The Partners

Twenty-first precinct, I can land. What's the matter with him? Who told you to call? The policeman there? Does he say definitely the man was shot? No. You are in the last two room at the twenty-first precinct.

The nerve center. The call is coming through. You will follow the action taken pursuant to that call. From this minute until the final report is written in the one-twenty-four room at the twenty-first precinct. Okay, go back there and tell the officer I'm sending a car right over there.

And the ambulance. Yeah, that's right. You tell him that. Okay, yeah. Twenty-first precinct. It's just lines on a map of the City of New York. Most of the 173,000 people wedged into the 910th of the square mile between Fifth Avenue and the East River wouldn't know if you asked them that they lived or worked in the 21st.

But though they know it or not the security of their homes, their persons and their property is the job of the men of the 21st Precinct. The 21st, 160 patrolmen, 11 sergeants, and four lieutenants of whom I am the boss.

My name is Cronan Vincent P. Cronan. I am Captain in command of the 21st Precinct. I had been off duty since 6 p.m. when I had signed the blotter and left the station house not scheduled a report until four of the following afternoon.

My wife had been visiting her sister in T.N.A. New Jersey during the day, and when I came out of the station house he was waiting for me. We drove to downtown Brooklyn for dinner. To a restaurant I'd personalize frequently when I was attached to the 17th Division before being transferred to command of the 21st.