Jim castillio, NYPD Robbery Squad?

kbm6893

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What was the name of he author of "No Second Chances" (I believe). he was an NYPD detective assigned to the now defenct Robbery Squad. whose job it was to stakeout potential robbery sites in the 60's and 70's? I can't find it anywhere.
 
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Jim Cirillo "Tales of the Stakeout Squad", I met and trained with Jim several times, always a gentleman. Trajically he was killed in a motor vehicle accident in 2007.


If I remember correctly it was AFTER he retired just driving down the street in Michigan. Survive dozens of gun battles and die this way. :(
 
That's it. Jim Cirillo. I remember when he died. He was a legend as a cop. Used to carry hollow point ammo 30 years before it was authorized.
 
The accident occured in Upstate NY he was long retired from the job as he was 76 and working on the "Tales of the stakeout squad" book. Jim was in 17 gunfights only 6 adversaries survived, His old partner Bill Allard is a great guy also that I still see periodically. They experimented with alot of different ammo, check out Guns, Bullets and Gunfights by Jim if you want to know more.
 
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Here is a pic I took imagining what one of Jim Cirrilos crew may have carried in the early 70's and posted the pic here one day. I saw this post and thought I would post this pic again. I know that one of the crew carried an m1 carbine and I did a still life showing what he may have carried while on the stakeout squad. Thanks for looking....

cirrilo007.jpg
 
"He looked like he was doin' okay til youse guys cut his t'roat."

The man had a fine sense of humor, as well.
 
His books are on ebay alot too, and occasion I see them at gun shows and on gunbroker.
 
Here is a pic I took imagining what one of Jim Cirrilos crew may have carried in the early 70's.....I did a still life showing what he may have carried while on the stakeout squad.

He carried a standard S&W Model 10 with a 4" barrel when he was on the stakeout squad.
 
He carried a standard S&W Model 10 with a 4" barrel when he was on the stakeout squad.

I know. That is why I said "what one of his crew may have carried" not Jim himself. In the imagined scenario of this still life a gentleman from vice was working with Jim and that explains the pearl grips on the snub. When Jim saw the snubbie he gave the vice squad noob an M1 carbine to use. This all came from a feverish, smith and wesson, 70's cop drama obsessed mind one day and I thought the folks here would enjoy it. I may be able to find the original link.

It is my iunderstanding that the Stakeout squad had Ithaca model 37's and M1 carbines along with their service revolvers.

Here is the link from the original post..

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-revolvers-1961-1980/191512-night-shift-cirillo-nyc-ca-1970-a.html
 
He carried a standard S&W Model 10 with a 4" barrel when he was on the stakeout squad.

And as he said to me "you new kids" with the silver revolvers :), I still have a Christmas card he sent to me that he wrote "Old gunfighters never die, their barrels just go limp with a cartoon he drew describing his statement.
 

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Just finished reading both of his books. According to them, Mr. Cirillo carried a heavy barreled Model 10, a pencil barreled Model 10 (both on his belt) and a Colt Agent in his front pocket. His strategy of dropping an empty gun and drawing a fresh one caused Masaad Ayoob to coin the term "New York Reload."

Helluva guy, helluva cop. Wish I could have met him.
 
Last time I was with Jim he was working with Crimson trace as an advisor and he stopped by Rodmans Neck, Yes Jim was an advocate of transitioning to a secondary weapon once the primary weapon malfunctioned or went empty as oppossed to clearing or reloading in a close combat scenario. And yes Ayoob did coin the term "New York Reload" from that technique. Jim was quite a guy as is his old partner Bill Allard that I still see from time to time. Jim gave me a few sets of sights he was working on and I still have them on a Glock 26, Jim was always working on something, He also gave me a copy of his book and signed it. We had alot of fun on the range together and I always learned something that I was able to bring back and apply to better the departments in service training.
 
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I met Jim long after he retired when I was young LAPD patrolman working Hollywood. I met him through Bill Allard, who I shot with on the National Guard Pistol Team. Bill was a phenominal pistol shot, and won the Police category at Camp Perry his last year shooting with the All-Guard Squad. Jim and I corresponded for quite awhile; he gave me a lot of encouragement when I started shooting PPC. Great guys and great coppers.
Bob
 
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I very much enjoyed reading "Tales of the Stakeout Squad", but all should read the book Jim wrote himself : "Guns, Bullets, And Gunfights: Lessons And Tales From A Modern- Day Gunfighter".

Cirillo's opinions are important for a reason. He was an intelligent gun-guy who studied ballistics, handoaded, hunted, and was an all-around enthusiast. Unlike most, he was also an experienced real-world gunfighter who came in first in numerous high-stakes shooting competitions. His assesments of traits to look for in a person recruited for stakeout duty is fascinating on many levels.
 
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