New York Homicide host Robert K Boyce spent 35 years with the New York Police Department – the largest municipal police for in the country. He served as Chief of Detectives for the last four years of his career, overseeing a team of 5,800 uniformed and civilian members.
New York Homicide is entering its third season broadcas
ting on the Oxygen Channel True Crime Network. Bob was approached about hosting show at the peak of the George Floyd riots. He jumped at the chance because he saw it as an opportunity to show exactly what police do and how hard they work.
Bob shares some background on how they select which cases to feature on New York Homicide. An important element is whether family members of the victim are willing to take part.
We discuss how technologies have revolutionized detective work. Close Circuit Television Cameras, License Plate Readers and DNA testing have all been game changers. However, often it comes down to good, old fashioned “gum shoe” detective work. Interestingly, Bob estimates that half of the people who call their Crime Stoppers Tip Line do not ask for a reward.
Robert shares what life as a police detective is like. He emphasizes that it is a 24/7 job; even when one is not on duty, they are always thinking about their cases. Bob mentions that sometimes you may find a lead while reading the Sunday paper or even an “aha” moment while coaching your child’s sports team.
Very often even cases that have been solved stick with detectives for the rest of their life. Bob shares a few of the cases that made a particular impression on him. We also discuss the amount of secondary trauma detectives experience. “You’re exposed to a lot, but you have to understand that you have a job to do.”
TAKEAWAY: If it weren’t for mandatory retirement regulations, Bob says he would still be wearing the badge today.