Parks interviews Mr. Armstrong about his book, They Wished They Were Honest: The Knapp Commission and New York City Police Corruption setting forth Mr. Armstrong’s recollections of the creation, early struggles, final success and ultimate significance of the Knapp Commission’s investigation into New York City police corruption in 1970- 1971. The interview discusses various issues and problems encountered along the way beginning with a New York Times expose of whistle-blower/cop Frank Serpico’s charges of past police corruption and official cover-up. The result was that then Mayor John Lindsay named Whitman Knapp to head a Citizen’s Commission to explore the extent of current police graft and, if possible, present its findings in public hearings that would oblige the Department and City politicians to deal with a problem no one wanted to face. Overcoming organizational, budgetary and political problems, the Commission put together an investigative group of about a dozen and a half lawyers and agents. They all had backgrounds in federal rather than local law enforcement, to avoid the potentially compromising influence of prior police experience. This lack of experience with the 32,000 person Department that was under investigation led to considerable stumbling at the outset. The Commission proceeded by fits and starts until, just as its funds were running out, it pierced the “Blue Wall of Silence”. In a dramatic series of events, involving a flamboyant “Madame,” a corrupt lawyer, and a weasly informant, the Commission trapped and “turned” a “super thief’ cop who worked undercover for three months and then testified as the centerpiece for a spectacular and revelatory public hearing. More corrupt cops were among other witnesses testifying at the hearing. Their tales of widespread corruption effectively refuted the conventional claim that police corruption involved “a few rotten apples in the barrel”. The book describes a second public hearing, dealing with the Serpico charges, and some post- hearing events, including the conviction of the Commission’s “super thief’ witness for an earlier double murder. It finishes with some conclusary observations. In the course oftelling this tale, the book explores, among other things: police investigative strategy and tactics; political maneuvering, both governmental and Departmental; various ethical and philosophical issues in law enforcement; the impact and meaning of past historical events; the efficacy, or lack thereof, of proper and improper public relations efforts; the effectiveness of training; psychological and emotional pressures leading to corruption; the causes and effects, on individuals and society, of public graft- taking; and the particular stresses, pressures and influences contributing to the corruption found by the Commission.
