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Faces of the Force: A Candid Look at the Daily Life of New York Police Officers in the 1970s Through Photos

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New York City police officers in the 1970s faced a daily life filled with challenges. The city itself was struggling with money problems and high crime rates, and this directly shaped what it was like to wear a badge. Every day brought officers into contact with the city’s difficulties.

A big part of daily life was responding to calls for help. The 911 system sent officers to emergencies across the city. This meant their work was often about reacting to crimes and incidents after they happened. They moved from one call to the next, dealing with the results of break-ins, assaults, and other criminal activity. It was a fast-paced and demanding way to police.

Patrolling the streets was different depending on the neighborhood. Some areas saw a lot more crime than others. Officers in these parts of the city were constantly on alert. They encountered dangerous situations regularly. They dealt with a high volume of cases involving theft, violence, and issues related to illegal drugs. The environment could be unpredictable and risky.

The city’s financial troubles directly impacted the resources available to officers each day. Fewer officers were on the force due to budget cuts. This meant the remaining officers often felt stretched thin, having to cover larger areas and handle more calls than before. They worked with the equipment they had, navigating the city’s streets and buildings.

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Interacting with the public was a constant part of the job, happening in a high-crime atmosphere. Officers dealt with people who were victims of crime, witnesses to incidents, and individuals involved in criminal activity. Each interaction required officers to assess the situation and decide on the best course of action, all while working in a tense environment.

Seeing the effects of crime was a daily reality. Officers responded to crime scenes, took reports, and dealt with the aftermath of violent acts. They witnessed the impact of the city’s problems firsthand, from property damage to the distress of victims. This constant exposure to difficult situations was a significant part of their daily experience.

#1 Police officer playing with children in Harlem, 1978.

Police officer playing with children in Harlem, 1978.

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#3 Investigators from the 9th Precinct with Lieutenant Edward Manetho, 1978.

Investigators from the 9th Precinct with Lieutenant Edward Manetho, 1978.

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#4 The police are trying to help an addict who has overdosed, 1978.

The police are trying to help an addict who has overdosed, 1978.

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#5 The police intervened when a family quarrel escalated into a fight, 1978.

The police intervened when a family quarrel escalated into a fight, 1978.

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#6 A small drug dealer shows one of his scars from multiple stab wounds, 1978.

A small drug dealer shows one of his scars from multiple stab wounds, 1978.

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#7 The district shows traces of drug dealers’ stab wounds; police walk around with two guns, 1978.

The district shows traces of drug dealers' stab wounds; police walk around with two guns, 1978.

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#8 The Bowery in the Lower East Side is full of drug addicts, alcoholics, and drug dealers; police make regular rounds, 1978.

The Bowery in the Lower East Side is full of drug addicts, alcoholics, and drug dealers; police make regular rounds, 1978.

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#9 An officer worried about his family’s safety while he works at night, 1978.

An officer worried about his family's safety while he works at night, 1978.

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#10 A police officer on a roof oversees drug dealers trying to sell drugs to schoolchildren, 1972.

A police officer on a roof oversees drug dealers trying to sell drugs to schoolchildren, 1972.

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#11 A man died in a hotel room from substandard drugs; he was an informant, 1972.

A man died in a hotel room from substandard drugs; he was an informant, 1972.

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#12 “If I had to, I could have shot,” said one policeman, 1972.

"If I had to, I could have shot," said one policeman, 1972.

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#13 Department photo identification at police headquarters in New York, 1975.

Department photo identification at police headquarters in New York, 1975.

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#14 Two officers check a suspicious car with their hands on their revolver handles, 1978.

Two officers check a suspicious car with their hands on their revolver handles, 1978.

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#15 The funeral of a police officer killed on duty, 1979.

The funeral of a police officer killed on duty, 1979.

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#18 Residents accused Chelsea staff of the 10th section of ill-treatment of detainees, 1979.

Residents accused Chelsea staff of the 10th section of ill-treatment of detainees, 1979.

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#21 Toilet clogged with gelatin capsules and syringes, 1979.

Toilet clogged with gelatin capsules and syringes, 1979.

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#22 Police raided an apartment and found a large quantity of drugs, 1979.

Police raided an apartment and found a large quantity of drugs, 1979.

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#24 Murder in the store; the saleswoman was killed for a few dollars, 1972.

Murder in the store; the saleswoman was killed for a few dollars, 1972.

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#26 Police and ambulance arrive at the scene of a street fight; a man lies unconscious, 1979.

Police and ambulance arrive at the scene of a street fight; a man lies unconscious, 1979.

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#27 A man’s body on the sidewalk with a note asking to call the police, 1979.

A man's body on the sidewalk with a note asking to call the police, 1979.

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#28 Curator of the Museum of the New York Police holds an artifact of the Romantic era gangster wars, 1979.

Curator of the Museum of the New York Police holds an artifact of the Romantic era gangster wars, 1979.

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#31 Homicide investigators show photos of suspects to residents, 1972.

Homicide investigators show photos of suspects to residents, 1972.

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#32 “This is a real carousel,” said a police officer about arresting prostitutes, 1972.

"This is a real carousel," said a police officer about arresting prostitutes, 1972.

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#33 An underground passage from the prison to the courthouse, 1972.

An underground passage from the prison to the courthouse, 1972.

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#34 A patient with a drug overdose in the hospital waiting room, 1972.

A patient with a drug overdose in the hospital waiting room, 1972.

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#36 The police checked an abandoned building and found a body inside, 1972.

The police checked an abandoned building and found a body inside, 1972.

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#42 Detectives remove fingerprints from the body in the morgue, 1972.

Detectives remove fingerprints from the body in the morgue, 1972.

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#43 Employees work around the clock over the murder of two policemen, 1972.

Employees work around the clock over the murder of two policemen, 1972.

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#44 Mounted police raise a fallen man in the street, 1972.

Mounted police raise a fallen man in the street, 1972.

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#45 Officer Steve Kreychi wears a bulletproof vest before patrol, 1978.

Officer Steve Kreychi wears a bulletproof vest before patrol, 1978.

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#46 A boy came to the police station and said he was left home alone, 1972.

A boy came to the police station and said he was left home alone, 1972.

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#48 “I was returning home after drinking and vomited,” 1972.

"I was returning home after drinking and vomited," 1972.

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#49 Much of the work of the patrol is to just stand and watch, 1978.

Much of the work of the patrol is to just stand and watch, 1978.

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#50 Fashionistas look like tough guys, but in reality gruel and namby-pamby, 1978.

Fashionistas look like tough guys, but in reality gruel and namby-pamby, 1978.

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#51 Thief caught breaking the shop wall asking him to return his tools, 1978.

Thief caught breaking the shop wall asking him to return his tools, 1978.

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#52 A girl was raped by her boyfriend’s friends while he watched, 1978.

A girl was raped by her boyfriend's friends while he watched, 1978.

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#54 Officers find a family at the dinner table instead of armed men, 1978.

Officers find a family at the dinner table instead of armed men, 1978.

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#56 “None of the beautiful girl in my area,” 1978.

"None of the beautiful girl in my area," 1978.

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#60 Volunteers from the auxiliary police are instructed in the basement of the police station, 1979.

Volunteers from the auxiliary police are instructed in the basement of the police station, 1979.

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#61 A young man says a police officer as he crashed the car, 1979.

A young man says a police officer as he crashed the car, 1979.

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#62 A police officer on duty near the set of the film, 1979.

A police officer on duty near the set of the film, 1979.

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#63 A protester refused to leave the roadway and was taken away by force, 1979.

A protester refused to leave the roadway and was taken away by force, 1979.

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#66 The funeral of a police officer who was killed on duty, 1979.

The funeral of a police officer who was killed on duty, 1979.

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#68 The funeral of a police officer who was killed on duty, 1979.

The funeral of a police officer who was killed on duty, 1979.

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#69 The funeral of a police officer who was killed on duty, 1979.

The funeral of a police officer who was killed on duty, 1979.

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#70 Detective is an inventory of confiscated guns in the raid, 1979.

Detective is an inventory of confiscated guns in the raid, 1979.

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#71 Children play in a police car on one of the hottest days of July, 1979.

Children play in a police car on one of the hottest days of July, 1979.

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#72 Police rushed on call and grabbed the teenager suspected of robbing a supermarket, 1979.

Police rushed on call and grabbed the teenager suspected of robbing a supermarket, 1979.

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#75 The officer shoots a gun with an ankle before school in the gym, 1979.

The officer shoots a gun with an ankle before school in the gym, 1979.

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#77 Addict searched an abandoned building on the stairs, 1979.

Addict searched an abandoned building on the stairs, 1979.

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#79 Reid in shooting galleries; at the local slang, it is called a “shooting gallery”, 1979.

Reid in shooting galleries; at the local slang, it is called a "shooting gallery", 1979.

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#80 Policeman artist paints a portrait of the suspect, 1979.

Policeman artist paints a portrait of the suspect, 1979.

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#81 Abandoned building in which the shooting galleries, 1979.

Abandoned building in which the shooting galleries, 1979.

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#84 Police officers during a visit to a countercultural clothing boutique, 1979.

Police officers during a visit to a countercultural clothing boutique, 1979.

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#86 No. 979. Police at the time of the visit of a foreign security official, 1979.

No. 979. Police at the time of the visit of a foreign security official, 1979.

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#88 A police officer checks if the man was bad or just drunk, 1978.

A police officer checks if the man was bad or just drunk, 1978.

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#89 The man was found lying in the street and taken to hospital, 1978.

The man was found lying in the street and taken to hospital, 1978.

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#90 The detainee and the officer looked at each other in a police station, 1978.

The detainee and the officer looked at each other in a police station, 1978.

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#95 Teenage girls run away from their parents and are imbued with the smell of the city, 1972.

Teenage girls run away from their parents and are imbued with the smell of the city, 1972.

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#98 A police officer waits in the hospital waiting room for information on a leg wound victim, 1978.

A police officer waits in the hospital waiting room for information on a leg wound victim, 1978.

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Written by Henry Parker

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