Alfonzo Giordano

Alfonzo Giordano (born c. 1937) was a senior ranking officer in the Philadelphia Police Department (PPD), having achieved the rank of Inspector and heading the PPD's Homicide Division until shortly before his retirement in 1982.

Giordano is notable as being the "right hand man" of Frank Rizzo during his time as Police Commissioner, being in charge of the Stake Out Unit in 1968-1970, at the peak of its aggressive efforts to subdue the Black Panther Party's presence in Philadelphia, culminating in an August 31, 1970 raid at a Panthers meeting at Temple University in which arrested Panthers to strip and stand naked in front of the news cameras, and for an early raid on the MOVE headquarters in Powelton Village which resulted in the death of Stake Out Unit officer James Ramp and the convictions of 9 MOVE members.

Giordano is also known being the senior to arrive at the scene of the killing of PPD Officer Daniel Faulkner on December 9, 1981, and for his alleged role in attempting to influence of the testimony of certain witness, most notably that of cab driver Robert Chopert.

Corruption charges and departure from the PPD

Giordano would became embroiled in the Center City Police Corruption Scandals investigated by the FBI in 1981-1982, leading to his being laterally transferred and ultimately resigning in the summer of 1982, one day after the death sentence of Mumia Abu-Jamal as handed down. He would eventually be indicted, in 1986, on charges of receiving tens of thousands of dollars in illegal payments during the years 1979-1980.

See also

* Frank Rizzo

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