Forget It, Jake, It’s Schenectady: The True Story Behind 'The Place Beyond the Pines'

by David Bushman, Ben Coccio (Contributor)

Stranger things do tend to happen in Schenectady— once a booming metropolis nicknamed the “ City That Lights and Hauls the World” thanks to the dominating presence of General Electric and the American Locomotive Company, though those days are ancient history. GE has nearly abandoned the city, and ALCO closed up shop over fifty years ago. Hence, the title of this Forget It, Jake, It’ s A Police Department Under Siege, and the Man Who Led It, a nod to the bleak conclusion of the classic film Chinatown, one of cinema’ s most devastating expressions of abject resignation and defeat. A chance meeting between onetime Schenectady Police Chief Gregory Kaczmarek and author David Bushman in a Lyft car that Kaczmarek was driving was the genesis of this book, originally intended to track the rise and fall of a veteran cop with what appear to be two defining traits— an almost inhuman capacity for perseverance and a truly remarkable ability to attract notoriety and criticism. However, as the author’ s research— including interviews with over two dozen people who lived through the events depicted in these pages.

286 pages, Paperback

Published December 7, 2023

Reviews

[Amy Bellcourt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting and well written book

I may have liked this book in part because I’m from the city where it takes place. But even so, the author is excellent and keeps you interested in turning pages to see what happens next, even though I knew what happened next.

It’s well researched with many first-hand recollections, which really brings it to life.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

wow

I personally knew many of these people so it was especially poignant to me. I was involved with my own life and followed some of it at the time but moved away in 2003 so very interesting to get the rest of the story. I will say every policeman I encountered was very respectful and courteous. A rather tragic story, especially the loss of an old friend Paul Kazmerack. Jack Falvo is still a hero in my life!

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book about a scandal that I had never heard about before. I really got caught up in a town that I had never heard about before. fun read.