An Interview With Edward Sylvan
I wanted my book to be the raw story of the sacrifices I made along with the unwitting sacrifices my wife and children made. I also hope that it inspires individuals who may be thinking of a career in law enforcement to follow their dreams of protecting and serving their community.
As part of my series about “authors who are making an important social impact”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Giovanni Rocco.
Giovanni Rocco was an undercover law enforcement officer who spent most of his twenty-six-year career as a member of state and federal task forces targeting organized crime. The culminating role of his service was the successful infiltration of one of America’s most violent and long-standing Mafia families. At the conclusion of this landmark investigation, Giovanni retired from law enforcement and moved his family to a location that remains undisclosed. Giovanni’s Ring: My Life Inside the Real Sopranos (Chicago Review Press; June 1, 2021) by Giovanni Rocco with Douglas Schofield, follows the true story of a former FBI undercover operative and his successful infiltration of one of America’s most notorious crime families. Living in Bayonne, NJ, exposed Rocco to violence and threatening situations he would learn to adapt to. His ability to keep a cool demeanor in high-stress situations helped Rocco move from being a police officer to undercover work for the FBI. In his final career assignment, Rocco was tasked to penetrate the DeCavalcante Mafia family — the New Jersey branch of New York’s infamous Gambino family — in Operation Charlie Horse.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive into the main focus of our interview, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood backstory?
I was born and raised in Bayonne, NJ. Our neighborhood was comprised of culturally different families that looked out for each other and still hold some of those values today.
At a young age, my parents taught me and my siblings the value of hard work and the importance of caring for others regardless of how much we didn’t have ourselves.
My parents struggled to provide the best for us and set a great example by each becoming very successful in their careers and life. My father worked as a police officer for 35 years and retired at the rank of captain. My mother was a stay-at-home mom until we were old enough for her to work. She became a bank teller and eventually the bank manager for 20 years. Their sacrifices and strong work ethic were inspirational to me.
Unlike my older sister and younger brothers, I did not do well in school and was more of the “problem child” in and out of school.
Despite my recklessness and anti-authoritative attitude and actions as a child, I always had a burning desire to become a police officer and follow in my father’s footsteps, standing up for victims who could not or were not able to stand up for themselves.
When you were younger, was there a book that you read that inspired you to take action or changed your life? Can you share a story about that?
While I would like to say I read many books as a child, the truth is I would always rather be involved in some kind of rumpus or mischief in the neighborhood.
I do however remember being inspired by Ernest Hemingway’s “The Old Man and the Sea”.
The story of the man’s mental and physical struggles to fight and catch a giant marlin forces him to reflect on his life, pride, self-worth, and personal struggles which fuels his drive to succeed in his mission. The story has always reminded me to chase your dreams regardless of life’s obstacles and the battles you are faced with along the way.
Can you share the funniest or most interesting mistake that occurred to you in the course of your career? What lesson or takeaway did you learn from that?
There are just too many stories that come to mind!
In the early 1990’s I was conducting an undercover purchase of narcotics from known violent offenders who were known to always be armed with guns.
They arranged to meet me for the delivery inside a McDonald’s restaurant in Jersey City, NJ. Back then, electronic recording devices were not as sophisticated as today’s technology.
The bulky metal box was strapped to my waist with an elastic band. The device had two white wires which were usually taped to my chest or inside of my clothing.
One wire acted as an antenna for the transmitter’s signal to be sent to a surveillance team outside with a cassette recorder to capture my conversations. The other wire was the microphone so my cover team could listen in live time in case of an emergency or my immediate extraction from the operation was needed.
While standing inside the restaurant negotiating prices with the subjects, my antenna wire fell loose from my body, and I noticed it hanging along the outside leg. The subjects never noticed as I kept the conversation moving while at the same time, rolled the wire into a ball and shoved it into the penny pocket of my jeans.
The purchase was successful, and I returned for a debrief with my cover team to learn the transmitter had crossed frequencies with the drive-thru employee taking food orders. My team explained to me they listened to my conversation intermittently as soon as I entered the business but were mostly receiving the drive-thru orders.
Following this and other moments like it, I understood the inherent risks involved with the undercover operations and the need for extreme attention to detail and preparation.
Can you describe how you aim to make a significant social impact with your book?
When I chose to write the book with my co-author, Doug Schofield, I explained to him that I wanted my book to be the raw story of the sacrifices I made along with the unwitting sacrifices my wife and children made.
I also hope that it inspires individuals who may be thinking of a career in law enforcement to follow their dreams of protecting and serving their community.
Can you share with us the most interesting story that you shared in your book?
For me, the most interesting story that I shared was despite everything our family endured, my wife was there to support me. She had been through so much pain and loss in the past and my desire to work undercover just added to that. Even after all of what I put our family through, she was able to identify the moral distress and confusion I suffered after being operational for such an extended period of time. She is truly my rock and personal hero.
What was the “aha moment” or series of events that made you decide to bring your message to the greater world? Can you share a story about that?
Without hesitation, that moment for me would be the events of September 11, 2001. I was living in Bayonne NJ at the time and assigned to the DEA’s Newark Division. The experience of searching for my wife’s father and so many other first responders and civilians who perished that day encompassed with the countless funerals we attended in the aftermath was an emotional and painful experience. Our status as law enforcement officers and her father’s law enforcement position and responsibilities provided us with direct access to the site and the personal stories of countless victims and their families.
The moments and years that followed caused many of us to reflect on the losses and horror of that day and how close to home the impact was it truly was.
As a society and human race, we were truly at our best toward one another, standing together against the terrorists with one united voice of love and respect for each other regardless of race religion or cultural differences.
Following that terrible day, I became more familiar and educated on the “transference of trauma” that was a result of those events and the trauma I had been carrying inside of me over the past decades related to my professional and personal life.
Like so many others, it caused me to reflect on my own life and how I was living it and the example I was setting for my children and others that I cared about.
Without sharing specific names, can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted or helped by your cause?
As a detective investigating countless violent crimes (including assaults, robberies, sexual assaults, and homicides) the pressures of solving the crimes and bringing closure to the victim or their family members can sometimes place extreme emotional pressures and trauma to the investigative teams as well.
The cases I investigated involving homicides, suicides or untimely deaths always presented emotional challenges. As an investigator, you are trained to recreate the victims’ last moments surrounding the details of their deaths and often absorb that trauma.
One case in particular for me involved the murder of a woman who was brutally murdered by her husband in front of their small children and family members. He fled the scene and a manhunt ensued. Over the following months, I was assigned to the US Marshal’s Task Force to track him down. I remember the family members would call me regularly for updates and inform me that the children were so traumatized they could not fall asleep without the fear of thinking their father would return to kill them next.
I remember speaking with the children on the phone, reassuring them that I was actively searching for their father and would capture him soon and they were safe.
I did eventually apprehend him in the early morning hours on the day he was set to leave the US en route to the Dominican Republic.
My passion to bring closure to victims and their families was instilled in me while watching my father do the same over the years.
Are there three things the community/society/politicians can do to help you address the root of the problem you are trying to solve?
Politicians can create programs to better help society to understand the mental and behavioral stressors among the law enforcement while serving their communities.
Advanced training and psychological safeguard programs could be considered for all levels of law enforcement to better assist them in understanding human interaction and how to identify when they themselves become emotionally deregulated, in the course of their duties.
During my career, I saw the positive effects of the Community Policing programs within the communities. The bond between police and the community was strong during the times those programs were implemented.
How do you define “Leadership”? Can you explain what you mean or give an example?
I understand leadership to be the ability to influence others and empower them toward achieving individual or common goals.
I believe that leadership has nothing to do with one’s title within the hierarchy or seniority in an organization. I have experienced ineffective leaders at every level of law enforcement (local, state, and federal) and some of the best leaders at the operation levels within those agencies.
Just because someone is in a position of management, that does not make them an effective leader.
Effective communication and emotional intelligence are some of the best qualities a true leader possesses.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.
- I wish we were provided earlier training on how to mitigate some of the trauma and stress that comes with being a first responder. This needs to be addressed at the academy levels to provide a better psychological foundation for new recruits.
- You WILL suffer burnout at some point of your career. Burnout does not mean you are broken. Identifying and treating it makes you a true professional.
- Your family is your biggest support system. (Don’t shut them out). We often think they could not or would not understand what we go through as first responders. That is not always the case.
- Take time for yourself. Our mental health affects everything else in our professional and personal life.
- Cultural competency, empathy and a general understanding and respect for others will make your job as a first responder and as a human being so much easier.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
My father always advised me “Treat others the way you want to be treated yourself”.
While he and I did not always live up to that standard every day, it caused me to reflect on my actions. Sometimes it prevented me to act a certain way in a heated exchange. Other times it caused me to reflect on my actions and make amends for them after the fact.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
During my career, I have met many high-profile celebrities and political figures from around the world.
If given the choice, I would invite Mark Wahlberg to breakfast or lunch (if I could pay!) to thank him for using his acting abilities and successes in a positive way.
He is the definition of what a “leader” should be. He has never forgotten where or what he came from despite having nothing and later working hard to have everything. He has never forgotten his friends and family along the way. He has used his own success to empower those around him and helped them to achieve their own dreams and success.
His work ethic and focus on the family provide inspiration for others.
It is apparent that he has become a well-rounded actor who puts everything into a role to deliver a powerful message when it is called for.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
Instagram — Giovannisring21
Facebook — Giovannis Ring
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!
Thank you for giving me the opportunity.
Social Impact Authors: How & Why Giovanni Rocco Is Helping To Change Our World was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.