Special Operations

OFFICER.

:::::::::::

Well, there goes whatever small chance I had to plead Mike Sabara's case. Now that it's official, it's too late to do anything about it.

He read the second message.

General: 0651 06/30/73 From Commissioner

PAGE 1 OF 1

*** CITY OF PHILADELPHIA***

*** POLICE DEPARTMENT***

:::::::::::

THE FOLLOWING COMMAND REORGANIZATION WILL BE ANNOUNCED AT ALL ROLL

CALLS: EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY A SPECIAL OPERATIONS DIVISION IS FORMED

WITH HEADQUARTERS IN THE 7TH POLICE DISTRICT/HIGHWAY PATROL BUILDING,

COMMANDING OFFICER SPECIAL OPERATIONS DIVISION WILL BE IMMEDIATELY

SUBORDINATE TO THE COMMISSIONER, REPORTING THROUGH CHIEF INSPECTOR

COUGHLIN. THE SPECIAL OPERATIONS DIVISION WILL CONSIST OF THE HIGHWAY

PATROL, THE ANTI-CRIME TEAM (ACT) UNIT, AND SUCH OTHER UNITS AS MAY BE

LATER ASSIGNED. THE SPECIAL OPERATIONS DIVISION HAS CITYWIDE

JURISDICTION. SPECIAL OPERATIONS DIVISION MOTOR VEHICLES (EXCEPT

HIGHWAY PATROL) ARE ASSIGNED RADIO CALL SIGNS S-100 THROUGH S-200, AND

WILL USE THE PHONETIC PRONUNCIATION 'SAM.'

:::::::::::

The radio designator 'Sam' was already in use, Wohl knew. Stakeout and the Bomb Squad used it. It was 'Sam' rather than the military ' Sugar' because the first time a Bomb Squad cop had gone on the air and identified himself as 'S-Sugar Thirteen' the hoots of derision from his brother officers had been heard as far away as Atlantic City.

Special Operations had been given, he reasoned, the 'Sam' designator because Special Operations, also 'S' was going to be larger than 'S' for Stakeout. So what were they going to use for Stakeout and the Bomb Squad? It would not work to have both using the same designator.

But that was a problem that could wait.

He read the third and fourth teletype messages.

General: 0652 06/30/73 From Commissioner

PAGE 1 OF 1

*** CITY OF PHILADELPHIA***

*** POLICE DEPARTMENT***

:::::::::::

ANNOUNCEMENT WILL BE MADE AT ALL ROLL CALLS OF THE FOLLOWING COMMAND

ASSIGNMENT: EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY STAFF INSPECTOR PETER F. WOHL IS

REASSIGNED FROM INTERNAL AFFAIRS DIVISION TO SPECIAL OPERATIONS

DIVISION AS COMMANDING OFFICER.

:::::::::::

General: 0653 06/30/73 From Commissioner

PAGE 1 OF 1

*** CITY OF PHILADELPHIA***

*** POLICE DEPARTMENT***

:::::::::::

ANNOUNCEMENT WILL BE MADE AT ALL ROLL CALLS OF THE FOLLOWING COMMAND

ASSIGNMENT: EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY CAPTAIN MICHAEL J. SABARA IS

REASSIGNED FROM (ACTING) COMMANDING OFFICER HIGHWAY PATROL TO SPECIAL

OPERATIONS DIVISION AS DEPUTY COMMANDER.

:::::::::::

'I'll be in touch,' Chief Coughlin said to the telephone, and hung up. He turned to Wohl, smiling.

'You don't seem very surprised, Peter,' Coughlin said.

'I heard.'

'You did?' Coughlin said, surprised. 'From who?'

'I forget.'

'Yeah, you forget,' Coughlin said, sarcastically. 'I don't know why I'm surprised.'

'I don't suppose I can get out of this?' Wohl asked.

'You're going to be somebody in the Department, Peter,' Coughlin said. 'It wouldn't be much of a surprise if