Michael Mormello, undercover officer, dies at 68

MICHAEL J. Mormello's experience on his first day as a member of the Police Department's legendary "granny squad" might have discouraged a lesser man.

But not Michael Mormello. Taking a knife in the kidney from a female robber in 1977 as he posed as an old sailor just off the ship landed him in the hospital.

But getting beat up, thrown down subway steps and otherwise brutally accosted was part of the job of the men who posed as potential crime victims - mostly as bums and elderly men and women - to lure the thugs to their doom.

"He loved it," said his wife, Peggy. "He loved every minute of it."

He must have, because he stayed with it for 18 years, landing in the hospital with injuries 17 times. He almost lost his kidney in that first encounter, but he recovered.

Michael Mormello, a Two-Streeter from South Philly who became a decorated Green Beret in Vietnam, a Philly cop who worked mostly undercover and a narcotics agent for the state Attorney General's Office, died Tuesday of complications of cancer. He was 68 and lived in Eastwick.

Michael, who couldn't stand being retired after his A.G. service, decided to run for Philadelphia sheriff this year and had filed for the office. But he became ill and realized he wouldn't be able to do the job.

"He thought he could clean up that office," his wife said. "He had 1,100 names on a petition. He was disappointed he had to drop out."

Michael was born in South Philadelphia to Michael and Rita Mormello. He graduated from Bishop Neumann High School, now Ss. Neumann-Goretti, in 1961.

His father was an Army drill sergeant, and Michael decided to follow in his footsteps. He won a Silver Star in combat in Vietnam, where he was wounded by shrapnel, earning him the Purple Heart. He was also decorated for heroism by the Vietnamese government.

Michael didn't talk much about his service in Vietnam, so, except for the shrapnel, his wife didn't know how he won his medals.

"He was such a private man," his wife said.

His wound partially damaged his left eye, but not enough to keep him out of the Police Department after his discharge. He joined the force in 1966.

He started at the 3rd District, 11th and Wharton, then began his undercover work as a member of the Vice Squad, in which he helped crack down on hookers plying the city streets.

Michael also was a member of the Asian Task Force for a time and the Organized Crime Squad, dealing with the wise guys mostly from his native South Philly.

During his police career, he studied at Temple University at night and obtained a degree in criminal justice.

As a stakeout cop, Michael not only worked the granny squad, but also was called on to negotiate the surrenders of the deranged and violent.

During Christmas of 1981, Michael was about to enjoy the holiday at home when a call went out that a man armed with a shotgun had barricaded himself in his mother's home in North Philadelphia and had taken his sister and her two young sons hostage.

Michael and his partner, Roy Wright, managed to talk the man into giving up his hostages and surrendering, but it was touch and go for a while.

After it was over, Michael said he was happy to be heading back home. "Nobody was injured," he said. "I feel like we really gave a good Christmas present to somebody."

He joined the Attorney General's Office in 1990 and posed as a drug dealer to capture suppliers, putting dozens of peddlers away.

He and Tommy Hazell worked together. Hazell spoke Jamaican, which was an advantage since some of the big-time dealers were Jamaican, and the better to fool them into believing that he and Michael were legitimate dealers.

When Michael dropped out of the sheriff's race, friends couldn't understand it because Michael was not the kind of guy who liked to talk about himself.

"He didn't want people to know he was sick," his wife said. But, of course, the truth eventually came out.

Despite growing up in Mummers' country, Michael was never tempted to join in. He spent too many cold New Year's Days at the parades as a cop.

"He had too many guys throwing up on his shoes," his wife said. "He didn't want any part of that."

Michael's favorite getaway was to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. He would go after every Labor Day with pals from the Doyle-Gerszewski VFW Post 8051 and their wives. The men called themselves the "Cabana Boys."

Michael's younger brother, Joseph, who died seven years ago, was also a Philadelphia cop. Michael's wife, the former Peggy Gray, whom he married in 1995, is his only survivor.

Services: Funeral Mass 11 a.m. tomorrow at St. Barnabas Church, 6300 Buist Ave. Friends may call at 7 this evening at the Rogers Funeral Home, 3rd Street and Moyamensing Avenue.