Editor’s Note: In PoliceOne “First Person” essays, our Members and Columnists candidly share their own unique view of the world. This is a platform from which individual officers can share their own personal insights on issues confronting cops today, as well as opinions, observations, and advice on living life behind the thin blue line. This week’s essay comes from PoliceOne Member Gary Kong, a retired cop on the West Coast. Do you want to share your own perspective with other P1 Members? Send us an e-mail with your story.
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By Lt. Gary Kong
Most everyone knew this man as a sergeant with the Los Angeles Police Department who was assigned to the detective division. He worked in robbery-homicide, vice crimes, juvenile, narcotics, internal affairs, public information, etc. throughout his career. He attained the rank of Lieutenant, but his fame came as a Sergeant.
At his funeral, he received full LAPD honors, including flags flown at half mast at police headquarters and his badge number was retired, and is now on display at the academy.
However, this cop never graduated from the LAPD academy, never worked the mean streets of L.A. in a black and white, and in reality was never a real police officer.
His name was John Randolph “Jack” Webb, but America remembers him as Sgt. Joe Friday, LAPD badge number 714. He was a “Cop On Screen” in the classic show Dragnet.
Sgt. Joseph “Joe” Friday was a fictional police officer in books, on radio, in the movies and on television. Joe was an average guy doing an anything but average job. He was no-nonsense and was famous for his monotone admonitions and interrogations. His monologue to a rookie cop under investigation became known within police circles as the “What is a Cop?” speech (or, simply, “The Speech”).
In that speech he closes with, “…there are over 5,000 men in this city who know that being a policeman is an endless, glamourless, thankless job that’s gotta’ be done. I know it, too, and I’m damn glad to be one of them.”
He was a straight-arrow, by the book cop. You didn’t see him laugh out loud if he was happy or pleased; the most you’d see is a smirk of satisfaction. He was tough but compassionate, and he dedicated his life to protecting the people of Los Angeles, California.
Jack Webb used actual LAPD crime reports for his storylines. He insisted on realism down to the recreation of the police offices and interrogation rooms, complete with accurate desks, phones, chairs, wall material, etc.
His relationship with the LAPD afforded him access rarely given to studios. His production company was called Mark VII Production. Each episode started simply with four musical notes (dum- da-DUM-DUM) which led into the musical “Dragnet March” opening theme.
The LAPD officially assisted Webb with Dragnet and later with the show about the patrol division, Adam 12. A technical advisor from the LAPD was always on hand to help assure accuracy in the equipment, scripts, and the portrayal of the LAPD. This worked two ways as the show maintained technical accuracy and the LAPD could see that it was portrayed realistically.
In addition to helping the studio’s prop department create accurate representations of police facilities, police cars, uniforms, duty belts, and other “set decorations,” the department provided actual LAPD badges and ID cards to the actors. It was as if Jack Webb and his cast members were sworn in and issued their badges and IDs.
Webb, himself, wore the attire and equipment typically worn by real LAPD detectives. In the original movies and older television series, he wore a suit and hat (LAPD detectives were once called the “Hat Squad”) and in the later TV series he was hatless and often had his suit/sport coat off to reveal a traditional crisp white shirt and tie.
His gun was a Smith and Wesson .38 snubnose revolver carried in a brown leather clip-on holster made by the little leather shop down the street from “Parker Center” (police HQ) as well as a matching looped ammo carrier. Cuffs were simply tucked over his belt. Dragnet preceded the era of semi-autos and portable communication radios.
Rarely do screen portrayals of police departments or police officers reach the level of realism Jack Webb demanded of his shows. Most real cops can watch a cop movie or TV show and point out the many, many inaccuracies in equipment, procedures, or dialog.
Real cops know that most female officers don’t look like Heather Locklear and wear short skirts and heels in uniform and that hands-on takedowns are not as easy as Chuck Norris makes it look. They also know it’s unrealistic to shoot guns out of bad guys’ hands, to fling a PR24 side-handle baton down the street to trip up a fleeing suspect or to drive Code-3 through narrow alleys steering with one hand and using the radio with the other.
Real cops owe the late Jack Webb, Sgt. Joe Friday, a debt of gratitude for portraying police officers in a realistic and positive manner, depicting them not only as dedicated peace officers but also as human beings.
