How a Son of Sam Detective Realized ‘This Has Got to Be the Guy’

Sid Frigand, Mayor Abraham Beame's press secretary told me in an oral history interview that he went with Beame to the police precinct in Brooklyn when they arrested Berkowitz. Frigand recalled that when they walked in the station house there were reporters and camera men every where. It was the big story. Berkowitz was standing there and Beame not knowing what the arresting officer looked like started walking toward Berkowitz to congratulate him for the arrest. Frigand noticed that the Mayor had mistaken this very middle class looking killer for the arresting police office. So Sid tackled the Mayor and as he pushed him aside he tells Abe -- you are about to congratulate the killer not the detective. Sid saved Beame from being on the front page of every daily newspaper shaking the hand of the Son of Sam.

"And when David Berkowitz was arrested in 1977 for a sensationalized string of murders, the Mayor came perilously close to mistaking the suspect for the lead detective.
"Ah, the photo op from Hell," said Mr. Frigand. "The Mayor congratulating Son of Sam upon his arrest." (NYT, On Sunday; In the Office Of Mr. Beame And His Honor
By JOE SEXTON, May 1, 1994)

And who could have guessed at the time, that four decades later we'd wind up electing an even more deranged, narcissistic character as president.

I was a young woman with long brown hair in the city that summer. I remember getting into a cab, and the driver got on the FDR drive which I thought was weird. I asked him where he was going, and he said, "I know a short cut." It was raining, and he was wearing leather gloves. The radio was on, and they started talking about Son of Sam. He laughed, and said what a shame it was that young women like me had to be afraid. I almost leapt out of the cab into the traffic. It was terrifying. When people talk about how cool NY was in the seventies I remember things like that, and the chain snatching and how the police said don't wear nice things on the Subway or you'll be asking for trouble.

I always remember this. I remember it because of the victims and their grief and how terrible sad it made me and also because I was born and raised in the Bronx and never felt unsafe in late 1940s and early 1950s. I lived on Cypress Ave. near 138th St and also on Townsend Ave. at 175th and Grand Concourse. I also lived in Queens with my grandparents. It was always safe. I remember the pictures of the tragic grief stricken face of the mother of Stacy Moskowitz. But, I also remember this because when we lived in New York our family doctor was a kind, gentle man named, Dr. Berkowitz. I wondered were they associated. I wondered how a man, the antithesis of Dr. Berkowitz could possibly exist. I wondered how anyone could just murder young, unsuspecting victims without so much as a thought.
When I read this I feel the same terrible sadness for all the victims. How could my wonderful New York ever suffer such a tragedy. How could a monster like David Berkowitz exist? Why is he still alive? Why does any gun store sell .44 magnum revolvers? Or any high power pistol? Where do the monsters come from? Why? Why?

A letter Berkowitz wrote testifies that he knew he was a monster:

"The letter expressed the killer's determination to continue his work, and taunted police for their fruitless efforts to capture him....misspellings intact, the letter read:"

"I am deeply hurt by your calling me a women hater. I am not. But I am a monster. I am the "Son of Sam."

He was an illegitimate son.

"A lot of things we used to do on gut feeling: ‘I can’t put my finger on it. Something’s wrong with this.’ You’ve got to go with it.”

Gut feelings of officers in New York and other jurisdictions have lead to unconstitutional searches, false arrests, and wrongful imprisonment. That shouldn't surprise anyone. By way of example, the police are only permitted to stop and frisk people when they have reasonably articulable suspicion that crime is afoot. Yet, 90 percent of the people stopped by the NYPD are released without the officer finding any basis for a summons or arrest. In other words, the "gut instinct" of NYPD officers is wrong more than 90 percent of the time.

A great, exciting real-life story. Way to go, Detective Justus!

There were many police officers involved in the investigation of the notorious Son of Sam murderer. All of them contributed and acted heroically. In the photo displayed by the New York Times, my late uncle, Detective John Falotico, is standing behind the killer. Detective Falotico is officially credited by the New York Police Department as the arresting officer of the Son of Sam. He was the one who risked his life to confront the killer, slapped the cuffs on him and made the arrest. In the jargon of the times, he "got the collar". As the article states, a lot of folks were unable to go to make the arrest. I quote from the article, "Even after all these years, Mr. Justus sounded frustrated as he recounted that he had not been able to go to Yonkers" and later in the article, " 'There was a lot of us that didn’t go,' Mr. Borrelli said. 'Justus was one. I didn’t go, and I was involved from the beginning. ' ” My uncle went and made the arrest. All officers involved in this notorious case are heroes. All contributed. But Detective John Falotico, my uncle, was the one who was "able to go" and actually make the arrest. I think that should be noted for the record.

I was a 22-year old law student in 1977, and I remember the "Summer of Sam," all too well. Yes, there was great fear in the city, which was otherwise falling apart--remember the riots during the blackout, the graffiti, the drugs, the crime, the break down of civility? This was caused by the 1973 financial crisis and the ineptitude city leadership. We were lucky that the Detectives had the fortitude to pursue their prey and make an arrest. This would later prove to be the beginning of New York City's long ascent to recovery.

What's really sad is that this piece of human garbage is still alive. He should have been fed to the dogs the minute after being convicted.

And thanks to police officer Michael Cataneo who wrote the parking ticket that led to the capture of the madman.

I just saw a documentary on Berkowitz (Son of Sam) and it was chilling. Actual videos and police photos. One of the most chilling parts was his demeanor and actions after the police caught him. He seemed to be smiling all the time. Look at me, his actions and smiles said, I'm important...I'm famous. The young people he didn't kill some were maimed for life and probably had psychological problems too. The neighbor's dog he supposedly got his instructions from wasn't named Sam either. I'm sorry to hear about retired Det. Justice's heart attack. They all did a job well done.