reno911-lennon-interview-1.jpgJamie Dimon would probably make a great cop because he’s a badass who doesn’t take shit or prisoners from anyone. Ken Lewis obviously how to administer a sobriety test on a possibly drunk driver. Despite protests the contrary, Jimmy Cayne knows his way around a nightstick. Dick Fuld has spent the last year showing up to industry parties attempting to make citizen’s arrests. And I can see Vikram Pandit patrolling the streets on horseback. But riddle me this– in the event a stranger came up to you on the street and tried to slit your throat with a razor blade, would you take comfort in knowing the colleague to your left or right, the one flirting with the Bloomberg help desk guy or sucking ass at Hearts was the police officer on duty? I certainly hope so ’cause guess what kids? The ex-Wall Streeters who aren’t getting into the transportation service business or doing the street meat thing are becoming cops.

A year and a half ago, Henry Chung was an assistant vice president at Merrill Lynch, monitoring billions of dollars the firm traded on a daily basis. Last week, he found himself, in his capacity as a patrol officer in Jackson Heights, Queens, chasing after a man who had slashed another man’s neck with a razor blade. He grabbed the man from behind, pushed him up against a wall and handcuffed him.
“It’s a little different than looking at a computer monitor trying to figure out why there’s a million bucks missing in the firm’s accounts,” Officer Chung, 34, said in a telephone interview.

Officer Ricardo Montilla, who had been a financial adviser for Washington Mutual in Brooklyn, said he had hit a wall in his civilian pay, and joined the force in December. “I was making a lot of money, and then not making money,” he said. “As the economy got worse, the investments dried up and I needed more stability. The police offer a pension that’s unheard of.”
In the current first-year class of rookies, Officer Montilla, 31, is one of several refugees from the financial industry, an uncommon breeding ground for police officers. He and two academy classmates who had also worked in finance said they had been willing to give up larger salaries partly because they were afraid they would not be able to support their families if the economy continued to slow.
When Officer Chung is around colleagues at his station house in Jackson Heights, he said, he is often chided for leaving his lucrative profession.”They ask me if my secretary is still working for me,” Officer Chung said. “They ask me if I have any stories how we high rollers used to do it. They ask me where they can find a fancy steak. And how much were you making and why were you doing this.”

Comments (29)

  1. Posted by guest | November 18, 2009 at 2:09 PM

    I would look good in that outfit.
    -vik

  2. Posted by pfluger | November 18, 2009 at 2:12 PM

    I think DF would make a fine NYPD officer.

  3. Posted by guest | November 18, 2009 at 2:13 PM

    @2 would def be a corrupt cop

  4. Posted by guest | November 18, 2009 at 2:18 PM

    Lt. Dangle was one helluva sales trader.
    Just sayin’

  5. Posted by guest | November 18, 2009 at 2:21 PM

    I also know my way around a nightstick.
    -barney frank

  6. Posted by guest | November 18, 2009 at 2:21 PM

    Henry Chung’s wallet has “Bad Motherfucker” written on it.

  7. Posted by guest | November 18, 2009 at 2:28 PM

    Jeff Chiang’s wallet has “Make Me a Motherfuckin’ Offer” written on it.

  8. Posted by guest | November 18, 2009 at 2:28 PM

    Who would be the best trader and what product? McNulty from The Wire, Sipowitz, guy from CSI, or Vic Mackey from the Shield?

  9. Posted by guest | November 18, 2009 at 2:30 PM

    2,
    Disagree. DF would be Serpico.

  10. Posted by guest | November 18, 2009 at 2:31 PM

    @7, that’s hilarious.
    P.S. Jeff Chiang is a sh*theel.

  11. Posted by guest | November 18, 2009 at 2:37 PM

    You’re f@cking rich ya jerk!
    -Local PD

  12. Posted by guest | November 18, 2009 at 2:45 PM

    merrill risk managers as cops, get long crime futures!

  13. Posted by guest | November 18, 2009 at 2:50 PM

    At least I am dealing with a better class of criminal now. Chung

  14. Posted by guest | November 18, 2009 at 2:52 PM

    my former colleagues already ask me to spread ‘em, thanks.
    -alicia w

  15. Posted by guest | November 18, 2009 at 2:53 PM

    “A financial adviser for Washington Mutual in Brooklyn…”
    Oh yeah, that’s the big time right there! Was he in Flatbush Avenue or Canarsie?
    *rolls eyes*

  16. Posted by guest | November 18, 2009 at 2:54 PM

    @15 I’m rolling my eyes at how big a dbag you are.

  17. Posted by guest | November 18, 2009 at 2:54 PM

    @14 finally

  18. Posted by guest | November 18, 2009 at 2:58 PM

    I just got hired by Wackenhut to patrol the notorius and crime ridden Stein-Mart in St. Petersburg, FL.
    Moonlightling Ameriprise FA

  19. Posted by guest | November 18, 2009 at 2:59 PM

    many cops are friendsamine.
    -cg

  20. Posted by guest | November 18, 2009 at 3:01 PM

    CHUNG is KING!

  21. Posted by NakedShort | November 18, 2009 at 3:13 PM

    Hey, business is business. You use a gun and a badge, I use an Excel spreadsheet to collateralize toxic debt and an SIV to get it off our balance sheet. What’s the difference? Let’s put it in my terms, you’re in a hostile takeover, you snatch us up for some green mail, but you’re not expecting some poison pill to be running around the building, am I right? Chunger, *booby* I’m your white knight.

  22. Posted by guest | November 18, 2009 at 3:16 PM

    @16 why is he a dbag for pointing out that being an FA at wamu in Brooklyn is about the opposite of a baller finance job? it’s the truth…

  23. Posted by guest | November 18, 2009 at 3:48 PM

    @20 The only reason why I opened the comments section was to make sure someone posted that. Nicely done.
    – Dave Chappelle ’00

  24. Posted by guest | November 18, 2009 at 3:49 PM

    @22 agreed. and same for the trade reconciliation analyst at ML

  25. Posted by guest | November 18, 2009 at 4:14 PM

    Where does it say that you can’t kill a cop?
    CG

  26. Posted by guest | November 18, 2009 at 4:17 PM

    Packin’ it… in more ways than one.

  27. Posted by guest | November 18, 2009 at 5:01 PM

    Doesn’t he sound a little middle office?

  28. Posted by guest | November 18, 2009 at 6:39 PM

    @21 – Mrs. Maclain?

  29. Posted by guest | November 18, 2009 at 6:40 PM

    @21 – Mrs. Maclain?

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