 
Jimaz
Member
Username: Jimaz
Post Number: 3459
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 09, 2007 - 9:38 pm: |    |
Look at the wear on that key! All the concave corners are still square but the convex corners are rounded due to wear. I saved the image. |
Stinger4me
Member
Username: Stinger4me
Post Number: 75
Registered: 08-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 09, 2007 - 9:56 pm: | |
How long was Ray Girardin the commissioner? I think he was replaced by Johannes Spreen. He was from NYC and brought in the Scooter Patrols in Detroit. I'm not sure how long either one of them held the job. |
Neilr
Member
Username: Neilr
Post Number: 592
Registered: 06-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 09, 2007 - 10:21 pm: | |
Ray Girardin was Police Commissioner during the riot in 1967. He, along with his family, lived in Lafayette Park. When colleagues suggested to him that perhaps his family would be safer if he sent them to stay in Windsor for a while, Commissioner Girardin said no and that he expected them to be safe right where they were. So they remained, safely, in their glass townhouse the whole week. |
Ray1936
Member
Username: Ray1936
Post Number: 2066
Registered: 01-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 09, 2007 - 11:03 pm: | |
"Look at the wear on that key! All the concave corners are still square but the convex corners are rounded due to wear."
Jim, that key probably dates back to the 1890s easily. Made by Gamewell who made all the police call boxes and fire alarm boxes at the turn of the century. I carried that key on the job for 25 years and now for 23 years in retirement for good luck. |
Ray1936
Member
Username: Ray1936
Post Number: 2067
Registered: 01-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 09, 2007 - 11:14 pm: | |
Found my list. Commissioners from 1948 to 1974:
Harry S. Toy 1948 - 1950
George F. Boos 1950 - 1952
Donald S. Leonard 1952 - 1954
Edward S. Piggins 1954 - 1958
Herbert W. Hart 1958 - 1962
George Edwards 1962 - 1963
Ray Girardin 1963 - 1968
Johannes F. Spreen 1968 - 1970
Patrick V. Murphy 1970 - 1970
John F. Nichols 1970 - 1973
Phillip G. Tannian 1973 - 1974
The new (current) City charter took effect in 1974 which eliminated the one-commissioner post and activated a five man police commission and a Chief of Police. Tannian became Chief for a short term and was replaced by the late William Hart. Don't ask me who has worn that badge since. |
Whithorn11446
Member
Username: Whithorn11446
Post Number: 153
Registered: 03-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 09, 2007 - 11:58 pm: | |
Ray1936,
What year did you become a detective ? When did you make sergeant and which precinct were you assigned to following the promotion ? |
Ray1936
Member
Username: Ray1936
Post Number: 2068
Registered: 01-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 12:57 am: | |
Made detective June, 1969. Got the new badge and was told to report to the Chief of Detectives the next morning for assignment. I thought, lord, send me anywhere but No. 10 (Livernois station). Guess where I went? Yup, No. 10. But it worked out well, and my 2 1/2 years there were memorable to me.
Promoted to Sergeant in 1971, stayed in the Detective Bureau for a while, but jumped at a chance to go back to Motorcycle Traffic Bureau as training sergeant a little later. Stayed there until '75 when I ended up on the Chief's Staff in a planning capacity and retired from there in '84.
When you spend 25 years on a job and look forward to going to work every day, you've made some good decisions, I guess. Don't think I took but a dozen sick days in 25 years. |
The_rock
Member
Username: The_rock
Post Number: 1983
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 7:55 am: | |
Thanks for the list of former Commissioners, Ray. A fair share of history there, and it jolts my memory.
Coming back now--- Tannian served under Mayor Young for a while,and I think he later served on the the bench. Edwards became a Federal Judge in Detroit, and shame on me, I forgot all about Ed Piggins who became a very capable and well respected WCCC judge. His son served process for our law firm.
Murphy came from NYC but did not last long in Detroit. I think Nichols became Oakland County sheriff after his stay in Detroit.
You can add Ike McKinnon and Benny Napoleon to your list. I am sure there have been others.
You call them "Commissioners". I always thought they were "Police Chiefs." Is there a difference? |
Karl_jr
Member
Username: Karl_jr
Post Number: 119
Registered: 06-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 9:46 am: | |
Nichols became Oakland County sheriff after his run against Coleman Young I believe.
Thanks for the jpg Ray1936.
We could use the likes of Ray as a Chief!! |
Kid_dynamite
Member
Username: Kid_dynamite
Post Number: 294
Registered: 06-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 9:59 am: | |
Ray1936, my grandpa was a detective in the hold-up bureau until about 1963 or 1964, Gordon T Grant. My uncle, Gordon "Buck" Grant, was a Detroit cop throughout most of the 1960's. Did you know either one of them? |
Nativegirl
Member
Username: Nativegirl
Post Number: 90
Registered: 01-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 10:40 am: | |
Saw two officers walking the beat at 7/Tel near the shopping plaza (Fifth/Third, etc) this past Friday. I had to do a double take. They were chatting away to one another and would occasionally stop and talk to some awestruck pedesterian. |
Fury13
Member
Username: Fury13
Post Number: 2571
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 10:53 am: | |
I can't believe it. It's about time that cops walked the beat again. Things like this give me hope for the future of Detroit. |
Mbr
Member
Username: Mbr
Post Number: 248
Registered: 03-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 10:55 am: | |
This is certainly good news. I have noticed far too many detroit police officers in patrol cars that don't appear to be paying any attention to what is going on. Also, I have noticed more and more talking on cell phones while on patrol both in cars and walking. Is there any reason why a police officer would need to talk on a cell phone while on patrol or should everything they need be covered by their radio communications? Is it safe to assume they are making personal calls if they are seen talking on a cell phone on patrol? |
Viziondetroit
Member
Username: Viziondetroit
Post Number: 1175
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 12:59 pm: | |
I just saw some walking the beat on Warren and Outer Drive area. |
Ray1936
Member
Username: Ray1936
Post Number: 2069
Registered: 01-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 1:17 pm: | |
Ah, a few comments to catch up with. (Never end a sentence in a preposition unless you don't care....)
Rock, when the DPD was first organized in 1865 it started with a four-person Police Commission, all civilians, and a sworn Superintendent. That changed in 1901 to a single civilian Commissioner and a sworn Superintendent. In 1974, the new charter called for five civilian Police Commissioners and a Chief of Police (replacing the title of Superintendent). In effect, the Superintendent WAS the Chief of Police, if not in title. Superintendents from 1945:
Edwin Morgan, 1945 - 1955
Jack Harvill, 1955 - 1958
Louis J. Berg, 1958 - 1963
Eugene A. Reuter, 1963 - 1968
John F. Nichols, 1968 - 1970
Charles H. Gentry, 1970 - 1973
Anthony Bertoni, 1973-1975
.....and so ended that run.
Rock, yeah, Nichols became sheriff in Oakland county for quite a few years. When he appeared in uniform, he looked like a Bolivian Admiral with all his ribbons and medals. I always thought it made him look a little gaudy, but he was a good guy. And no, I wouldn't be Chief of Police in Detroit for a King's ransom. Or anywhere else, for that matter. I'm a grunt and proud of it.
Dynamite, EVERYONE knew Gordon Grant, the elder and the younger. BIG guys, always on the department tug-of-war team, and just ideal police officers. Didn't know them personally, but knew of them and their reputations, which were impeccable.
NativeGirl, Fury, and Mbr, beat walking is kind of a lost art, I'm afraid, and I hope it is, indeed, coming back. It is particularly good training for the new officer fresh from the Academy, as he/she learns to think fast and to be aware of their surroundings. A recent innovation here in Las Vegas is a bicycle patrol, and they have done a bang-up job. Detroit might consider that, also. Both assignments create a needed closeness with the community they serve.
Mbr, if I was a Sergeant again and found one of my PO's using a damn cell phone for a personal call, I'd write 'im up without hesitation. But bear in mind I hate cell phones to start with. That image is not acceptable to me.
Jeez, who put that soap box under my feet?  |
Kid_dynamite
Member
Username: Kid_dynamite
Post Number: 298
Registered: 06-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 1:33 pm: | |
Ray, thanks for the reply. I will tell my Dad what you said about them.
Pic from the 1961 DPD tug-of-war
field day. Grandpa is 4th from the left, Buck is 3rd from the right.
|
1953
Member
Username: 1953
Post Number: 1467
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 1:35 pm: | |
I hope the officers on beat patrol have those roller shoes, so they can catch up to bad guys and respond to calls for assistance with speed. |
1953
Member
Username: 1953
Post Number: 1468
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 1:42 pm: | |
So, if there are something like 3,000 Detroit cops and the city is 139 square miles, that means each cop is responsible for 1/20 of a square mile. Is that a manageable chunk of land? Could we adopt such a system? |
Karl_jr
Member
Username: Karl_jr
Post Number: 121
Registered: 06-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 1:53 pm: | |
Great pic kid, love the old Detroit stuff.
Ray I don't know about the rest, but I'd love to hear your stories! |
Kid_dynamite
Member
Username: Kid_dynamite
Post Number: 299
Registered: 06-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 2:32 pm: | |
BTW, the short guy in the suit is Mayor Albert Cobo. |
Viziondetroit
Member
Username: Viziondetroit
Post Number: 1176
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 2:38 pm: | |
1936... I was thinking the same thing. |
Ravine
Member
Username: Ravine
Post Number: 1408
Registered: 01-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 2:51 pm: | |
I'm not a big fan of today's cops, although I must stress (maybe I should say "underline") the fact that I have no bone to pick with the DPD, whose officers either do not have, or will not use, time for hassling citizens over stupid shit, that time, and inclination, being commodities of which the Dearborn Police seem to have plenty & then some.
At any rate, I would be delighted to see some DPD officers beat-walking around in my neighborhood, and since I almost always have a pot of coffee on, they would be welcome to give me a knock and fillerup.
I am always fascinated by Ray1936's remembrances. I urge Ray to share them with us as much, and as frequently, as possible.
I mean, Ray, you're retired, you're out there in Vegas, what the fuck else are you doing? You probably could write a book. Your writing skills are very good, and you don't string together run-on sentences like some DYers. |
Gannon
Member
Username: Gannon
Post Number: 10684
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 3:38 pm: | |
I caught two officers walking Grayton, two streets west of Cadieux between Mack and Warren, around noon.
I hadn't read this thread yet, and was so stunned I pulled over and chatted them up.
Asked if they were walking a beat, and they both very quickly and courteously said yes with big smiles...it was clear they were NOT dreading this residential duty, and that most of their feedback was positive.
I couldn't help but burst out..."Wow, how cool to put forth such a posture for the younger generation who seem to be taught that the only time they'll see a policeperson's face is on the other side of a gun."
It was a deep truth that just popped out. Walking the beat is not really just for crime containment...not simply for feelings of neighborhood security...although both are most certainly true.
The importance of walking beat police centers around the generation that will be in their prime when we are octogenarians...they will NOT automatically assume that 'the man' is always against them. Generating generational improvements... |
Johnlodge
Member
Username: Johnlodge
Post Number: 3003
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 4:56 pm: | |
"I'm not a big fan of today's cops, although I must stress (maybe I should say "underline") the fact that I have no bone to pick with the DPD, whose officers either do not have, or will not use, time for hassling citizens over stupid shit, that time, and inclination, being commodities of which the Dearborn Police seem to have plenty & then some."
Ah yes, the old ratio of size of fish vs. pond. |
Ray1936
Member
Username: Ray1936
Post Number: 2071
Registered: 01-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 6:11 pm: | |
Aw, shucks, gang, thank you for the kind words <blushes>.
Dynamite, that's not Mayor Al Cobo, that little guy in the suit is Mayor Louie Miriani. He went to jail for something, don't remember the details. That would confirm that photo as 1961.
Ravine, seems like I'm always busy. I'm an amateur genealogist, and devote three-four hours a day to researching, both for me and for others. Fascinating hobby. Wife keeps me busy the rest of the time. But mayhaps I might post a tale or two later.
1953, with the baggy pants and warped boxer shorts the thugs are wearing today, beat officers need only wait for them to fall over themselves. No need for rollers on the shoes. And the 1/20th square mile would work out to 32 acres per officer. Interesting thought. However, taking shift work and leave time into consideration, there's only about 300 working at any one time. And that would be a tad more than two square miles per on-duty officer. |
Ray1936
Member
Username: Ray1936
Post Number: 2072
Registered: 01-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 6:38 pm: | |
Okay, my tales of beat walking.
In the early sixties, all rookies walked a beat for two or three years before they had enough seniority to be relief man on a car. Those early years were an education in itself.
I was assigned to the 2nd (Vernor) precinct. Well, I knew where the Olympia was, and Briggs (Tiger) stadium, and the MC depot. The rest of all those streets were a mystery to me, though, so I cut out a piece of an AAA Detroit map to the contours of the precinct and studied it intensely for the first few months. Had it down pat after that and always knew the shortest route to any run.
In those days there were ten 2-man patrol cars manned around the clock; a four man Cruiser ("The Big Four") on two shifts, a vice detail, and yokels like me, about 10 guys on each shift hoofing it. Where the hell all that manpower went to is for another time and tale.
We walked Grand River (Lodge to 14th, the other beat 14th to the Boulevard), Michigan (Lodge to 14th, and 14th to the Boulevard but it included Western Market, now the spot where I-96 crosses Michigan), and a few other bastard beats. On the day shift you sometimes had a school crossing assigned. There was one at Warren and Roosevelt where two million kids crossed, and one at 21st and Lafayette, where two kids crossed. Some difference.
Once in a while you got Fort Street; that section that goes under the Ambassador Bridge. One quickly learned that pigeons inhabited the underside. Bagley was also a good beat; the Mexican Village always took good care of the beat men for coffee and chow. There was also a theatre that featured movies in Spanish, and I tried to pick up a little. Muy pocito, but can get by if I have to.
You walked the side of the street that faced traffic, and you had the alleys on both sides. No portable radios back then....you had a telephone in a call box on your beat, and you had to call in each hour on a predetermined quarter.
You also always made sure you had a nickel in case you had to use a phone booth in an emergency.
Your job on days was to stop in and briefly visit with the merchants and businessmen on your beat; write any parking violations, and maybe a pedestrian ticket if you found someone interfering with traffic. In old No. 2, there was an occasional vagrant (as they were called then) that you would have taken to the station and to court the next morning. If they were mellow and moved along when you asked, you usually didn't go that route. Same for drunks. If you locked them up, it meant going to court in the morning, and that wasn't always too pleasant a thought. So you'd help them get across West Grand Boulevard and, bingo, he was now the problem of the Fourth or Sixth Precinct.
On nights, the job was pulling doorknobs on the business places. Every once in a while the merchant would forget to lock a door, and your adrenalin level would shoot up when it opened for you. 999 times out of a thousand, it was just an owner's oversight, but you never knew for sure.
You always talked to the kids. I remember one little black fellow, maybe six years old, on Ferry Park near 16th, asked me, "Officer, my friends told me I can't live in Dearborn. Is that true?"
What the heck do you say? I remember replying, "Son, you can live anywhere you want" with a smile, and we parted ways. Wonder if he ever made it. |
Jrvass
Member
Username: Jrvass
Post Number: 253
Registered: 01-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 10:01 pm: | |
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Karl_jr
Member
Username: Karl_jr
Post Number: 122
Registered: 06-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 10:02 pm: | |
great story Ray, early 60's timeframe? |
Ray1936
Member
Username: Ray1936
Post Number: 2073
Registered: 01-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 10:15 pm: | |
Yeah, 1959 to, oh, 1962. By '63 I was on a car. |
Stinger4me
Member
Username: Stinger4me
Post Number: 77
Registered: 08-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 11:12 pm: | |
Ray1936; Did you ever know a Tom Mulcahy, think he worked at #10 as a detective? |
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