Mafia Cop

June 1, 1992
Eppolito grew up with the mob. His father, a brother and cousins were made men. He learned Mafia values of honor and respect. Yet after his father's death Eppolito joined the New York City police. He and Drury (coauthor of Fatso ) here record the explosive process of Eppolito's ``betrayal'' by the NYPD. Eppolito, who retired from the force in 1989, never stopped being a street kid, as fast with his mouth as with his fists. The 11th most decorated cop in the city's history, he is seen as a hot-headed policeman beating up junkies and other ``perps,'' a cop who nevertheless was a hero to the many he helped. Still, the Internal Affairs Division charged him with giving a Mafia ``pal'' confidential police reports. Eppolito was exonerated but here concludes that the Mafia knows more than the NYPD about honor and respect. His father used to instruct him, ``Never make . . . una brutta figura , a bad showing.'' As this account suggests, it's a lesson Eppolito learned well. Photos not seen by PW. Author tour.