POLICE ORGANIZATION RESHUFFLED
By Cheryl Davies
Bulletin Staff Writer
Police Commissioner Taddeus Czernick today announced the formation of a new division, to be called Special Operations, within the Philadelphia Police Department. Although Czernick denied the reshuffling has anything to do with recent press criticism of some police operations, knowledgeable observers believe this to be the case.
Highway Patrol, the elite police unit sometimes known as "Carlucci's Commandos," which has been the subject of much recent criticism, has been placed under the new Special Operations Division, which will be commanded by Inspector Peter Wohl. Captain Michael J. Sabara, who had been in temporary command of the Highway Patrol since Captain Richard C. Moffitt was shot and killed, was named as Wohl's deputy. Captain David J. Pekach, who had been assigned to the Narcotics Bureau, was named to command the Highway Patrol.
Inspector Wohl, who was previously assigned to the Special Investigations Division, and Pekach are little known outside the police department, but are regarded by insiders as "straight arrows," officers who go by the book, lending further credence to the theory that the reorganization is intended to tame the Highway Patrol, and lessen press criticism of its alleged excesses. One Philadelphia newspaper recently editorialized that the Highway Patrol was acting like the Gestapo.
The new Special Operations Division will also have under its wing a special, federally funded, yet-to-be-formed unit called Anti-Crime Teams (ACT). According to Commissioner Czernick, specially trained and equipped ACT teams will be sent to high-crime areas in Philadelphia as needed to augment existing Police resources.
"That's very nice," Barbara said.
Peter Wohl snorted derisively.
"Congratulations, Peter."
Peter snorted again.
"Am I missing something?" Barbara asked, confused. "What's wrong with it?"
"I'm a Staff Inspector, for one thing," Peter said. "Not an Inspector."
"Well, so what? That's a simple mistake. She didn't know any better."
"For another, there's a pretty clear implication in there that Highway has been doing something wrong, and they haven't, and that Mike Sabara, who is a really good cop, didn't get Highway because he's involved with what's wrong with it."
"Why didn't he get it?"
"Because the mayor thinks he looks like a concentration camp guard," Peter said.
"Really?" Barbara said.
"Really," Peter said. "And I wasn't sent over there to 'tame' Highway, either."
"But Carlucci will be very pleased if you can keep the newspapers from calling it the Gestapo," Chief Inspector August Wohl said.
"Only one newspaper's doing that, Dad," Peter replied, "and you know why."
"Idon't," Barbara said.
"Arthur J. Nelson, who owns theLedger, has got it in for the police," Peter said, "because it got out that his son, the one who was murdered-Jerome?-was a homosexual."
"Oh," Barbara said. "How did it get out?"
"A cop who should have known better told Mickey O'Hara," Peter said. "Not that it wouldn't have come out inevitably, but he blames the Police."
Barbara considered that a moment, and then decided to change the subject: "Well, what are you going to do over there, anyway?" she asked.
"He's the commanding officer," Olga Wohl said, a touch of pride in her voice.
"You asked me how my day was," Peter said, dryly.
"Yes, I did."
"Well, I went over to my newcommand," he said, wryly, "about fourthirty. Special Operations will operate out of what until this morning was Highway Patrol headquarters, at Bustleton and Bowler. Three people were waiting for me. Captain Mike Sabara, his chin on his knees, because until this morning, he thought he was going to get Highway; Captain Dave Pekach, who had his chin on his knees because he's got the idea that somebody doesn't like him;because they gavehim Highwayin other words he thinks he's being thrown to the wolves; and a sergeant named Ed Frizell, from Staff Planning, whose chin is on his knees because when he dreamed up this ACT thing it never entered his mind that he would be involved in it-banished, so to speak, in disgrace from his office in the Roundhouse to the boondocks, forced to wear a uniform and consort with ordinary cops, and possibly even have to go out and arrest people."
Chief Wohl chuckled.
"And then I went to the Highway roll call," Peter went on."That was fun."
"I don't understand, dear," his mother said.
"Well, I was practicing good leadership techniques," Peter said. "I thought I was being clever as hell. I got there, and made my little speech. I was proud to be back in Highway, as I was sure Captain Pekach was. I said that I had always thought of Highway as the most efficient unit in the Department, and felt sure it would stay that way. I even included the standard lines that my door was always open, and that I looked forward to working with them."
"What's wrong with that?" Barbara asked.
"Well, I didn't know that they thought I was the SOB who took Highway away from Mike Sabara, who everybody likes, and gave it to Pekach, who nobody in Highway likes."
"Why don't they like Pekach?" Chief Wohl asked. "I thought he was a pretty good cop. And from what I hear, he did a good job in Narcotics. And he came out of Highway."
"He did a great job in Narcotics," Peter said. "But what I didn't know-and it was my fault I didn't-was that theone time a Highway cop got arrested for drugs, Dave Pekach was the one who arrested him."
"The Sergeant? About a year ago?" Chief Wohl asked, and Peter nodded.
"I knew about that," Chief Wohl said, "but I didn't know Pekach was involved."
"And I hadn't seen Miss Cheryl Davies's clever little newspaper article, and they had," Peter went on, "so my attempt at practicing the best principles of command left the indelible impression on my new command that I am a fool or a liar, or both."
"Oh, Peter," his mother said. "You don't know that!"
"I know cops, Mother," Peter said. "I know what those guys were thinking."
"If they think that now, they'll come to know better," Barbara said, loyally.
"Would you care to order now?" the waiter asked.
"Yes, please," Peter said. "I'm going to have something hearty. That' s traditional for condemned men."
Chief Wohl chuckled again. Barbara leaned across the table and put her hand on Peter's. Mrs. Wohl smiled at them.
They were on dessert when the manager called Peter to the telephone.
"Inspector Wohl," Peter said.
"Lieutenant Jackson, sir," the caller said. "You said you wanted to be notified when anything came up."
Wohl now placed the name and face. His caller was the Highway Tour Commander on duty.
"What's up, Jackson?"
"We got a pretty bad wreck, I'm afraid. Highway Sixteen was going in on a call and hit a civilian broadside. At Second and Olney."
"Anybody hurt?"
"Both of our guys were injured," Jackson said, reluctance in his voice. "One of the passengers in the civilian car is dead; two others are pretty badly injured."
"My God!"
"It was a little boy that got killed, Inspector," Jackson said.
"Jesus H. Christ!" Wohl said. "Has Captain Pekach been notified?"
"Yes, sir."
"You say they were answering a call?"
"Yes, sir," Jackson said. "They went in on a call to the Thirty-fifth District. Somebody saw a woman being forced into a van by a guy with a knife at Front and Godfrey, one of the apartment buildings. In the parking lot."