Jerry Speziale

Gerald Speziale is an American law enforcement officer and Director of the Paterson Police Department in Paterson, New Jersey. A former member of the New York City Police Department, Speziale has also served as the Sheriff of Passaic County, New Jersey, as Deputy Police Superintendent - Assistant Director of Public Safety for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department, and as Chief of Police for the City of Prichard, Alabama. He has worked as an undercover officer in the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and for the New York Drug Enforcement Task Force while in the NYPD. Jerry Speziale abruptly resigned in 2010 and took a position with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Speziale's decision to move from Passaic County to the Port Authority mid-election was the focus of considerable controversy, and prompted allegations that the appointment was politically motivated. Sympathizing with Speziale's family situation, because his wife was suffering from a terminal illness, many respected his right to make this move, but local and countywide Democrats were disappointed with the abruptness of his departing. In 2003, Speziale had been described as a "flamboyant, controversial figure" and as having a "flair for publicity." In 1986, just a few years into his time with the New York City Police Department, Speziale was shot in the line of duty, where Speziale and his partner were ambushed and he was shot. Two other cops were shot and Speziale returned fire and killed the suspect. Speziale, later got involved in undercover drug work that took him to Colombia to help fight the powerful cartels. Those experiences formed the basis of his published ghostwritten book: “Without a Badge: Undercover in the World’s Deadliest Criminal Organization,” describing his experiences working undercover, and has been featured on the reality TV series Cops. Speziale also played a police captain and served as a "police consultant" for the 2010 film Brooklyn's Finest.

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