York City Police

For at least a year before the 2004 Republican National Convention, teams of undercover New York City police officers traveled to cities across the country, Canada and Europe to conduct covert observations of people who planned to protest at the convention, according to police records and interviews. From Albuquerque to Montreal, San Francisco to Miami, undercover New York police officers attended meetings of political groups, posing as sympathizers or fellow activists, the records show.

The bus carrying Cody Stanton and other wounded soldiers breezed up Interstate 95 on Tuesday to the site of the former World Trade Center in New York, with an escort arranged by Baltimore's police commissioner. The side door opened, and Stanton, who lost his legs and two fingers in an explosion in Afghanistan, was lowered on his wheelchair. More than one hundred construction workers were protesting working conditions at the site, but when they saw the soldiers, they suddenly broke into a thunderous applause, chanting "USA!

Baltimore Police Commissioner Edward T. Norris reportedly was on the short list of those being considered for New York City police commissioner, but it appears that someone else has been offered the job. Raymond W. Kelly, who has held several senior federal law enforcement positions and served as New York's police commissioner in 1992 and 1993, has accepted the offer, Newsday reported yesterday, quoting an unnamed source close to Mayor-elect Michael R....

A defiant Bernard B. Kerik, the former New York City police commissioner, vowed yesterday to fight a 16-count federal indictment, setting the stage for legal proceedings that could cast a shadow over the presidential campaign of his friend and former mentor, former Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, deep into the 2008 election season. The new charges in some ways echo the case brought against Kerik last year by state prosecutors, who allowed him to plead guilty to misdemeanor charges of accepting costly renovations to his Bronx apartment and failing to disclose a $28,000 loan to help buy it. At the heart of that case were allegations that a construction company with suspected ties to organized crime paid for the renovations in the hopes that Kerik would help it obtain a city license.

NEW YORK -- The FBI and New York City police are investigating an explosion that blew out part of the wind-shear detection system serving La Guardia Airport on Friday afternoon.The blast caused no air-traffic control problems but raised concerns about who might have set off the device and why. A one-page handwritten note found at the site linked the incident to the federal raid on the Branch Davidian compound near Waco, Texas, in February 1993."This is in response to the Waco incident, for all our fallen brothers," the note read.

A defiant Bernard B. Kerik, the former New York City police commissioner, vowed yesterday to fight a 16-count federal indictment, setting the stage for legal proceedings that could cast a shadow over the presidential campaign of his friend and former mentor, former Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, deep into the 2008 election season. The new charges in some ways echo the case brought against Kerik last year by state prosecutors, who allowed him to plead guilty to misdemeanor charges of accepting costly renovations to his Bronx apartment and failing to disclose a $28,000 loan to help buy it. At the heart of that case were allegations that a construction company with suspected ties to organized crime paid for the renovations in the hopes that Kerik would help it obtain a city license.

Winter in New York has a sparkle all its own, especially to bargain hunters. This month and next, many hotels, restaurants and shops have offers just for this time of year. Some examples: A Paint the Town promotion offers savings on arts, culture, entertainment, cuisine, shopping and hotel stays through Feb. 28. For instance, visitors paying with an American Express card get a complimentary third night with a two-night stay at participating luxury hotels, including the Carlyle, St. Regis and Trump International Hotel & Tower.

New York City police arrested two Maryland men yesterday who are accused of robbing and abducting a Crown gas station attendant in Eldersburg on Tuesday.Jerry Lee Powell, 31 of Sykesville and Anthony Frank Brigandi, 28, of Marriottsville were captured when their car crashed after a 36-block chase through Manhattan yesterday, said Detective Dwight Cunningham, a spokesman for New York City police.Officers said the two also are wanted in Schuylkill County, Pa., in the abduction yesterday of a 72-year-old woman and her 12-year-old granddaughter.

Because the officers all drive white patrol cars and wear blue uniforms, New York City residents might not notice that some of the police patrolling the city are from Anne Arundel County. But Anne Arundel County police who leave this morning for the terrorism-torn city are expecting to see a big difference between their hometown turf and the temporary assignment in New York. Eighteen officers who normally patrol strip shopping malls and suburban housing complexes will work among the skyscrapers and tenements for three nights.

NEW YORK -- Guardian Angel founder Curtis Sliwa, still wearing a bandage on an arm broken in an April beating, was shot and seriously wounded early yesterday after boarding a cab near his home in Lower Manhattan.Mr. Sliwa, 38, underwent five hours of surgery at Bellevue Hospital, but a bullet remained lodged in his abdomen.Mr. Sliwa was listed in serious condition last night, but he was expected to make a full recovery.Two members of his volunteer anti-crime brigade, with their signature red berets, and a New York city police officer were standing outside his hospital room.

For at least a year before the 2004 Republican National Convention, teams of undercover New York City police officers traveled to cities across the country, Canada and Europe to conduct covert observations of people who planned to protest at the convention, according to police records and interviews. From Albuquerque to Montreal, San Francisco to Miami, undercover New York police officers attended meetings of political groups, posing as sympathizers or fellow activists, the records show.

Winter in New York has a sparkle all its own, especially to bargain hunters. This month and next, many hotels, restaurants and shops have offers just for this time of year. Some examples: A Paint the Town promotion offers savings on arts, culture, entertainment, cuisine, shopping and hotel stays through Feb. 28. For instance, visitors paying with an American Express card get a complimentary third night with a two-night stay at participating luxury hotels, including the Carlyle, St. Regis and Trump International Hotel & Tower.

WASHINGTON - Former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik abruptly withdrew his bid to become the next Secretary of Homeland Security last night, just seven days after President Bush announced he would nominate him to the top anti-terror post. Kerik explained his decision in a statement, citing questions that had come up over the immigration status of a housekeeper and nanny he employed, information Kerik said he discovered while preparing for his Senate confirmation. He said that "for a period of time" during the employment, required tax payments and other filings were not made, although he said he had begun efforts to fulfill outstanding obligations.

Another sign of the mayor's mismanagement With the firing of Police Commissioner Kevin P. Clark, Mayor Martin O'Malley has taken his inept management of Baltimore city government to a whole new level ("O'Malley fires Baltimore police commissioner," Nov. 11). Mr. O'Malley's infatuation with New York City police officials has burned him twice now. However, his failure to investigate Commissioner Clark's background is only one example of the mayor's mishandling of city affairs in general.

Mayor Martin O'Malley fired his police commissioner yesterday morning, abruptly ending his public support of Kevin P. Clark and asserting that the domestic violence allegations made against the commissioner, although unsubstantiated, were proving a distraction to fighting crime. The move ends the 21-month tenure of the former New York City police commander, who focused on clearing street corners of drug dealers and reducing violent crime but saw Baltimore's annual homicide rate climb last year for the first time since O'Malley took office in 1999.

Mayor Martin O'Malley is big on symbols. Plastering the city with black-and-white posters to convince Baltimore to believe in itself. Running the 1814 flag up city poles to highlight local history. Putting a new coat of paint on troubled schools to give students a lift. And then there's the photo of the partial glass of water that O'Malley's senior staff has been known to send out in response to newspaper articles it considers negative. "Bet I can guess what you think this is," reads the accompanying message.

WASHINGTON - Former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik abruptly withdrew his bid to become the next Secretary of Homeland Security last night, just seven days after President Bush announced he would nominate him to the top anti-terror post. Kerik explained his decision in a statement, citing questions that had come up over the immigration status of a housekeeper and nanny he employed, information Kerik said he discovered while preparing for his Senate confirmation. He said that "for a period of time" during the employment, required tax payments and other filings were not made, although he said he had begun efforts to fulfill outstanding obligations.

NEW YORK -- Intent on preventing any outbreaks of violence, the New York City Police Department intends to saturate the site of today's planned rally in Harlem with as many as 250 officers along each of the six blocks set aside for the event.And, officials said, they will clear the streets promptly at the demonstration's court-ordered finish at 4 p.m., whether the event -- being billed as the Million Youth March -- has ended or not."I'm in charge," Police Commissioner Howard Safir declared on the eve of the rally being led by Khallid Abdul Muhammad, who has warned that he will bring gangs to the event.

NEW YORK - Madison Square Garden sits girdled in "sally ports," a system of modern-day castle doors designed to foil truck bombs or other terrorist attacks. On the eve of the Republican National Convention, federal and local officials boast of fielding the nation's largest show of force to secure any political gathering, including 10,000 New York City police officers and thousands more from the Secret Service and 64 other agencies. Then there's the softer side of mayhem prevention: New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg's offer of restaurant and museum discounts to any among the incoming hordes of demonstrators willing to don "peaceful political activist" buttons.

A quickly planned but pervasive fund-raiser for the families of New York City police officers and firefighters who died in the World Trade Center netted more than $146,000 - the largest sum anyone could remember from that kind of fund-raiser, Howard County officials say. Within 10 days of the Sept. 11 attacks, Howard County firefighters and police officers had organized and executed a weekend-long Fill the Boot campaign and planned several other money-generating events. "We quickly realized New York was really going to need some financial assistance," said Michael Rund, president of Howard County Professional Firefighters Association.