? Yeah, some deal. Hold on, will you? Lieutenant Garment, Sergeant Waters ringing in. All right, 25 spacing. Lieutenant Garments, box 18. Sergeant Waters. Come on to the house, Sergeant. What's going. The skipper wants to talk to you. What's the trouble? Just come in, will you? All right, I'll right in, sir. He's on his way, Captain. That sent him into my office. Yes, sir. A large part of a policeman's job is conveying bad news. Hardly a day goes by that we're not required to notify a wife or mother, a father or a husband of someone close is dead or sick or in serious trouble. These notifications are difficult enough when total strangers are involved. Telling a man you've known and worked with that his only son is dead is Twice as hard I waited in my office. I tried to read over a few of the reports that accumulated. But my eyes turned automatically through the open door into the muster room. Finally, I saw Sergeant Waters walk in. He approached the desk, talked for a few seconds. Lieutenant Gorman, Dodge and Collins busied himself filing aided case count guards. When Sergeant Waters crossed the muster room toward my office, my attention turned to the file of reports in front of me. Come in. Shut the door, will you, Lieutenant? Gman said you wanted to see me, Captain. Yes. Yes, that's right. Then sit down, man. Yes. Yes, sir. Bill, I've got some bad news for you. What kind of bad news, Captain? A neighbor of yours called in and nothing happened to Ruth. My wife. Go around. Oh, she's. She's all right. Yes. Well, it's your boy. What happened to him? The army sent a wire. He was in an accident. Yeah? Yes. He's not dead. Yes. Billy. Yes. I'm sorry. Are they sure? Are they sure it was Bill? All we know is what your neighbor called in, told us. That's all. How did it happen? What kind of accident? I don't know. Dear God. What am I gonna do? How am I gonna tell Ruth? Oh, she. She knows already, Billy. Why I came to you, huh? Oh, yeah. Yeah. 19 years old, that's all. Just 19 years old. When he got out of the army, he was gonna try and get on the police. I told him all the time, you don't want it. Get into something where there's more money. But it made me feel good that he wanted to get on the police. Like I was setting a good example. Well. No, no. Sit still. Thanks, Captain. Thanks. You stay in here. Poor Ruth. Well, there's a doctor with a bill. I think she'll be all right. Oh, that's good. It's gonna be kind of rough on her. Got nobody else beside me and him. That's all she's got. Just me and him. That's me now. Just me. You staying here? All right. You want me to stay here with. No, no. No, sir. That's all right. You don't have to stay. All right. Whatever you want. What I want, I can't have. I'll be outside. How is he? You all right, Captain? Yeah, I guess so. Red, you think somebody ought to stay in there with him? You wanted to be alone. Hello, Captain Garman. You got the message about your men not being needed at grand jury tomorrow? Yeah, I got him. You know what happened at the Lance? Somebody down for DA's office? What's the matter, Bill? Waters just got word his son was killed. Oh, that's rough. A nice kid. I met him once. He was in here. Captain. Don't you think somebody ought to be in there with him? I don't know whether it's good to leave him in there alone. He ought to have company. This is one time when a man doesn't need company, Red. When he's crying. In about 20 minutes, Sergeant Waters came out of my office. He changed his civilian clothes. I offered to have a man accompany him home. He refused. The rest of the afternoon was quiet. I turned out the platoon for the night tour. At 4, from 4:30 to 6, I completed my paperwork and dictated a special report regarding changed conditions in the precincts in connection with new parking regulations. Shortly after 6pm I signed the blotter and left the precinct to go off duty. The following day, before I reported for my night tour, I drove to the home of Sergeant Waters in Queens. I found the street with little difficulty, but every house was alike except for the numbers on the doors. I parked my car and headed up the Flagstone Walk. Number 72 was a little different from the rest. There was a crepe on the door. Hello, Bill. Oh, Captain. Come in. Thanks. I hope you'll excuse the way things look around. Oh, sure, sure. All that's happened and roots all broken up, there hasn't been much chance to get things straightened out. They brought him home late. Last. For a while. She's all right, captain. Then you know I can't blame her. I feel that way myself. Rose, this is Captain Cronin. You have my deepest set of themes with Wallace, Captain. He was gonna be 19 next month. To raise a boy and see him like this in your own living room. He just got made corporal just the day before. That's rough. The CEO called me on the phone last night and told me how the whole thing happened. Would you like a cup of coffee, Captain? No. No, thanks. Some on the fire in the kitchen? No, never mind. I think I'll ask him myself. I. I haven't had a thing hardly since I first found out. Would you come in the kitchen with me? Sure. I'm just going in the kitchen, Roach. I'll be back. She's in bad shape. Terrible shape. I don't know how she'll be able to get through the funeral. In here, Captain. Are you sure no coffee? I don't think so. Thanks. 19 years old, that's all. Just 19. It was a hit and run driver that did it. Yes, I know. Lt. Snyder told me when I rang in this morning? Yeah, he was here last night. Sit down, Captain. He and everybody from the day tour. Everybody to a man makes you feel good. Well, as good as you can feel. Did they get the driver? No, it was in town. You see, Bill was made corporal and the next night he got a pass and went into town to celebrate. You know, kid, is everything calls for celebration. Yeah. Yeah, I know. Had this other soldier with him and they went out and celebrated. I guess they had a beer or two. I don't know. He wasn't much of a drinker. Just a beer or two. That's all he'd ever touched. Anyway, they were walking back to get to but for camp. Guess he stepped out into the street and this car came along fast around the corner. The other boy got out of the way all right, but Phil didn't. Did the other boy having to get a look at the car? Yeah, he got a look at it. Said it was a black Trudeau. That's all he could see. Oh. The only thing he did say is he thought it was a soldier driver. Couldn't even be sure of that. They're working on it. MPs and state police up there in Massachusetts. I hope they get the guy. Are you sure? No coffee, Captain? No, thanks. I hope they get him. I raised that kid from nothing to 19 years old. I put about half of me into what's laid out there in that living room. Whoever it is, I want him to pay. I wouldn't want him to do that to another man, son. I want him to pay hard. I talked to Sergeant Waters a few minutes more. Finally his wife came out into the camp kitchen. He seemed a little better. He stayed out until Monday when he reported back on the job for the night tour. I talked to him in my office for several minutes before I turned out for platoon. He seemed fairly composed considering the circumstances and told me his wife had overcome the initial shock. After I turned out the platoon, I met with a committee of three Lexington Avenue merchants who complained of high pressure solicitation of funds by little known charitable organizations. I referred them to the Department of Welfare, then phoned and made an appointment for them to see the Deputy commissioner. The next day at 5:30 I went on patrol, returned to the station house at 7:10, signed the blotter and walked over to TS where Sergeant Waters was on duty. Couple of messages for you, Captain. Yeah, and there's someone waiting for you. 21st Precinct, Sergeant Waters, but where's that? Yes, ma'. Am. We got a call on that from someone else a few Minutes ago. There's an officer on the way over. He'll be there any minute. You are welcome, man. Family argument over at E67. Now, who is it waiting for? Me? Lieutenant Nayet, captain. He says he's with the First Army Military Pocket Police. ID. Where is he? I asked him. Wait in your office. I told him you were back in the house in any minute, he's back in there. Okay, Sergeant. Thanks. Yes. Now, be in my office. 25 briefing, Sergeant Water. All right, 27. Lieutenant N. Yes, sir. I'm Captain Crawling. How do you do, Captain? Lieutenant Richard Nayet, First Army MP rd. Glad to know you. Sit down. Thank you, sir. What can I do for you, Lieutenant? We've got an arrest to make in your precinct, Captain. Oh, you need some assistance? Yes, sir, I think we will. But that's not the problem right now, sir. Now, what is the problem? This fellow is awol. We've had the house staked out since last night. His wife's apartment, that is. We're 90% sure he's up there, but nobody's showing their head out of the place, and we've been watching. Yes, well, we thought either he or his wife would come out today. We'd like to wind it up, but we don't have a warrant. And being federal officers, we can't go in there without a warrant. We can't go in there either, Lieutenant. It's not. Under these circumstances. We've got to have reason to believe that there's evidence of a crime or a fugitive from a crime inside. And by crime, I mean the felony, not. Not awol. He's also a fugitive in connection with a felony, sir. He is? Yes, sir. The Massachusetts State Police have got a warrant out for him on manslaughter. He's suspected of driving a hit and run car that struck another soldier and killed him. What was the name of the victim we got the request to apprehend from the MPs at Fort Devens. I didn't notice whether it was mentioned before or not. Oh, yes, sir. Here it is. Corporal William Waters, Union. All right, send it. We can be of some assistance to you, Lieutenant. Thanks, Captain. Anything you can do will be appreciated. I'm glad to do it. The victim's father's a sergeant of police and his precinct. Oh, is he, sir? Yeah. It's a strange coincidence that doesn't happen every day. Funny, huh? Funny? Oh, I'm sorry, sir. That's not exactly the word, is it? No, Lieutenant, no, not exactly. I told the MP officer the case was properly in the province of the detectives and took him upstairs. Lt. King was not in, but the MP officer told Detective Goldman and I that the soldier's name was John Deason, Private First Class, age 22. He said that Deason had a 24 hour pass on the same night corporal waters was run down and he failed to report for duty the following day and had been awol ever since. This information had been Forwarded to the 1st Army Military Police by Fort Devin's MPS with a request that private decent's listed residents be kept. I assigned sergeant waters to the raid details. He appeared to accept his instructions as he would in connection with any other duty assigned. We left the precinct house for the E76 street address at 10 minutes to 8. MP Lt. Mayotte spotted the too many had planted watching the buildings. He signaled for them to join us. The detectives, lieutenant n, sergeant waters and myself would lead the way up the stairs to the fourth floor. Two mps right behind us Would proceed straight up the stairs to the roof of the building to block an escape that way. The other officers would remain on the third floor landing. All right, you. You drop off here. Yes. Let the detectives and the mps have bill. We'll stay in the background. Yes, sir. All right. Keep away from the boy. Yes, sir. All right, up. Quietly now. The door in the front. You two, up to the roof. Okay. They're in there. I hear them. Who is it? I want to talk to john. I'm a friend of his.
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John is he?
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And I want to talk to you. Open the door. I'm a police officer.
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What do you want?
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Open up. Open up.
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All right.
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Where's John? Where is he? Isn't he all right?
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He is, but please, he's scared. He's scared enough to death. He told me about the accident. He didn't said he didn't see that soldier. It wasn't his fault. It really wasn't.
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Then why didn't he stop the car? I don't know. Where is he?
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We don't know why either.
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He just didn't. Where is he? In there.
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The bedroom.
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Is he armed? Does he have a gun?
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No, he doesn't have a gun. All right, wait a minute, please. I don't know what's the matter with him. He's sick, I think. Came home and he wouldn't leave the house. He wouldn't let me leave. Not even for food. We hadn't had anything to eat all day. He's sick. I know he's sick.
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All right, you stand there. You take care of him. Okay? Let's get him, Jan. Open up. Stay away from there. Open the door. Stay away, I'm telling you.
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He said he'd jump out the window.
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That's why he y. All right, let's kick it in. Give us a hand here. Give us a hand here. Together again. Once more. Come any closer. Get out of that window, boy. What are you trying to prove? Don't come any closer. I'll jump, I swear it. That's four floors down to the street. I know what it is. Don't come any closer now. I'm warning you, don't. Now, look, John. Stay where you are.
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He really will. He said he would.
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We can stay here all night, John. We got all the the time in the world. You can stay there if you want, but if you come any closer, I'll jump. I swear I will. Bring in for the emergency truck and an ambulance. Tell them what we got out of that window, boy. Get some sense. No, I'm not coming out. Ah, this isn't so bad. It's not worth dying over. Isn't it? Can I talk to him, Captain? Not sure. Go ahead, son. Listen, son. I'm not listening. Don't try to con me. All right? You're in a little trouble. Everybody's been in a little trouble. Stay where you are. I'll go out, I swear. That'd be a smart thing to do, wouldn't it? That's going to solve everybody's problems, huh? It'll solve mine. What about your wife? And what about your folks? Have you got any folks? Look, don't try to con me. Stay where you are. Now, come on, get out of there. Why make things worse than they are? It's not that bad. Plenty bad. Not so bad for other people, maybe. Everybody knows you're sorry about running down that soldier. And AWOL isn't anything. It's nothing. I'm telling you, stay away. I'll go out. Did you know the soldier you ran down? No, I didn't know him. Then what are you worried about? Come on out of the window. You're throwing your life away over something that doesn't mean a thing to you. You'll probably get out of the whole thing anyway. It was an accident. The kid stepped off the curb right in front of you. He did, that's what he did. I had the light with me. It wasn't my fault. I didn't even see him. I just got a little excited, that's all. Just a little excited. Come on, let's sit down and talk about it. John, just tell us about it. What'll I do, Toby? Nothing much. Take my word for it. What's your guarantee? I don't have any guarantee. You'll have to take your chances. Well, look at the chance you're taking going out the window. All right, Now close the window. Sit down in that chair. Yeah. All right. Here's a cigarette. Smoke and relax. It's good work. Thanks, Serkin. I really didn't want to go out the window. I'm Lieutenant Mayor of the MP Foil. That figures, is your prisoner, Lieutenant. You're all right, Sergeant. You're okay. Thanks. I've just got away with boys. Yeah, you sure have. You must have one yourself. No. No, I don't. Johnny. No. 21st Precinct. Sergeant Collins. What's the matter with him? How do you know? He's dead. And so it goes around the clock through the week, every day, every year, a police precinct in the city of New York is a flesh and blood merry go round. Anyone can catch the brass ring, or the brass ring can catch anyone. 21st Precinct transcribed a factual account of the way police work in the world's largest city is presented with the official cooperation of the Patrolman's Benevolent association, an organization of more than 20,000 members of the Police Department, City of New York. James Gregory in the role of Captain Cronin. Harold Stone as Sergeant Waters. Featured in tonight's case were Santa Sartega, Lawson Zerby, Les Damon, John Astin and Elaine Ross. 21st Precinct is written, produced and directed by Stanley Nist. Hugh Holder speaking.