Joe Coffey is a familiar face on the satellite crime channels when he talks about The Son of Sam shootings case in New York during 1976/77 and taking on the Mob. They called him "Publicity Joe" owing to the appearances on TV and in the newspapers. Strange how they forgotten about the public flaunting by one John Gotti, who carrying on in the tradition of Sam Giancana, simply loved the publicity! Joe Coffey was a Sergeant in the NYPD when the shooting spree of David Berkowitz broke out in the Bronx and Queens. One night, with the force out in full, a shooting took place in Brooklyn. Coffey took the call and commented that he may have switched his hunting ground. He was right.Berkowitz was caught because his car received a parking ticket when he was out hunting, and through this he was caught. Sheer luck, like two cops in Sheffield doing a routine car check, catching Sutcliffe.
The Mob did hate Coffey as he could not be bought or intimidated, and one day he had the audacity to walk straight into the Gambino club headquarters and demand to speak to Paul Castellano, the then boss. They thought he was crazy to walk straight into them and make a demand, but he got his audience. He later regarded later boss Gotti as a complete and utter moron. But what made him quit the Police was when a mobster accused him of corruption. He was cleared of all accusations but he was so angry at being thought of as corrupt, he resigned. No doubt all the Mob guys had big grins on their faces. The NYPD was riddled with corruption but cops like Coffey, Serpico et al, at least gave the public a lot of reassurance.
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