The story of a Russian policeman nicknamed "Crazy Russian" in New York

Photos from personal archive

What can be common between the Ural gangsters, anti-Semites, a massage therapist in a beauty salon and the New York Police Department? Especially for "Snob" Ulyana Malashenko recorded a monologue of the real American cop Yuri Posternak.

About Me

You can consider me a spy. Yes, I am a spy. Since 2007, I have been working in the Central Intelligence Agency for Combating Terrorism. I am not allowed to disclose information about ongoing investigations. In our department 16 people. Mostly we are engaged in the program if you see something, say something, when checking for suspicious persons or objects is beyond the scope of the on-site patrol. But massacres are also in our area of ​​expertise.

Unlike those who were in the Crimea, we are really polite people. I will never tell the suspect that he is a nit and a terrorist, and therefore I came to arrest him. We have neither the canon system, nor the standards for the number of arrests. I'll figure it out first and check it out. It happens that some of them simply settle scores, and here you have to go to check the one who provided the false information.

From work, I feel satisfaction. I like it when my friends say: “When Yura is in the service, we can sleep well”.

About Russia

I was born in Pervouralsk. It is a tiny town with a population of 108 thousand people on the border between Europe and Asia. The main enterprise of Pervouralsk was a chemical plant, and the life expectancy there rarely reached 50 years.

I always wanted to study medicine, and I went to Ekaterinburg to enter a university. I passed the two exams well, and on the third the teacher told me: “So you are a Jew? While I am here, you will never study at a medical school. ” I have never been a believer, I did not wear a yarmulke - this was not accepted in my family. But it was still very unpleasant.

Shel 1990 year. I had to go to medical school. I lived in a dormitory, participated in amateur art activities and in parallel worked in an ambulance. Two years later I graduated from college with a red diploma and entered the same university, having passed only one exam. Once during the session, I again met with the very teacher. And she again wanted to overwhelm me. Saved the head of the department, which also turned out to be of Jewish blood. At the exam, he did not allow me to put a "bad". This “troika” is the only one in my diploma.

About bandits and security officers

Once in Yekaterinburg, I had an accident. Mercedes folded my Zhiguli into an accordion. I miraculously survived. The next day, from the protocol, it turned out that it was me who got drunk and, passing backwards at full speed, crashed a Mercedes. Russian cops sold his address to his owner, and he began to demand money to repair the car.

There were 90. Appointed the "arrow" in the center of Yekaterinburg. I came there with two familiar guys from the FSB. The owner of the "Mercedes" appeared, accompanied by two boys in costumes "Adidas". The incident was settled. “Your roof is cooler than mine,” he told me. 24-hour security, however, my friends from the FSB could not provide me. I had to throw out of the city. First to Moscow, then to America.

But god is not fraer. A few years later, already here, I learned that the owner of the Mercedes had been moved by car and maimed.

About moving

8 June 1997, my plane landed at JFK. In English, I did not know a word. I had an older brother here, and the first thing he said to me: “I have already eaten my bucket of shit here. Now it's your turn, and I will not help you. ” And I went to work.

My first salary was $ 3 per hour. I worked 14 hours as a seller in a Russian store, I also learned English 6 hours a day. Only four hours left to sleep. I bought my first car in America in three months for $ 450. Another $ 920 I had to spend on repairs: there was no living space in the car, the back seat was propped up by a milk crate.

I changed the roofs of houses, was an assistant physiotherapist at the Russian Medical Center, worked as a massage therapist in beauty salons. Two years later I spoke in English. And then September 11 happened.

Immediately after the terrorist attack, I went to take exams at the police academy. In addition, shortly before that, a wave of arrests of Russians in insurance fraud cases rolled through New York. I already had experience in a Russian medical company, I even thought about confirming my diploma and medical career. But after that, I decided that it was better to be on this side of the barricades.

Photos from personal archive

How to become an American cop

People often go to the US Army to obtain citizenship under an accelerated procedure. In the police, everything is different - an American police officer must be a US citizen. I started the procedure of entering the academy a little earlier, I successfully passed the exams, but I was enrolled only when I received citizenship.

All candidates are subject to rigorous selection. First, you pass physical education standards, then you undergo psychological testing, which takes six hours. And then you go through the background verification procedure, when your whole life, from birth, is examined through a microscope. Previously, they could refuse if a person had more than two penalties for improper parking. And now even arrest for a minor offense can be forgiven. For example, urinated on the wall of the house. But if the arrest is for a crime, then, of course, you should not think about a police career. Of course, the general educational level is also important. It is necessary to unlearn either two years in high school, or serve the same two years in the army.

The training itself lasts six months. There were a lot of physical training, we also studied the laws, and then practiced in practice how to behave in specific situations. That is, literally staged a theater in the classroom. For example, they chose two people for the role of aggressor husband and female victim. The script was clearly written. The actions of the police - too. This pair needs to be divided and brought to different rooms, but not in the kitchen, because it is a place where cold weapons are stored.

After three months of training, cadets are issued to cadets and sent to practice at the police station. Then they come back and finish education. Graduation at the police academy - a beautiful sight. The cadets put on white gloves and, after taking the oath, simultaneously throw them into the air.

In my stream there were 30 thousands of applicants. Enrolled in the course 1702 person. 1355 people were able to finish the police academy.

About the baptism of fire

After the academy, I got to the most dangerous site in New York - plot number XXUMX in the Crown Heights area of ​​Brooklyn, number one by the number of murders in the city. An 71 graduate was sent there to reinforce. Locals checked us, green, for lice, run up.

With me were three Russian guys, the bosses of us, Russians, fell in love, and the local people began to fear. I got the nickname Crazy Russian - local, who ran into a mess, I drenched to broken teeth. After the first arrest, I walked with knuckles in my hands.

And on this site is still restless. In 2007, a policeman died there. Also Russian, by the way.

About fear

Scary happens to all. But adrenaline kills fear. I often feel uneasy only later, when it was all over and you understand from which scrape you just got out. When they started shooting at me for the first time in my life, I did not immediately understand it. The shots seemed to be the sound of breaking firecrackers, and I ran in the direction from which they were shooting. I was lucky - I had no injuries. Just a little bit - with a knife.

About service

I am performing 24 hours 7 days a week. Some restrictions this, of course, imposes. For example, I can not get drunk before the pig squeal. But I am always with arms. To be in political organizations? Yes please! Business? Business can have. The main thing is that there is no conflict of interest. A vegetable tent in the area where the cop is working will be a violation. I cannot open a bar, because this business is connected with obtaining a license to sell alcohol. A private investigation bureau will also be a conflict of interest, because I can potentially use access to public information for personal purposes. But, say, a driving school to open or do business in real estate is easy. Nobody cares what I spend two days off for. But I do not do business: I still want to have time for myself.

About torture

My father's aunt is a police major. In childhood I was at interrogation. Once I came to work to my aunt, but she was not there. I went to look for her and looked into the next room. And there was a man hanging on a chain, and two investigators beat him. This episode crashed into my memory. He scared me very much.

There is no such thing. During interrogations, I always get the information that I need, and for this to beat a person is not necessary.

Photos from personal archive

About bribes

Unlike Russia, the American police are generally uncorrupted. American police officer's pension - 50% of the best salary for the last three years. Say, if I retire tomorrow, I’ll get 80 thousand dollars a year. This is enough, but for New York it is not the biggest money. The main advantage in this case is a social package and a preferential tax rate. And when they offer $ 100 to pay off a parking ticket, the policeman knows what he is losing in the event of an internal investigation. And it will definitely be: this is how the system works. There are, of course, exceptions. Recently there was a series of resignations of high-ranking police officers. It turned out that for taking bribes they helped the Hasidim to get weapons faster than the months laid down by law 6-9. Or provide security to individuals. But the performers did not even know what was going on. And the officials themselves, by the way, did not take money either - they worked for presents. For example, for a trip to Paris.

About the judicial system

I do not quite agree with the way the American judicial system works. As Gleb Zheglov said, the thief should be in prison. And here, it happens, the retreatists are released. Or obviously guilty if the processes are too politicized and public opinion has sided with the defendant. For example, many African American affairs are politicized. But here in me the voice of a policeman speaks.

About weapons

Now we have a lot of talk about strengthening control over the circulation of weapons. But after all tightening of laws always concerns only those who observe them. And who does not comply, will always find a way to violate the laws. Therefore, I am convinced that every person should have the right to defend against violators.

About relationships with other people

There are no cases when people recruit 911 to report: “I covered a glade here, there is a cold beer”. People recruit 911 when they feel very bad. And this is done even by those who despise the cops.

I don't divide people into cops and suspects. But there are professional reflexes. In a cafe, I always try to sit down so that I can see the entrance. And I always know who can become a potential violator. In Russian restaurants, for example, there is always a person who gets drunk and starts pestering women. And I can calculate this person in advance.

We are not superheroes. We can get sick. We can bleed when we are wounded. And gratitude is always a pleasure. I never ask for any favors, but sometimes people themselves want to do something nice for you. For example, 10% discount on coffee. Or, say, at the weekend fair can offer free water or barbecue.

Otherwise, we are ordinary people. My work destroyed my first marriage, and now I can only see my son once every two weeks. I went through the same complex divorce process, like everyone else. By the way, when a cop goes to a family court hearing, we always need to hand over weapons, although in all other cases we are allowed to bring weapons into administrative buildings, including the courts.

About compatriots

Russian is always easy to calculate. They all smoke "Parliament". Russian women are always well-groomed, they will never wear sneakers with a business suit. Until now, my closest friends are Russian-speaking.

Russian immigrants have a noticeable imprint of the totalitarian system. They are afraid of the police and do not trust her. But in fact, the police can always ask for help.

I came across the Russian mafia. Basically, these are cases of medical insurance fraud or drunk driving. Georgians, for example, are more often engaged in drugs or petty theft. Severe crimes are rare. For example, there was a case when a Russian killed his wife and daughter in America and went home. Russia refused to extradite him, but promised that he would serve him in full.

The Russian mafia already understands that this is not the Soviet Union. They don't even try to negotiate.

About America and Nostalgia

America is a country where dreams come true. From rags to riches - an expression about this country. I do not just live a normal life - I received respect here, I have confidence in the future. I know that I can achieve my goals and on the way to them I won’t break my arms, threaten my relatives or wring out business.

And I can’t go to Russia: they don’t give me a visa on the American passport, and they’ll immediately accept me for my extremism on social networks. And I want to go to Russia. At least visit the grave of his grandfather.

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