Schenectady, NY is a small city that's had a troubled past. Once known as "The City That Lights and Hauls the World", Schenectady has faced a police corruption scandal as well as other tragic events over the years. In the late 90's and early 2000's, Schenectady's Police Dept. was the focus of a federal investigation by the FBI while under the tenure of former police chief Greg Kaczmarek.

Author David Bushman was traveling up near Albany, NY when he got a Lyft ride from no other than former police chief Kaczmarek. The two formed a relationship which spurred the writing of his book, Forget It, Jake, It's Schenectady: The True Story Behind "The Place Beyond the Pines." The book reflects on the events that transpired while Kaczmarek was chief of police from 1996 to 2002.