He's spent a total of 44 years in law enforcement, the last 16 of which were carried out with the Snohomish County Sheriff's Department. Prior to his official retirement on Monday, Nov. 17, he had been working for Chief Monte Beaton as East Snohomish County's lead detective.
What will he miss the most after over 40 years of working in law enforcement? According to Danny "GumshoeGÇ¥ Pitocco it's the amazing camaraderie that he has been able to develop with his brothers and sisters in law enforcement.
"I've been blessed and I have nothing but gratitude because most guys and gals that join police work are lucky to make it to 20,GÇ¥ said Pitocco. "I don't miss the job but I'm always going to miss the-ápeople. I think that's the biggest thing, I really do.GÇ¥
And of course, there's the part about catching bad guys.
"Nothing was ever more satisfying in police work then to call up the parent of a victim or the victim themself and say, "I got the son-of-a-\*\*\*\*\*,'GÇ¥ said Pitocco.
Since graduating from the police academy in 1971, Pitocco has worked in practically every aspect of law enforcement. He's been a K9 handler; undercover narcotics officer; detective; special agent for the DEA; academy instructor; state police officer; city police officer and field training officer.
He was assigned to protective detail as a California State Police Officer, serving Governor Ronald Reagan in the early 1970s. He was in Los Angeles for the Rodney King riots, as well as the infamous O.J. Simpson "slow chase.GÇ¥
The oldest of eight children, Pitocco's foray into law enforcement started with his military service. Pitocco served in the United States Marine Corps for a total of four years, enlisting when he was still in high school in Pennsylvania, where he grew up.
"I enlisted on March 17, 1967,GÇ¥ said Pitocco. "I was 17 and I had to convince my mom to let me go.GÇ¥
He felt that it was a good choice because, coming from such a large family, money wasn't always abundant. He knew that, if he enlisted in the military, he'd eventually be able to attend college on the G.I. Bill. Initially intending to join the Air Force to become an air traffic controller, it was a Marine recruiter who got to him first.
"He said, "Well Danny, we have an air wing, and we have air traffic controllers. We have a better uniform, and you can be a Marine,'GÇ¥ said Pitocco.
Sent oversees to serve in Japan, it was about a year into his enlistment that he began to contemplate police work. He decided to ask if he could be assigned to the Military Police, so that he could get a taste of what it was all about.
When he returned to the states, he decided to seek police work in earnest. After graduating from the police academy, his first job in law enforcement was working as a correctional counselor for the California Youth Authority in Chino, Calif.
"At the time my hair was down past my shoulders, I drove a yellow van with flowers, I had circular John Denver glasses, I wore bell bottoms with platform shoes and I had puka shells,GÇ¥ said Pitocco.
It wasn't long before a few of the inmates decided to test the waters with Pitocco, attempting to corner him one night as he strode through one of the facility's day rooms. The inmates were unaware that Pitocco had trained extensively in martial arts while he was stationed in Japan. He handled the situation expeditiously, protecting himself against all three of them using his martial arts training.
Pitocco remained at the youth authority for two years before making a lateral transition over to the California State Police, which is when he worked protective detail for then-Gov. Ronald Reagan.
Next, Pitocco served for eight years with the City of Orange Police Department, working as a SWAT leader, a defense and baton instructor, assistant reserve and police explorer coordinator, and also as a K9 officer.
Earlier this year at the Snohomish County Sheriff's Department Citizens' Academy, Pitocco recalled his experiences with K9 enthusiastically.
"I was a handler for five years,GÇ¥ said Pitocco. "And out of all the partners I've ever worked with my dog was the best. I loved my dog.GÇ¥
After leaving the city of Orange Police Department, he worked as a special agent for the DEA. Next, in 1984, he settled in at the Santa Ana Police Department where he became an undercover narcotics officer. It was also there that he met his future wife, Marlene.
As an undercover narcotics officer, Pitocco found himself embracing the subculture of that environment. He once again grew his hair long, and this time added several tattoos GÇô albeit fake ones GÇô and a Harley Davidson motorcycle to the mix. His partner, Ed Tark, was, according to Pitocco, a carbon copy of singer Axl Rose from the band Guns N' Roses.
"He and I were partners for several years. We had so much fun! We did everything together. We would buy dope and do the search warrants,GÇ¥ said Pitocco. "It was just a great camaraderie.GÇ¥
The two were a part of the Santa Ana Police Department's special investigations division, which became notorious for their team of "Ninja Narcs.GÇ¥ Being as it was crucial to keep their identities a secret during busts, the six-member team took to wearing black ninja-style face masks. The investigators would swoop in driving white vans and perform dynamic entries on residences where illegal drug activity was known to be taking place.
The Ninja Narcs received a bit of media attention, as well as accolades for having a positive impact on the area's illegal drug activity. After a while, Pitocco tired of undercover work and found that he was longing to be back in uniform. He requested a transfer.
"I never looked back,GÇ¥ said Pitocco. "I loved getting back in uniform, having a haircut and being clean-shaven. I just really enjoyed myself.GÇ¥
He also married Marlene during this time, and the two had their son Nate, in 1995. They eventually decided to relocate to Washington, which is how Pitocco ended up going to work for the Snohomish County Sheriff's Department in 1998.
Soon after his arrival, he was offered a position in Gold Bar.
The thing Pitocco loved the most about working in Gold Bar was that it gave him the opportunity to develop relationships and fully participate in true neighborhood-style policing. He liked to address things in a manner that was bold and aggressive, yet not threatening or antagonistic.
Upon his arrival, Pitocco immediately set out to become acquainted with the area's more problematic residents known to be involved in illegal drug activity. He took ownership of the community from the start, cheerfully letting suspects know that if they didn't discontinue their unlawful hobbies, they would likely end up in jail.
"That's the way I approached every miscreant in Gold Bar,GÇ¥ said Pitocco. "And word got out, "That guy from LA is crazy!' I'd play on that, and it really worked.GÇ¥
He bonded with the business owners and city officials alike, as well as his superiors at the department.
"I had the pleasure of first working with Detective Pitocco shortly after he began working for the sheriff's office, assigned to the contract city of Gold Bar,GÇ¥ said Lt. Jeff Brand. "Danny was very ingenious and inventive in his methods of dealing with everyone.GÇ¥
Brand recalled Pitocco's interactions with known Gold Bar drug dealers with some humor, remembering the encounters exactly as Pitocco described them himself. Pitocco would cheerfully approach the troublesome characters of Gold Bar, typically with a friendly greeting and an earnest handshake.
Brand said that, one day, the two were out touring the area so that he could point out a few of the hotspots that were well known for illegal drug activity.
"As we were passing a house, I named the dealer and some of the information we knew about the person's method of operation. Just then the suspect came out of his house and Danny asked me to stop. As I did, he ran over to the suspect, stretched out his hand, called out the person's name and said, "Hi! I understand you are one of our drug dealers and I am Deputy Danny Pitocco. I work here now so we will see each other quite a bit,'GÇ¥ said Brand. "I wish I had a picture of the dealer's face as he was totally confused. Danny got back in the car and we drove off with the dealer still standing there looking at us.GÇ¥
"While he was always light-hearted and very gregarious, he was very serious about his job and protecting the people we serve,GÇ¥ continued Lt. Brand.
"I was in Gold Bar for five years,GÇ¥ said Pitocco. "I loved it! The only reason I left was because all the major crooks were either arrested, died or moved.GÇ¥
Pitocco left Gold Bar in 2003 and began working for the sheriff department's Crimes Against Children unit. It was also in 2003 that he decided to pursue becoming an accredited composite sketch artist. He had always loved to draw, and he happened to have an affinity for drawing faces.
"I was always fascinated with police sketch artists, and I've always enjoyed drawing,GÇ¥ said Pitocco.
He started with a two-week course on basic facial symmetry and interview techniques.
"I look at my sketches from back then, in comparison to the sketches I do now, and I laugh at myself. It looked like I was drawing monkeys,GÇ¥ said Pitocco. "But the more you do the better you get.GÇ¥
Two years after that first class he was able to write a grant and attend an intermediate level class, which is where he learned how to draw females. Again, his skill-level rose and his effectiveness as a composite artist grew. Two years after that, he wrote another grant and took the certification course.
His work with composites has been significantly rewarding because it's provided him with the ability to empower victims of violent crime, giving them an outlet and the means to finally fight back against their attackers.
Pitocco is known by his colleagues and acquaintances for being kind-hearted, affable and enthusiastic with a great zest for life.
Snohomish County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Jim Upton is a detective sergeant in the south precinct property crimes division who has had the opportunity to work with Pitocco.
"Danny worked with me for several years as one of my property crimes detectives. His years of training and experience made him my go-to guy when I had questions. His sense of humor made it truly fun to come to work,GÇ¥ said Upton. "I can remember one case Danny worked. He called the suspect and told him that he was under arrest and would meet him at the jail for his booking. The guy showed up and Danny booked him! Not just any Gumshoe can do that. I loved working with Danny and will truly miss him.GÇ¥
Pitocco has cycled through several police designated nicknames throughout his career, with "GumshoeGÇ¥ being the most recent. His distinguished career has included many honors including Detective of the Year in 2012.
A charismatic and dynamic person, Pitocco repeatedly dazzled attendees during the Snohomish County Sheriff's Department's 13-week Citizens' Academy which took place earlier this year. Pitocco's friendly and welcoming demeanor was seasoned by a distinctively candid and engaging style as he recounted hard-hitting tales of his experiences in police work.
"Detective Pitocco was a huge part of the academy,GÇ¥ said Monroe resident Linda Connor Gruenewald. "I loved his stories. His honesty about hard-to-talk-about subject matter made it easier to learn. I sure wish there were more Gumshoes in the world!GÇ¥
During the academy, Pitocco garnered frequent laughter from attendees. He described his career experiences with both pain and joy. He's been present as new babies were born. He's been shot at multiple times and stabbed once. He's experienced the death of others on numerous occasions.
"I've been there when people have died under a lot of circumstances, and maybe I was the last person that held their hand or look into their eyes,GÇ¥ said Pitocco one evening at the academy. "And I let them know that they weren't going to die alone. That was an honor.GÇ¥
"I always say a prayer every day since I've been a cop: "Lord, let me do the right thing, the right way, for the right reason, in the right time,'GÇ¥ he said, later that same night.
Those are words that Pitocco will continue to live by.
Fortunately, the world has not seen the last of Detective Danny Pitocco. Using a teaching credential he earned at the University of Southern California, he will teach part-time at Everett Community College, starting in the spring. In the meantime, he plans on spending some quality time with his beloved wife, Marlene, and his 19-year-old son, Nate.
He and Marlene will be embarking on vacation in the Bahamas sometime after the New Year.
More than anything else, Pitocco is excited to see what new opportunities the future may bring.
"I can't wait for the next chapter,GÇ¥ said Pitocco.
Pitocco has written several memoirs for anyone interested in learning more about his career. The stories can be found here: http://bizcatalyst360.com/, by searching for "The Gumshoe.GÇ¥
Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Sign in to comment