# Boston Police in 1985



## RodneyFarva

Yes I'll take the large order of nostalgia with a side order of "back in the day"


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## USAF3424

That was awesome. I work in D and we dont even have that many officers assigned today!! 35 years later


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## kdk240

That was awesome, wish we could go back to that time. Its what's lacking today.
Imagine what the job would be like if we could.


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## EUPD377

Man if they thought courts and lawsuits were bad then, would they be surprised today!

As much as I like my MDT and P320, I wish I could go back and police in the 80’s sometimes.


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## mpd61

kdk240 said:


> That was awesome, wish we could go back to that time. Its what's lacking today.
> Imagine what the job would be like if we could.


Absolutely!!!!!
Those hairy-faced pussy cops in Brookline would be crying!


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## TacEntry

RodneyFarva said:


> Yes I'll take the large order of nostalgia with a side order of "back in the day"


That was excellent. The uniform leather jackets combined with the mustaches and mullets is just freaking badass.


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## LA Copper

I see some things haven't changed after all these years.


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## msw

EUPD377 said:


> .......As much as I like my MDT and P320, I wish I could go back and police in the 80's sometimes.


I worked patrol in South Central and Southwest Los Angeles as a Deputy and a Sergeant throughout the entire 1980's. Yes, that decade was a great time to be a cop on the street. Things went downhill after handheld camcorders became prevalent starting around 1992. (You youngsters can ask your parents about handheld camcorders, they've probably got baby videos of you on VHS-C tapes in a drawer somewhere.) The most famous camcorder video of that era was Rodney King gettin' his ass whupped by LAPD. My uniformed patrol time ended about a year after the Rodney King Riots - which most of us thoroughly enjoyed, lots of overtime $$$$ too - but that was a great era to be a street cop, at least it was in Los Angeles.


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## RodneyFarva

A little bit more!


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## LA Copper

RodneyFarva said:


> A little bit more!


I remember watching this when it was first aired "way back when." I wonder how many folks are still on the job?


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## PBC FL Cop

Not too many I'm sure!


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## msw

LA Copper said:


> I remember watching this when it was first aired "way back when." I wonder how many folks are still on the job?


COPS filmed with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Dept (for the first time) around 1990, I think it was their second (?) season. That was only 30 years ago, so there are some guys still on LASD that were there at that time. COPS initially used Deps and action from the West Hollywood Sheriff's Station, which was entertaining because of the ..... uhhh, let's just say "unique" ..... demographic. Eventually the show wanted more excitement so they came to film where I worked, at one of LASD's busiest "ghetto" stations in the unincorporated area of Southwest Los Angeles. (For the unfamiliar, that area is roughly surrounded by garden spots such as Compton, Inglewood and Watts, and was awash in gang activity in the late '80's and early 90's. Multiple gang shootings every night and we averaged 1-2 murders per week.) The units/Deputies that the film crews were assigned to were handpicked as those that the Brass thought would cause the least consternation and potential problems. Which was fine because most Deps I knew wanted no part of being on camera. So the Brass tried to pick the Golden Boys to put the film crews with. I was a Patrol Sergeant there at the time and was specifically instructed to stay away; I was definitely not one of the Golden Boy Leg Humpers. For the most part, and thankfully, I managed to stay away and off camera.  (Though I do remember they caught a back and side view of me on one caper that eventually aired; luckily, I was mostly unidentifiable, and that was the extent of my show biz career.) LA Copper, I guess technically, I am still "on the job": It's been almost 43 years since I fled Massachusetts for Los Angeles; I retired from active service 9 years ago but stayed on as a Reserve Deputy Sheriff (though no patrol work for me in a long long time..... or ever again!)


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## LA Copper

PBC FL Cop said:


> Not too many I'm sure!


You and I still are!


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## LA Copper

MSW,
I'm still here as well, although only for a little while longer. 

I remember watching the LASD episodes back then also. Our then Chief, Darryl Gates didn't allow COPS to ride with us. When he retired and Willie Williams became chief, he allowed them in. They rode with me for a month. (Like many of your guys, many of our guys didn't want them either but I didn't mind.) Out of all the good stuff we got into in that month, only one episode made it to air. The COPS show only stayed for one, maybe two seasons and they were gone.

A few years later when LAPD, Life On The Beat came around, they stayed with us for four years. A sound man from COPS jumped ship to Life On The Beat. He remembered riding with me before and he asked to ride with me again, which he did, this time as a camera guy. (We've remained friendly ever since.) I had 16 episodes make it to air, which was nice because my family back east got to see me on TV. I thought it was kind of cool that a guy from small town New England made it on TV with a big city police department like the LAPD, especially back in those days when like you said, it was crazy busy with all the gang stuff.


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## kdk240

LA Copper said:


> I remember watching this when it was first aired "way back when." I wonder how many folks are still on the job?


I remember it too. With the way things are going, I'm going for the mullet look. 
I know one of the guys I think his name is Anthony went on to be the official historian.of the bpd. Pretty cool imo.


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## kdk240

msw said:


> I worked patrol in South Central and Southwest Los Angeles as a Deputy and a Sergeant throughout the entire 1980's. Yes, that decade was a great time to be a cop on the street. Things went downhill after handheld camcorders became prevalent starting around 1992. (You youngsters can ask your parents about handheld camcorders, they've probably got baby videos of you on VHS-C tapes in a drawer somewhere.) The most famous camcorder video of that era was Rodney King gettin' his ass whupped by LAPD. My uniformed patrol time ended about a year after the Rodney King Riots - which most of us thoroughly enjoyed, lots of overtime $$$$ too - but that was a great era to be a street cop, at least it was in Los Angeles.


MSW, I have a close friend, actually former partner/fto for a short time in fact (now retired,) that did almost 20 with lasd in various areas, positions, around that same time until family forced him back here and he got picked up by my dept for a short time which is how we met when i jumped over to my current dept.
It is Funny to hear hear the same thing that your saying especially during the king riots. He Was /IS still is a wealth of knowledge and while there were differences in east coast vs west coast ways, i along with others were lucky to have bennifited from his time and experience. We all used to say, to have been a fly on the wall out there....


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## kdk240

LA Copper said:


> MSW,
> I'm still here as well, although only for a little while longer.
> 
> I remember watching the LASD episodes back then also. Our then Chief, Darryl Gates didn't allow COPS to ride with us. When he retired and Willie Williams became chief, he allowed them in. They rode with me for a month. (Like many of your guys, many of our guys didn't want them either but I didn't mind.) Out of all the good stuff we got into in that month, only one episode made it to air. The COPS show only stayed for one, maybe two seasons and they were gone.
> 
> A few years later when LAPD, Life On The Beat came around, they stayed with us for four years. A sound man from COPS jumped ship to Life On The Beat. He remembered riding with me before and he asked to ride with me again, which he did, this time as a camera guy. (We've remained friendly ever since.) I had 16 episodes make it to air, which was nice because my family back east got to see me on TV. I thought it was kind of cool that a guy from small town New England made it on TV with a big city police department like the LAPD, especially back in those days when like you said, it was crazy busy with all the gang stuff.


I think L.A. needs to post some re runs for us boys back home


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## LA Copper

KD,

The riots of '92 were quite "interesting" to say the least. I spent the first three days in south LA and geez, what a sight! It was out of control during that time, stuff I'll never forget. I have a few pictures from that time. I wish I had a digital camera then, the pictures I could have had!

As I said earlier, coming from a small town in New England to be part of that huge deal.... something I never could've dreamed of growing up in small town America.

And I do have most of those "reruns," both on VHS and DVD.


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## kdk240

LA Copper said:


> KD,
> 
> The riots of '92 were quite "interesting" to say the least. I spent the first three days in south LA and geez, what a sight! It was out of control during that time, stuff I'll never forget. I have a few pictures from that time. I wish I had a digital camera then, the pictures I could have had!
> 
> As I said earlier, coming from a small town in New England to be part of that huge deal.... something I never could've dreamed of growing up in small town America.
> 
> And I do have most of those "reruns," both on VHS and DVD.


La, i remember hearing some crazy stories as I said, from my old partner and I actually had an old flame whos brother was on your job at that time, flew your airships. And I recall how bad it was., and especially coming from here, an eye opener.

Not surprised those videos of yourself are tucked away lol.


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## LA Copper

kdk240 said:


> La, i remember hearing some crazy stories as I said, from my old partner and I actually had an old flame whos brother was on your job at that time, flew your airships. And I recall how bad it was., and especially coming from here, an eye opener.


Do you remember the brother's name by chance? I wonder if it's anyone I know/knew.

Come out to the next Meet and Greet and I'd be happy to show you the pictures I have from the riots; maybe swap some stories too.


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## msw

kdk240 said:


> MSW, I have a close friend, actually former partner/fto for a short time in fact (now retired,) that did almost 20 with lasd in various areas, positions, around that same time until family forced him back here and he got picked up by my dept ....


KDK240, PM me his name, I might know him.

This might be a bit of thread drift, but......

I believe I led the very first squad of cops that waded into the Rodney King Riots late in afternoon on April 29, 1992. We were watching it unfold at Florence & Normandie on TV, and noted that LAPD was conspicuously absent. It became obvious that it would shortly spill over into our unincorporated County area just to the south. I was just getting off a Day Shift, and asked our Captain if he wanted me to go home or stick around. He told me to stick around, suit back up and grab as many Day Shift guys as I could - before they left - and put together a tactical squad with "hats and bats" (riot gear)..... which I did. I got back into our office while he was on the phone with "downtown", getting our marching orders. When he hung up, I asked him what they wanted us to do. He shrugged his shoulders and said "go out there and take people to jail." So we did. In the County area and in the City of Los Angeles as well, as LAPD was nowhere to be seen in South L.A. the first day (or two? can't remember exactly, LA Copper might remember) of the Los Angeles Riots of 1992. Worked eight days straight, 12-16 hour days, and nights. Lots of overtime $$$$. Oh the stories I could tell, fun times. My generation of Deputies "grew up" hearing the tales of the Watts Riots of 1965 and the East L.A. Riot of 1970 from the older guys on our Department. Some may not understand this sentiment, but: We felt we were very fortunate to have our own riot to participate in. (Because quite a few of our Deps were held in reserve at various staging areas, and never actually got deployed; they missed the whole thing!) Wish I'd taken more pictures though, I have very few from those days.


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## USAF3424

A7 still looks exactly the same as it did in that episode of cops. Funny they were using “alpha” call signs. Eastie is “gold” now. Robert anthony is a great guy.


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## RodneyFarva

msw said:


> "go out there and take people to jail."


Like Oprah handing out cars "you get a disorderly, and you get a disorderly!"


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## PBC FL Cop

LA Copper said:


> You and I still are!


Yes we are brother and still loving it


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## Bloodhound

LA Copper said:


> And I do have most of those "reruns," both on VHS and DVD.


Where you at?

LAPD life on the beat - YouTube


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## kdk240

LA Copper said:


> Do you remember the brother's name by chance? I wonder if it's anyone I know/knew.
> 
> Come out to the next Meet and Greet and I'd be happy to show you the pictures I have from the riots; maybe swap some stories too.


I ll pm you.


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## LA Copper

Bloodhound said:


> Where you at?
> LAPD life on the beat - YouTube


Good find! I'm actually in one of those on that list.


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## Kilvinsky

LA Copper said:


> You and I still are!


I was into my 7th year of my career (ok, first two, Auxiliary/Special) and still have 2-5 years left. This is the problem with A) starting young; B) working for a PRIVATE University...though I started at a Public one.

I was tickled pink to see a gentleman who would later join my department and hear the name of another. I was also tickled pink to see "NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY POLICE" clearly shown towards the end. It was nice they didn't ignore/gloss over the boys at NU even if they were NOT a focal point of the story, and all things considered, it WAS BPD, but just showing the cruiser was nice.

I'm choked up right now. So many GOOD years became so many LOUSY ones.

We asked COPS if they wanted to ride with us. The laughter didn't stop until 1997. The the show CAMPUS COPS came along and out agency didn't want them around, too embarrassing for the students, and GOD KNOWS, it would.


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## mpd61

Kilvinsky said:


> I was into my 7th year of my career (ok, first two, Auxiliary/Special) and still have 2-5 years left. This is the problem with A) starting young; B) working for a PRIVATE University...though I started at a Public one.
> I'm choked up right now. So many GOOD years became so many LOUSY ones.
> We asked COPS if they wanted to ride with us. The laughter didn't stop until 1997. The the show CAMPUS COPS came along and out agency didn't want them around, too embarrassing for the students, and GOD KNOWS, it would.


Jim,
I feel your pain, While you guys were keeping it real in Boston then, I was going toe-to-toe with the Rooskies in the North Atlantic. Finally jumped nto the game in 89, but now that seems like forever ago..........Yup, Hollis Mason my friend!


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## USAF286

That was a great video..thanks for sharing that. Why did Boston get rid of the leather? Was it too scary for people to handle?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## EUPD377

Kilvinsky said:


> I was into my 7th year of my career (ok, first two, Auxiliary/Special) and still have 2-5 years left. This is the problem with A) starting young; B) working for a PRIVATE University...though I started at a Public one.
> 
> I was tickled pink to see a gentleman who would later join my department and hear the name of another. I was also tickled pink to see "NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY POLICE" clearly shown towards the end. It was nice they didn't ignore/gloss over the boys at NU even if they were NOT a focal point of the story, and all things considered, it WAS BPD, but just showing the cruiser was nice.
> 
> I'm choked up right now. So many GOOD years became so many LOUSY ones.
> 
> We asked COPS if they wanted to ride with us. The laughter didn't stop until 1997. The the show CAMPUS COPS came along and out agency didn't want them around, too embarrassing for the students, and GOD KNOWS, it would.


A couple friends of mine were on Campus PD when they filmed at University of North Carolina Greensboro. It was embarrassing for at least a few of their students, but only the ones who deserved it.


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## USAF3424

USAF286 said:


> That was a great video..thanks for sharing that. Why did Boston get rid of the leather? Was it too scary for people to handle?
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


my father came on in 83. He gave me his, the things still in great shape!


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## PBC FL Cop

USAF3424 said:


> my father came on in 83. He gave me his, the things still in great shape!


Leather lasts forever!!


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## kdk240

PBC FL Cop said:


> Leather lasts forever!!


We can still wear them. My towns Chief made sure of that but they are $$.


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## trueblue

USAF286 said:


> That was a great video..thanks for sharing that. Why did Boston get rid of the leather? Was it too scary for people to handle?
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Bratton became the Commissioner and he got rid of them.


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## PBC FL Cop

kdk240 said:


> We can still wear them. My towns Chief made sure of that but they are $$.


We get ours through a place in NC and they are comparable in cost to cruiser jackets.


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## LA Copper

PBC FL Cop said:


> We get ours through a place in NC and they are comparable in cost to cruiser jackets.


You have me curious, what is a cruiser jacket?


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## RodneyFarva

LA Copper said:


> You have me curious, what is a cruiser jacket?


Short cut jacket "Ike style jacket" you can tuck it in to your belt line and still get to your duty belt holster ect.
Blauer Ike-Length Gore-Tex Jacket | 9915Z


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## LA Copper

RodneyFarva said:


> Short cut jacket "Ike style jacket" you can tuck it in to your belt line and still get to your duty belt holster ect.
> Blauer Ike-Length Gore-Tex Jacket | 9915Z


Oh, gotcha. We have jackets similar to those but we just call them jackets. I've not heard the term, cruiser jacket. Thanks for the info.


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## EUPD377

PBC FL Cop said:


> We get ours through a place in NC and they are comparable in cost to cruiser jackets.


I'd guess probably the same place we get ours from in that case. I don't get a ton of opportunities to wear it working in N.C., but I love it when I do get to throw it on. From what I've been told our department actually pays a dollar or two more each for our regular reversible winter jackets.


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## Kilvinsky

We were given a choice. The one hardly anyone liked was chosen. They are NOT warm and who in GOD'S name thought using mesh for a jacket pocket was a good idea? I'd like to wrap them in mesh and toss 'em in the ocean.

The sgt. who was 'in charge' of getting the jackets (though people above him I'm sure made the final decision) was asked one November day at a football game if the new jacket was nice and toasty. Not a bad guy, really, but when he shivered and said he was freezing. Those of us on scene got one hell of a feeling of satisfaction from his response. I miss my leather. I still have it, but, now it's only for sentimental reasons. I can't bring myself to part with it.


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