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Now it's time for this week's episode of Dragnette the original air date June twenty
fourth, nineteen forty nine. It's Production four aka The Quick Triggerman. Ladies
and Gentlemen, the story you were about to hear is true, only the
names have been changed to protect the innocence. NBC brings you drag Met.
You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned to Homicide Detail. A gang of quick
trigger gunmen have moved in on your city. They've given public notice that they'll
kill the first cop who tries to take them. You know the risks your
job apprehend the suspects. Drag Met the documented drama of an actual crime investigated
him, solved by the men who unrelentingly stand watch on the security of your
home, your family, and your life. For the next thirty minutes,
in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department, you will travel, step by
step on the side of the law through an actual case, from beginning to
end, from crime to punishment. Dragnet is the story of your police force
in action. It was Wednesday, April seventeenth. It was warm in Los
Angeles. We were working the night watch out of Homicide Detail. The boss
is at backstrand cheaper detectives. My partner's Ben Romero. My name's Friday.
I was on the way back from the record bureau. It was four minutes
to six when I got the room forty two homicide. They Ben, I
pulled the package on the Raymond killing, and that proves you can still read
Friday. He said, at Jill, you pell Fred Lynn? Hi,
Fred? What's doing busier than you are? We know what we're looking for,
Just having a little trouble finding him. That's where it is with automobiles,
a misplace so easy. Normally they don't. We've got a small size
epidemic on our hands. Well, they'll let us keep you. Fred just
ducked in here for a breath of calm air and to invite you to dinner
for the last time. No, wife and I are still waiting for the
first time. How about it, Joe, Ruth's got a new pressure cooker.
Your sister in law visiting again? Oh on the level, not selling
a finger? Come on, who is it this time? My cousin?
But she's awfully pretty, Joe? Oh, why do you guys insist on
trying to marry me off? Me and Fred went down fighting, but it
kind of grows on. Yeah, for a while I'll tell me what is
it about a married man? Just can't stand to see one single man left
in the world, How about it, Joe? Tomorrow night at seven,
Okay, Okay, tell Ruth. I'll be there. It figures it.
He's got to run out of kin folk very soon. Vine. We'll be
expecting you got a stake out tonight, but tomorrow I'll be clear. Anything
by nothing. Definitely been just to follow up in the stolen cars. See
you man, solong lindsay Joe, you'll like my cousin. Oh never say
die? What a character you just captain it? And yeah, well here's
that Raymond package. Let's check those dates that Backstrand wanted hush. Wednesday,
April seventeenth was just routine, a dinner date I tried to get out of
some paper work that the chief wanted done. And a hot, sticky day,
too hot to wear a suit of clothes. Sometimes it's like that.
The day starts out being routine. By the time it comes of age,
it's got a personality all its own. At ten twenty three that night,
Ben and I were just finishing up the paperwork and head Backstrand opened his office
door ready Rometo just got a hot shot called lunch guts giver, hold up
and shooting and Hooper and Esperans a coude three fod three that means red light
and siren. It was ten thirty two and Ben and I pulled up at
the corner of Hooper and Esperanza. It was a bar and a basement of
a building on the south side of the street. A radio car was there
and the two officers were holding the crowd back. A man was talking to
one of the officers, who turned and pointed to us. As Ben and
I got out of our car, the man hurried over to us. You're
the detective that's right side, and Friday and my name's Cummings. Are our
Cummings? I owned the bar. This is terrible. There was a gun
fight downstairs. H come on, where's the ambulance. One of the officers
in the radio car said, we needed the coroner. Did you see the
actual shielding? No, I didn't. Here's a fellow that was shot.
Joan's from a crime man, hell Friday from highly what we got here pretty
bad. Looks like a shotgun close range. He really got in the way.
Ellie. Then yeah, it's Fred Lindsay motor theft. He was on
a steak out. Ye tell us about him. It's coming you know this
fellow, sergeant, Yeah, we know him. What happened? We had
a hold up to night three men, Yes, go on. Well,
business was good, real good. We had a large crowd, and I
was happy about that because I've been trying to sell out for a long time
now. I've been showing the place of different parties all week long. I
had a fellow coming over tonight to take a look at it. What time
was there? Listen an hour ago, about nine thirty, see, go
ahead. It was almost time for this man to show up. So I
called Eddie, that's my bartender, and I told him to kind of keep
a lookout for the man because I was going back to the office to get
the books ready to show. You know how it is. You'll watch for
him, Eddie, you bet? I will. You want me, I'll
be back in the office. Keep your mouth shut and stand still. Huh
you only spot, don't you? Well? Yes, what is this?
You're the boy? We want to say? Which one of you? All
three of us? What's going on? What's it looked like? Genius?
That's a stick up. I haven't any money to go to the bank on
Thursdays, don't you Well, I made my deposit to day instead. I've
been watching you for a month. Now, don't give us dance. You
go to the bank on Thursdays. Now, come on, hand it over.
I'm telling you the truth. I usually go on Thursdays, but I
went to day instead of lying. Heson. We ain't got much time.
Look, you can have all the money I've got on me. I think
it's about two hundred. But that's all I have here. Why I get
with him? Take what he's gotten worth shake their customers? Don't no,
please, don't do that. You got my money? Isn't that enough?
Now? It ain't? Oh, come on, let's go out. That's
about all I remember, Sargeant. When I come around now, I was
lying on the floor of my office. I'n't better have somebody take a look
at that cut on your say yeah, I'm going to right away. There's
my bartender. He saw the fight. What's his name, Eddie? Yeah,
Eddie, yes, sir, these men of detectives eddiebe who will you
tell him what you saw? It was pretty rough and tell us what happened
when they started to shoot that fellow the corner just took out of here.
Sure was long on nerve, took on all three of him single handed.
Tell us what you saw. You gotta get that fellow's name. Sure had
a lot of nerve. Took over just like he was a cop. He
was a cop. Now, what did you see? I begged him for
a cop, but he was sitting up at the bar then nursing a bottle
of beer. For about an hour, I was keeping an eye on the
front door, watching for this fellow the boss wanted to see. So I
didn't see the three hold up men come through from the back, but I
heard all right, let's knock it off. You can all see this shotgun.
Anybody make a move and I'll blow your head off. Game us cover
the front door, got it, sickles, shake him down, okay,
chance, you guys in the band, keep that music going. The rest
of you of people turn around and face the bar. Put your hands on
top of the barn, leaving there till we tell you to move. Come
on, hurry up, hug it off. Okay, cycle, We'll take
your money, your watch, is anything else you've gotten out. Don't try
to be cute and hold out all right, Hue, take off the watch.
I'll get your bill for you, old lady. Let's have the ring.
This man they called Sickle, went right down the line, took everything
could lay his hands on. This cop. Your friend was facing me at
the far end of the bar. He was then there, just like the
others. He kind of leaned towards me a little. Can you see the
guy with a shotgun? Yeah? Where is he centered the room? The
other guy a still at the door, Yeah, got his gun out holding
his right hand. How far down the line is the other guy? About
ten people? Await, Hey, you two down at the end there,
knock it off. Hurry up, Sickle, doing the best I can while
it said the first lady. Yo, next to the lady, you get
to watch off. I'll take this water. How far away? Now getting
closer? But we better shut up, Like he says, I'm going to
take the one with a shotgun. I got a gun. How far away
is that guy? Now? I thought James told you two to shut up.
I'll right, Sickle, try to move and I'll break your back and
go ahead. I'll shoot jams. Hang away, Sickle. Oh, your
people at the bar down on the floor. Okay, you were not shotgun
prop it famus, can you get a shot at him? Now? We're
not hitting Sickle. Come on you, I'm waiting. You got us all
wrong. Boy. We like Sickle, but not that much. The cop
was holding Sickle as a shield and the big guy let go with a shotgun.
Both the cop and Sickle duck. The cop didn't get hit this man.
Sickle fell over on his face, grabbed his arm. The man with
a shotgun went down on one knee, holding his stomach. The man at
the door took a shot at the cop, but he missed. Then the
cop fired three shots at the man by the door. Looked like the first
two missed at the last one cut the man in the leg and he went
down well. By this time, the big guy with a shotgun had recovered
enough to hold his weapon again. I tried to warn the cop look out
the guy with the shotgun. I swam. Cop pointed his gun and pulled
the trigger, but he was out of shell, Boy, Sergeant, My
stomach knotted up when I heard that hammer fall against those empty chambers. The
cop threw his gun at the guy with a shotgun and then ran right at
him. You know, it was just to get that cop was trying to
run right down the barrel of that shotgun. I glanced at the cop on
the floor, and I tried to follow the three of them as they made
their way out of the bar They jumped into a car out front and drove
off. As a kid, I used to watch Bill Hart take on a
whole gang in the movies. That this way right in front of my eyes.
Sergeant, he was an awful, brave guy. Did you get the
license number of their car? I didn't. I couldn't see very well.
I'm gonna pretty good look at all three of the men, or didn't you?
I believe i'd recognize any of'em? Thanks, Eddie. What's your last
name? Bowers? Eddie Bauers got that? Ben? Yeah, you'll be
hearing from us, Eddie. We may want you to look at some pictures
for us. Glad to help anyway I can, Sergeant, I hope you
get them in the shop this cup. You're sure we're going to try,
act you? Yeah, Eddie was sure going to try the next step was
for Ben and I I make a complete report the cheap ed backstrand they got
Lindsay, Uh that Fred Lindsay are not of theft. Yeah, good,
Curt. You see he wounded two out of the three in that hold up.
Yeah, it means they'll have to have medical attention in a hurry,
or check all the small hospitals, cover all the drug stores to get in
the line on anyone who's brought the medical supplies in the last hour. As
soon as medical detail notifies miss lindsay, I'd like to go over and see
her Smith from the medical details out there, and by the time you get
back, we may have a flash in the drug stores or hospitals. We'll
be back in thirty minute, called him. When you get out there,
right, you might carry this with you. Yeah, I'm sick. I
am sick to my stomach about this thing. I want you to get those
two bit punks. I don't want them to see another sun rise. Got
that energy? Yeah, man, let's go. Ben Chandler, Yes,
put out an app. I have communications broadcast the descriptions of these suspects every
thirty minutes from the further office. Oh so, m thanks, Ruth down,
Ruth, you know how we all feel. It's all right, Joe.
You're married to a copy I guess you meant to expect him like this.
You don't like that. Bret and I used to discuss the possibility of
this. Used to worry about him. I used to worry a lot Joe,
all those nights when he was away in days, I used to worry.
Now I know it's safe. Anything you water you need, thanks,
No, Joe, anything at all that I can do, Yes, Joe,
if there's something you can do. Even Benners signed this case. An
that's right, and be careful thinking that you will meet Ben and will have
to face those killers. Jen's wife's rule job. Yeah, Ruth, we
will figure did mister Fred more than anything? I want that, no more
heartaches? Yeah, thanks for coming by, Joe. How'd you take it?
You? Let's go, Joe, Joe, how'd you dig? You're
married Ben? You figure it. It was eleven thirty when we got back
to Central Division. As we walked into the squadroom, Backstrand was waiting for
us ready. We just got our first lead. We've located a druggister.
City sold some medical supplies to a man about forty five minutes ago. A's
the address pretty close to the scene of the shooting. I about to see
him right away. The Rex Pharmacy was exactly Port Pool, blocks from the
Red Feather Bar where the shooting took place. Rex Pharmacy was like your corner
drug store, complete with apothecary jars and shower curtains. The druggist was the
same little man who's been prescribing sulf run molasses since you were a kid in
school. Just about ready to close. What can I do for you,
gentlemen. We're from the police department. I didn't halfway expecting you, fellows.
We got a report that you sold some medical supplies to a man about
an hour ago. Yes, sir, that's right. It's like I was
telling to those other officers that we hear a while ago, and it was
something funny about that to the fellow, how you mean my own for one
thing? You in? He is sweating quite a bit. Of course,
it's a all night, but he seemed terribly nervous. Anybody with him,
No, he was all by himself. What did he buy? Well,
wasn't so much what he bought, but how much? What do you mean?
You know how most people buy iodine a little ten cent bottle. He
bought a couple of pints. Then there was all that gause and add should
take bought enough to repair a small army, often a box of swabs.
Then he asked me something that made me wonder what was there? Ask me
if I had something to probe with. That's just the way he said it,
something to probe with. I asked him, Oh, what do you
want to probe for? What he say said a splinter? I told him
so he need it, would do the trick? He said, forget it,
and then he paid me and walked out. Huh could you describe the
man? A small man, dark like, I said, awful, nervous
and think you could identify? Oh? Sure I could if I ever saw
him in What did he live on for? Or was their car outside?
Left? In? A cab up right out in front? Couldn't miss it?
Did you hap him to take down the license number? Well? No
I didn't, but I did jump down the taxi cab number. Would that
help? Taking down cab numbers isn't exactly in a druggist line. But because
he had the presence of mind to do that, one small thing, we
accomplished in ten minutes what could have well taken as many weeks. Maybe with
this small wedge we could do what backstrand wanted us to do get the killers
before another sunrise. Well, it was close to midnight when we stepped into
the drug store phone booth. I called the cab company got the night supervisor.
I gave him the number of the cab and he checked his location chart.
Cab three seven five was operating out of a stand at Wilsher and green
Haven. He was the right driver and he remembered the fair. Sure,
I know you mean A little guy seemed in a big hurry. It was
a long feed though. I took him on to Englewood. Will I check
my look exact here? It is Joe fifteen twenty three, imperialist in the
room and happy. Come on, we'll check with the landlady kind of like
you. Yeah, let's stand away from the door. Huh. Might not
be the landlady who answers, Yeah, that's what do you want? Police
department? Oh, let me see your badge. They are ma'am, I'm
Sergeant Friday. This is Romero homicide right now? What do you want?
I run a good clean room and house. It's not the house lady,
it's one of your tenants. Which one. That's what we want you to
help us on. Do you men know what time it is. Come back
here in the morning. Sorry, this can't wait till morning. Now,
I'm not going to invite you in. We'll talk right here on the porch
and keep your voices down. My tenants work during the day. Whatever you
say, ma'am, Now, what is it you want to know? We're
looking for a small dark ma'am. I got three here could fit that description.
No, he came in late tonight, about forty five minutes ago.
I wouldn't know about that. I don't spy on my people. This is
very important. You'll have to keep your voices down. Sorry, he's dark
and he's small. I didn't you say it was dark? You must mean
mister Tindall. What's he done? What's his room? Number? Room ten?
But I can't allow you to tramp up and down the stairs at this
hour. You'll wake all the rooms. We'll be as quiet as he wants
us to be. What do you mean by that? Is it gonna be
trouble? I don't know, lady. Where do we find number ten at
the end of the whole last room on the right, And keep your voices
down. If you're just waiting your room, lady, we'll call you for
a watching. Okay, here we are, so keep the door clear,
Ben, we might have trouble. Think they all in there. We'll know
in a minute. What is it? What do you want? Only his
department? I'll try to Clauded, Joe, what do you want with me?
What are you looking for? Claude? It's Mby. What'd you say?
Your name was Tundall? Bob Tundall, new name but same face,
on't Joe? Yeah? How long you've been on a jail? Tenny?
Tenny, it's tend Your name's not Candle, it's Sam Tenny. We sent
you up on a robbery charge four years ago. And isn't that right?
Tenny? No, it's not right. You've got the wrong man. I've
never been in jail, Yes you have, because we sent you there.
Now, come on, who would you buy the medical supplies for? I
don't know what you're talking about. Look, Tenny, it's a hot night
and it's late, so let's cut out the smart talk. Huh who would
you buy? It was a medical supplies for? Tenny? Look, you're
a two time loser right now. Who you're shielding? You've got nothing on
me. I ain't done a thing. We can prove that you bought those
supplies tonight, and it can go kind of hard on you. So let's
open up. I've been out of this room all right long. We got
a druggist and a cab driver. We'll make a liar out of you.
I still don't know a thing. At cab driver brought you home here forty
five minutes ago? Where were you? Was that on a date? Is
that who you bought the medicine for? Ben? Call a druggist and get
that cab driver. We'll take Tenny downtown, all right? All right?
I did was buy the bandages and stuff. I got nothing else to do
with this. Would you buy the staph four? You know everything else?
You'll figure on our look, Punk, we know there were three of them.
One of them killed a cop. We're gonna get to them in Tenny.
You're not gonna stand in our way. It killed something. He didn't
tell me that. Who didn't? I don't any part of murder. I'm
gonna tell you who it was, but I'm clean to do with it.
I was trying to help him out of a jam. Who are you trying
to help? Roy? Beemus, Charlie Sickle and Red Jeans. They didn't
tell me nothing about murder. Well, why'd you have? They often be
a pretty good piece of changed to run an air informant. You know I
got paid for That's that's all I had to do with it. Why did
you deliver those medical supplies? I have to tell you that I'm afraid of
James. He's awful free with a shotgun. We'll give you a protection.
Now, where are they going to go to jail? Did you get them?
You'll get protection. Give us the address. It's an apartment house.
It's around the corner from here, the Blue Eagles. We took Sam Tenny
down a central division with us on the way downtown. He told us that
Red Jans and the other two had their room at the Blue Eagle barricaded.
Tenny said that they told him that they'd kill the first cop we tried to
take him, but we knew they were wounded. He told us that Sickle
had an arm wound, Famous got it in the leg, and Chance had
a slug in his side. We forgured they'd be weak from the loss of
blood and we could take them easy. You'll ever take those guys easy.
Sure, they lost a little blood, but they had enough fight left to
stuck that room, and they got enough left to kill you if you try
to take'em. On the way to headquarters, we stopped at an all
night drive in and called head Backstrand. We told him we had a radio
car watching the Blue Eagle. We gave him the whole story and told him
we were on our way in. By the time we checked in the homicide,
he had had the plan all mapped out. It was two twenty five
am. Here's the map from the city engineers. It's one city block bounded
on the north by Hawthorne Street. On the south Lawndale eleven on the east
sixteenth Street into the west seventeen Blue Eagle apartment houses. Right here on Sixteenth
and Hawthorne, West of the Blue Eagle is a private residence. South of
the Blue Eagle and sixteenth is of vacant lut There are twelve apartments in the
building. The men we wandered on the second floor eleven. That apartment faces
east on sixteen. How do you want to handle it in I'm Baker and
mooreha, I'm will evacuate the private residence ready, and you're Maraqui not the
apartment building right skim. All traffic is being diverted. In time block is
completely isolated. We'll throw up a cordon. Since we clear the residence,
nobody goes in, nobody goes out. Will you brief us again when we
get their d I'll give you all the briefing you need right now. Get
this. These guys have already killed a cup. I don't want to lose
anymore. You know, they're heavily armed and they're desperate. Have the men
draw shot guns to your guests and Tommy guns him. All right now,
we're not going in after these punks like tin horn heroes. We're going after
them and we're coming out alive, all of us. What time is it?
Right in? Two thirty seven? Not much time they'll sun up,
is it? It was a code too that means red light and move fast
Backstrand figured we needed six squad cars form into a car, the police,
public address truck, ambulance and floodlights. Ben checked out the weapons to the
men, and by two forty six we pulled out of the Central Division garage.
We slid into the area at three twenty am. The six squad cars
and the public address truck took up their positions. The floodlights were rigged and
ready to turn on. At Backstrand's command, the machinery was set to roll
as soon as we got the neighborhood cleared. Ben and I evacuated the Blue
Eagle apartment house. How many does that make you? Well, we've cleared
nine. Two to go. Here's apartment ten. Thank killers are right next
door. Yo, I'd like to kick at the door in right now,
take your time, Ben, we'll get to him quiet now. Yeah,
what is it? Police department? May we come in? Yeah? Of
course, what's the trouble, No trouble. We're evacuating the building and we'll
have to ask you to leave with the back door. We'll notify you when
to return. Please leave quietly and lock your door. What's going on?
No time to explain. Thank you very much for corp. Okay, now
let's skip eleven and go to twelve. Yeah, whom police department? Can
we come in? Sorry? Disturb it this now we're evacuating the building.
Please hurry and leave quietly with the back door. You'll be notified when returned.
Lock your door when you leave. It was four ten am. Everything
was set now. The neighborhood was completely cleared. The entire block was empty
except for Apartment eleven on the second floor of the Blue Eagle. I left
Ben to watch the door of Apartment eleven. I went downstairs and across the
street to join the rest of the men. It was ed Backstran's show from
here on, I'd said, ed all seven, Baker, Moreheim, all
clear, All clear, Baker, you and Moreheim take three men and cover
the rear of the building. Right, there's the detail covered north on the
street. They're all set at about the big and taken care of the rest
of you men. Freddy and I are going into the building. We'll try
to get him to come out. Now. Johnson come with us and keep
his COVID. Let's go on. Apartment elevens up at the head of the
stairs. Head ran and the action Ramorrow, lot of thanks. Keep down
all of you now, I'll try to get him out. Chance Famous Sickle,
you're all alone. The building's clear. Come on off with your hands
behind your head. Come on out, Chancer, we'll come in and catch
you. You emmy, hey, here, you come on. Let's get
out to the street. Johnson, cover that door and be careful. Keep
down right. Friday Romero, come with me. We left Sergeant Johnson to
watch the door and we ran out on the sixteenth Street and ducked down behind
the police sound truck. The flood lights hit the side of the building.
String grabbed the microphone. Johns Beamus Sickle. He's got thirty seconds to come
down out of that room. Walk out backwards with your hands behind your head.
Stay together up, don't sign out thirty seconds chance they're making a tough
head love some two guys through that window, right, Come on off,
Famis. We're giving you a chant that's bother than you gave that cop in
the bar. Come on out. That's jan said. He isn't coming out.
He must have got Johnson, of course in another room. Shoot the
guess in there. That's not gonna get him on head. Give it time,
bloody one those blood lights in up there. Play rate that second floor
with the Tommy got. Let's keep him in one role, right, your
fair friendy George, give us a couple of masks. Ben and I are
going in the rest of you men, concentrate your fire on those two rooms.
Hit him down here, your math Joe, let's go come on.
Put that mask on Ben and keep down where. Somebody coming down inside stairs,
duck Benny's got a gun. I got cop, and get out of
my way. About you. You haven't got a chance. I'm coming true
cop up. Thank you stopping Joe. Can you see Johnson? No,
it's too much. Guess man, all right? You two up there?
We got one of you, the other two come on out, Yo.
Think we've got him? I don't know. Can you see Johnson? No?
Joe still too thick, and I'm going in. Ben cover me.
Come on, we know there are two of you up there. Guess one
comer. Throw you a gun down the stairs ahead of your high huck gun,
Joe, James, I see him. I'll take him at the foot
of the stairs. All right, I got my hands up. I found
Johnson. Ben all right, chance outside, come on move. Put the
handcuffs on him. Ben, I'll cover you. Ask John, I don't
know, And get the ambulance crow over here, Jans. Who's this other
guy with gut? Beamis? How about circle? I said just one,
didn't I cover? Never mind us my talk, James, and I'll just
answer the question. Sile wanted a little a long time ago, so I
let him out. He's upstairs I let him out the back way, and
you shot him. He wanted out, didn't he. All right, we'll
take him in Johnson's in the ambulance. I'll see you in the office,
rights Gaber. How about a smoker, Yeah, here you go. Backstream
said he didn't want those men to see another sun ran. Yeah, five
minutes to five June, so in ordably. Yeah, good luck man,
it's cloudy. Yes, we'll never know her. The story you have just
heard was true, only the names were changed to protect the innocent. Edgar
read Jens, the sole survivor, was tried and convicted and sentenced to be
put to death in the state penitentiary in the manner prescribed by law. You
have just heard the fourth in a new series of authentic cases from official files.
Technical advice for Dragnet comes from the office of C. B. Horrell,
Chief of Police, Los Angeles Police Department. Tonight's program is dedicated to
radio car Patrolman Horace E. Sawyer of the Denver, Colorado Police Department,
who, on the evening of March eighth, nineteen thirty seven, gave his
life so that yours might be more secure. Dragnet came to you from Los
Angeles. This is NBC the National Broadcasting Come welcome back. Well, obviously,
this one was a really solid and exciting story once again, so very
different from what Dragnet would become. And I'm not gonna be labor every point
at which it's different than Dragnet's final form, because that's kind of boring and
laboring the point. But I will focus on one thing that stood out to
me. It was when Friday said, what a code three w after Backstrand
said to head to a location. Code three most often a term, particularly
if it's a common term, but be used without any explanation. And to
me, that's actually more effective because it's a case where they don't tell you
what a code three is, but they so often show you what a code
three is. In the same way with so many other very common police codes
and terms. They're so often used without explanation, but when you listen to
the program enough or watch it on television, you quickly begin to pick up
what the lingo means. It's a case of that writing rule show don't tell
show us what a code three is, don't tell us what it is,
and in many ways it's almost like you're learning the police language by immersion and
just picking up Okay, this is what R and I is without them telling
you what the department does. But of course this is early days and they're
still taking time to explain things to the public, which slows down the story
a little bit, but I don't think harms things too much. And another
thing you get to here is ed Backstrand stepping up and the captain really taking
leadership and involvement in the cases. It's interesting in these early episodes because later
on in the series the focus would be entirely on Sergeant Friday and his partner,
and for understandable plot reasons, and most of the time for understandable realistic
reasons. Captains are not often involved in the day to day working of a
case, particularly in going into the field, but there are times when they
do step forward in a more public facing way, and I think that the
role he played in the capture was entirely realistic. I also find myself wondering
whether there was a bit of a change in the way that police captains worked
in the LAPD at some point, and if there was a time when they
were more involved, because you know, you have all sorts of things like
backstrand driving along with Friday and Romero to the scene of a crime. Was
that sort of thing ever realistic or was it just kind of a dramatic license
taken? So I was a little curious about that. But other than that,
a solid episode that's still fund a lesson to even though it's very different
from where Dragnet would end up going. All right, Well, listener comments
and feedback now, and along with her donation, Antoinette Rights, I really
enjoy your show. Well, thank you so much. And now it's time
to thank our Patreon supporter of the day. Thank you to Sheila, Patreon
supporter since February twenty twenty, currently supporting the show at the Detective Sergeant level
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for your support, Sheila. And that will do it for today. If
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