A Brief History of the NYPD Pulaski Association

Casimir Pulaski Statue
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Phil Pulaski has 36 years of law enforcement experience including more than 33 years with the New York City Police Department (NYPD). As a Chief in the NYPD for more than 12 years and an executive (rank of captain and higher) for more than 22 years, Phil Pulaski managed patrol, investigative, counterterrorism, community affairs, quality of life and other public safety operations. During 2014, Phil Pulaski retired as Chief of Detectives of the NYPD where he was responsible for more than 3,600 personnel who, during 2013, investigated 256,000 felony and misdemeanor crimes (including 335 homicides), and arrested more than 39,000 offenders. To give back to the community as well as the law enforcement profession as a whole, Phil Pulaski held membership in the NYPD Pulaski Association. 

Dedicated to unselfish bravery and freedom, the association traces its roots to 1956, when 31 law enforcement members of Polish heritage sought to launch a Polish fraternal organization. Meeting at Prospect Hall in Brooklyn, they named their organization after Gen. Casimir Pulaski, the famous Polish freedom fighter. 

Leading by example, the association inspired the formation of other Polish entities in other areas of civil service. It also actively sought to expand its presence in New York and the nation. It established chapters in Chicago, Philadelphia, and more, and, today, it has more than 1,500 members. 

Among its primary activities, the association holds three annual programs. Its Medal for Valor is awarded to a police officer who accomplished a heroic act, the Pulaskian of the Year Award celebrates an individual who has distinguished himself or herself through exceptional action, and its scholarships provide more than $10,000 for higher education to children of its members. Additionally, through a partnership with the Polish Gift of Life Program, it brings Polish children who require heart surgery to the United States.

How the Baby Hope Cold Case Was Finally Solved

Phil Pulaski has 36 years of law enforcement experience. During his more than 33 year career with the New York City Police Department (NYPD), Phil Pulaski managed patrol, investigative, counterterrorism, community affairs, traffic and other public safety operations. During March 2014, Phil Pulaski retired as chief of detectives of the NYPD where he was responsible for 3,600 personnel. It was during Phil Pulaski’s tenure as chief of detectives that the Baby Hope murder cold case was finally solved, 22 years after the crime was committed. 

The murder case initiated on July 23, 1991, when a four-year-old girl’s badly decomposed body was discovered hidden inside an ice cooler beside the Henry Hudson Parkway. Detectives from the 34th Detective Squad were unable to identify the girl because she was naked and lacked any personal effects. With limited information, they named her “Baby Hope,” and they continued to try to solve the case, from interviewing locals to passing out flyers. 

Eventually, detectives from the NYPD Cold Case Apprehension Squad were assigned to the case and they vowed to never give up. Every year, on the anniversary of the body’s discovery, these detectives would hand out flyers and ask for information from people in nearby neighborhoods. Finally, in July 2013, an individual furnished an anonymous tip that led police to Conrado Juarez, aged 52. Juarez confessed to sexually assaulting and murdering the girl, who was his cousin. Her name was Anjelica Castillo. In an emotional ceremony at the victim’s gravesite several of the surviving detectives from the 34th Detective Squad had the name on the victim’s gravestone changed from Baby Hope to Anjelica Castillo.

Executive Leaders at the International Association of Chiefs of Police

During March 2014, Phil Pulaski retired as Chief of Detectives of the NYPD with more than 33 years of law enforcement experience including 22 years of executive experience managing patrol, investigative, counterterrorism, community affairs, quality of life, traffic and other public safety operations. Phil Pulaski is currently serving on the command staff of the Miami Beach PD (MBPD) and is commanding officer of the Criminal Investigations Section. Phil Pulaski and his MBPD team are currently developing national standards and protocols for the use of RAPID DNA technology by crime scene technicians in a non-laboratory environment to expeditiously produce actionable investigative leads and CODIS eligible DNA profiles.

Phil Pulaski is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and actively participates in the Forensic Committee and the Police Investigative Operations Committee. Phil Pulaski has given presentations at several IACP annual conferences and mid-year conferences on a variety of law enforcement topics. 

Founded in 1893, the IACP dedicates itself to advancing the profession of law enforcement through initiatives focused on education, advocacy, and outreach. To carry out these efforts, the IACP relies on the leadership of Louis M. Dekmar, the president of the executive board of directors, and Vincent Talucci, the executive director and CEO. 
Louis M. Dekmar possesses more than 40 years of experience as a law enforcement professional. A graduate of the FBI National Academy, he has held several roles, including chief of police, with police departments in Wyoming and Georgia. In addition, he has provided leadership to law enforcement organizations such as the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police, which he served as president. 

Vincent Talucci also has a deep background as an executive with law enforcement organizations. Prior to joining the IACP, he managed criminal justice initiatives at the National Institute of Justice, a part of the United States Department of Justice. He rose to his current post after serving the IACP as deputy executive director.