Original subtitles

This is the city.

Los Angeles, California.

The outdoors play a big part in our lives.

It's boating weather almost 12 months a year

and people have really taken to the sport.

The ocean provides the playground.

In 1962, the city began building the Marina Del Rey.

It already has berths for 6000 boats.

There are five yacht clubs,

seven restaurants, two motels, and a hotel.

If you want to live by your boat,

there are numerous apartment complexes on the water with convenient shopping.

There are also facilities for the day sailor.

On weekends, you can see hundreds of power and sailboats of all sizes

moving through the man-made inlet.

It's a good healthy way to enjoy life.

Some people like living dangerously.

When they hurt others, I go to work.

I carry a badge.

The story you're about to see is true.

The names have been changed to protect the innocent.

It was Monday, July 15th.

It was fair in Los Angeles.

We were working out of Community Relations Division as recruiting officers.

The boss is Captain Larry Walton.

My partner is Bill Gannon.

My name is Friday.

It was 8:30 p.m.

We were attending a meeting of the East Los Angeles Graduates Union.

Its purpose, to help high school graduates find the right career.

Our purpose, to try and interest them in law enforcement.

How'd things go with the East LA graduates?

Well, they're interested but the idea of a police career meets a lot of resistance.

Especially among the ethnic groups.

It's understandable, to some were asking them to join the establishment.

The other side.

Well intellectually, most of them know it's really their side as well,

instinctively, that's another matter.

A lot of them are worried too about what their friends would say if they joined.

I don't need to tell you how badly the department wants and needs recruits,

- particularly from the ethnic groups. - No, sir.

We want more Mexican Americans, more Orientals, and more Negros.

Well, we're going to talk to them again.

Talk may not be enough. Find a way to reach them.

Well, I think we have. Officer Dave Evans, he is working patrol.

They know him and they like him.

He is sort of a hero to them, all-star athlete in the city school system,

played for the Pittsburgh Stealers for a while.

I like to ask him to come with us next time.

- Good idea. Go ahead. - Yes sir.

But if that doesn't work, find something that will.

Those fellows are more important than they know.

How is that?

If they join, others will follow.

4:05 p.m.

Bill and I had spent the afternoon talking to some servicemen

who were due for discharge about joining the department.

We drove back to the police building.

We wanted to talk to Officer Dave Evans as he came off day watch.

We met him in the locker room in the basement of the police building.

Sarge. Bill.

- Dave. - How is it going?

Routine, you know, family dispute, traffic defense, a couple of hot rollers.

We heard you had a 211 yesterday?

Liquor store. They parked the car in the alley.

Panicked when the delivery truck blocked their exit.

They tried to make it on foot.

That's when we got there.

They ran right into us.

You forgot to mention they were armed.

Yeah but they didn't use them.

We heard you knew one of them.

Grew up in the same neighborhood.

Never thought I have to bust him.

Shame he didn't do what you did years ago.

- What's that? - Join the department.

He wasn't interested.

He might have been if somebody had talked to him.

You're both recruiting detail, aren't you?

You're after something.

Well, you've heard of the East LA Graduates Union.

Yeah, they meet in high school or after, don't they?

It's a vocational guidance kind of thing.

They bring in people to talk about job

opportunities to kids who have already graduated.

That's right. We've been meeting with them.

I heard that. I know some of those kids.

Uh-huh. That's why we'd like you to give us a hand by speaking to them.

Me? Oh, come on, Sarge. I'm no public speaker.

You won't have to make a speech. Joe does that. You'll just answer questions.

Level with them. Tell it like it is.

Some of them have just been bumming around since they left school,

you know, working at odd jobs, getting nowhere.

We tried talking to them but we can't seem to reach them.

They'd listen to you, Dave.

Look, fellows. I'm a patrolman. I like to help but you know.

You could make a big difference.

We'd appreciate it if you would.

I don't know.

More important, they might appreciate it in the long run.

How is that?

Everyone you help straighten out now, you might not have to handcuff later on.

Monday, July 22nd, 8:40 p.m.

We attended the weekly meeting of the East LA Graduates Union.

As arranged, Bill and I were there to tell them more about a police career.

The word had gotten around that this time Officer Dave Evans would be there with us.

A would-be recruit has to pass five exams to join the department.

Written exam, oral, medical, a personality evaluation test, and an agility test.

Now, if he passes all five, he then enters the

police academy where he alternates periods of

actual field work with sessions dealing with such things as patrol tactics,

law, self-defense, the use of firearms, and so on.

Then after he has been a policeman for one year, he can specialize if he wants to.

Now, there are more than 250 job opportunities

in the department, and if you qualify,

you can apply for any one of them.

Forgery, homicide, motorcycle patrol, narcotics,

scientific investigation, and a great many others.

Now, one more thing, why you should join.

I won't talk about the contribution you'd make to society as a policeman.

I won't mention the satisfaction you'd receive

helping your fellow men of being a vital,

important, active member of your community.

Maybe those things are important to you. Maybe they're not.

That's for you to decide.

But if you are interested in a job of the

future that's exciting and far from routine,

a career that offers unlimited opportunities

as well as guaranteed security,

I sincerely suggest you consider joining the department.

Now, since you men probably have a lot of questions,

I want to ask Officer Dave Evans here to answer them for you.

Dave?

This is something new for me.

Most of the time I ask the questions like "where is your driver's license"

or "what are you doing with those cigarette papers."

All right, who's got the first question?

Me, man. I got a real good one for you.

How much bread do you Irvines make?

What kind of money?

Well, as soon as a recruit enters the police

academy, he starts at 715 a month and gets

an automatic raise for the next three years,

and then he is eligible to take the promotional exam.

Hey, man. Some of those big factories pay more than that to start, don't they?

That's right. Sometimes they do.

And that's one of the reasons we have trouble getting recruits.

But if all you're interested in is money, we don't want you anyway.

We're offering you a career, not just a job.

What about those amendments that were just passed by the people?

You know, Proposition A?

I thought some of that money they go to the police department meant higher wages.

Not the money from Proposition A.

That goes for better facilities, better equipment, better working conditions.

But under the other propositions the public passed at the same time, yes, it's true.

We get paid for overtime.

Hey, man. Just like they do in those factories.

Will you tell us again some of the qualifications we need to join?

Well, you've got to be a high school graduate

and you've got to pass the department's exams.

I got a question. Are the exams tough?

They aren't easy, but all of you here are to

be able to pass them, and if you were in the

upper quarter of your class in school, you won't have any trouble at all.

I got a real serious question for you this time.

All right.

If I joined the fuzz, does that mean I dodge the draft?

No, it does not.

You got to serve your time like anybody else.

You don't get any special privileges being a policeman.

Man, you ain't got nothing going for you at all, have you?

I've got a question. Could you tell us why you became a policeman?

Why? Well, there are a couple of reasons.

First of all, I always liked the idea, even as a kid.

Later on, when I started thinking what I was going to do with my life,

well, this might sound a little phony, but I wanted to do something for my country.

I remember when we studied civics in school.

They told us the police department was a local arm of the government,

and that's just what it is.

The laws may be made in the state capital or decisions handed down by the

Supreme Court, but as a police officer who

sees to it that those laws have real meaning,

some real use. I figured that was just about

as important a job as a man could have.

And there was another reason I became a policeman too.

I wanted to do something for my own people.

And I figured if I was a part of the law, I could do that as well.

And I'll tell you something else.

Some of our people talk about white man's law.

There is no such thing.

Not when black men like you and me wear this uniform.

It's everybody's law.

What about all those jobs Sergeant Friday mentioned?

Which one would be best for a Negro?

Any one of them.

If you got the qualifications, you can apply for whichever one you want.

There's no segregation or favoritism in the department.

Does that mean I have as much chance of getting promoted as a white man?

That's just what it means.

Promotions are based on results of exams,

and your chances of getting good grades are as good as anybody's.

Hey, I got a question for you, Officer.

If all that equal opportunity jazz is true, how come you're only a patrolman

and he's a sergeant?

If you're as smart as you act, you would know it's because he has been a policeman

a lot longer than I have.

You expect us to believe that, do you?

I do, yes, because it's true.

That's what you say, Uncle Tom.

That's exactly what I say and that's what I

expect you to believe. And I'll tell you why.

Because even now, when we have only around

250 Negros in the department, 24 are sergeants

and 5 are lieutenants, if you don't think that's

enough, you can drag off that chair and do

something about it right now.

Yeah and what is that?

Join the department.

Tuesday, July 23rd, 8:30 a.m.

I checked in with Lieutenant Ed Henry

and reported the progress of the previous evening's meeting.

Then he was able to reach them?

- He was. - Good.

There were a few rough moments but he handled them just right.

What happened, hecklers?

That's right, one in particular. He did everything he could to throw Evans.

- His name is Alec Harper. - What about the others?

They know he was leveling with them. They like him and they trust him.

- Then they'll follow his lead. - Good chance.

What's your next move?

Well, I thought I'd give them the rest of the week to digest what they've learned.

All right, but don't let them lose interest.

You don't have to worry about that. We'll hear from him.

That's fine.

I'm afraid we'll hear from Alec Harper too.

Friday, July 26th, 8:30 a.m.

Bill and I checked in for work.

We were scheduled to discuss our recruiting

program with the Junior Chamber of Commerce that

morning so I cleaned up some paperwork before we left.

- Joe, when were you born? - April 2nd, why?

- Astrology. - Astrology?

You know, the zodiac, horoscopes, mystic powers, and celestial bodies.

Boy, there's some real good stuff in here.

Sure, there must be.

Ah, April 2nd, Aries, sign of the old ram.

Mars favors Uranus. Jupiter moves in on Leo.

Boy, look at that.

- Joe, you know what? - No, what?

This is your lucky day.

Listen to this.

Wise investments would pay large dividends. Think of that.

Decisions made today will invariably prove wise. Think of that.

Influence at its zenith.

Do you realize what that means, Joe?

- What what means? - Influence at its zenith.

Come on, come on, we got to work to do.

See, you influenced me already.

Three days had passed since our second meeting

with the East LA Graduates Union.

It was time for a follow-up.

We decided to check back with one of the young men who was at the last meeting.

He worked at a neighborhood car wash.

Hi, Sarge. What's the matter?

Doesn't the LAPD polish its own cars?

You do a nice job. I'll have to bring my own car in here.

Better make it soon. This is just a fill-in job.

I'm looking for something better.

Well, the other night, you seemed interested in joining the department.

Yeah, some of us were interested for a while.

What do you mean for a while?

We thought about it a lot. We figured if it

was okay for Dave Evans, it was okay for us.

- Yeah. - We figured he'd level with us.

- No come on, straight stuff, you know. - That's right.

So we're all set to take your exams.

- That was before. - Before what?

Before we found out Dave was just trying to sell us a bill of goods.

- How is that? - Oh, come on, you know.

- Tell us. - Come on. The word's out.

What word?

Dave Evans, he turned in his resignation.

2 p.m.

We checked with the watch commander.

He told us Dave Evans was on night watch.

That meant he was off duty now.

We drove over to his home to see him.

Dave will be out in a minute, Sergeant.

He is just getting ready for work.

I'm sorry it's so dark in here, but it seemed

silly to have the lights on in the daytime.

Yeah, we understand.

Those boys must have thrown a thousand rocks at the windows.

The insurance company was supposed to send somebody over to repair them.

- He still hasn't come. - Could you identify any of the boys?

Not really. That's what the sergeant who investigated asked me.

They looked like some who live in the neighborhood, but I couldn't be sure.

I stayed away from the windows.

There was glass everywhere.

- Do you know why they did it? - Oh, we know all right.

- We knew the last time too. - What's that?

Dave's a policeman.

Hello, Sarge, Bill.

Excuse me. I've got to pack Dave's lunch.

Dave, are you quitting the job?

That's right. The kids who did that were black like me.

- Is that why you're resigning? - One of the reasons.

You could move to a different neighborhood.

We've been living here to save so we could do just that,

but even buying our own home isn't the answer.

Maybe they wouldn't throw stones on another

neighborhood, but there will still be somebody on

the block who would think of me as a traitor to my own kind.

Well, you should be used to people like that by now.

There are some things you never get used to.

The first hundred times somebody has threatened to get even with me, I worried.

After that, I took it for granted.

- All right, that's you, not me. - It's all of us.

Joe, Bill, look.

I know why you're here and I appreciate it, but no sale.

You said the broken windows were just part of the reason. What's the rest?

All right, I'll tell you.

I'm tired of all the insults I have to take.

Oh, not the ordinary kind that every man in the department gets.

That's something I can handle like you two do.

I mean the other kind you don't get.

The Uncle Tom, the whitey's boy remarks?

That's it but still only part.

How do you mean?

I get if from the whites as well.

- More than we do. - Maybe. Maybe not.

But don't you see, I get it from both sides.

Dave, no one ever told you it was easy.

I don't expect it to be easy, but a man should

be able to feel his work means something.

Yours does.

No, a policeman should be able to feel he is

an asset to his community, black or white.

But as it is, neither has as much respect for me as they would if I were white.

Oh, come on, Dave.

Give me an example, just one, when I've really been an asset.

The whites resent me for being a policeman.

My own people treat me like a traitor.

What about last week when you and McKenzie

stopped two motorists from fighting after a traffic accident?

What about it?

The Negro motorist wouldn't even listen to McKenzie but he talked to you.

Sure. He figured I'd side with him, and he cursed me when I wouldn't.

Did you hear that too?

And what about the other day, that family dispute, the Negro husband and wife?

As soon as she saw me, she wouldn't even speak to me, only to McKenzie.

She figured I'd side with her husband.

Well, that's human nature.

Right, that's what eating at me.

Dave, there were a dozen Negros at that Graduates Union meeting last Monday.

Only one of them gave you a rough time. The rest were ready to follow your advice.

They're not now.

I'm sorry about that, but it can't be helped.

Well, I guess we can't change your mind.

- Sure you can. It's easy. - How is that?

Give me one example, just one. That's all I want.

What's that?

Tell me when I was really appreciated, either by your people or by my own.

4:05 p.m.

I checked in with the lieutenant to report our progress

and to make a suggestion about Dave Evans.

How's the stand, Joe?

A lot of those boys were going to follow

Dave's lead. Now, I'm afraid we've lost them.

It looks like we've lost him too.

Yes, sir. That's right.

Anyone of the fellows change their minds again?

Not without making Dave change his.

Then that's what we've got to do.

Bill and I talked to him for almost an hour.

I know, but we need those recruits.

Not only that. We need Evans.

He completes his fourth year in the department next month.

That means he could take the sergeant's exams.

That's right.

He'd make a good sergeant, wouldn't he?

He couldn't have forgotten.

He hasn't. I saw him when he came in for night watch.

He says he's not interested.

He is depressed, discouraged.

We all get fed up once in a while, but he is overreacting.

It's been building up for some time now.

Those broken windows just triggered it.

I figured it's something he's got to work out for himself and he needs time for that.

- A leave of absence might help. - It's no good, Joe.

Well, the captain would go for it.

He would but Evans won't. I already suggested it to him.

He'll have to think of something else and soon.

Yes, sir.

Before those fellows lose interest.

You know, Joe it says in here that stars exert an influence over our lives

that science has completely ignored for centuries.

Does it say why it has ignored it for so long?

Oh, I haven't gotten to that yet. Have a candy bar.

- No, thanks. - Go ahead. You look hungry.

- I'm not. - Yes, you are.

But Joe, I've got to pull on the lever.

Well, sir, what do you think of astrology now?

Your horoscope is right all the way, wasn't it?

- Was it? - Well, sure.

It said wise investments will play large dividends.

5:20 p.m.

Bill and I were scheduled to talk about recruiting

to a citizens civic committee that evening.

Since the meeting wasn't until 9, we decided to have an early dinner.

We headed for a restaurant a block away from the meeting place.

Any unit in the vicinity of the 800 Block Grand Avenue.

Citizen reports an officer in need of assistance.

- We're two blocks away. - All right, lean on it.

All right. Just break it up!

Break it up!

All right. That's enough of that.

- Dave Evans. - Wait! Just hold it.

Do you think we ought to give him a hand?

We're right here if he needs us.

- Now, both of you just cool it. - Officer, my name is Rogers. I own this store.

I tried to stop them. They wouldn't listen to me.

Yes, sir. Cover the front door, would you please, sir?

And keep everybody out.

Now, all of you in here just keep it down! Keep it quiet!

You men, you can't stay here. You've got to go back outside.

- We're police officers, sir. - Good, good.

I'm the one who phoned for more help.

One policeman isn't enough.

You've got to help him. Those kids could smash my showcases, break my merchandise.

They could start a riot and I've got this store next door.

I had my last place looted. You can't let that happen to this one.

What are you standing here for? You ought to

be over there, helping that other officer.

And you ought to call more men, a dozen at least.

This place is a powder gig.

A dozen men could light the fuse. Even three of us might.

There are times when one man is enough.

Especially when it's the right man.

- I'm just asking. - Hey! Lay off, fuzz.

Yeah, butt out. This is none of your business.

I'm making it my business and you people were told to quiet down. Now, get quiet.

- Whitey had it coming to him? - What did I tell you?

Oh, okay, man. Okay.

- Now, what started the fight? - He started it, man.

I was minding my business when he started acting like I was dirt, just dirt.

- I didn't do a thing to him. - He told me to get out of his way.

Well, this is a public place.

I got as much right and that's what I told

him and that's when he started slugging me.

Alec Harper, that's a lie, an out and out lie.

You started it like you always do and I'm sick

and tired of it, sick and tired, do you hear?

Miss, if you saw what happened, suppose you tell me.

Oh, you bet I will.

I needed some flowers for my sister's birthday

so I came in here to buy some with him,

and then I saw him.

We're in some of the same classes in school.

His girlfriend is one of my best girlfriends so I said hi. Just hi.

And right away, he got so crazy mad, he jumped on him.

You shut up! You shut up now!

Alec Harper, I'm through with you! I'm through for good this time!

It seems to me what we've got here is a fellow who doesn't know how to get along

with the girls.

What's the matter, Alec?

Didn't your father ever tell you you have to use honey to hang on to one?

My dad taught me something I've always remembered.

You don't yell at a woman till you get married,

then you got to yell to make yourself heard.

What do you think I should do with these two, let them go?

You do that and he's got a lot of fast talking to do in a hurry.

All right, son, you can go.

All right, you can go too. But take this with you.

Next time, you won't only lose your girl.

You'll have me to worry about too. You understand that, son?

- Yes, sir. I do. - Good. Go on. Get after her. And good luck.

All right, everybody, there's nothing more to see.

Everybody move along unless you have business in the store.

Joe, Bill, what are you doing here?

Watching a pretty good policeman at work.

- That's right. - Officer, I want your badge number.

- What's your badge number? - It's right here, 4868.

I got to thank you, really thank you.

A year ago, my store was smashed by a fight like that.

Only then, there was no policeman like you around.

I can't tell you how much I appreciate what you just did.

I really appreciate it.

The way you stopped that fight, the way you handled that crowd.

I'm going to write your captain. I'm going to tell him how thankful we are.

No, sir. That's really not necessary.

It's necessary to us.

Now, that badge number was 4868, wasn't it?

Yes, that's what it was.

Dave, remember those examples you wanted a couple of hours ago?

Yeah.

You got a couple of good ones right here, Evans.

I guess I have.

Say, we've got to have your captain's name.

We're going to address this letter to him personally.

And everybody in the neighborhood is going to sign it.

- That's really not necessary. - Oh, yes, it is.

It is to us.

Come right along.

- Pretty smart, aren't you? - How is that?

- Letting Dave handle that fight alone, a wise decision, Joe. - If you say so.

You'll have to admit now there's a lot more to astrology than you thought.

What do you mean?

- Well, your horoscope, remember what it said? - Huh?

Decisions made today will invariably prove wise.

The story you have just seen is true.

The names were changed to protect the innocent.

90% of the applicants passed the examinations

and went on to the police academy.

They are now serving as officers of the Los Angeles Police Department.