After retiring from the NYPD, he wrote novels, short stories, TV episodes, and a memoir of his years on the force.
Leuci knew Frank Serpico,[2] known for being the first officer to expose corruption within the police department ranks.
[2] The book Prince of the City (1978) by Robert Daley and the adapted Sidney Lumet film (1981) are based on a portion of Leuci's police career.
Right after his birth, the family moved to Ozone Park, Queens, where he attended John Adams High School.
[1] In 1962, he transferred to the Tactical Patrol Force (TPF), where he worked the Manhattan North and South Bronx precincts.
Rather, the unit aimed to find the major sources of drug distribution in the country and make cases against South American or other foreign cartel operatives.
[1] The investigation ended in 1972 and ultimately, the Federal Government decided not to prosecute Leuci, noting his efforts and the risks that he and his family had taken.
Leuci's desire to write grew after Daley's book was published, and thanks to an afternoon walk with novelist Robert Stone, a new career path began.
[1] Leuci wrote seven successful books, while continuing to lecture at police academies and federal law enforcement agencies throughout the United States.
[1] In 2020, a documentary about his life and his involvement in the SIU Corruption Investigation called Blue Code of Silence was released.
Leuci's daughter Santina is one of the producers of the 2024 documentary Manhunt: Luigi Mangione and the CEO Murder - A Special Edition of 20/20.
Leuci married Kathy Packard in 2003, after he had moved to Rhode Island to pursue his writing and teaching career.