Over the Wall: From the Dangerous Streets of NYC…Through the Birth of Counterterrorism and Beyond

Kevin M. Hallinan, Rob Travalino (With)

$30.00

Publication Date: October 4th, 2022

Publisher:

Post Hill Press

ISBN:

9781637583982

Pages:

416

Description

Lieutenant Kevin M. Hallinan’s adventure-packed and insightful journey through the evolution of law enforcement, the rise of counterterrorism, and the birth of modern sports security.

From his hardscrabble NYC upbringing, through the NYPD ranks, to command of America’s first ever joint task force on terrorism alongside the FBI, Kevin M. Hallinan lived a lot of history. From beat cop to detective, Hallinan maneuvered through some of America’s most volatile decades and saw from the inside the tenuous gray line between law and order. The job proved to be extremely isolating. And it was almost always hair-trigger.

Early in his career, Hallinan became embroiled in deadly mob cases, which pulled him under the scrutiny of the feared and historic Knapp Commission on police corruption. In extreme danger and under pressure, he persevered and kept his integrity intact. Higher-ups took notice and brought him into the chief of detectives’ office where he helped reorganize robbery squads and create innovative and responsive new police initiatives. One such effort helped bring awareness and sensitivity to sexual assault investigations and contributed to the creation of the revolutionary Special Victims Unit. And that was only the beginning.

As the 80s unfolded and deadly attacks on police, diplomatic missions, and corporate targets escalated throughout the city, Hallinan relied on the mentoring of a growing network of law enforcement notables. It was compiling this amazing human network that made him the perfect choice to help pull together and lead the pioneering FBI/NYPD Joint Terrorism Task Force. The JTTF, as it came to be known, would go on to create many of the counterterrorism tools and tactics that keep America safe to this very day. After retiring from law enforcement, Hallinan began a new chapter as Executive Director of Security and Facilities Management for Major League Baseball.

His fascinating inside look at a life in law enforcement spans layers of history, explores evolutions in national security, and features game-changing heroes and eye-opening innovations. Kevin M. Hallinan’s life and learning are at once informative, thrilling, entertaining—and perhaps most of all, truly inspiring.

About the Author

Kevin M. Hallinan is known as an innovative leader in professional sports security and operations. Serving under four commissioners as SVP of Security and Facility Management, Hallinan oversaw security for all thirty Major League Baseball Clubs, creating revolutionary new systems to better protect the game and its players.

On USA Today’s list of “Baseball’s Most Influential People,” Hallinan served as chairman of the TEAM Coalition, and as a member of the New York State Policy Study Committee on Terrorism and the Police Executive Research Forum.

Prior to MLB, Hallinan was commander of the FBI/NYPD Joint Terrorism Task Force, where he was recognized for his contributions in the war on terrorism. He testified before the U.S. Congress on domestic terrorism and received numerous NYPD/FBI citations and the U.S. Attorney General Award for Exceptional Public Service.

Hallinan earned his collegiate degree at Fordham University and attended the FBI National Academy.

Executive producer and creator Rob Travalino is a Telly, Effie, Gemini, and Emmy Award winner and a twenty-plus-year content developer, writer, and brand expert. He has written dozens of television episodes, script doctored for feature films, and edited and co-written novelizations for Hyperion Books. As a content creator, developer, and marketer, Rob has directed or contributed to the ideation and realization of some of the world’s most potent and lasting franchises, including integrated content and brand initiatives for Lucasfilm, Hasbro, Warner Brothers, and more. Rob also co-created, wrote, and story-edited the Gemini Award–winning Disney TV show Dragon Booster and helped develop the Emmy-winning teen property Growing up Creepie for Mike Young Productions and Discovery. Rob researched and co-wrote Kevin M. Hallinan’s gripping memoir, Over the Wall, and a coming follow-up, Changing the Game. Rob is a member of the Directors Guild of America.

Praise for Over the Wall: From the Dangerous Streets of NYC…Through the Birth of Counterterrorism and Beyond

“Kevin Hallinan has written a masterful book about his experiences after a long and celebrated career as one of his generation’s outstanding New York City police officers. I was privileged to serve as the New York City police commissioner during some of those years, and Kevin brings the streets of the city alive in Over the Wall. It is a great read and a must-read.”
— Robert McGuire, Former Commissioner of New York City Police Department

“Over the Wall is a true tale of teamwork, integrity, as well as incredible adversity, the net result of which was better policing, increased national security, and inventive new programs to protect our national pastime. More than just a truly entertaining and enlightening read, Kevin’s tale offers important historical insights and perspectives that many should benefit from for years to come.”
— Peter V. Ueberroth, Corporate Leader, Former Olympic Organizer/Summer Games Chairman and Commissioner of Major League Baseball

“Kevin Hallinan’s riveting memoir Over the Wall has it all—street cops and drug lords, mobsters and terrorists, FBI agents and the Lords of Baseball. It’s a fast-paced and exciting ride through mean streets and boardrooms, the remarkable real-life journey of a hero cop. Start reading, and you won’t be able to stop.”
— Howard Blum, New York Times bestselling author

“I never believed in the American mythos of ‘John Wayne’ until I met Kevin Hallinan. Over the Wall is a reminder that everyday heroes are walking among us doing their best to make us safer and our lives better. For over forty years, it seems like Kevin was a part of every seminal moment in NYC history while he went from a rising rookie cop on the beat building strong relationships in the neighborhood he was charged with protecting to running the first NYPD/FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force that watched over millions of New Yorkers like myself from those looking to do us harm. Kevin’s ideals on police work have never been more relevant than they are today. Kevin’s story celebrates the man who single-handedly brought an ethos to his career that centered on honor plus hard work equals a job well done. Congratulations Kevin and thank you for bringing us with you ‘over the wall’!”
— David Gavant, Business Development, North America at WSC Sports; formerly Executive Vice President, Executive Producer, MLB Productions

“This story is a brilliantly lit pathway for young men and women who aspire to success! Kevin Hallinan, a typical NYC kid, had a fabulous career in the NYPD, and became commander of the very first Joint Terrorist Task Force in America. His balance of police skills and people skills led him on a career of achievement, and ultimately, to the dream job of director of security for all of Major League Baseball. His stories are amazing, riveting, and all true. They tell of an average kid rising to the top in everything he cared about, sports, work, and most of all, family.”
— Rick Hahn, FBI, Retired

“The creation of the FBI/NYPD Terrorist Task Force was a logical response to the upsurge of terrorist activities in the late ’70s and early 1980s. Both law enforcement components required intelligent and sensitive leadership to move their agencies from rivals to partners. NYPD Lt. Kevin Hallinan fit the bill perfectly. He was a strong, smart, and sensitive leader who represented his department faithfully and without reservation as the FBI’s partner.”
— Tom Sheer, Former Assistant Director, FBI, New York Office

“Kevin Hallinan doesn’t tell stories—he shares experiences. In that way, he delivers examples and lessons about the famous, infamous, and everyday people he has encountered in law enforcement and in life. Few of us may end up doing the kind of work that Kevin has done helping keep New York City, an Olympic Games, Major League Baseball, and many other places and organizations safe and secure. But all of us can learn from someone whose career in law enforcement is really a cover for teaching people and their communities how to investigate, analyze, and improve themselves and society.”
— Lee Igel, NYU Tisch Institute for Global Sport; NYU Langone Health Medical Ethics