New York City Police Department Organized Crime Control Bureau


The NYPD Organized Crime Control Bureau was one of the ten bureaus that formed the New York Police Department. The Bureau was charged with the investigation and prevention of organized crime within New York City.
The Organized Crime Control Bureau was headed by Bureau Chief Thomas P. Purtell.

History

Formed after the Knapp Commission investigations into police corruption, all investigations within the bureau were conducted by specially structured teams, in an effort to reduce the chance of corruption.
Following the 2008 Mumbai attacks, officers from the OCCB were trained in the use of Ruger Mini-14s to provide support to the Emergency Service Unit in case of a similar situation arising in New York City.
OCCB was disbanded in March 2016. Each of the 5 Patrol Boroughs have an investigations chief, who is reported to directly by the precinct detective squads. All investigative entities moved to the Chief of Detectives' office.
"Basically, we're eliminating the Organized Crime Control Bureau."-Chief of the Department, James O'Neill.

Organization

The Organized Crime Control Bureau had numerous units and sub-units that investigate matters such as organized auto larceny rings, unlawful firearms, and prostitution. It was involved in using the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act to search and destroy organized criminal activities and seize property and vehicles. The Organized Crime Control Bureau utilized undercover police officers to infiltrate various criminal organizations. The Organized Crime Control Bureau had been effective against the Italian Mafia, "the westies" of the Irish mob, Chinese Mafia, East German Mafia, and Russian Mafia organized criminal elements. The Organized Crime Control Bureau's Joint Organized Crime Task Force worked in cooperation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation's New York Field Division.