A Blue Truth (Will) Be Told

As I wrap up my documentary film “Boricua Soy Yo,” I’ve been kicking around ideas for my next project. For my day job, I work as a Communications Producer for the Public Information Office in suburban Orlando. As luck would have it, a few weeks ago I was out on a shoot promoting a Parks & Recreation survey, getting soundbites fr senior softball league members and struck up a conversation with one of the softball players who had a very interesting story he was eager to share. 

Not many people may have heard of the name Joe Sanchez, however speaking with him and learning about his history as a decorated retired NYPD officer who was falsely arrested and convicted only to be vindicated and expose the “Blue Wall of Silence”, I couldn’t help but marvel at how lucky I was to have had this man’s story fall into my lap. It was truly serendipitous.

Mr. Sanchez was born in Santurce, Puerto Rico, but moved to New York City at a young age. He was drafted into the Army at the age of 18 and sent to Vietnam on his twentieth birthday. He was awarded several medals, including the Purple Heart and Army Commendation Medal, after being wounded during combat. Upon leaving the Army, Sanchez moved back to New York City and attempted numerous times to become a police officer.  Sanchez’s career as a police officer with the NYPD was a decorated one, earning a reputation of being an “Arrest Machine” however Sanchezinby his own words also saw many of the dark sides of working in law enforcement. This was during the early 1970s; around the time another NYPD officer, Frank Serpico, brought to light widespread corruption within the NYPD ranks just years prior.

As he shared his story of discovering corruption in higher ranks, Sanchez expressed how the “Blue Wall of Silence” kept honest officers in check and made them look the other way due to fears of repercussion.  Sanchez attempted to report corruption he saw to Internal Affairs however investigations were shelved. In 1982, Sanchez participated in a drug bust only to be framed by his fellow officers. All charges were subsequently dropped against Sanchez and he continued long-year’s’s legal battle to be reinstated into the NYPD.

After leaving law enforcement, Sanchez authored a few books, detailed accounts of his experiences as a member of the NYPD. He also acted as a consultant on Steven Spielberg’s 2021 remake of “West Side Story,” helping to give the film a more accurate account of NYC during the early 1960s. Joe Sanchez’s story is an interesting one, and although I’m still debating on what I will be doing next as far as documentary films are concerned, his stories should be told.

“If I were Italian, Hollywood would have been ringing, my phone off the hook for me to tell my story,” Mr. Sanchez said to me.

One day, he may not have to look that far.