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Thread: Times gone by questions For Peace Officers of 70s?

  1. #21
    When I got on, all the 70's old timers were either just retiring or just retired. The majority carried off duty and carried snubby's of some kind, usually .38 or .357. one old timer carried a glock17. None of them used holsters off duty, none. Always tucked in the waist band aiwb, no holster.
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  2. #22
    Site Supporter LtDave's Avatar
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    Another SoCal experience

    I started my LE career as a reserve with a SoCal department, attending the reserve academy in 1977. When I was sworn in January ‘78, my reserve badge title was “Policeman”. I later got a full time position and attended the Rio Hondo College police academy in late ‘79. All the defensive tactics and PT instructors were from LAPD and my experience mirrors that referred above as it relates to the DT and PT. We also had a lot of attrition during the academy, graduating about half of all who started. We had people from all over the state in my class. Different departments had different philosophies about FTO training, some being notorious for dumping people during their probationary period. More than a few of my classmates who graduated the academy did not make probation. The competition for LE jobs was intense in the late ‘70’s. There were hundreds or thousands of applicants for every position. You had to be squared away to even make it past the initial screening, any discrepancies would get you dumped from the hiring process. Failing a background or a polygraph at one place could blacklist you from other jobs. It was not unusual to apply for many different agencies and take the first job offer. It was much harder to know the ins and outs of a particular agency. If you didn’t know someone working there, you were often going in blind.

    LAPD never had a large ratio of officers to population, but many agencies, mine included, made due with even fewer officers per thousand. My agency never had more than 1 officer per thousand during my career there. We were one of the densest populated cities in the region with approximately 90,000 people in 7.6 square miles. Computers showed up in our cars about 20 years after LAPD. No helicopters for us unless available pursuant to mutual aid. We did have portable radios before LAPD, although I often worked without one as a reserve. We worked in solo cars unless with a reserve or trainee. Our crime rate was much lower than many other cities in LA County, including Los Angeles. I can recall several graveyard shifts where not a single radio call was dispatched between 0000 and 0800. OTOH, some nights we went from call to call all night. During my career, my city experienced every type of call/incident you would come across as a cop in Los Angeles, although certainly not as often. For example, we only had one aircraft crash during my tenure.
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  3. #23
    Member TGS's Avatar
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    I love reading the stories from you guys of yesteryear. My dad was a cop starting in '69 when he got out of the Marines, but he died when I was young so I never got to hear his stories.

    Sharing this incase nobody has seen it (or if the last time you saw it was 30+ years ago):

    "Are you ready? Okay. Let's roll."- Last words of Todd Beamer

  4. #24
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    I started in 1978 and there were no carry permits in Texas then and the law (PC 46.02; Unlawfully Carrying Weapon) was lots more restrictive than lots of folks thought in The Republic. It basically outlawed handguns on or about your person except in a very few circumstances. The common practice of the day was to book folks you caught with pistols if a) they were doing stupid shit, b) were DWI, c) were wanted on other charges or d) were criminal types. If it was a decent citizen with a gun, we typically unloaded it and put it in their trunk and told them to have a nice day and what they did after they left us was up to them.
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  5. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wayne Dobbs View Post
    I started in 1978 and there were no carry permits in Texas then and the law (PC 46.02; Unlawfully Carrying Weapon) was lots more restrictive than lots of folks thought in The Republic. It basically outlawed handguns on or about your person except in a very few circumstances. The common practice of the day was to book folks you caught with pistols if a) they were doing stupid shit, b) were DWI, c) were wanted on other charges or d) were criminal types. If it was a decent citizen with a gun, we typically unloaded it and put it in their trunk and told them to have a nice day and what they did after they left us was up to them.

    What kind of gear did you start out carrying?

    I know a guy who started in an agency north of yours around the same time. Totally different world in that own now.


    I’m sitting in Frisco right now, unfortunately, and am amazed how busy everything is.

  6. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by TheNewbie View Post
    What kind of gear did you start out carrying?

    I know a guy who started in an agency north of yours around the same time. Totally different world in that own now.


    I’m sitting in Frisco right now, unfortunately, and am amazed how busy everything is.

    *town


    Also @Wayne Dobbs

    I remember reading that you had a 1911 fall out of a holster during a foot pursuit. What kind of holster did you use with that gun?


    Thanks for all the stories guys. I’m jealous that I didn’t get to work in that era.

  7. #27
    I started as a Reserve with a small town PD in 1980. Ohio had the "Prudent Man" law then. We knew of a very few who carried and if they didn't do stupid stuff, we ignored them.

  8. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by TheNewbie View Post
    What kind of gear did you start out carrying?

    I know a guy who started in an agency north of yours around the same time. Totally different world in that own now.


    I’m sitting in Frisco right now, unfortunately, and am amazed how busy everything is.
    Leather was Safariland black basketweave Velcro system belt and underbelt; holster was the Model 29 high ride thumbsnap; Velcro dump pouches with Bianchi speed strips

    Smith and Wesson Model 19-3 4" blue .357 Magnum with tuned action and Farrrant stocks (which got LOTS of questions from other officers and citizens!)

    Kel Lite 4 - C cell flashlight (which sucked except for an impact weapon)
    Regional Government Sales Manager for Aimpoint, Inc. USA
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  9. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by TheNewbie View Post
    *town


    Also @Wayne Dobbs

    I remember reading that you had a 1911 fall out of a holster during a foot pursuit. What kind of holster did you use with that gun?


    Thanks for all the stories guys. I’m jealous that I didn’t get to work in that era.
    Wasn't a foot pursuit - I was running to my squad for an assist officer call. Holster was a Gordon Davis 4570 duty holster (unsnapped...)
    Regional Government Sales Manager for Aimpoint, Inc. USA
    Co-owner Hardwired Tactical Shooting (HiTS)

  10. #30
    Quote Originally Posted by Wayne Dobbs View Post
    Leather was Safariland black basketweave Velcro system belt and underbelt; holster was the Model 29 high ride thumbsnap; Velcro dump pouches with Bianchi speed strips

    Smith and Wesson Model 19-3 4" blue .357 Magnum with tuned action and Farrrant stocks (which got LOTS of questions from other officers and citizens!)

    Kel Lite 4 - C cell flashlight (which sucked except for an impact weapon)
    I started in 89 with that same holster but with a Security Six. We also had speedloaders too but I don’t know how long those had been in use before I got there.

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