Captain touts 'intelligence-based' policing

One of Capt. Terence O’Toole’s final tasks at his last job before joining the 50th Precinct last week was leading an investigation of a repeat car burglar.

During his first day on the job at the 3450 Kingsbridge Ave. precinct, Capt. O’Toole saw a flyer about the same man, who recently got out of jail, warning that he is a recidivist. The commanding officer said he will lead his new force in analyzing the offender’s habits to prevent him from breaking into a car here.

Capt. O’Toole is all about using data and detective work to preempt crime — “intelligence-based policing,” as it is known in the professional jargon.

“My forte is based on intelligence-based policing,” he said during a Monday interview at his office. “One percent of the people commit 98 percent of the crime, or something like that... 

“We develop who are the criminals, what they’re doing,” Capt. O’Toole continued. “We do debriefings of people arrested. What do you know about [the recidivist offender], for example? Do you know where he hangs out? Do you know where he lives? What days does he go and do his dirty work? 

“We may get an answer from someone when we lock him up. Oh, [the suspect] likes to go out on Friday nights... That will be intelligence and now we know Friday nights, we gotta go watch [the suspect].”

Prior to joining the 50th, Capt. O’Toole led zone two of the NYPD’s Grand Larceny Unit, which covers the Bronx, North Queens and South Queens. A captain for the past 11 years, he has previously served as acting commanding officer during several assignments, including at the Manhattan Gang Squad.

Capt. O’Toole, 57, also was executive assistant at the 50th Precinct in 2004. His professional experience in the northwest Bronx predates his start at the NYPD in 1985. For about 10 years before he became a police officer, Capt. O’Toole worked in management positions at Waldbaums supermarkets, including their now-closed location at 5716 Broadway.

Capt. O’Toole, who grew up on East 170th Street and Grand Concourse, said his career change was not as strange as might meet the eye.