Remo was a very decent man. Well liked and respected by both LE and wiseguys. He could bust balls, and he did. But he was honest and never disrespected guys by trying to pull underhanded tactics. And he was decent. Typically wouldn't cuff a guy in front of his wife and kids. Didn't lie to a judge to try and fuck up bail on a defendant. That sort of thing.

Even John Santucci was a very decent guy from what I was told. He actually did my cousin a good turn and helped him get sentenced to probation instead of doing a bid. And he could've hurt him.

In the old days many of those guys were (although on the other side of the fence from street guys - obviously), had a mutual respect for one another. DA Tom Mackell was another very decent fella who extended an olive branch to more than one guy, when he could have buried them.

Those type of episodes often allowed for a mutual understanding and a 'give and take' so to speak. Not that any of them were corrupt per se, thats not what it was about. But because many guys came from the same neighborhoods, whether they became cops or robbers later in life, unless you were a real mutt you looked out for one another. After all, these guys knew each others moms and dads, grandparents, siblings, etc.

Street guys also extended 'courtesies' when they could. It was the proper thing to do.

Nowadays, most people have no clue about one another, or their backgrounds. And don't care either. So it's much colder when dealing with each other. But if you came from the 'old neighborhhod,' regardless of which direction you ended up going in, there was generally a little courtesy given where you could, for old times sake.