When I went to college I took a Homicide course at John Jay College. This was back in 1984, before I became a cop. The professor said something I will never forget. "It takes two to tango. One is the suspect. The other is the victim." The professor taught how to work on crime scenes, surveillances, interagations, keeping notes. It was exciting. That's when I wanted to become a cop. I want to solve cases, help others and protect the victims.
I joined the police force on January 9th, 1986. I solved my first homicide two years later on the force as a rookie in the South Bronx. The homicide occurred on 141 street Beeckman Ave. A drug dealer shot an innocent man multiple times throughout the body. The victim was holding his 6 year old son at the time. The victim was pleading stop. Not in front of his son, but the suspect didn't care and continued to shoot until his demised.
The suspect then jumped in the back seat of a car with 2 others waiting. The car drove off northbound on St. Anns Ave., in which the suspect disposed the gun by a park called St. Mary's park. I was in a sector car with my partner a few blocks away and apprehended the suspects with my partner on 149 st., just before Park Ave. "Three under to the house central" I said on the police radio. Took the perpetrators to the 40th precinct detective squad. The detective who was suppose to catch the case told me the arrest was mine. That I deserved it. This is very unusual since uniform officers do not make homicide arrests, it goes to the detective investigator. The detective did enhance the case and help me me on the arrest. |'ve learned a lot that day. Later that year the shooter was convicted for 40 years but then it was appealed and only got 15 years.
I then went to OCCB, narcotics division in which I received my gold shield. I became a detective. A couple of years later I was transferred out to the 34 squad up on Washington Heights. Where I learned from the best.
A lot of old timers over 20 - 30 years on the job, with a lot of experiences under their belts. I became a rookie again. Even though I had 11 years under my belt. I picked their brains a lot. I observed and listened. I did what they said and successfully closed a lot of violent crime cases. That would be shootings, stabbings, and homicides. Also worked on missing persons, domestic violence, burglaries, robberies and the list goes on. I also assisted other detectives with their cases as a team. Most of these cases though you work on your own. If you need help they will help you but most of the time you are on your own. Except when there is a homicide. A homicide the whole team joins in to work on your case. Even a special unit, the Homicide Squad comes in and give their assistance. Most of the time you make an arrest. Not right away but an arrest is made. Sometimes your case can go cold and becomes a Cold Case. It could and does sits there for years, even decades. Family members at first would call for any updates then eventually they give up calling. Then the case would sit in a storage room. The truth is, the case doesn't die. A homicide never closes. It only closes when an arrest is made and a conviction is done. So yes a homicide never dies. There is a unit called the Cold Case Unit. They go around the squads and check on old homicide cases and starts to investigate on them. Start from the beginning and revisit and interview past witnesses. Even put out flyers. Somebody will open up. Guilt and sorrow does that to a person. Ends up doing the right thing.
Then you have detective like me. I use to go back and check on my cases over and over again. Rework on my cases. Do computer checks, reinterview and end up with new witnesses. I don't give up. I do get breaks and end up making an arrests. I also helped others on their cases the same as they helped me.
I retired in January 2006. I love the job but hate the politics. The NYPD Detectives are the best in the world and I'm proud to be a part of it. I still work on cases even though l'm retired. I still work on missings, homicides, grand larcenies.
Not only I work cases on humans but I also work cases on animals. Working cases on animals is interesting. I compare it like a homicide or a missing person. Animals don't have a voice, and neither does the dead. Animals needs a voice and I use my experiences to become that voice as a retired NYPD detective. I have a Private investigator license in the New York State area. I still do investigations on people and animals. I use my experiences and solve cases.
I have a YouTube Channel call, "Your Pet Detective Show", with my partner, Ardina Seward. She's a retired Photojournalist on Eyewitness News. Now she's a Reporter/Editor on the Hamlet Hub and a host on WVOX Radio. We both together hosts on the Your Pet Detective Show Livestream YouTube Channel interviewing experts on animals around the globe. We have new episodes every Friday at 9 PM EST. So please drop a Like, Subscribe, and hit that Notification button.
I would also want to say is if you have a family member who was murdered or missing and is not solved please don't give up. It doesn't matter how old the case is. Never give up. I saw on craiglist a person pleading for help on her deceased sister. She was killed on 1964 in Brooklyn, NY. I reached out to her. I comfort her and reopened the case. Gave her the detective's name with a contact number. I pray that case be solved, for the victim and the victim's family. I quess a cop is always a cop.
Be safe out there!
Angel Nieves
Retired NYPD Detective Investigator
&
Your Pet Detective
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