disguise a cop and three black crook steal a big amount of cash after kill five syndicate runner and two policeman the new york police and the mafia react with immediate concern tough police veteran captain frank mattelli ( quinn ) resent the intrusion of lieutenant pope ( kotto ) and a black detective and in the case and while mafia bos don gennaro ( frank mascetta ) send his paranoid son in law and nick dsalvio ( anthony franciosa ) and to reassert control over the harlem branch and see that the money be recover the black syndicate and head by doc johnson ( richard ward ) and his assistant shevvy ( gilbert lewis ) and reject dsalvio and while promise only token help and and accuse mattelli and who have be on the take from johnson for year anthony quinn play well the age detective who have long ago perceive that all his effort be not go to do more than raise the very small part of the cover of crime and but he be not above take a bribe from a racketeer his method of deal with a reluctant witness be to hit hard first and ask question later the rigorously legal approach to police work and a exemplify by yaphet kotto and be not for quinn this be his territory and his little kingdom and and he keep the peace a best he know .