MEMORANDUM (CONFIDENTIAL) EXD-794, DATED 14 December, 1968, from Edward X. Delaney, Captain, NYPD, to Police Commissioner, NYPD, with confidential copies to Deputy Arthur C. Beatem and Chief Inspector L. David Whichcote.
“This document should be considered Addendum 19-B to my final report NYPD-EXD-1SEP-1968.
“It has been brought to my attention that the attempted robbery of the premises at 535 East Seventy-third Street, New York City, on 31 August–1 September, 1968, might have been prevented if there had been closer cooperation between agencies of the city, state, and federal governments, and private investigative agencies. A list of agencies involved is attached (see EXD-794-A).
“While I cannot reveal the identity of my informant at this time, I can state without fear of serious contradiction that for several months prior to the commission of the crime, the aforesaid agencies were in possession of certain facts (on tape recordings and in transcriptions) relating to the planned crime, obtained via bugging and other electronic surveillance devices.
“Admittedly, no one agency was in possession of all the facts or all the details regarding the proposed crime—such as address, time, personnel involved, etc. And yet, if a central pool or clearing house (computerized, perhaps?) for electronic surveillance had been in existence, I have little doubt but that the crime in question could have been forestalled.
“I strongly urge that a meeting of representatives of law-enforcement agencies of city, state, and federal governments be convened immediately to consider how such a clearing house for the results of electronic surveillance can be established. I shall hold myself ready to assist in any way I can to help organize such a project, as I have a number of very definite ideas on how it should be structured.”