He liked some of the criminals too.
Men such as Chelsais "Steve" Booras, once the engaging, muscular head of the so-called Greek mob.
Schwartz, who was born in the Swampoodle section of North Philadelphia and later moved to the Northeast before moving to Maple Shade, says his crime connections made him a better cop - "How else do I get information? Talk to my rabbi?"
Law-enforcement officials say Schwartz's ties wrecked his fast-track career and may put him in jail.
Schwartz was convicted two months ago on federal drug-dealing charges, in part because of his ties to criminals. Those relationships also cost him his job and led to testimony that he was a corrupt cop.
Two associates of his have been murdered, prompting investigators to question Schwartz. He has denied any involvement.
All because of the ties.
Consider them:
* Booras was murdered in May 1981. Schwartz was fired two weeks later by then-Police Commissioner Morton Solomon, who cited Schwartz's relationship with Booras, among other things. Schwartz won his job back on appeal in 1982 but retired soon after. He contends Solomon fired him because Solomon thought Schwartz was a "threat" to take over the commissioner's job.
* Bertram Schlein, a massage-parlor operator whose friendship with Schwartz was a factor in Schwartz's firing, was shot to death in 1983. Four months earlier, Schlein testified during a former police inspector's corruption trial about payoffs he made to the ex-inspector.
Schwartz acknowledges he was questioned repeatedly by homicide detectives about Schlein's murder, but he denies any involvement.
* During the 1984 corruption trial of another ex-police official, a numbers writer testified he knew Schwartz and made monthly payoffs to him that Schwartz passed on to other police officials. Schwartz was never charged.
