Burl Barer - Betrayal In Blue: The Shocking Memoir Of The Scandal That Rocked The NYPD

Each man has been placed in a post of honor, which he must not desert. A humble workman who commits an injustice is as much to blame as a renowned tyrant. Thus we all have our choice between justice and injustice. Abdul-Bah

Between Ourselves opening comments by Burl Barer

There is one thing upon which we all agree. None of us were brought by the stork. Planned or unplanned, we are all the product of the same process of biology and genetics. We are all influenced by what we inherit from our parents and our environment.

A child raised on a farm in the Midwest has a different perspective than one raised on the Southside of Chicago or Manhattans Lower East Side. We can argue nature vs. nurture all day long, but it is an absolute fact that when it comes to our health and well-being, we want to know our familys medical history. It is in our best interest to know what talents, strengths, weaknesses, or illnesses exist in our DNA.

Its the same with cities.

The personality of Los Angeles is different from that of Boston; just as Bostons unique charm is distinct from that of New York City. Each town has its origin, outlook, and character, all of which are the product of its history and citizenry. All the primary characters in this story have what Billy Joel termed A New York State of Mind.

To appreciate a rose, you do not sniff the soil from which it grew; to understand a rose, you must know the soil that nourished it and gave it life.

Described by the Daily Beast as the most shocking scandal of corruption in the history of the NYPD, the criminality and corruption of Michael Dowd, Ken Eurell, and a crew of drug-dealing cops as a gang unto themselves in East New Yorks 75th Precinct doesnt smell like a rose. To understand it, we must know the soil from which it grew, the culture and attitudes that gave it life, and, for the first time, experience it not only from the perspective of the ethically challenged participants, but also from the perspective of the women who loved them and overlooked their faultswives who first enjoyed the fruits of their husbands criminality and then shared the suffering of public shame and ignominious humiliation.

How we hooked up with Ken Eurell is a cool story. Ken Eurell, who had a brief career as one of the most corrupt cops in the history of New York City, sold movie rights to his story to SONY Pictures, but he kept the literary rights.

Ken knew he wasnt an author any more than he was a movie maker. He turned to the excellent Tampa, Florida, journalist and author Paul Guzzo, and Paul suggested that Ken and I should talk.

Excited about the project, I called Frank C. Girardot, Jr, the brilliant, award-winning journalist who co-wrote our best-selling true crime book, A TASTE FOR MURDER . He was immediately on board with equal enthusiasm.

Frank and I decided to tell you this story as if you were sitting right here with us, leaning back in your chair or sitting on the edge of your seat.

Let us come to an agreement

When Frank and I write a book, we start with the firm belief that you are our friend. You love true stories, and we have a true story to tell.

To our surprise and delight, two infamous international criminals contacted us directly to share their insights and observations having been there themselves. Were talking about men feared by their enemies, admired by their friends, once hunted by the FBI and INTERPOL, and whose enterprises dealt in all manner of self-indulgence or self-destruction depending upon your genetic makeup and social situation.

Why would a feared former drug lord and a retired international jewel thief, often heavy-handed and notoriously tight-lipped, speak candidly to your two new favorite authors?

Simple. They get to do what they have always wanted to do: set the record straight by telling the true story of their lives and crimes, and assure their place in history by watering their legend and seeing it grow while they are still alive to enjoy it.

Here then is a sweeping epic embracing not only the Dowd-Eurell Cocaine Cops corruption scandal of the 1980s, but also the significant precursors from the sepia tone days of historic New York when gaslights lit the streets, cocaine and heroin were perfectly legal, bordellos boasted of the beauty and refinement of their affordable females, and the police force was just another gang amongst many.

This is alsocue the solo pianoan intimate character-driven story of true love, sincere friendship, absolute loyalty, and the heartbreak of betrayal. And yes, the story also hascue the violinsromance, adorable children, a dog, and an abiding appreciation for time-honored traditions.

Men traditionally communicate to share data; women communicate to share how they feel about the data. One is law while the other is spirit. One is works, the other is faith. The crime and corruption in the 75th Precinct of the 1980s is a mans story, heavy on the testosterone, hold the quinoa and kale. Where were the women? Sure, the men could tell you dates, places, and the names of cops and cadavers, but women are the harmonic/hormonal combination lightning rod and emotional content barometer. Hence, we invited the wives and lovers to share their memories and perspectives on the infectious nature of corruption.

Corruption is dishonest behavior by those in positions of power, such as police or government officials. Corruption can include giving or accepting bribes, planting evidence, creating false confessions, under-the-table transactions, manipulating elections, diverting funds, laundering money, and other illegal acts. An act may be morally reprehensible, but not illegal. If it isnt illegal, it isnt corruption. The law must be broken in order for it to be corruption. There is a hell of a lot of corruption in this story, but no laws were broken in the writing of this book.