Bo Dietl responds to Doug Poppa

The Baltimore Post-Examiner published “Sean Hannity and Bo Dietl” October 29, and published Part Two November 1.

On November 2 at 1:04 p.m. I received an email from Bo Dietl as follows:

After reading your article I’m flattered that you really don’t have too many interesting stories. Maybe I should have you write my next book. I really don’t want to get into the many errors that are in your article. But I must advise you when you write something you should fact check what you write. Like the Gotti story. I would like to inform you that I retired from the REAL Police department NYPD on Feb. 14, 1985. These allegations in your story said I was a NYPD detective in 1986. So stupid I was retired when this lie was supposed to happen. There are MANY more non-truths in your story. I am conferring with my attorney to explore my actions. You know so much and follow me so much. You must be very jealous of me. I’m sorry that you were a hotel security guard for so many years and NEVER dealt with real criminals. I really think you have a mental problem if I am the only story that you have. Maybe if you were a real cop you would have some real stories. You must grow up and make a life for yourself. There are MANY jealous little children like you who wished they could be a real cop. Have a nice day.

On November 3, 2015 at 12:48 a.m. I responded back to Bo Dietl with an email of my own as follows:

Judging by the amount of positive responses I receive to the stories I have written over the past several months, I would have to surmise that many readers do find them interesting. I am not interested in writing your next book, but thank you for the invitation to do so.

I would more than welcome for you “to get into the many errors” that you say are in my article. To the contrary, I do fact check what I write. Taking into account that what I referred to in both of my articles have come from prior published media reports and or from comments that you yourself have made over the years on various news and entertainment programs, I find that statement erroneous.

Referring to your comment, “I would like to inform you that I retired from the REAL Police department NYPD on Feb. 14, 1985. These allegations in your story said I was a NYPD detective in 1986,” my response to that is that I take offense to that on two levels.

First, you either misread the article or did not comprehend what you read. The allegations came from Mr. Alite and not from me. Word endings and inflectional forms aside, I never once anywhere in my article stated that you were an NYPD detective in 1986. I challenge you to find out where that comment is found in my article. What I wrote was, “Before retiring from the NYPD in 1985.” Is that not the same thing that you wrote in your email?

Second, are you inferring that cops across this country who do not work for the NYPD aren’t working for a “REAL” police department? Shame on you Bo for that comment.

Again you say that, “There are MANY more non-truths in your story.” Again, you failed to mention what those non-truths are.

You say, “I am conferring with my attorney to explore my actions.” Maybe you should have conferred with your attorney before you wrote, “I think you have a mental problem.”

I am not jealous of you Bo as you have stated, jealousy is the realm of the ignorant and one thing I am not is ignorant. Obviously you never fact checked anything you wrote in your email. Let me educate you on some real facts.

You wrote, “I’m sorry that you were a hotel security guard for so many years and NEVER dealt with real criminals. Again, SHAME ON YOU. Hearing that comment from you, a man who has been in the security and investigations industry for over 25 years, and you dare to demean anyone in the security business is a disgrace and totally unprofessional.

You said, “Maybe if you were a real cop you would have some real stories. You must grow up and make a life for yourself. There are MANY jealous little children like you who wish they could be a real cop.”

I was a real cop as you so aptly put it. And yes, I do have plenty of “war stories” that I could write about, but that is not me. I don’t profess to being a legend in my own mind. I sometimes find that ex-cops who write about their so called “war stories” are nothing more than self-serving, bloviated accounts that are total misconceptions of the actual events that happened.

At 60 years of age I don’ think I am anywhere close to being “little children” as you say.

I am a US Army Veteran, former police officer and criminal investigator who spent many years working in an undercover capacity. I was awarded “Criminal Investigator of the Year” in 1986. I exposed a corrupt system in the county prosecutor’s office and the sheriff’s office that led to the demise of my twelve year police career. That may not be of interest to you as you stated since it was not NYPD, then it wasn’t real. For that you can go to hell.

I spent almost twenty years in the private security industry. Five of those years as an investigator with a major corporation. Almost four years as a security director and almost ten years as director of security and surveillance at another property.

During that time I worked with many retired police officers some who were from the NYPD. I never heard any of them demean the security profession or the men and women who were working as security officers. Here in Las Vegas security officers have been murdered and wounded while performing their jobs over the years, a fact you apparently were unaware of.

Former Army buddies of mine are now retired from the NYPD and the Port Authority Police. The late Bob Leuci was a friend of mine, and in fact Bob and I both lectured many years ago on “Ethics in Policing” at the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Former NYPD Police Officer, Joe Sanchez is also a friend.

If you have a problem with anything I wrote or any other topic, I would have no problem debating the issues with you either in a public forum or in private. Thank you for commenting on my articles.

Apparently Dietl received my email because at 5:13 a.m. I received another email from him as follows:

This will be my last response. From your writing it’s obvious you spent a lot of time studying and learning. While you were reading and learning I was on the streets protecting people. My record speaks for itself. I’ve met guys like you in the private security business who always wanted to be a real cop. We call them BUFFS. You mention Bob and Joe I knew them well. They were REAL cops. I hope you found the stolen toilet paper in your detective work as a security guard. I bet you had a real badge. As far as one of your misprints. Alite who I’ve never met lied like you and said he saw me as a NYC police detective receiving money in 1986. He lied because I was retired in 1985 and the Republican nominee for US Congress. You just reprinted Alites’ lies without fact checking that I was retired when he said I was a NYC Detective. Also check out a great video with me and PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN in the Oval Office in the WHITE HOUSE. See the things he has to say about me. You will learn that you sound like a fool to knock my service as a REAL NYC Detective. There are many WANT TO BE COPS like you out there. I’m sorry your life ended up a looser writer with jealousy as your driver. Why don’t you try to write Children’s books it would fit your small uneventful Life? As far as your claims of being in the service. That is the only redeeming thing you did. I’m sure you were in combat weren’t you????? Looser just keep writing your jealous column and make sure you fact check. Boy you need to find another way to be more positive in LIFE. I hope you have children and they are well. If so be an example to them with some positive directions. Don’t teach them to be envious and jealous of other people.

After reading the email the first thing I said to myself was what an arrogant son-of-a-bitch he is, besides being full of shit.

Investigate stolen toilet paper, really Bo? Matter of fact when I was employed as an investigator at the MGM the president of the company, at a board of directors meeting, stated I was the best investigator he had seen in all the years he was in the hotel business and my record there at the time supports that.

I never lied about anything so watch what you say. What I wrote was in numerous published accounts of what John Alite, not me, accused you of. And I did say in my article that no charges ever came of it.

This is my take on that. If you are a cop or an ex-cop you DON’T hang out with mobsters and call them nice guys. You open yourself up to exactly what happened to Dietl.

Then he attacks my military service. I never told anyone that I was in combat. I spent three years in the US Army Military Police and was Honorably Discharged and proud of it. Dietl didn’t serve, so shut up Bo.

Then he says I knocked his service as A REAL NYC Detective. When did I do that? Dietl made some controversial statements about putting someone’s head in a toilet bowl and hanging a guy off a roof. That is what I criticized and rightfully so. He broke the law and violated civil rights.

I spent almost 16 years of my life in law enforcement. Almost the same time Dietl had when he bowed out of his police career after an accident sport skydiving with some Saudis.

My life was no more or less dangerous when I was working undercover as was his when he was doing his job.

Dietl, after his police career was over, went into the private security industry, just as I did. The only difference. I broke the BLUE WALL OF SILENCE and that is what ended my police career.

Is that why Bo Dietl doesn’t acknowledge I was a real cop?

So now it’s early in the morning and I’m pissed off and can’t sleep. So what do I do? I pen another email to Dietl at 6:52 a.m. as follows:

Obviously Bo you still haven’t comprehended what you read. And to say only NYPD cops are REAL cops proves your ignorance. Still demeaning the security industry of which you are a part of is actually pretty amazing. Didn’t think actually anyone could be this dumb. You have surpassed my expectations on idiocy. And to think that you believe I could ever be jealous of a fool like you is hilarious.

After I hit the send key I’m thinking I know he is going to respond back.

At 7:02 a.m. Dietl doesn’t disappoint me and does exactly what I knew he would and I receive another email as follows:

I have now named you “SECURITY GUARD OF THE MONTH THAT ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A REAL COP.” You’re a VERY UNHAPPY person with the way your life turned out. You should write books. Maybe titled the REAL AMERICANS. That have served this great country with honor. Stop being so jealous of people and make your life positive for your family. I can see you can’t sleep at night. Your email was very early in the morning. That’s a sign of a person who is VERY unhappy with their LIFE.

I read it and then said to myself, obviously my articles touched a nerve with him and he had to respond back probably the only way he knew how, resorting back to immature street level attacks on my police career, military career and security career. Oh well I thought, time to get some sleep, life goes on.

I will take the high road and stop the emails. No use to lower myself to his level.

My life is an open book. You don’t have to be an investigator to find out about my life, which obviously Bo Dietl did not or could not do. Google my name and you will see a litany of links to YouTube, newspaper articles and my LinkedIn account which has my entire professional history there for the world to see.

I wonder what the security officers who are employed by Dietls’ firm would think of his remarks mocking those in the security industry or better yet, future prospective clients.

I have been out of the industry for over three years. During my tenure as a security director I worked with many security professionals in Las Vegas. Men and women who were proud of what they were doing. I would never mock anyone working as a security officer.

In New York City alone there are over sixty thousand private security officers protecting critical infrastructure in the city. All over the United States security professionals play a vital part in protection.

Many years ago in Las Vegas we started to get away from the stereotyped “security guard” image and moved forward with making the security profession even better. There is still a lot of work to be done, but every day security officers in Las Vegas protect guests, employees and property to the best of their ability.

They work in a close relationship with the local police and have been responsible for thousands of arrests including felony arrests.

Yes Bo in Las Vegas security officers do deal with real criminals. There are many stories to tell including:

A Tropicana hotel-casino security officer was fatally February 1998 shot in the back while performing his duties. As the gunman was leaving the scene he fired one more shot into the officers back.

At the US Courthouse in Las Vegas a  security officer was killed  January 2010 after taking a direct hit from a shotgun.

Two Bally’s casino security officers were shot October 2013 and a customer who tried to help them subdue the shooter was killed.

A bus security officer contracted by the Regional Transportation Commission who after being shot multiple times fired back and killed the gunman December 2015. The officer survived.

•••• •••• ••••• •••• ••••

Rick Rescorla was a highly decorated Vietnam Veteran and Purple Heart recipient. On September 11, 2001 Rescorla was working inside the South Tower of the World Trade Center. He was the Vice President for Security at Morgan Stanley Dean Witter. When the planes hit, while all employees were making their way down, three employees were missing. Rescorta and two assistants went back to look for them. He was last seen on the tenth floor of the burning tower. He died when the tower collapsed.

During the September 11 attacks at the World Trade Center, along with police officers and firefighters, security officers also died. It didn’t matter what type of uniform they were wearing. They all died together.

I shared what I had learned and experienced in my law enforcement career with those that I worked with in the security industry. Criminal law, police tactics, investigative techniques, whatever I could pass on to others I did. After all the more knowledgeable a person is in performing their tasks, always reflects positively on the rest of the team. A leader is nothing unless he has good people on his team. That is how I always worked in the security industry.

When I was employed as the Director of Security and Surveillance at the Riviera Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, in a six year period my team of security officers trespassed over 6,000 persons and arrested nearly 900 persons, many for felonies that included robbery, grand larceny and burglary. A bike patrol officer was shot at, at point blank range chasing an armed robbery suspect. The bullet never hit him thank God. The story was featured on a segment of “Cops.”

On two separate occasions security officers and supervisors were recognized as “Security Professionals of the Month” by the Las Vegas Security Chief’s Association, for their actions during two violent crimes. I couldn’t count how many times my team saved the lives of guests and employees using their skills in CPR and the use of the AED.

Mock security professionals all you want Bo, I am sure the officers whose actions I have just described would disagree with you in that they do deal with real criminals. Unfortunately those that are no longer with us can’t retort.

I do want to mention two highly publicized crimes that occurred in New York City back in the 1980’s.

Sometimes when crimes of this notoriety occur the true roll of some in the investigations and arrests of the suspects become a matter of dispute depending on who you talk to.

The 1981 rape and mutilation of a Catholic nun was called the “most heinous crime in the history of New York City,” by then NYC Mayor Ed Koch. That case was solved when Max Lindeman walked into the 25^th police precinct with a family member and turned himself in and confessed. He then told police that his accomplice, Harold Welles, was on a bus enroute to Chicago, where Welles was arrested.

The Palm Sunday Massacre was a 1984 mass murder in Brooklyn, NY that resulted in the death of ten people, three women, a teenage girl and six children. There was one survivor, an infant girl. The investigation and the subsequent arrest of the suspect, was the result of a team effort by a group of highly dedicated NYPD officers and detectives.

On Wednesday I called Bo Dietl’s office in New York. I wanted to verify that the emails I had received were actually from Dietl and I wanted to talk to him. His administrative assistant confirmed the email was his and connected me with Dietl almost immediately.

I knew it was Dietl when he came on the phone and said, “Is this the SECURITY GUARD who wrote the story about me?” He actually complimented me on the article stating I did a lot of homework, but made it clear that he felt the story was all negative and nothing positive. Speaking of the Gotti story he reiterated that John Alite was a liar. We talked about the Black Lives Matter group and their anti-police rhetoric and his support for police across the country. I explained to him that I had a problem with the remarks he has made about police losing their heart and soul and not doing their job. He said he would address that the next time he is on a show. I will hold him to that.

Bo Dietl stated that he does plenty of charity work. That fact is true, Dietl is charitable so I have to admire him for that. He did thank me for my military service which was nice because it was a turn from what he said in the email.

We did agree on two things; that the police officer who shot Walter Scott in the back should go to prison and that there are some cops out there that go above and beyond on the job and some that just do what they have to do to get by.

He said, “I can tell them a lot of things about you. I can call up the paper.” Dietl didn’t elaborate on what those “things” were. Like I said earlier, my life is pretty much an open book. Dietl asked about my three children to which I told him I do not have children. He said he thought I did. Obviously he got some bad information from someone.

Bo Dietl said that Bob Leuci was a good cop. Speaking of Joe Sanchez, Deitl said he was a good cop, that he “got screwed.”  Dietl was right on both counts.

For those readers who do not know, Bob Leuci was the NYPD detective whose police career was the basis for the book and later movie Prince of the City. He exposed corruption in the NYPD. Bob passed away on October 12 of this year.

Joe Sanchez was a Vietnam Veteran and Purple Heart recipient.  While a highly decorated NYPD Police Officer, Joe also exposed corruption, was double-crossed by the Internal Affairs Division and set up on criminal charges, then exonerated and lost his job.  So much for justice and breaking THE BLUE WALL OF SILENCE in the NYPD.

The telephone call was amicable for the most part and at least Bo Dietl was gentleman enough to talk to me.

So the next time I’m in New York does that mean he will buy me dinner at Rao’s or just a hotdog at the stand in front of One Penn Plaza?