Officer Frank Dietrich is one of the leading officials and instructors of the NYPD Neighborhood Stabilization Unit, as well as one of the murderers of Auxiliary Officer Floyd Michaels out of racism.
History[]
Dietrich worked in anti-drug units in the Bronx from 1987 to 1993. He was shaken by the violence he regularly dealt with to the point he became angry and violent, his psychotherapist recording his hatred of racism and women. Dietrich ended up in a divorce, and he tried to retire early in 1994 with his pensions, to no avail. The city refused it to keep its money, and it also won a suit Dietrich filed for his benefits.
Dietrich was transferred to the Neighborhood Stabilization Unit to instruct fellow officers on patrol of their jurisdiction, but he instilled racial profiling and racist aggression into the officers under his command. Floyd wanted to return a man he called a cab for to his home, getting lost in the directions the man gave. Two officers on patrol, Fratelli and Carlson, profiled Floyd and the passenger, both black, assuming they were staking the neighborhood out.
After Floyd dropped the man off, they approached him at his car and ordered him to get out, when Floyd identified his rank and status. What followed was the officers kidnapping and repeatedly beating him, even intermittently while they were driving away with him. Dietrich was spotted, and the officers encouraged him to join in. They eventually took Floyd to a valley road, where they tied to him barely conscious to the rear bumper of the car and dragged him to death. They then threw his remains into a nearby body of water, left the trail of carnage on the road, and burned the car at Carlson’s farm while chucking the seats into the dump.
Fratelli and Carlson were arrested once their ride, a Pontiac they commandeered off a jailed suspect, was tracked to the impound and later found on the farm with the evidence. Dietrich’s partner, Gil Sawchuck, lied to absolve Dietrich of guilt, but when his lies were seen through, Dietrich was also brought in. The D.A. originally offered Dietrich a deal for testimony, but finding out about his past and psych eval, the office demanded a legit alibi, which Dietrich refused to cooperate with.
After a federal court through out his deal, Dietrich was also charged, and it was Fratelli’s sentenced that was reduced to life without parole when he was pressured with a fictitious witness ID. Dietrich and Carlson were found guilty of murder one and sentenced to death. (L&O: “DWB”)