Ep 81 Pt 1 Ralph Friedman NYPD Detective

Interview with the most decorated NYPD Detective Ralph Friedman

Years of Service: 1968-1984

Detective Friedman began his law enforcement career with the NYPD in 1968 as a fingerprint technician. He was later assigned to the 41st Precinct, also known as “Fort Apache,” as an officer on foot patrol.

Right from the start, Detective Friedman was a proactive police officer who sought out criminals both on and off duty, quickly earning a reputation as someone who got things done. He was eventually promoted to the Anti-Crime Unit, where he worked alongside some of his heroes, and through his hard work, he achieved the rank of Detective 3rd grade.

While serving as an officer and detective for the NYPD, Friedman made 2,000 arrests, including 100 off-duty arrests, and provided assistance in 6,000 cases. He was involved in 15 shootings, resulting in the deaths of 4 suspects. Unfortunately, Detective Friedman's career was cut short after just 14 years due to a severe on-duty car accident, which led to his medical retirement as a second-grade detective.

Detective Friedman has been the subject of numerous articles and interviews. He is the co-author of the book "Street Warrior: NYPD's Most Decorated Detective and the Era that Created Him" based on his career.

A 2017 television series, which is currently available on Amazon Prime and is called "Street Justice the Bronx," was also based on his career. Friedman was featured in the movie "Tattoo" with Bruce Dern, and he was the technical advisor to the Prequal Movie for the Sopranos called "The Many Saints of Newark."

00:00 Introduction
03:05 Personal Reflections and Family
06:08 Growing Up and Family Background
10:44 Interests Beyond Policing
22:05 The Police Academy Experience
30:38 First Assignment: The 41st Precinct
34:29 Camaraderie and Partnerships
36:25 A Fight Between Friends
37:35 The Longest Fight Ever
39:54 Life in the 41st Precinct
41:50 Street Justice
43:22 The Reality of Policing
45:06 The Evolution of Policing
47:23 Starting Out as a Rookie
49:32 Foot Patrol and Beyond
53:16 The Fiscal Crisis of 1975
57:28 Returning to the Bronx
01:00:03 The Naked Guy Incident
01:03:20 Encounter with Corruption
01:08:16 Proactive Policing