"My Day..." Middletown, NY. 09•Feb.•12

"...started before 4AM..."

Law enforcement officers outside a home on Eisenhower Drive in the Presidential Heights neighborhood during coordinated early morning raids on suspected gang members in MIddletown, NY on Thursday, February 9, 2012. CHET GORDON/Times Herald-Record

"and the AP also moved this image on the wires this afternoon... ~cg"

"I've Got Multiple Shots Fired Down Here..." Newburgh, NY 21•Nov.•11

This one was a difficult scene to work late last night. When I took the reporter's call (above) just after 10PM, I immediately replied, "I'll be there in 10 minutes..." We both live in the neighborhood and know the shooting victim from working these streets... ~cg.

Newburgh Chief of Police Michael Ferrara (left) joins other officers as they examine a gunshot round outside the Terrace Lounge on Liberty and East Parmenter Streets in Newburgh, NY on Monday night, November 21, 2011. Donovan "Snoop" James (29) was shot multiple times by an unknown assailant and was eventually flown by MedeVac helicopter to Westchester County Medical Center for emergency treatment. CHET GORDON/Times Herald-Record

"Blood Work..." FBI Gang Raids - Part III. Newburgh, NY 13•Sept.•11

Heavily armed FBI agents leave the scene at 433 Third Street in the City of Newburgh, NY, on Tuesday, September 13, 2011. Multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, Orange County Sheriff's Office, NY State Police, DEA, and Newburgh Police arrested suspected Bloods gang members wanted for murder and other violent crimes, during coordinated pre-dawn raids throughout the city. CHET GORDON/Times Herald-Record

*More on this in a bit. I have been sorting out coverage of my third pre-dawn raids here in my city over the last 16 months or so... ~cg

Just another few days at "The Office..." July 2011

(2) Newburgh City Police SWAT Team officers outside 260 First Avenue during a drug raid in Newburgh, NY on Friday, July 15, 2011. Five individuals were taken into custody including one female and a 15 year-old juvenile. CHET GORDON/Times Herald-Record

Newburgh City Police SWAT Team officers take a woman into custody during a drug raid at 260 First Avenue in Newburgh, NY on Friday, July 15, 2011. Five individuals were taken into custody including this woman and a 15 year-old juvenile. CHET GORDON/Times Herald-Record

(2) Soniel "Sonny" Ayala is taken into custody by Newburgh City Police officers at the intersection of First and Carpenter Avenues in Newburgh, NY on Friday, July 15, 2011. Ayala was wanted for a stabbing during an armed robbery earlier this morning. CHET GORDON/Times Herald-Record

Tommy Bell on the field in Michie Stadium at the United States Military Academy in West Point, NY on Thursday, July 14, 2011. Bell was Army's first 1,000-yard rusher in 1954, but isn't in the Army Sports Hall of Fame. CHET GORDON/Times Herald-Record

(2) Michie Stadium at the United States Military Academy in West Point, NY on Thursday, July 14, 2011. Army will host San Diego State in their 2011 home opener on Saturday, September 10th. CHET GORDON/Times Herald-Record

"You Don't See This Everyday..." Shokan, NY 3•March•11

It was a bitterly cold one yesterday. Temperatures were in the teens when I left my apt. for the 1+ hour drive deep up into Ulster County. Spent about an hour this morning on the frozen Ashokan Reservoir near Woodstock, NY one of the main reservoirs here in the Hudson Valley that feeds into the NYC water supply system. Today it was to witness a NYC DEP (Dept. of Environmental Protection) police strategic patrol unit during an ice-rescue training session on the reservoir. The officers, their superiors and our reporter gathered onshore were all encouraging as I donned a buoyant vest and clip-on traction devices over my work boots. The team of rescue officers in their buoyancy suits were agreeable when I suggested that the better images (and video) of them going through their rescue routines would look much better if I could get on the ice and sort of look back at at them, as the scene was horribly back-lit in the bright sun. No way could I have made anything nearly as good with the white snow on the far shoreline and the ice acting as a serious reflector to the mid-morning sun - particularly when viewed from the shoreline. One I was accompanied out on the ice, which I was told was 10" thick, the rescue officers ran through a few scenarios and I had enough images and a few video clips in ten minutes. Much to the relief of the big-wigs onshore. I remember the crew telling our reporter that the water temperature was 38ºF, and a victim would become lethargic in 2 minutes, and would expire in 10 minutes under such extreme conditions. Brrrrr....!!! ~cg.

DEP Police officer Chuck Chapman (left) portrays a victim as fellow officer Paul Dwon (right) crawls on the ice to rescue him during an ice rescue training session by the DEP Police on the Ashokan Reservoir in Shokan, NY on Thursday, March 3, 2011. CHET GORDON/Times Herald-Record

DEP Police officer Chuck Chapman uses hand ice picks to pull himself out of the frozen Ashokan Reservoir during an ice rescue training session by the DEP Police on the Ashokan Reservoir in Shokan, NY on Thursday, March 3, 2011. CHET GORDON/Times Herald-Record

Funeral for Slain Police Officer. 24•Feb.•11

Law enforcement officers salute as the hearse bearing the body of Poughkeepsie police officer John Falcone proceeds along Gleneida Ave. after his funeral services at St. James the Apostle Church in Carmel, NY on Thursday, February 24, 2011. Officer Falcone is the City of Poughkeepsie police officer who was killed in a shootout last week at the Poughkeepsie Metro-North Railroad station. CHET GORDON/Times Herald-Record

"While You Were Sleeping..." Newburgh, NY 10•Feb.•11

6:20AM. An FBI agent walks along Bayview Terrace in the City of Newburgh, NY, on Thursday, February 10, 2011. Multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, Orange County Sheriff's Office, NY State Police, and Newburgh Police made arrests of suspected Latin King gang members in coordinated pre-dawn raids. CHET GORDON/Times Herald-Record

Today's workday is part of a continuation of my street crime coverage here in Newburgh, NY, particularly last May during city wide arrests made on known gang members. Back then 78 individuals were taken into custody on various charges, but mostly on drug offenses of different counts. Some of today's "targets" as they're known by law enforcement personnel were wanted in connection with several unsolved murders here in the city as well. Earlier today, as the dawn was just breaking, the FBI again coordinated raids involving multiple law enforcement agencies at residences of know Latin Kings gang members. Thanks to good sourcing and organizational work by our Newburgh beat reporter here at the paper (at left in photo), we were able to have another good street reporter (center) and staff photographer (right) join us just after 5AM to begin our own coordination around the city's East End. Upon learning of the type of individuals we might get a glimpse of during these raids, my heart beat faster, and my breathing grew short and determined. I was getting nervous in the reporter's car, parked a few doors away from an address that we knew beforehand was going to be raided. It is almost an indescribable feeling, "a rush" if you will. I mean not knowing if the individuals being sought are considered armed and dangerous, may flee, or even the strong possibility of gunfire that might ensue. Certainly the officers were well armed, including a team of agents with a battering ram, and full body shield. Yea, all these thoughts raced through my mind in the final moments before we exited the reporter's car. It was about 7˚F outside, just before 6AM. My first frames were made moments later, mostly as a test under available light with the older Canon 1-D. Nothing usable there. It wasn't like the FBI agents and other officers didn't know who we were. They were still arriving on the scene in undercover cars, SUV's, and marked radio cars, and parking at all kinds of angles in the street, intentionally clogging up the nearby t-intersection. I always make it a point in these situations to purposely dangle my press credentials around my neck, particularly when I'm cautiously walking upon a scene, and at this time, still in the morning's shrinking shadows. I also give a short and to the point low angle wave to the officers that see and acknowledge me, making sure they all get a good look at me and my colleague. One FBI agent even jokingly commented to me that I needed the newest Nikon D-3 or D-3s like his as he retrieved his equipment from a vehicle, so I could shoot at high ISO's like 12,800. Boy that was a brief moment of acceptance, and it was then that I realized I was "in" and would possibly have a good opportunity of making a few images of a "target" when they brought him out of the house in the next few minutes. My main images would still have to be shot with flash though, as available light exposures were still only 1/20th. sec. at f/2.8, ISO 4000. That wasn't going to cut it. I had to quickly change AA's in the flash again atop the Canon 5D - Mark II, as the only flash image I'd made as a test (of the reporters above) was more than a half hour ago. I guessed the extreme cold drained those batteries quickly. Fortunately, I'd thrown a set of AA's in my coat pocket, and was able to drop those into the flash only a minute or two before the murder suspect was led from his residence (below). 6:30AM. Suspected gang member Luis Tambito (center) is taken into custody from his home at 45 Bayview Terrace in the City of Newburgh, NY, on Thursday, February 10, 2011. Multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, Orange County Sheriff's Office, NY State Police, and Newburgh Police made arrests of suspected Latin King gang members in coordinated pre-dawn raids. Tambito was charged with two other men in the murder of Jerome “Rude Boy” Scarlett in the area of Farrington and Lander streets on May 11, 2010. CHET GORDON/Times Herald-Record

I was lucky this morning. Real lucky. Something told me to change those batteries in the flash at the last moment, as well as creeping up to the bumper of the unmarked car in the street after I'd gotten the unofficial OK from an agent. I'd even asked another agent if I was "OK here" when the suspect was quietly led down the stairs by a few FBI agents without incident. Looking back, I didn't even realize he was cuffed, as the walk to the car only took about 5 seconds. In my mind's eye witnessing this scene seemed liked 20 minutes passed as I managed only about 5 or 6 frames, especially with my auto-focus going nuts in the dark. *(note to self - switch to manual focus at future perp walks, especially with flash under these conditions...)
When that scene was over, I managed a few "B-roll" images of agents, vehicles, etc. and we drove to another known address and just barely missed another "target" being led out his apartment. More backup images made there of agents entering the ground floor apartment with their evidence boxes and bags. And oh yea, remember to wave to the NY State Police helicopter overhead, who were no doubt filming all the active arrest scenes... ~cg.

Click HERE to read our story in today's paper and HERE for last May's story below:

"Knock - Knock...!!!"

An FBI agent (left) and a Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force officer serve a search warrant at 113 Lander Street in the City of Newburgh, NY on Thursday morning, May 13, 2010. Upwards of 600 officers from multiple law enforcement agencies raided gang hideouts and made arrests of Bloods and Latin Kings street gang members as part of Operation Blood Drive and Operation Black Crown at various locations throughout the City of Newburgh. CHET GORDON/Times Herald-Record

FBI agents gather outside the former National Guard Armory in the City of Newburgh, NY on Thursday morning, May 13, 2010. Upwards of 600 officers from multiple law enforcement agencies raided gang hideouts and made arrests of Bloods and Latin Kings street gang members as part of Operation Blood Drive and Operation Black Crown at various locations throughout the City of Newburgh. CHET GORDON/Times Herald-Record

"Men with Guns..."

A Sri Lankan policeman keeps an eye on traffic in downtown Colombo, Sri Lanka in August 1997. © Chet Gordon/THE IMAGE WORKS

One of the many reoccurring themes throughout my career continues to be photographing "Men w/ Guns..."

Sometimes it seems that some of these themes and mindsets for me are almost embedded within the subconscious if you will. This by no means is an attempt to make a political statement about the work, nor is it a highlight of those that work with weaponry everyday. It's just that I've been around weapons for a long, long time, beginning first in the military, on the streets with law enforcement personnel, and occasionally even with the bad guys. I have a great respect for those that are trained to use them correctly. (Keywords: Training and Correctly.) What always boggles my mind while on an international trip and in a foreign culture is how a lot of societies are accustomed to armed individuals weaved right into their daily lives... Weapons on the street make for good images, and I don't think there's any doubt about that, but they also tell a lot about how governments and the powers that be sort of "oversee" their populations.

I am always in awe how a population can readily accept the militarization of their communities, and probably just as harrowing - their acceptance of street violence & death, which is predominately the result of the immediate availability of firearms to the general population.
This post will be a look at how I've seen "Men w/ Guns..." through the years... ~cg.

"We have a double - homicide..." Newburgh, NY 5•Nov.•10

Newburgh Police Crime Scene Detectives and funeral home personnel remove the first of two bodies from 12 Liberty Street in the Heights neighborhood of the City of Newburgh, NY on Friday, November 5, 2010. Two men were the victims of a double homicide last night. CHET GORDON/Times Herald-Record

The phone call came this morning at dawn (around 7:15AM) from my trusted colleague, the reporter who covers Newburgh here with me. Both the good and the bad. "Two homicides last night" he told me a few times as I tried to figure out what time it was on the work cellular. "I'll be there in 20 minutes..." I replied, as if rehearsed between the two of us. "Do I have time to make a cup of coffee?" I remember asking him before we hung up. Working at the scene in a misty, raw and damp morning, I managed to move 4 early images to the office of the cops & crime scene guys, and returned to make the coroner's office people removing the two bodies, some 6 hours after I'd initially arrived on the scene and began making images at 8:15AM. Moved 4 more images of the coroner's people and CSU guys on the scene, in particular these types of images (above). So it's already been a full workday schedule. I guess it's sort of a good thing that I'd returned to the scene to make the later images...
Time to get ready for the original work day tonight; a big HS Football sectional championship game up in Kingston under those dreadful lights. Let's hope the rain holds off at least until halftime / third quarter. Will surely be pushing deadline on this game, as there's no internet in this almost archaic stadium... ~cg.

Pre-Dawn Gang Raids in Newburgh, NY. 13•May•10

"Knock - Knock...!!!"

An FBI agent (left) and a Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force officer serve a search warrant at 113 Lander Street in the City of Newburgh, NY on Thursday morning, May 13, 2010. Multiple law enforcement agencies raided gang hideouts and made arrests of Bloods and Latin Kings street gang members as part of Operation Blood Drive and Operation Black Crown at various locations throughout the City of Newburgh. Times Herald Record/CHET GORDON

FBI agents gather outside the former National Guard Armory in the City of Newburgh, NY on Thursday morning, May 13, 2010. Multiple law enforcement agencies raided gang hideouts and made arrests of Bloods and Latin Kings street gang members as part of Operation Blood Drive and Operation Black Crown at various locations throughout the City of Newburgh. Times Herald Record/CHET GORDON

"Little Marc has been found..." 24•March•10

NEWBURGH, NY. Candles and teddy bears at a curbside memorial for Marc Bookal on South Colden Street in the City of Newburgh, NY on Thursday, March 25, 2010. A body believed to be Marc Bookal was recovered yesterday from an empty lot on South Colden St. in the city. Bookal is the 4 year old boy who's been missing since December and was last seen with Cory Byrd. Byrd remains in custody on related charges in the boy's disappearance and is the live-in boyfriend of Christina Bookal, the missing boy's mother. Times Herald-Record/CHET GORDON

For the past three and a half months, four year old Marc Bookal has been missing. I've written in previous posts HERE about my coverage of the case, and how it's even been an emotional ordeal for me at times. For as we know, this child could've easily been my son or daughter, your son, grandson or your neighbors son, nephew... Getting the call on Wednesday morning from the reporter and shortly after from the the newsroom about the search being resumed by State Police cadaver dogs and Newburgh police wasn't something I wanted to hear. You see I was home, still enjoying my second day off from all the weekend's HS championship basketball coverage upstate. I wasn't prepared to literally run back out on the street to cover a developing news story like this, just a few short blocks from my home. The camera gear was still literally packed from the weekend's sports coverage, but fortunately when I did jump into my clothes and run out of the house, I had the fast 300mm f/2.8AF in hand, so that became my prime lens from a discreet apartment overlooking the crime scene. Everything fell together for me with the reporter on scene, and when experience kicked in, we were fortunate again to be in a position to see and photograph the ongoing evidence recovery where the child's remains were found in a vinyl book bag. You know from similar scenes that when the crime scene investigators don their white paper fabric jumpsuits and booties, it's all serious and definitive evidence has been found and is about to be recovered.

Right now, at this time there isn't much more to write about this story. The workweek continues, and as mentioned earlier - the news doesn't wait.
Additionally there is still a major post or two swirling around in my head on the previous two week's worth HS championship basketball coverage at West Point and the five games in two days up in Glens Falls. Please do stay tuned. ~cg.