Tag Archives: lapd

LAPD Parker Center Cop Shop Files (Updated)

Posted on April 1, 2014 by lmharnisch

In 2013, I was given a box of material that was cleaned out of the old press room at the LAPD’s Parker Center headquarters, sometimes called “the cop shop.” The box was a jumble of press releases, photographs, artists’ sketches … Continue reading →

Posted in LAPD, Parker Center Cop Shop Files | Tagged , | 4 Comments

New LAPD Chief Calls for Openness With News Media

Posted on March 27, 2014 by lmharnisch

July 1, 1949 Former Marine Maj. Gen. William A. Worton becomes Los Angeles police chief. On his way to his office with Mayor Fletcher Bowron, he visits the press room: “I cannot do this job without the press. The public … Continue reading →

Posted in 1949, LAPD | Tagged , | Comments Off on New LAPD Chief Calls for Openness With News Media

LAPD Scrapbook: Police Crime Laboratory Beats Best Exploits of Sherlock Holmes, March 10, 1946

Posted on March 22, 2014 by lmharnisch

March 10, 1946 Here’s a feature from the LAPD scrapbooks at the city archives on police chemist Ray Pinker and the LAPD crime lab, which in those days was at the old Central Police Station on 1st Street. Bloodstain pattern … Continue reading →

Posted in 1946, Crime and Courts, LAPD | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on LAPD Scrapbook: Police Crime Laboratory Beats Best Exploits of Sherlock Holmes, March 10, 1946

LAPD Scrapbook: Los Angeles Crime Down for 1948

Posted on March 21, 2014 by lmharnisch

January-February 1949 Here’s another item from the LAPD scrapbooks at the city archives: Los Angeles records a decrease in crime for 1948 compared to 1947, according to figures in the Pacific Coast International Law Enforcement News.

Posted in 1948, 1949, Crime and Courts, LAPD | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on LAPD Scrapbook: Los Angeles Crime Down for 1948

LAPD Scrapbook: Gangster Squad Abolished, Los Angeles Herald-Express, Oct. 6, 1949

Posted on March 20, 2014 by lmharnisch

Oct. 6, 1949 Here’s another item from the LAPD scrapbooks at the city archives: The police chief is William A. Worton (are you paying attention, everybody who thinks William Parker was chief in 1949? especially you, Will Beall, writer of … Continue reading →

Posted in 1949, Film, Hollywood, LAPD | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

LAPD Mourns First Latina Officer Josephine Serrano Collier

Posted on March 20, 2014 by lmharnisch

Josephine Serrano Collier, courtesy LAPD. The LAPD is honoring the memory of Officer Josephine Serrano Collier, who died last month at the age of 91 in Tucson. The LAPD says she was its first Latina officer. Here she is in … Continue reading →

Posted in 1949, Crime and Courts, Downtown, LAPD, Obituaries | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on LAPD Mourns First Latina Officer Josephine Serrano Collier

LAPD Scrapbook: Convict Describes Killing by L.A. Cop, Daily News, June 7, 1949

Posted on March 19, 2014 by lmharnisch

Here’s another front page that was saved in the LAPD scrapbooks at the city archives. This is the Daily News from June 7, 1949. Notice the bizarre byline: Will O’Wisp. I can’t recall seeing a fake byline on a news … Continue reading →

Posted in 1949, Film, Hollywood, LAPD | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

LAPD Scrapbook: June 16, 1949

Posted on March 18, 2014 by lmharnisch

I recently visited the city archives and thanks to archivist Michael Holland, I learned that the LAPD kept scrapbooks in the 1940s. Not all years are represented, unfortunately, but the department apparently subscribed to a clipping service at one point. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1949, LAPD, Libraries | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

LAPD Officer Accused of Hitting Handcuffed Prisoner, March 5, 1914

Posted on March 17, 2014 by lmharnisch

March 5, 1914: Spring training! I jumped back to 1914 to see if I could find out anything about the Police Commissions order against non-Asian women in Oriental cafes. No luck, alas, but I did find a couple of goodies. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1914, Downtown, Homicide, LAPD, Main Street, Sports | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on LAPD Officer Accused of Hitting Handcuffed Prisoner, March 5, 1914

LAPD Cracks Down on Non-Asian Women Working in ‘Oriental Cafes,’ March 10, 1914

Posted on March 13, 2014 by lmharnisch

March 10, 1914: Here’s another item I found at the city archives. Non-Asian women working at “Oriental cafes” except entertainers “does not comport with public welfare and morals.”

Posted in 1914, LAPD | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

The LAPD Adopts the Colt Police Positive and Smith & Wesson Police Special, 1914

Posted on March 12, 2014 by lmharnisch

Here’s an item from my visit to the city archives: The Police Commission approves the rule that all new LAPD officers must be provided with a Colt Police Positive or Smith & Wesson Police Special .38-caliber revolver.

Posted in 1914, LAPD | Tagged , | Comments Off on The LAPD Adopts the Colt Police Positive and Smith & Wesson Police Special, 1914

Black Dahlia: The Black Dahlia Files and Donald Wolfe

Posted on February 14, 2014 by lmharnisch

While we are on the subject of nonsense in the Black Dahlia case, the Sky Valley Chronicle posted a story yesterday based on Donald H. Wolfe’s “The Black Dahlia Files.” As many of you may know, this book is so … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Another Good Story Ruined, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Cold Cases, Donald Wolfe, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Black Dahlia: George Hodel, Soil Analysis and Sweeps Month

Posted on February 13, 2014 by lmharnisch

Look it’s an “update” on the Buster the Wonder Dog saga, via L.A. Observed. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. For those of you (that would be most of the world) who haven’t followed the saga of “Buster the Wonder … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Another Good Story Ruined, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, LAPD | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Black Dahlia: ‘I Killed the Black Dahlia’

Posted on February 7, 2014 by lmharnisch

Just when I thought I had seen every sort of lunacy that’s possible about the Black Dahlia case, I found this in my local paper yesterday. Did someone finally confess to the “grusome” murder? Look! It’s a saga of “explotation!” … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , , , , | 13 Comments

Gunman Kills LAPD Officers Endler and Monaghan, Feb. 1, 1964

Posted on February 1, 2014 by lmharnisch

Feb. 1, 1964: Police Sgt. Charles Paul Monaghan and Officer Robert M. Endler of the Wilshire Division are shot to death while investigating a man passing a bad check at the Sears store, 4550 W. Pico Blvd. He was arrested … Continue reading →

Posted in 1964, LAPD | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Gunman Kills LAPD Officers Endler and Monaghan, Feb. 1, 1964

Today is Jan. 15 — Trim Your Roses

Posted on January 15, 2014 by lmharnisch

Today is Jan. 15, and the Daily Mirror marks the anniversary of Elizabeth Short’s death by pruning back the roses.

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Today is Jan. 15 — Trim Your Roses

To Serve and to Collect — LAPD on EBay

Posted on January 11, 2014 by lmharnisch

An Ebay vendor is selling random issues of the LAPD’s Police Beat magazine from 1962 to 1967, including this issue featuring Chief William H. Parker, presumably honoring Parker after his death in 1966. Bidding starts at $16.95.

Posted in 1966, Found on EBay, LAPD | Tagged , , | Comments Off on To Serve and to Collect — LAPD on EBay

LAPD: Parker Center Cop Shop Files — Slaughter at Bob’s Big Boy, Part II

Posted on December 27, 2013 by lmharnisch

1980 was a bloody year in Los Angeles, with more than 1,000 killings for the first time in its history. For the LAPD, homicides increased 30% from 1979 to 1,038 in 1980.  The Sheriff’s Department also a reported a 7.9% … Continue reading →

Posted in 1980, Crime and Courts, Homicide, LAPD, Parker Center Cop Shop Files | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on LAPD: Parker Center Cop Shop Files — Slaughter at Bob’s Big Boy, Part II

Christmas on the Radio — Dragnet ‘.22 Rifle for Christmas’

Posted on December 21, 2013 by lmharnisch

From the radio version of “Dragnet,” Joe Friday (Jack Webb) and Ben Romero (Barton Yarborough) on the case of a missing 9-year-old boy in “.22 Rifle for Christmas.” From 1949 | From 1950 | From 1951 | From 1952 (with … Continue reading →

Posted in 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1955, LAPD, Radio | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

LAPD: Parker Center Cop Shop Files — Mystery Guest No. 1

Posted on December 18, 2013 by lmharnisch

In case you just tuned in, I was given a box of material cleaned out of the press room at Parker Center that was crammed with photos, artist sketches, press releases and some tattered maps. I have organized the material … Continue reading →

Posted in LAPD, Parker Center Cop Shop Files, Photography | Tagged , , | 4 Comments