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CNN Live Event/Special
Boston's Finest: Love Hurts
Aired July 05, 2013 - 22:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SUSAN HENDRICKS, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Susan Hendricks in Atlanta with tonight's top stories. Nicaragua has received an asylum request from NSA leaker Edward Snowden. Nicaragua's president says his country could accept the bid if circumstances permit. Also, Venezuela says it is offering asylum to Snowden, who is believed to still be in the Moscow airport. He faces espionage charges in the U.S. for disclosing classified information.
In Egypt, the death toll is rising after the military ousted Mohammed Morsy. Nearly two dozen people are believed dead and hundreds injured as the unrest grows.
Today in Florida, the prosecution rests in the George Zimmerman murder trial, with the mother of Trayvon Martin called as one of its last witnesses. She says the screams on that 911 call from the night of the shooting are from her son, Trayvon, but the defense began its case with Zimmerman's mother testifying that the voice on that call was her son, George Zimmerman. The trial resumes on Monday morning.
I'm Susan Hendricks. The CNN special, "Boston's Finest," continues now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right, folks, attention. Roll call.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) 101, Officer Norman Handlin (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) 411, Officer Hazelet (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are 102, Officer Rogers.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Officer Jen Penton.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) 421, Officer McGrill.
NARRATOR (voice-over): They handed out warrants in district E-18 today. For Jen Penton and Pat Rogers, the assignment is Yvette Allison (ph), who allegedly cracked open her boyfriend's head with a beer bottle. For these two cops, both single and in their 30s, the case is a not-so-subtle reminder of how hard it is to find the perfect mate.
JEN PENTON, BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT: I think I'm going to get a cat.
PAT ROGERS, BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT: I hate cats.
PENTON: You don't like cats? Really?
ROGERS: I hate cats.
PENTON: What?
ROGERS: They serve no purpose.
PENTON: They kill mice.
ROGERS: What?
PENTON: They kill mice.
ROGERS: How about mousetraps?
PENTON: I don't know. A cat is better.
(CROSSTALK)
ROGERS: Cat's suck. Get a dog.
PENTON: Who doesn't like cats?
ROGERS: I do not like cats.
PENTON: So if you found this girl smoking, really sweet girl, no baggage, educated, good job, doesn't seem crazy.
ROGERS: OK. All right, I will play along.
PENTON: She's all about you, but you find out she's got a cat.
ROGERS: See you later.
PENTON: Let me add that she was really awesome in bed.
ROGERS: It's me or the cat.
PENTON: Really? I thought I knew you.
ROGERS: I hate cats.
PENTON: It's a deal breaker for me that you don't like cats. Cats, beware.
ROGERS: Why don't you take a little...
PENTON: Gander?
ROGERS: Yes, at some of the warrants. OK?
PENTON: So, this is who we're going here?
ROGERS: Right.
PENTON: I told you what happened with her. She took a Corona bottle to her boyfriend's head.
ROGERS: Really?
PENTON: So I get the call and on the way I run into EMS, and they're like, she's still in the house, she's still in the house. So, I go to the house. I'm banging on the door. She's not there.
I go to the hospital, I meet with the victim. His head was all busted up. He was bleeding everywhere. He tells me she's on probation for smashing him with a hammer like a year prior.
ROGERS: They say love hurts.
(LAUGHTER)
PENTON: Yes, she's a badass, 109 on her record.
ROGERS: Yes.
PENTON: You have to like really try to get that many. I'm assuming with someone with this much experience at the criminal justice system, once we lock her up, she's going to be held. She's not going anywhere for a while.
ROGERS: This is the house.
PENTON: That's it, that tan one.
Hey, Austin, it's Officer Penton.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hi. How are you?
PENTON: Hi. How are you?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not bad.
PENTON: How's the head going?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, it's coming along.
PENTON: Is she here?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, she's not here.
PENTON: Well, where is she at?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know. She called me like a couple of days ago like at 2:00 in the morning, saying, oh, pick me up.
PENTON: Where is she staying at?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know. I'm not sure.
PENTON: OK. Well, thank you. Good luck.
ROGERS: What did he say?
PENTON: She's not there. She hasn't been here since the incident.
ROGERS: Just so you are telling me she hasn't been here at all, no clue, no nothing?
PENTON: Yes.
ROGERS: Bull (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
PENTON: He came right out.
ROGERS: I have been going to that house since I was on days, so at least, what, maybe five years ago. It's just one of those couples that they're going to be together always no matter what.
NARRATOR: On the streets of South Boston, a sudden spike in drug traffic has had deadly consequences over the past few weeks, a double murder on West Broadway, a fatal stabbing on East 9th Street, and now the question is, what comes next?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, Lieutenant.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, buddy. How are you?
Thanks for coming in.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, no problem, any time.
NARRATOR: Lieutenant Detective Robert Merner, the head of the department's drug unit, has come up with an ambitious response, take down South Boston's most dangerous dealers all in one shot.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As you know we have been banging them on the street on Southie, where it's mostly street impact drug dealing, that West Broadway development, the old East Street projects.
NARRATOR: Merner has chosen the head of the fugitive unit, Brian Albert, to help plan the operation.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're kind of intimidating and terrorizing the residents in the development there.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So we want to make a difference for the people over there. What do you anticipate we should have per? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For the houses, for the body warrants, you're going to want at least six to eight cops. I would like to have a minimum of two on the perimeter.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And then everybody else inside and then one for the front windows.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So, I will have an accurate count on all the DCU guys and the fugitive today. And actually I'm going to reach out to Gerald Bailey over...
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... and see what he has. We will probably have 70 or 80 parties based on 12 targets, plus three search warrants.
As you know, you have done more of these than anybody. We want to kick everything off right at 6:00, because most of these folks, they all know each other. They all live in close proximity.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And you know if two or three get picked off, what's going to happen?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right. Right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That will be the end of that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Then I will get back to you before the end of the day and then we will see where we go from there, clean up the rest of the operational plan.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, no problem.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thanks, Brian.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, any time. I appreciate it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I will get back to you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I will see you soon.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right. Take care, brother.
NARRATOR: Sergeant Albert cut his teeth as Marine in Operation Desert Storm. He views his work back in Boston as equally important. And he knows it's just as dangerous.
BRIAN ALBERT, BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT: In order to make the cases on the suspects who are selling drugs, you have to have undercover police officers actually going out posing as buyers and make drug buys. It's dangerous work. Anything can happen. When you have a drug dealer out on the street, it seems kind of mundane. One person sells drugs to another person, what's the big deal? But it's a huge deal. Oftentimes, drug dealers are carrying weapons. There's fights. There's stabbings. There's the shootings. It ruins the community. Really, in the big picture, it ruins society. So, we try to drop the hammer on it, which is what has to happen.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PENTON: What's going on? It's Officer Penton. How are you?
You have the number here at the station or if you want my cell, I can give it to you. And if you get any information about her whereabouts, we'd like to pick her up.
The community is a huge, huge source, one of the best sources for getting information on the criminal element in our city.
NARRATOR: Jen Penton and Pat Rogers are looking for Yvette Allison, wanted for allegedly assaulting her boyfriend with a beer bottle. Today, they're reaching out to sources in the neighborhood.
PENTON: Any more info about your girl? Oh, really?
NARRATOR: It turns out Yvette is staying with a woman named Sabrina Santos (ph), who just happens to be a fugitive herself. She's wanted on identity theft and fraud charges that have put her on Massachusetts' most wanted list.
PENTON: Thank you so much. Bye.
She stole someone's identity and then got credit cards in Massachusetts and Connecticut.
ROGERS: All the warrants are for forgery (INAUDIBLE) larceny, et cetera.
PENTON: For her to be on Mass. most wanted, it's a pretty significant crime. They don't just throw anyone up here. She said she's right here in Hyde Park.
NARRATOR: Jen and Pat have two targets to go after, Yvette Allison and Sabrina Santos, two fugitives under one roof.
ROGERS: We will see if we can get them both, maybe a twofer.
PENTON: That would be good.
NARRATOR: Without a search warrant for the apartment, they need to get one of the two suspects to let them in.
PENTON: Can you open the door, ma'am? Boston Police. Did you call 911?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, I did not.
PENTON: Did you hear an argument going on upstairs or in the building? This is Apartment 2, right?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, I'm not opening the door. My mother is not here, so I'm not opening the door.
PENTON: Your mother's not there? How old are you?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm 18.
ROGERS: Please, ma'am. Please. Why don't you just open the door and we can have a conversation or we can have maintenance come and open the door. It's up to you.
PENTON: Sabrina?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, I'm not.
PENTON: Do you have any I.D. on you?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.
ROGERS: Do you live here?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
ROGERS: And you have no I.D. here? You have no mail here? You have nothing?
PENTON: You have several warrants.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Several warrants?
PENTON: Several warrants.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: For what?
PENTON: Larceny, from check fraud.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: From Brookline.
PENTON: Brookline, yes.
ROGERS: Take off your hat. Take off your rag. ...
(CROSSTALK)
ROGERS: Take off you're do-rag. Kind of looks like you, right?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
PENTON: Turn around. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Who is that?
ROGERS: OK. Who is that? I don't know. The person looks exactly like you.
PENTON: Take your hands out of your pocket.
ROGERS: Take your hands out of your pocket.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: ... my phone.
PENTON: Step out here. Step out here.
Put this down. Where is your other girlfriend there, Yvette?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yvette don't live here.
PENTON: I know she don't live there, but she was staying with you.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She went out.
PENTON: She went out?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
PENTON: Do you know where she went?
NARRATOR: Yvette Allison is nowhere to be seen.
(CROSSTALK)
PENTON: Yes, that's her.
NARRATOR: But Sabrina Santos, a fugitive on the state's most wanted list, is a huge score for Jen and Pat.
PENTON: Good to go. I'm going to double-check that your phone is in there.
Just see if her phone is in here. Oh.
ROGERS: Teeth. Choppers.
PENTON: Nice start, buddy.
ROGERS: There we go.
The part of her saying she was 18 years old, that was hilarious.
PENTON: We were both...
(LAUGHTER)
PENTON: Oh, did you see me dying?
(CROSSTALK)
ROGERS: Like, you're not 18.
(LAUGHTER)
MICHELLE WILLIAMS, BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT: He come out of the house?
BRIAN ALBERT, BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT; Yes, he come out of the house here on the left, where that lady is.
Surveillance of the targets for the operation is a big part of the groundwork that leads up to the actual raid.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm over at 108.
ALBERT: So you're going to stay at 108, so then the rest of the guys are going to go over and meet -- meet Winston (ph) over at South Boston.
NARRATOR: In preparation for a coordinated assault on South Boston's drug dealers, officers from across the department keep around-the-clock tabs the on all 12 suspects.
ALBERT: We try to just get a pattern down as to the comings and goings of the suspects, when they come in, when they go out, when they leave in the morning, watch them into their early morning hours, follow a suspect to his house, see him go in for the night, put them to bed, so to speak. You're pretty confident he's going to stay in there for the night.
NARRATOR: As the drug dealers are put to bed, Lieutenant detective Robert Merner's son Eric patrols the streets of Roxbury with his partner, Mike Burke.
ERIC MERNER, BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT: My father's been a police officer for 25 years. Now he runs the drug unit citywide.
NARRATOR: Eric may have a high-ranking cop for a father, but the rookie isn't looking for any shortcuts.
MERNER: I work in Roxbury 4:00 to midnight. It's the busiest shift in the city. If I wanted to take the easiest way out, that would not be where I would work.
A lot of the guys I work for worked with my father and break my chops. But it's all in good fun.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One zero three.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One zero three.
Caller's whispering saying that somebody broke into the front door there.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, we got it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One zero three, she's hiding in a bedroom and her line's been disconnected. (INAUDIBLE) go around the back (INAUDIBLE)
MERNER: As a patrol officer, you go wherever the radio call sends you. You don't know when it's coming and you don't know where it's sending you to. And you go to that situation, regardless of how dangerous it might be.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One zero three, caller's whispering saying that someone broke in through the front door there.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The suspect is spotted on the -- where is he, where is he?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's go. Right there.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One zero three, what's your status?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You got him?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, no, I got him, I got him.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good job, buddy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You said the guy that you had in the handcuffs is the guy?
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just from looking out the window?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just from looking out the window.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I seen stripes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You saw stripes? All right.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because, see, my door has a little crack in it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.
NARRATOR: A glimpse of some stripes through a crack in the door can put a guy in cuffs, but the cops know they will need more for the charges to stick.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you see the other half of a AAA card at all?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, why? Drop one?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Golden (ph) found this in his hoodie pouch.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, he might have used it to get in one of the locks.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What was that? Is that the cat?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I hate cats.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, dude, check it out.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's the other half of that credit card.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is it? Where?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's got to be it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's got be it. Yes, that's good.
NARRATOR: They have got what they need to hold the suspect and a discovery in the neighbor's apartment.
MERNER: These drawers were ajar. There's a scale in the first drawer, baggies in the second drawer, and a pipe in the closet.
NARRATOR: Points to the possible target of the break-in, another violent crime with drug-related motives at its core.
PENTON: Being a female police officer and telling that to a person you might date is not the easiest thing. I think it can be a turnoff for some guys, whether it's because I work with all males or I'm in an assertive role.
So I don't think being a cop helping my dating life at all, actually. I don't want to meet guys, to be quite honest. You know, if I go out, it's usually to talk to my friends and catch up. I would say that I'm particular, but I don't think I'm so particular that I'm passing up on good guys. I want a big family. I didn't have a big family growing up. Pat is going to have four kids. He doesn't know it yet.
ROGERS: Thirty-five years old. I'm all set with kids.
I have a niece and nephew.
PENTON: You're not going to have any kids?
ROGERS: If I was going to have kids, I would think it would happen by now. PENTON: Not necessarily. You can (INAUDIBLE) Well, you would be a really good dad, I think.
ROGERS: Oh, I would be awesome. (INAUDIBLE)
PENTON: You're good to me. You're very nurturing.
ROGERS: Yes?
PENTON: If like really there's no one suitable in the next few years, I am considering...
ROGERS: You will settle it for me.
PENTON: I would consider.
ROGERS: Thanks.
PENTON: Your light eyes and my dark features would make some beautiful kids.
ROGERS: I'm not paying child support.
PENTON: You're not going to pay child support?
ROGERS: Why would I pay child support?
PENTON: They're your kids.
ROGERS: Kids, yes, four of them? I'm all set. I'm not paying child support for four kids. What am I getting out of this deal?
PENTON: Beautiful children.
ROGERS: This idea gets just worse and worse every time you bring it up.
PENTON: So many of my friends have recently had babies, gotten engaged or got married.
Like, last year, Betsy, you know, our circle of friends, like everybody. And I'm like, what am I doing wrong?
LAUREN, FRIEND OF JEN: I have seen certain people in your life that I look at them, I'm like, he's awesome. He's -- like, so, what it is that doesn't make it work?
PENTON: I have that ideal. I have that falling in love. I still want that, like, that excitement. And I don't want to settle for something less than that. Like, ideally 30 to 40, non-smoking, works out, has a job.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're getting the whole (INAUDIBLE) now.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Right.
PENTON: The dating scene in Boston seems to be like, I'm a little jaded by it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think you should try speed dating.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You have no time. So, you know what? Speed dating...
(CROSSTALK)
PENTON: Wrap up in an hour between the gym and work.
(CROSSTALK)
PENTON: I'm moving.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good for you.
PENTON: See, we have to go here, because I need to act like I'm not a cop.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A teacher, a teacher.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't think she would pass as a teacher.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's listen up real quick. We have got a total of 12 targets. Three search warrants that are going to be executed. All right?
NARRATOR: It's the final hour before the fugitive gang and drug units launch their coordinated assault on the biggest drug dealers in South Boston.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Almost every one of these individuals who are the 12 targets all have firearm violence on their (INAUDIBLE) everybody have a vest. Everybody wear a raid jacket when we go in, as usual. There's a canine unit that will coming on at 6:00. We need a drug dog. We don't want to kick off until 6:00. We have got to do in unison so that everybody doesn't start tipping us off and locking doors.
NARRATOR: Merner has assigned the most elusive suspect to Sergeant Brian Albert and his handpicked team, an alleged drug dealer named Julio Soto (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're going to get out on these spots, right, by 6:00?
What we will do is, we will give you guys a little bit of -- a little head start, in case that's a total horror show. And then I will leave two at my spot and fly over to help you with yours. Just, SOP, like, when we're doing these, good perimeter, obviously, great communication from the inside to the outside. Any shots fired inside the house during the incident or during the hit, the perimeter doesn't leave the outside. We don't run inside. Right? The perimeter stays out, obviously to prevent escape. And I would prefer if you guys had vests on.
If you guys want to select a different channel so we're not -- there's not two team threes yelling out the same communication at the same time.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We can be atheists.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We could be the -- you can be the B team.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Exactly.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As usual. Right?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: right
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We can start getting out to the spots.
NARRATOR: The city is still asleep, but 11 teams totaling 77 cops has spread across South Boston set to take 12 hard-core drug dealers by surprise. Despite hours and hours of planning, each cop knows any misstep could have dire consequences.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have a secondary for...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This target, there's like two secondary addresses.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's make sure that everybody is ready to move in so that we can (INAUDIBLE)
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're ready to go.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) at location ready to go.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're ready to go.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're all here. We will get up.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Got the bazooka.
NARRATOR: It's just about 6:00 a.m., just about time to strike. MANNY CANUTO, BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT: It's real important to do it all at once. Most of these guys, they're all friends with each other. They're all connected. Sometimes, They're part of the same gang, sometimes the same drug supplier. It's important not letting that individual make a phone call or telling their girlfriend to let someone know.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Victor alpha five, all teams set to go.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Boston Police!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Boston Police, you got to come to your door.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's go. You got to open up.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Down on the ground!
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Window.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Boston police. You got to open up.
BRIAN ALBERT, SERGEANT, FUGITIVE UNIT: When you're doing these operations, you know, everybody you deal with is going to meet their friend. All the suspects are different.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, this can't happen.
ALBERT: Violent felons, they'll do just about anything to get away.
Some are going to try to run. Some are going to try to hide. Sometimes they're diving out windows. They're going to do whatever they can to avoid capture.
When we're doing these operation, every once in a while, you'll hear a team go off saying that they got their guy as you're still looking for your target.
The element of competition comes into play.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, we're in.
ALBERT: They got their guy, and they got their guy, and then, you know, gives you like a little motivation, like we've got to get our job done, as well.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm going to knock on the second floor.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Boston police, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How are we doing?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, we're here, we're secure.
ANNOUNCER: That's hear about other captures over the radio, the fugitive unit still hunts for Julio Soto.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't remember seeing him. A lot of them used to go up there, you know.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You said there was a Hispanic family living up there?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No one's been up there since?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, he says he thinks it's vacant.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. Looks like...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you very much, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.
ANNOUNCER: Thirty minutes into the operation, the gang and drug units have made 11 arrests. But Sergeant Brian Albert and his team have come up empty. The more time they give their target, the more time they give him to disappear.
GRAPHIC: Hyde Park -- SW on River
JEN PENTON, BOSTON POLICE: Everyone's getting engaged and married off and having babies.
PAT ROGERS, BOSTON POLICE: You'll be fine. You'll find a guy. You'll find the one. It will be a great story, though, right?
PENTON: I'm sitting here reflecting on my life and the fact that I'm 30 and have yet to find Mr. Right.
ROGERS: Right.
PENTON: And your answer to that, being my best friend, and knowing, you know, everything I've been through and the things that I want in this life...
ROGERS: Yes.
PENTON: And your answer is maybe I'll find the one at speed dating? That's your support? That's what's supposed to comfort me right now?
ROGERS: Not good enough? Not good?
PENTON: You think?
ROGERS: All right.
PENTON: You want a do-over, you want to try that one again?
ROGERS: That would be a great story, though.
PENTON: No.
ROGERS: Wouldn't it?
PENTON: Awesome.
ROGERS: You met at speed dating. They make movies about that (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
PENTON: I can't believe that's what we're going with here. I'm doomed. I'm going to be the cat lady.
ROGERS: Yes, that's pretty much where our friendship will end.
PENTON: Me and the cats? Dang it.
ANNOUNCER: An hour has passed since a coordinated strike on 12 dangerous drug dealers. But Sergeant Brian Albert and the fugitive unit is still looking for alleged dealer Julio Soto.
ALBERT: No, no, definitely, we're still hitting stuff.
ANNOUNCER: Finding people is what the fugitive unit does. And they've uncovered another address where Soto might be hiding.
ALBERT: Searching houses is not easy work.
Joe, just keep your eye on to that door for me.
Some of the most dangerous police action that you can do.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Boston Police. We have a warrant.
ALBERT: The person you're looking for, that's their castle. If they wanted to assault you, they know the places to hide.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have a warrant. Boston Police!
ALBERT: Doorways are tough, closets are tough. How do you search a closet? Like searching a closet. Sometimes you take a deep breath and you just stick your head in there and hope that, you know, you don't hear the pop.
We looked for Soto at that location. We fanned out, we did our search. And he wasn't there.
ANNOUNCER: Time is critical for Sergeant Albert and his team. Every minute that passes is another chance for Soto to find a way to vanish.
PENTON: Hey. ROGERS: Go right?
PENTON: Yes.
OK. Go right. You need to go -- hold on one second. You need to take a right and go to Forest Hill Street. We got information that that female, the one who hit her boyfriend with the Corona bottle -- all right, go. Hold on one second.
ROGERS: We just came from there. That's not it.
PENTON: Is staying at her family's house. We're going to have them meet us there, then we'll take care of booking. OK, thank you. Bye-bye.
ROGERS: That's the street I just brought us to. That makes absolutely no (EXPLETIVE DELETED) sense.
PENTON: I know, but don't take it out on me.
ROGERS: Then again you're telling me to go to certain streets and have you me go right back.
PENTON: I'm sorry, ways talking to -- sorry, distracted. I'm not good at multitasking. Don't hate me.
ROGERS: I don't hate you.
PENTON: OK. There's the...
ANNOUNCER: Yvette Allison (ph) has been arrested more than 20 times for domestic violence. With a record like that, the cops take every precaution.
PENTON: I'm looking for Yvette (ph). She's got a warrant she has to take care of. Can you have her come to the door? She's upstairs. Thank you.
Seeing her boyfriend with the blood all over him in the hospital, you know, you have a real victim who, you know, was getting beat up. Even though he is a guy and she's a female doesn't change the fact that it was serious and the next time he could die.
Get out of bed. Got to take care of your warrants, Yvette (ph). We'll book you and we're going to bring you right to book.
We deal with domestic violence cases more than anything else. People do not get along very well. And when they don't, we end up on scene, usually taking one of the parties away in handcuffs.
ANNOUNCER: Yvette Allison is being brought in for booking, but Jen and Pat know domestic violence cases are rarely as simple as they sound. They've heard from the boyfriend. Now they'll get Yvette's (ph) side of the story.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) ANNOUNCER: Next on BOSTON'S FINEST, his father a retired cop, murdered. Now that tragedy follows him every day. BOSTON'S FINEST continues next on CNN.
PENTON: Ms. Allison (ph).
ANNOUNCER: Yvette Allison (ph) is under arrest for allegedly assaulting her boyfriend with a dangerous weapon.
PENTON: We're going to be going to this door right here.
ANNOUNCER: During booking Jen Penton has a chance to hear more about the troubled relationship.
PENTON: So what -- what happened that day? Honestly, all I got was that it was pretty much all you.
YVETTE ALLISON (ph), SUSPECT: I went and took the kids out to eat. His kids. We went out to eat. We went to the movies. I spent $250. He couldn't come because he was too busy getting high and doing whatever he was doing. You know what I mean?
So I take my food home. The next morning I wake up. You know how you wake up after drinking...
PENTON: I understand.
ALLISON (ph): You know what I mean? Where's my ribs at? He gives me the box. I open the box. There's three rib bones in there. So I'm like, "You greedy bastard."
PENTON: Because you were looking forward to your ribs.
ALLISON (ph): I'm looking forward to the food that I brought from the restaurant.
And he's like, "You better shut up." Yelling at me, "You're making my stomach upset."
"(EXPLETIVE DELETED) me something, you greedy bastard. You ain't got (EXPLETIVE DELETED) food."
He's like, "You better shut up or I'll slap you." Now, when he walks towards me, he's yelling, "I'm going to slap the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) out of you."
"You're not going to put your hands on me." I see the bottle. I -- he pushes me, I grab the bottle. When I'm falling back, I swing the bottle. Like, you're not going to -- I didn't mean for it to break. I was defending myself.
PENTON: Now, had he been drinking and stuff?
ALLISON (ph): Yes, he had been drinking. He had been up all night sitting there playing "Wheel of Fortune," smoking, getting high. You know what I mean? PENTON: How long's he been fighting with addiction and stuff?
ALLISON (ph): We've been together ten years. All right? And before that he was doing his drug thing. And I keep thinking that maybe if we try one more time, it's going to be better, that he's going to change and it's going to work for us.
PENTON: Has he ever tried to get some help?
ALLISON (ph): Realistically I've never seen.
PENTON: Something tells me that you two just -- sometimes you got to be strong enough to realize that some people can't change. As much as you want them to, and as much as you love them, you can't love him enough to make him change. I think that you might be better off apart.
All right. Let's get you off to court. I'll give your probation officer a call, and we'll go from there. After you.
ALLISON (ph): Thank you.
PENTON: You're welcome.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Dude, what kind of coffee did you get?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I got a hazelnut. She said something was wrong with the house blend.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You got a hazelnut right now?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's nice.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Kind of getting in my loop. Messing up my goat (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As long as you don't go large blueberry with extra, extra cream. Extra extra of anything that they have.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Extra extra sugar, extra extra blueberry.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We'll get along just fine.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Five-oh, 103.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One-oh-three.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You guys head over to the area of Cunningham and Woodledge. Caller believes she heard six shots and saw people running out.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One-oh-three on the way.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Watch yourself. Watch yourself. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Cunningham.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, he's -- he ran down Cunningham.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You guys see him?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just heard gunshots.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Were they in a car? Or were they...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, it just came out of nowhere.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You got hit in the back.
ANNOUNCER: Merna (ph) finds a victim on the curb with minor gunshot wounds in his elbow and back.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Was the normal crew hanging out here?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, it was me and him. Haven't seen him in a while.
ANNOUNCER: It looks like the man was an innocent bystander.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, that guy that got hit's not the guy. The one in the black. Him and the victim were standing with their backs turned to that fence. The guys peek around the corner. One of them yells out, "Hey, Richard Pryor," and they let a couple rounds go. And then they're busy beating feet (ph) down this way.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who the hell's Richard Pryor?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because he looks like Richard Pryor.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know who that is.
ROGERS: Are you nervous about tonight? You're speed dating?
PENTON: Yes, but you know, it's funny. I can do like the stuff at work and run around and chase bad guys, and then put me in a situation like that and I'm totally freaked out.
ROGERS: Oh, yes, because you're not in control.
PENTON: I'll get all flustered. Won't be pretty.
ROGERS: Only to be a fly on the wall.
PENTON: What if they're, like, really good looking and they don't think I'm...
ROGERS: So? That's the thing with speed dating, you're not really stuck.
PENTON: Next.
ROGERS: Wait it out 30 seconds and you get another date. You know? Yes, you'll be fine.
PENTON: I brought pictures of the dresses just so you can help me pick one out. This is the first one.
ROGERS: OK.
PENTON: And then this is the other one. It's cream in the front, but then in the back it's gray.
ROGERS: OK. And you're feeling comfortable in this?
PENTON: Yes, well, it's a little bit longer.
ROGERS: I think that you should be wearing the one that you feel more comfortable in.
PENTON: So we just have to go and buy some nylons.
ROGERS: Oh, do we?
PENTON: Yes, I need some.
Thank you for being my wing woman when I needed this.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I wouldn't do this on my own either.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm more nervous and excited. But we're here now.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Got ya. Got ya.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Welcome to Dating Match (ph). How is everybody doing tonight?
(CHEERING)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now, guys, every time you hear this...
(WHISTLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... that will be your cue to rotate one number higher. We're on the clock. Thank you.
(WHISTLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How are you doing? I'm Joey.
PENTON: Joey, Jennifer.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's your favorite letter?
PENTON: M.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's a good one.
PENTON: All right. (WHISTLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hi. I'm J.J.
PENTON: What's your government name?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My government name? It's Jean-Jacques.
PENTON: You smell nice.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You smell pretty good yourself.
PENTON: What do you do now?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What I do now is I'm a paralegal.
PENTON: You run around doing what lawyers want you to do? You're a lawyer's bitch.
(WHISTLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What do you do for work?
PENTON: I work for the city.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You do?
PENTON: I do.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So do I.
PENTON: What do you do for the city.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fireman.
PENTON: Oh, God.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Uh-oh.
PENTON: You're a firefighter?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, yes.
PENTON: I'm good. I'm good.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hold on. No one hates firemen. With that reaction, there's only one occupation that means. You're police. Right?
PENTON: I'm a police officer, yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, that's awesome.
PENTON: You guys get a much better reputation than we do. I honestly think they like you guys more because you don't take them off to jail. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You yell at them.
PENTON: You don't even know me. I don't yell.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come on. Most cops do.
PENTON: Did you save any cats lately?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wow. All righty.
(WHISTLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What do you do?
PENTON: I work for the city.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Meter maid?
PENTON: No.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Law enforcement?
PENTON: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you a ball buster?
ANNOUNCER: A full day has gone by and the fugitive unit is still on the hunt for alleged drug dealer Julio Soto. But all their hard work is paying dividends as officers Mason and DeLeon have just dug up a new lead.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So Brian and Winston, they got a new address for Julio Soto's girlfriend that they think is really good. They're on that spot right now.
ANNOUNCER: Most cops will tell you, love can be the key to catching a fugitive. A girlfriend might try to hide a suspect.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't know where he is.
ANNOUNCER: Or an angry ex might turn one in. Either way, the rule is simple: follow the love interest.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ALBERT: When the girlfriend answered the door, she was obviously nervous.
You don't really know what's going to happen next. You don't know if he's going to be hiding. You don't know if he's going to be assaultive. We fanned out like we usually do and made our way searching every room.
So when we go to that last room...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On the ground! ALBERT: ... he was standing in the room.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Show us your hands.
ALBERT: Right away we look at the suspect's hands to make sure that he's not armed. If he's just kind of standing flat foot with nothing in his hands, obviously, he's more compliant.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where did your hands go? Get them in the front.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is bull (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
ANNOUNCER: Twenty-four hours into the drug sweep, the final target on the list is under arrest. Alleged drug dealer Julio Soto is off the street.
ALBERT: It's very rewarding when, you know, someone commits a crime, and they hurt somebody and then you're the person that actually catches them. As far as policing goes, it's probably one of the best things that you can do.
PENTON: I don't think we've ever eaten lunch here.
ROGERS: It's usually breakfast.
PENTON: Yes.
ROGERS: Don't think you get off that easy. You have to tell me how...
PENTON: Oh, goodness.
ROGERS: ... the speed dating went last night.
PENTON: I think our aspects (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
ROGERS: I'm sure. It was a great experience.
PENTON: Well, at least I can say I did it.
ROGERS: Was it that bad? You found no one you were even like...
PENTON: There was like a few nice guys. Like there was a lawyer I thought that was really nice. And a firefighter, believe it or not. He was giving me a hard time.
ROGERS: Right. Did anyone ask you what you did?
PENTON: Just about everyone started up. I just -- I think I'm good. I think I'm going to go back to my hole. I think I'm going to hibernate a little bit longer and then continue to focus on work and -- you know, and my other priorities.
ROGERS: Jen is Jen. You know, when she's telling me she's dating, honestly, I was like, "Oh, here we go." She's in love one second, and she's -- she hates the guy, she loves him again. She hates the guy. That's fine. I mean, I know usually I'll have to be there to pick up the pieces in the end, because we are good partners and good friends.
PENTON: What do you think, like, the best place is to try to meet someone?
ROGERS: Considering you think I'm old, you'd probably think the best place for me is like a nursing home.
PENTON: Bingo.
ROGERS: Bingo. Yes, Bingo. I can do Bingo. I'm good with numbers. What, a freaking marker?
PENTON: I'm trying to build you up.
ROGERS: Thanks, thanks.
PENTON: I'm trying to, like...
ROGERS: Build me up to tear me down again?
PENTON: I feel like I want to drive today.
ROGERS: In the dark?
PENTON: I can drive at night.
ROGERS: Sure.
PENTON: I thought partners were equal.
ROGERS: So we are good. I think we're all set.
PENTON: This is really good. Thank you so much.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
ROGERS: So there's equality. There you go. There's the tab.
PENTON: We can find equality tomorrow.
ANNOUNCER: In Boston, every day brings with it a different story. And for the Boston Police, the stories of every mission echo loudly.
(MUSIC)
GERARD BAILEY, LIEUTENANT: We were up in Moore Street one day chasing a kid. I'm like right behind him. So I jump up on the fence. I break the fence, jump over, break the fence, split my head open. The kid gets away. You know, you're embarrassed. You don't want to get on the radio at that point: "Yes, we lost him. I split my (EXPLETIVE DELETED) head open."
ALBERT: If you don't have a sense of humor on this job, you might as well quit.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Absolutely.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I felt bad when, you know, we started bang, bang, bang, and you were running from address to address.
ALBERT: It sucks, because you can hear what everyone else is doing. Everyone is arresting somebody except for us.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, that's what everybody (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
ALBERT: Right, right. What's up with the fugitive? What the hell's going on here? But it took a (EXPLETIVE DELETED). We stayed with it. It wasn't easy. We ended up getting him. Like that obscure girl's house that we didn't have in the morning and we got it through some interviews and some stuff later on.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The key to it is the females. You know?
BAILEY: Always has been.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One of these kids have always pissed off one of these girls.
BAILEY: In 29 years my wife never said to me make sure you (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mine are hiding mine.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mine took a plate out.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The plate's on cardboard? On some soggy cardboard.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
BAILEY: Cheers, fellows. Nice job, everybody.
