Sept. 9, 1964 - New York Police Commissioner Michael J. Murphy (left with Mayor Robert Wagner), reporting an “alarming increase” in drug addiction, announced today that 1,100 men had been assigned to help the 200-man Narcotics Bureau “ferret out the dealers in death.”
To further strengthen the “priority campaign” against what he called a particular and pressing crime problem, Murphy promised awards and promotions for policemen with good records in narcotics law enforcement. Those assigned to help the Narcotics Bureau are plainclothes men and Youth Division policemen.
Murphy summoned 300 high-ranking officers to a special meeting at the new Police Academy, 235 East 20th Street, and told them he was sorry they had been diverted from crime prevention by such chores as policing picket line, “engaging in verbal battles about civilian review boards,” and — in reference to the comings and goings of the Beatles — “protecting our youngsters against an invasion of musical insects.”
“Let’s get back to police work,” he urged.
Of the illegal drug traffic, he said: “This dirty trade is growing. Its customers — the unfortunate addicts — are increasing. Our statistics show that more and more of our children and young adolescents are falling victims of these foul dealers in death and destruction.”
Murphy said that in addition to the use of heroin and opium and the smoking of marijuana cigarettes, there had been an alarming increase in the use of barbiturates and amphetamines. There was a 33.4% increase in arrests for amphetamines in 1963 over 1962 and a 22.2% increase in arrests for the use of barbiturates in the same period.
He said it was “alarming” that of the 67,000 persons arrested in the last 10 years for narcotic violations, 10,000 were between 16 and 20 years of age, and 370 were under 16.
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