Columbia Association of the Police Department, City of New York COLUMBIA NEWS I would like to wish everyone a Happy and Healthy New Year. Let us try and make 2013 one of the best years for annual membership. Membership dues are one of the most important factors to any fraternal organization. These dues are the financial foundation of the organization. As many of you know, membership has declined for the Columbia Association as well as all the other fraternal organizations within the Police Department. The cause of the decline remains unknown. It is imperative that we, as a whole, do our best to sign up as many Italian American members that we possibly can. There are a lot of Italian Americans on this job but for some strange reason they do not want to join this fine organization. I think it is time for the seasoned members to educate the newer members to join. There is strength in numbers. Let us all be proud of our heritage and let us show it though strong membership in the Columbia Association. The college scholarship examination will take place on Wednesday March 27, 2013. It will be held at the Police Academy located at 235 East 20th Street New York, New York. The exam will begin at 6:00 PM sharp. No applicant will be admitted unless a completed application is on file with the Police Reserve Association or the Columbia Association at www.nypdcolumbia.org prior to the exam. You can download an application from the Police Reserve Association at www.nycpra.org or contact a Columbia Board officer as soon as possible. The high school scholarship examination will take place on Saturday March 30, 2013. It will be held at the Italian Charities of America Building located at 83-20 Queens Boulevard, Elmhurst, New York. The exam will begin at 9:00 AM sharp. No applicant will be admitted unless a completed application is on file with the Columbia Association prior to the exam. You can download an application from the Columbia Association at www.nypdcolumbia.org or contact a Columbia Board officer as soon as possible. The deadline to submit these applications is February 27, 2013. One of the objectives during my Presidency was to increase the Columbia Association membership. The Columbia Association is the only fraternal organization in the history of the Police Department to offer its members automatic payroll deductions. The annual membership dues are only $25.00. Let us push to increase membership. If you have not paid your dues for 2013 please see your delegate or any Columbia Board Officer and support your organization. The expression goes; we are only as strong as our weakest link. You can download a membership application on the Columbia website which is www.nypdcolumbia.org. You can now register online through NYCAPS Employee Self- Service (ESS) for automatic payroll deduction for membership in the Columbia Association. The website is www.nyc.gov/ESS. It is incumbent upon all Columbia Association members to be a steward for the organization and try to sign up as many members as possible. If your Precinct does not have a delegate, then take it upon yourself to become the delegate. There is a lot of Italian American Police Officers that work in various units throughout the Police Department but do not join our illustrious organization for a variety of reasons. The members “fall through the cracks” as the expression goes. If there are any commands throughout the city that does not have a Columbia Association Delegate or if you are interested in becoming a Columbia Delegate then you should notify the Columbia Association as soon as possible. The Columbia Association is always looking for dedicated Columbia members of the service to assist in distributing membership cards, posters and upcoming event fliers in their commands. The Columbia Association would like to congratulate some of the recently retired Columbia members and wish them “Bona Fortuna” in all of their new endeavors: Assistant Chief Alfred J. Materasso, Deputy Chief Raymond Ferrari, Deputy Inspector Vincent S. LoRusso and my cousin Detective Salvatore Saccente. Your loyalty and friendship will be missed dearly. Here are some of the many benefits offered by the Columbia Association. Every month the Columbia Association has a general meeting. These general meetings are held on the 4th Tuesday of the month. There are no general meetings in the months of July and August. In the month of October there is Affiliated with the National Council of Columbia Associations In Civil Service, Inc. and the National Coalition of Italian American Law Enforcement Organizations Fraternity n Integrity n Charity VOL.47, NO. 1 January — February 2013 SINCE 1932 Our President’s Message….
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Columbia Association of the Police Department, City of New York
COLUMBIA NEWS
I would like to wish everyone a
Happy and Healthy New Year.
Let us try and make 2013 one
of the best years for annual
membership. Membership dues
are one of the most important
factors to any fraternal
organization. These dues are
the financial foundation of the
organization. As many of you
know, membership has declined
for the Columbia Association as
well as all the other fraternal
organizations within the Police Department. The
cause of the decline remains unknown. It is
imperative that we, as a whole, do our best to sign up
as many Italian American members that we possibly
can. There are a lot of Italian Americans on this job
but for some strange reason they do not want to join
this fine organization. I think it is time for the
seasoned members to educate the newer members to
join. There is strength in numbers. Let us all be proud
of our heritage and let us show it though strong
membership in the Columbia Association.
The college scholarship examination will take
place on Wednesday March 27, 2013. It will be held
at the Police Academy located at 235 East 20th Street
New York, New York. The exam will begin at 6:00
PM sharp. No applicant will be admitted unless a
completed application is on file with the Police
Reserve Association or the Columbia Association at
www.nypdcolumbia.org prior to the exam. You can
download an application from the Police Reserve
Association at www.nycpra.org or contact a
Columbia Board officer as soon as possible. The high
school scholarship examination will take place on
Saturday March 30, 2013. It will be held at the Italian
Charities of America Building located at 83-20
Queens Boulevard, Elmhurst, New York. The exam
will begin at 9:00 AM sharp. No applicant will be
admitted unless a completed application is on file
with the Columbia Association prior to the exam.
You can download an application from the Columbia
Association at www.nypdcolumbia.org or contact a
Columbia Board officer as soon as possible. The
deadline to submit these applications is February 27,
2013.
One of the objectives during my Presidency
was to increase the Columbia Association
membership. The Columbia Association is the only
fraternal organization in the history of the Police
Department to offer its members automatic payroll
deductions. The annual membership dues are only
$25.00. Let us push to increase membership. If you
have not paid your dues for 2013 please see your
delegate or any Columbia Board Officer and support
your organization. The expression goes; we are only
as strong as our weakest link. You can download a
membership application on the Columbia website
which is www.nypdcolumbia.org. You can now
register online through NYCAPS Employee Self-
Service (ESS) for automatic payroll deduction for
membership in the Columbia Association. The
website is www.nyc.gov/ESS. It is incumbent upon
all Columbia Association members to be a steward
for the organization and try to sign up as many
members as possible. If your Precinct does not have a
delegate, then take it upon yourself to become the
delegate. There is a lot of Italian American Police
Officers that work in various units throughout the
Police Department but do not join our illustrious
organization for a variety of reasons. The members
“fall through the cracks” as the expression goes. If
there are any commands throughout the city that does
not have a Columbia Association Delegate or if you
are interested in becoming a Columbia Delegate then
you should notify the Columbia Association as soon
as possible. The Columbia Association is always
looking for dedicated Columbia members of the
service to assist in distributing membership cards,
posters and upcoming event fliers in their commands.
The Columbia Association would like to
congratulate some of the recently retired Columbia
members and wish them “Bona Fortuna” in all of
their new endeavors: Assistant Chief Alfred J.
Materasso, Deputy Chief Raymond Ferrari, Deputy
Inspector Vincent S. LoRusso and my cousin
Detective Salvatore Saccente. Your loyalty and
friendship will be missed dearly.
Here are some of the many benefits offered by
the Columbia Association. Every month the
Columbia Association has a general meeting. These
general meetings are held on the 4th Tuesday of the
month. There are no general meetings in the months
of July and August. In the month of October there is
Affiliated with the National Council of Columbia Associations
In Civil Service, Inc. and the National Coalition of
Italian American Law Enforcement Organizations
Fraternity n Integrity n Charity
VOL.47, NO. 1 January — February 2013 SINCE 1932
Our President’s Message….
no general meeting because we march in the
Columbus Day Parade. There is no general meeting in
December because we host the annual children’s
Christmas Party. The general meetings are fully
catered events with excellent food, soda and water.
There are monthly guest speakers that disseminate
informative information for the membership. The
Police union representatives speak at every general
meeting and disseminate information about the
contracts or other relative information regarding their
respective unions. There are raffle prizes at these
general meetings. There are many annual events that
the Columbia Association provides for their
membership. The Columbus Day Parade held in
October. This is where the organization shines. The
Columbia Association leads the parade march up
Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue in a sea of blue. At the end
of the parade route there is a fully catered Columbus
Day Parade luncheon. The annual dinner dance, held
at the El Caribe Catering Hall located in Brooklyn,
with honorees, celebrities and raffle prizes. There is a
fully catered children’s Christmas party with Santa
Claus giving out presents. The annual golf outing held
at the Clearview Golf Course centrally located in
Queens. The annual fishing trip held on Captain Jim’s
chartered boat sailing out of Freeport Long Island.
The annual Cigar Event, held at the exclusive Club
Macanudo in New York City. An annual Columbia
Delegate’s thank you party, held at Fino’s located in
New York City. Then there are the Columbia
Association annual scholarship awards. Ten high
school awards and ten college award totaling ten
thousand dollars are distributed to the children of
Columbia Association members. The Columbia
Newspaper which is filled with information about the
membership. Columbia Association merchandise, T-
shirts, coffee mugs, pins and hats. There are regular
networking opportunities with all the members of the
Columbia Association, from a civilian member to the
Police Commissioner.
On Saturday January 19, 2013 we held our
second Texas Hold-em tournament. I would like to
thank all the players that attended this event and made
it a success. I would also like to thank all of the
Columbia Board Officers that assisted that night to
make it a successful event. I would like to personally
thank Board Officer’s Michael Mongelli and Michael
Alfieri for their wonderful idea of the tournament and
for making it a reality. A special thanks to Michael
Mongelli and his family for their support and their
generous contributions. All proceeds made from the
Texas Hold-em tournament support the Children’s
Scholarship Fund.
The Children’s Scholarship Raffles were
recently mailed out to all Columbia members. Send
the Scholarship Raffle books back along with your
annual membership dues as soon as possible. The
Children’s Scholarship Raffle prize winners will be
selected on October 14, 2013 at the Columbus Day
Parade luncheon. The Columbia Association has some
great events scheduled for this year. Here is a list of
upcoming events: In March we will hold our annual
Cigar Event at a very exclusive location, date to be
announced so look for it on our web page. On Friday
March 22th at 7PM, we will host Assistant Chief
Alfred J. Materasso’s the Executive Officer of the
Detective Bureau retirement party at the Marina Del
Rey. On Friday May 3th, we will hold our annual
Dinner Dance at the El Caribe Catering Hall. On
Friday June 7th, we will hold our annual Golf Outing
at the Clearview Golf Course. On Friday June 21st,
we will hold our annual Fishing Trip aboard Captain
Jim in Freeport Long Island. On Sunday July 19th, we
will hold our annual Columbia Association’s Giglio
lift at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in
Brooklyn. From July 28th to August 3rd, we will hold
our annual Lake George Vacation Trip. On Sunday
September 29th, we will hold our annual
Columbia Association Detective Anthony Venditti
Memorial Motorcycle Ride. On Sunday October 13th,
we will hold our annual Wreath Laying Ceremony at
Columbus Circle. On Monday October 14th, we will
hold our annual Columbus Day Parade up 5th
Avenue. On Sunday December 8th, we will host our
annual Children’s Christmas Party at the Italian
Charities Building.
These are some of the upcoming events that
are on the radar. Check the Columbia website
frequently to keep abreast of all pertinent information.
The Columbia Association website is
www.nypdcolumbia.org. Until next time, stay true to
the Columbia Association.
.
PAGE 2 Columbia News January-February 2013
President’s Message Continued….
A very special congratulations to our Web Master
Frank Quiroz on his achievement.
PAGE 3 Columbia News January-February 2013
“Mr Italy”
Ciao, My Fellow Paisans
It’s been a few months and a lot has
happened. Unfortunately I was a victim of
Hurricane Sandy and was unable to pro-
duce your newsletter for the months of No-
vember and December, but I’m back. To
all who have suffered a loss as a result of
Hurricane Sandy my heart goes out to you,
for I know what you are going through.
I would like to congratulate Chief Croce
on his retirement as well as Chief Materas-
so and Chief Ferrari you all will be greatly
missed. The department is promoting less
and less Italian chiefs, I hope in the new
administration in 2014 this policy changes.
My prayers go out to Detective Anthony
Cardinale for the loss of his mother.
This issue I spotlight one of the great
crooners of all time who happens to be of
Italian decent. Dean Martin an American
singer, film actor, television star and come-
dian who is a true Italian more on Dean
Martin later in the newsletter.
Just a reminder the following events are
coming in the near future. The golf outing
will be held on June 7, 2013 see the flier on
our website. The Lake George trip will be
July 28 thru August 2, 2013.
Until Next time ……
Ciao, Louis J. Balsamo… Editor
Executive Board
President ...............Anthony Cesarano............... (212) 274-4142
1st Vice President .....Rich Angeletti...................(718) 822-5815
2nd Vice President ......Emanuel Rossi.................(845) 902-0175
Dean Martin Born Dino Paul Crocetti 7/7/17 Died 12/25/95 Known as “The King of Cool” “Dino”
Martin was born in Steubenville, Ohio, to an Italian father, Gaetano and an Italian-American mother, Angela Crocetti (née Barra). His
father was from Montesilvano, Pescara, Abruzzo, Italy, and his mother was of Neapolitan and Sicilian ancestry. Martin had an older brother named
Bill. Martin spoke only Italian until he started school. Martin was drafted into the United States Army in 1944 during World War II, Martin at-
tracted the attention of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Columbia Pictures, but a Hollywood contract was not forthcoming. He met comic Jerry Lew-
is at the Glass Hat Club in New York, where both men were performing. Martin and Lewis formed a fast friendship which led to their participation
in each other's acts and the ultimate formation of a music-comedy team. The team made its TV debut on the very first broadcast of CBS-TV net-
work's Toast of the Town (later called The Ed Sullivan Show) with Ed Sullivan and Rodgers & Hammerstein appearing on this same inaugural tele-
cast of June 20, 1948. A radio series commenced in 1949, the same year Martin and Lewis were signed by Paramount as comedy relief for the
movie My Friend Irma. Their agent, negotiated for them one of Hollywood's best deals: although they received only a modest $75,000 between
them for their films with Wallis, Martin and Lewis were free to do one outside film a year, which they would co-produce through their own York
Productions. They also had complete control of their club, record, radio and television appearances, and it was through these endeavors that they
earned millions of dollars. Never totally comfortable in films, Martin wanted to be known as a real actor. Though offered a fraction of his former
salary to co-star in a war drama The Young Lions (1957), he was ecstatic to receive the part because it would be a dramatic showcase with the two
most intriguing young actors of the period and he could learn from Marlon Brando and Montgomery Clift. For three decades, Martin was among
the most popular acts in Las Vegas. Martin sang and was one of the smoothest comics in the business, benefiting from the decade of raucous come-
dy with Lewis. Martin's daughter, Gail, also sang in Vegas and on his TV show, co-hosting his summer replacement series on NBC. Though often
thought of as a ladies' man, Martin spent a lot of time with his family; as second wife Jeanne put it, prior to the couple's divorce, "He was home
every night for dinner." As Martin's solo career grew, he and Frank Sinatra became close friends. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Martin and
Sinatra, along with friends Joey Bishop, Peter Lawford, and Sammy Davis, Jr. formed the legendary Rat Pack, so called by the public after an
earlier group of social friends.
In 1965, Martin launched his weekly NBC comedy-variety series, The Dean Martin Show, which exploited his public image as a lazy,
carefree boozer. There he perfected his famous laid-back persona of the half-drunk crooner suavely hitting on beautiful women with hilarious re-
marks that would get anyone else slapped, and making snappy if slurred remarks about fellow celebrities during his famous roasts. During an inter-
view he stated, and this may have been tongue-in-cheek, that he had someone record them on cassette tape so he could listen to them; this is evi-
denced by his comments to this effect on the British TV documentary 'Wine, Women and Song' which was aired in 1983.The TV show was a suc-
cess. The show's loose format prompted quick-witted improvisation from Martin and the cast. This prompted a battle between Martin and NBC
censors, who insisted on more scrutiny of the show's content. The show was often in the Top Ten. Martin, deeply appreciative of the efforts of the
show's producer, his friend Greg Garrison, later made a handshake deal giving Garrison, a pioneer TV producer in the 1950s, 50% ownership of
the show. However, the validity of that ownership is currently the subject of a lawsuit brought by NBC Universal.Despite Martin's reputation as a
heavy drinker – a reputation perpetuated via his vanity license plates reading "DRUNKY" – he was remarkably self-disciplined. He was often the
first to call it a night, and when not on tour or on a film location, liked to go home to see his wife and children. Phyllis Diller said that Martin was
indeed drinking alcohol onstage and not apple juice. She also commented that although he was not drunk, he was not really sober either, but had
very strict rules when it came to performances. He borrowed the lovable-drunk shtick from Joe E. Lewis, but his convincing portrayals of heavy
boozers in Some Came Running and Howard Hawks's Rio Bravo led to unsubstantiated claims of alcoholism. Martin was married three times.
Subsequent to the divorce of his first wife, Elizabeth Anne "Betty" McDonald, Martin gained custody of their children; Betty lived out her life in
quiet obscurity in San Francisco. Their children were Stephen Craig (born 1942), Claudia Dean (born March 16, 1944, died 2001 of breast can-
cer), Barbara Gail (born 1945) and Deana (Dina) (born 1948). Martin's second wife was Jeanne Biegger. A stunning blonde, Jeanne could some-
times be spotted in Martin's audience while he was still married to Betty. Their marriage lasted 24 years (1949–1973) and produced three children.
Their children were Dean Paul (November 17, 1951 - March 21, 1987; plane crash), Ricci James (born 1953) and Gina Caroline (born 1956),
whose marriage made Dean the father-in-law of The Beach Boys' Carl Wilson. Martin's third marriage, to Catherine Hawn, lasted three years. One
of Martin's managers had spotted her at the reception desk of a hair salon on Rodeo Drive, then arranged a meeting. Martin adopted Hawn's daugh-
ter, Sasha, but their marriage also failed. Martin initiated divorce proceedings. Martin's uncle was Leonard Barr, who appeared in several of his
shows. On December 1, 1983 while gambling at the Golden Nugget casino in Atlantic City, Martin and Sinatra intimidated the dealer and several
employees into breaking New Jersey law by making the dealer deal the cards by hand instead of from a shoe. Although Sinatra and Martin were
implicated as the cause of the violation, neither was fined by the New Jersey Casino Control Commission. The Golden Nugget received a $25,000
fine (which Sinatra paid, stating that it was his responsibility as he and Martin were the cause of the fine) and four employees including the dealer,
a supervisor and pit boss were suspended from their jobs without pay. Martin returned to films briefly with appearances in the two star-laden, yet
critically panned Cannonball Run movies. He also had a minor hit single with "Since I Met You Baby" and made his first music video, which ap-
peared on MTV. The video was created by Martin's youngest son, Ricci. On March 21, 1987, Martin's son, Dean Paul (formerly Dino of the '60s
"teeny-bopper" rock group Dino, Desi & Billy), was killed when his F-4 Phantom II jet fighter crashed while flying with the California Air Nation-
al Guard. A much-touted tour with Davis and Sinatra in 1988 sputtered. On one occasion, he infuriated Sinatra when he turned to him and mut-
tered, "Frank, what the hell are we doing up here?" Martin, who always responded best to a club audience, felt lost in the huge stadiums they were
performing in (at Sinatra's insistence), and he was not interested in drinking until dawn after performances. His final Vegas shows were at Bally's
Hotel in 1990. There he had his final reunion with Jerry Lewis on his 72nd birthday. Martin's last two TV appearances involved tributes to his for-
mer Rat Pack members. On December 8, 1989, he joined many stars of the entertainment industry in Sammy Davis, Jr's 60th anniversary celebra-
tion, which aired only a few weeks before Davis died from throat cancer. In December 1990, he congratulated Frank Sinatra on his 75th birthday
special. Martin was diagnosed with lung cancer at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in September 1993, and in early 1995 retired from public life. He
died of acute respiratory failure resulting from emphysema at his Beverly Hills home on Christmas morning 1995, at age 78. The lights of the Las
Vegas Strip were dimmed in his honor. His tombstone features the epitaph "Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime", the name of his signature
song. Martin is buried at the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles.
