Remember When---->

[OldShooter32]

Siren button was on the floor by the high beam switch.
No portables.
Helmets. Mandatory wear outside the car.
Clamshell holsters. Maybe a cross draw if you were crusty.
Natural wood baton with a white rubber grommet.
Shooting skunks and possums with no paper.
Scrambler on the radio for "secret" calls -- and you had to scramble back to the car when you were out goofing off with the PA on (no portable, remember?)
Call boxes.

[SVT-40]

No body armor... Back when a uniform was actually comfortable!!!





Cops had hair, and Fu Manchu's

[SVT-40]

Using the old "Dial A Drunk" breathalyzer which used glass ampules of acid you had to break the top off of....

[retired]

Some of you guys are really old timers. I recall the sap as our issued one was a thin, spring loaded piece of you know what. 3D cell plastic flashlight (the dept. refused to take it back when I retired, so it's on a closet shelf.

No portable radios until late 1989, so in addition to turning the outside speaker on, I bought a Radio Shack scanner (huge thing) and carried that on my epaulet.

1976 Chevy Nova when I was in the academy. Shotgun carried horizontally in front of the front bench seat (until a horrific incident occurred).

Yup on paper logs and Thomas Guides. A styrofoam coffee cup placed over the map light to lessen shadows/silhouette and sometimes the bulb was red

LtJim, after reading your list, I'm wondering; were you working when Broderick Crawford was in "Highway Patrol" as Chief Dan Matthews.

[CBR_rider]

Some of you must be old, like, at least 50!

[veeklog]

Started in late 1990's, so here is my list:

(1) pagers
(2) Thomas Guides
(3) portable cell phone in a bag
(4) calling cards for pay phone
(5) floppy disks for reports
(6) carbon paper for type writers
(7) portable radios the size of a large brick
(8) nun chucks
(9) trainees that actually shut up and listened; didn'thave a sense of entitlement
(10) no video taping of interviews
(11) going out with your partners after work for beers
(12) managers that actually cared for their troops
(13) supervisors who would rather ask for forgiveness than permission
(14) supervisors actually asking journeyman for advice and taking it!

[LtJim]

Oh the memories that this has brought back!!!
Great Input folks----
Gotta love the Pictures that have been posted as well!!!

Remington type writers for reports? YUP! Department too cheap to buy IBM Selectrics with the self correcting button. The only contact we had with those was when we were taking the window smash commercial 459 reports, and those were the items taken.

Officers with hair! Yes! The only egg heads with no facial hair were fresh out of the academy.

Cigar and Cigarette smoke was common throughout the station.

How about those hard plastic chairs with no cushions you had to sit in while attending briefing? The only thing they were good for is the reverberating sound effects that they were able to produce after an El Tepyac Hollenbeck Special Burrito.

All probationary Officers made coffee before briefing and always sat in the first row.

When we were officers and the Sgt or Lt. told us to do something, the ONLY thing out of our mouths was 'Yes Sir" -
Never ---"Why?" or "How about------?"

When the entire briefing room was full of Veterans and had actually seen real combat.

Going to Choir Practice

Spraying Mace in the A/C Vents of a Patrol car and watching as the officer checks out his car and gets a face full!!!

Remembering the actual first day you saw a Female Patrol Officer attend briefing. (And then testing out that hard plastic briefing chair!!!!!)

And yes---I do remember Broderick Crawford!!!! 10-4 10-4!!! And his subordinate, William Boyett, prior to him becoming Sgt "Mac" McDonald on Adam-12

Keep the memories coming folks!!!

[gunner336]

old days

O yes, old Manny at El Tepeyac. Will never forget newbies trying to eat the Hollenbeck special.
Memories of pay days at the academy bar and the rock garden.

Could qualify at the range and then get dinner and drinks next doors

[gunner336]

old days

Forgot the old safety speed clam shell holsters. I still have mine and the 6" K .38

[KD714]

O yes, old Manny at El Tepeyac. Will never forget newbies trying to eat the Hollenbeck special.
Memories of pay days at the academy bar and the rock garden.

Could qualify at the range and then get dinner and drinks next doors

Sh!# brother you just took me back to the good old days.

Remember The Short Stop?

[IlDuche]

Still carry a wood straight stick with rubber grommet. Actually looks like the one in that photo above.

[The War Wagon]

Cops had hair, and Fu Manchu's

They still DO... in Reno!

[Spyder]

NO handheld radio, so, I had to have a outside speaker on for the radio when I leave the radio car.

I'd prefer that to the POS handheld I carry today!

[WyattandDoc]

Some of you must be old, like, at least 50!

If I ever find out who you are, I'm assigning you to a foot beat with a fixed post!!! LMFAO!!!

[LtJim]

Clamshell, Hoyt or Bianchi Breakfront ? Take your Pick--->

Colt Python Or Smith Model 19