do tell the committee, you give an answer, you want to give it a truthful and correct answer, otherwise you could be prosecuted for perjury before this committee. You understand that, do you not? Mr. VENTO. I didn't hear the question. Senator DANIEL. You understand that if you, under oath, gave this committee any untruthful answer to a material question, or a relevant question, that you could be charged with perjury before the committee? You understand that? Mr. VENTO. Yes. Senator DANIEL. So just with that warning, I want to repeat the question as to whether or not you own the house in which you live. Now, you answered the first time I asked that question that you did not own it. Mr. VENTO. I don't own it. Senator DANIEL. Is that a true and correct answer? Mr. VENTO. Yes, sir. Senator DANIEL. Do you have any interest in that house? Mr. VENTO. I live there. Senator DANIEL. You live there. How long have you lived there? Mr. VENTO. One year. Senator DANIEL. One year? Mr. VENTO. Yes. Senator DANIEL. Who owns the house? Mr. VENTO. My brother-in-law. Senator DANIEL. What is his name? Mr. VENTO. Vincent Orlando. Senator DANIEL. V-i-n-c-e-n-t O-r-l-a-n-d-o? Mr. VENTO. Yes. Senator DANIEL. Does your brother-in-law live there in that house, also? Mr. VENTO. No, sir. Senator DANIEL. What? Mr. VENTO. No, sir. Senator DANIEL. Where does your brother-in-law live? Mr. VENTO. 334 East 107th Street. Senator DANIEL. 334 what? Mr. VENTO. East 107th Street. Senator DANIEL. In Englewood? Mr. VENTO. In New York City. Senator DANIEL. In New York City. Has your brother-in-law lived in that house during the past year? Mr. VENTO. No, sir. Senator DANIEL. Is your brother-in-law's name are your brotherin-law's initials M. V. Orlando? Mr. VENTO. I think I should have legal advice. Senator DANIEL. What? Mr. VENTO. I should have legal advice. I think things are becoming a little confusing. Senator BUTLER. He says he is becoming confused and wants legal advice. Mr. VENTO. I want to have legal advice. Senator DANIEL. Do you have an attorney here? Mr. VENTO. No; I don't. Senator DANIEL. Certainly this committee is going to be slow and easy with you on it; and you have told us that your brother-in-law owns the house. What did you tell us his name was? (There was no response from the witness.) Senator DANIEL. I say, what did you say your brother-in-law's name was? Mr. VENTO. I refuse to answer the question. Senator DANIEL. You have already answered the question, and I am going to order you to answer it, to simply clarify it. I want to be sure that you have given us the correct information. You have already attempted to answer that question without claiming the fifth amendment. How do you spell his name? Mr. VENTO. I refuse to answer the question. Senator DANIEL. Well, I would like for the record to show that when you refuse to answer the question, that you mean to say that, because you think a truthful answer might tend to incriminate you. Mr. VENTO. It is incriminating; yes, sir. Senator DANIEL. And if you forget to give the whole thing there you mean for that every time you say you refuse to answer; is that correct? You honestly feel that by giving us the correct name of your brother-in-law who owns the house that it might tend to incriminate you; is that correct? (There was no response from the witness.) Senator DANIEL. I want you to be in good faith in claiming the fifth amendment. If you think, in giving this committee the proper spelling and name of your brother-in-law who owns the house in which you live, would tend to incriminate you, and you honestly believe that, just say so. Mr. VENTO. I plead the fifth amendment. Senator DANIEL. You believe that would incriminate you? Senator DANIEL. To that answer, too? Mr. VENTO. Yes. Senator DANIEL. Is it not true that the telephone listed at your house is in the name of M. V. Orlando? Mr. VENTO. I refuse to answer the question; it may incriminate me. Senator DANIEL. Do you own an automobile? Mr. VENTO. I refuse to answer that question. Senator DANIEL. Do you drive a late model green Ford, two-door sedan, bearing a New York license number? Mr. VENTO. I refuse to answer the question. Senator DANIEL. Is that your car registered in the name of Mary Messina ? Mr. VENTO. I refuse to answer that question. Senator DANIEL. Who is Mary Messina? Mr. VENTO. I refuse to answer that. Senator DANIEL. Is Mary Messina your wife's maiden name? Mr. VENTO. I refuse to answer that question; it may incriminate me. Senator DANIEL. Are you engaged in selling narcotics now in New York and New Jersey? Mr. VENTO. I stand on the fifth amendment. I refuse to answer that question. Senator DANIEL. Do you know Joseph Bendinelli? Mr. VENTO. I refuse to answer the question. Senator DANIEL. It may tend to incriminate you. Well now, have you been here with Joseph Bendinelli today? nate me. Senator DANIEL. Do you know Salvadore Santoro? Mr. VENTO. Yes, I do. Senator DANIEL. You do know him. Is he any relation of yours? Mr. VENTO. No. Senator DANIEL. You said "No"? Mr. VENTO. I said "No." Senator DANIEL. Have you ever been engaged in any kind of business with Salvadore Santoro? Mr. VENTO. I refuse to answer that question. Mr. VENTO. It may incriminate me. Senator DANIEL. All right; you are excused. We will have a 2-minute recess. (Short recess.) Senator DANIEL. The committee will come to order. There have been several requests for us to announce our program for tomorrow morning. We are trying to complete the open hearings this afternoon, and we will be able to do so, probably. But, on the other hand, there is a possibility of the committee's hearing two witnesses in the morning, if we can serve our subpenas on those witnesses in time to do so. If we do that, we will be staying over specially to hear them on account of the fact there probably will not be another opportunity to hear those witnesses under the circumstances under which they they are now laboring. So we cannot say definitely. It all depends on whether these subpenas are served. We will recess this afternoon until 10 o'clock in the morning, and at that time we will probably, with knowledge as to the earliest moment, as to knowing whether we will go on on with a public hearing here. We will go ahead with the public hearing in Washington at 10 o'clock Friday morning, if the Lord is willing. I am sorry we cannot be more definite on this matter, not only for members of the press, but for members of the committee and the staff. Off the record. (Discussion off the record.) Senator DANIEL. Commissioner Stephen Kennedy, will you come forward here, sir, and Deputy Chief Inspector Terranova. Mr. KENNEDY. This is Deputy Commissioner Broderick, and he is in charge of our legal affairs, and I would like for him to sit here at the table with us. Senator DANIEL. If all of you would stand, please; do, you and each of you, solemnly swear the testimony you are now about to give before this subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God? Mr. KENNEDY. Yes. Mr. TERRANOVA. Yes. Mr. BRODERICK. Yes. TESTIMONY OF HON. STEPHEN KENNEDY, POLICE COMMISSIONER, NEW YORK CITY; DEPUTY CHIEF INSPECTOR PETER E. TERRANOVA; AND DEPUTY COMMISSIONER VINCENT L. BRODERICK Senator DANIEL. Commissioner Kennedy, we are very pleased to have you before the committee. Of course, we have already explained the purpose of this committee, to conduct the first nationwide hearings on narcotics traffic, and to solicit from officers, from the medical profession, from everyone concerned, any suggestions that you might be able to give us as to Federal legislation, and in connection with that any statistics, figures, information concerning narcotics. I believe you have a prepared statement? Mr. KENNEDY. Yes, I have. Would you care to have me read it? Senator DANIEL. Yes, go ahead. Mr. KENNEDY. No police problem has any greater claim to our serious and sustained attention than that of the illicit traffic in and use of narcotics. This problem requires close cooperation between all law enforcement agencies on local, national, and international levels. The incalculable human misery entailed in the use of and addiction to narcotics and the fabulous profits derived from the illegal traffic in narcotic drugs in recent years have made law enforcement efforts in this field a matter of immediate concern and of prime importance. Police, health, and prosecuting officials must not relax their vigorous endeavors against the illegal traffic in and use of narcotics, on all levels. There are many illicit sources of drugs, and the drugs themselves are easily concealed for transport and sale. For effective law enforcement, it is imperative that these illicit sources of drugs be eliminated. If not, the local law enforcement problem will continue to grow. This requires that the problem be met not only on the local and national level, but also by vigorous and effective action in the international field. The problem knows no local or national boundaries. Local and national efforts to control it will never be completely effective until adequate international controls of production and distribution are established. Our national security, and common prudence itself, demand that excessive production of opium be eliminated. Investigation and detection in this international field are, of course, most difficult. Our department, that is, the Police Department of the City of New York, is interested in all phases of the narcotic problem. It cooperates closely with the enforcement agencies of other States and of the Federal Government, and it follows closely the plans which are proposed in the international field for control of narcotic production and distribution. We are particularly interested in the resolution adopted in 1953 by an international conference convened by the United Nations Economic and Social Council, which adopted a protocol relating to the limitation of the production of opium. Implementation of this resolution, by limiting the international production of opium to estimated medical and scientific needs, would be a big step forward. We are interested in effective international control and Federal enforcement, because, of course, they simplify our local police problem. As a local police agency we are primarily concerned with eliminating illicit traffic in narcotics and illegal use of drugs within this city. To the extent that production of illicit drugs is prevented by international controls, to that extent the illicit traffic in such drugs within this city is reduced. To the extent that the Federal authorities prevent the smuggling of illegal narcotics, to that extent our local problem is reduced. But the stark fact today is that the production of narcotics is not being effectively controlled, and that there is in New York, as elsewhere in the country, a serious narcotic problem. I am proud to be able to say that, in my judgment, our department is effectively meeting that problem. I recently increased our narcotic squad to a strength of approximately 200. We are happy to be able to say 200. I am going to depart from my statement. When we are talking about numbers, let us just pause for a moment. The problem is a difficult one, and we just cannot stop at a round figure. It may very well be that within the very near future we may have to increase this squad in numbers beyond that of any other agency in this country, which is exclusively devoted to this particular phase of law enforcement. Now, that is going to cost us a great deal in local tax dollars. Senator DANIEL. As I understand it, these 200 are devoted exclusively to narcotics traffic? Mr. KENNEDY. That is correct. The whole force has been directed to devote its attention to the problem, among other things, among their other duties, but to be particularly alert to this problem. But these folks, men and women of the narcotics squad, that is their exclusive function. These men and women, as I say, devote themselves to the suppressing of narcotics traffic in this city, and the apprehension of pushers and users of all illicit drugs. And, as I said before, every man and woman in the department is instructed to be on the alert for any sign of the sale or use of narcotics, and to take immediate police action against such activities. Through our police academy, the department magazine-that is a sort of a police organ distributed not only in this country, but all countries Senator DANIEL. Is that called Spring 2100? Mr. KENNEDY. 3100. It has been disseminated through the depart ment. Every member of the department plays his or her part in the effort against the narcotics traffic-from chief inspector on down. This includes the patrolmen on post who encounter the pusher or peddler on the street corner; the detective, who in the investigation of this and other crimes may come across a narcotics situation; plainclothesmen investigating vice, gambling and other conditions; and the people working with children in our juvenile aid bureau. Efficient enforcement in this field requires a close liaison with other agencies. Our department cooperates with and receives close coop |