Before the stand-up series began, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) relied on the “Rogues Gallery” (established in 1857), which consisted of thousands of small, portrait-style photos of known criminals organized by height and specialty. By the turn of the 20th century, police departments integrated these photos into Bertillon cards, a French identification system combining physical measurements with front-and-profile mugshots.
In 1918, looking for a more practical way for detectives to recognize active criminals on the street, the NYPD launched the “Brooklyn Stand-Up series.” Subjects were photographed standing up against a plain background or height chart, capturing their complete physical presence rather than just a facial portrait.
When known collaborators, pickpocket rings, or gang members were arrested together, the NYPD photographed them in a group stand-up. This allowed detectives to document the physical associations and relative sizes of co-conspirators. The process was explicitly directed at recidivist criminals (repeat offenders) or individuals accused of severe, major crimes.
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| Margie Goldberg, Sarah Klein, Anna Miller. April 9, 1933. Grand larceny (shoplifting). |
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| Alleyne Brothers. April 22, 1934. Felony assault knife. |
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| Claire Odds. September 9, 1945. Felonious assault. |
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| Bessie Globllo. January 19, 1947. Grand larceny. |
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| Sarah Elizabeth Palmer. July 13, 1947. Homicide and 1897 Penal Law (gun). |
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