The Ferguson Forum -- Friends Author Series Presents Vito Colucci, Jr.

  As a young Stamford police officer in the 1970’s,Vito Colucci, Jr., vowed he would do something to clean up the rampant corruption he saw in his hometown. Colucci will talk about working undercover to expose corruption and organized crime on Wednesday, February 20 at 6 p.m. at The Ferguson Library, Third Floor Auditorium, Bedford & Broad Streets, Stamford.
           In his book which he co-authored,Rogue Town, documents the period from 1965 to 1985 when the city of Stamford was known as one of the most corrupt in the nation. Disgusted by the crooked characters he encountered as a young police officer, Colucci eventually went undercover with the FBI, wearing a wire to uncover evidence that almost cost him his life.
           When the dust settled, serious wrongdoing in eight city departments was exposed, including the police department, where a rackets commander was taking $1,800 a week from the Gambino crime family, and a detective sergeant was running the largest drug ring in Southern Connecticut out of police headquarters. Eventually, 15 city and state officials resigned or were fired; police officers, officials and organized crime figures were indicted and convicted.
In the midst of it all, a young reporter for The Advocate, Anthony Dolan, won a Pulitzer Prize for his 75-part series on municipal corruption. Rogue Town includes a forward by Dolan.
The program, sponsored by The Friends of The Ferguson Library, will begin at 6 p.m. for a wine reception and the talk starts at 6:30 p.m. Tickets, available for purchase online at www.fergusonlibrary.org,  are $15 per person. A book sale and signing will follow the program. Proceeds support The Library.