doi:10.7916/d8-f70x-6c87Oral history interview with Sam Ciccone, 1992Ciccone, Sam, 1944-2015oral historiessound recordingssound recording - nonmusicalGay police officers--New York (State)Police--New York (State)Gay rights--New York (State)Discrimination in law enforcement--United StatesCiccone, Sam, 1944-2015Gay Officers Action League (New York, N.Y.)New York (N.Y.). Police Departmentb. 1994; childhood: Bergen County, NJ and Brooklyn, NY, Italian immigrant family, struggle to assimilate; left home 1960, luncheonette job; New York Police Department (NYPD), 1965-1979: attraction to power, resistance to NYPD corruption, first homosexual experience; Hope College, Holland, Michigan, 1966: first homosexual affair; return to NYPD: shame, secrecy, paranoia, memory of Stonewall, NYPD violence and corruption; GOAL: 1982 formation, NYPD negative reactions, un-closeting of board, incorporation of women and minorities, 1983 march in Gay Pride parade, Policemen's Benevolent Association attempts to exclude gays from NYPD, attempts to exclude GOAL from police umbrella groups, expansion, accomplishments: education, solidarity between races, sexes, sexual orientations, sensitivity training