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#1 EwingFTW

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Posted 01 May 2009 - 11:01 PM

The Fort Worth Police Department was founded in 1873.
In 2006 several interested regular and retired Officers formed the Fort Worth Police Historical Association.

April 25th, 2009 the Association held its 3rd Open House at the Fire and Police Training Center.

Here are a few pictures and at the end is a link to all the pictures. The photographer was former Reserve Officer Jim Crocker, an active member of the Association


Good Guys and Bad Guys


Our New Chief Jeff Halstead and the FWPD First Lady


The theme of this year's Open House was Communications. Look at the old pre-9-1-1 gear.


More Good and Bad Guys


One of the 12 K-9 Officers.


Now, I invite you to click on the link below and see all the pictures from the Open House - SWAT, Air 1, MedStar Mounted Patrol, CareFlite, PD Mouted Patrol and on and on.

Visit My Website






#2 cajunmike

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Posted 02 May 2009 - 03:47 AM

Your first photo of the good and bad guys, show a officer in the light blue uniform. When I moved to Fort Worth in 1966 , I remember the officers in light blue and using the Black and White patrol cars, and if I remember correctly a tan or kakhi type uniform and then gold colored patrol cars and then back to the white cars.
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#3 EwingFTW

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Posted 02 May 2009 - 12:08 PM

QUOTE (cajunmike @ May 2 2009, 04:47 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Your first photo of the good and bad guys, show a officer in the light blue uniform. When I moved to Fort Worth in 1966 , I remember the officers in light blue and using the Black and White patrol cars, and if I remember correctly a tan or kakhi type uniform and then gold colored patrol cars and then back to the white cars.


The French blue shirts, Blue-grey pants and hats (Supervisors and Officers wore white hats) were worn from about late 1962 until 1976.

#4 Brian Luenser

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Posted 02 May 2009 - 09:27 PM

Fun post EwingFTW. If you have any old police photo's let them roll! Thanks.
www.fortworthview.com

#5 Papaw

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Posted 03 May 2009 - 01:49 PM

These bring back memories of "Woody" and his Harley at Carlson's Drive Inn on University. He helped many a teenager through his kindness and generosity.

#6 EwingFTW

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Posted 05 May 2009 - 08:09 PM

QUOTE (Papaw @ May 3 2009, 02:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
These bring back memories of "Woody" and his Harley at Carlson's Drive Inn on University. He helped many a teenager through his kindness and generosity.



Tell us more about "Woody?"

#7 cajunmike

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Posted 05 May 2009 - 08:39 PM

Would that be the old motorcycle officer the late Capt. Lawrence Woods?
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#8 Papaw

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Posted 06 May 2009 - 09:11 AM

Woody was a FWPD Sargent that was assigned to Carlson's DriveInn and Root Beer Stand on University Dr. in the late 50's and early 60's while I was attending Paschal High School. This might have been an "extra" job as far as I know but he was there nearly every evening - especially on weekends. He drove his police Harley and was there to keep peace and quit amongst the teens which continually drove around and through the drive in with their loud pipes and blazing radios. What was different about Woody, he was one of the kindest person you would ever meet and was the kids best friend. He associated with the teens like he was one of them and he actually won their respect by him respecting them. If he caught you drinking he would pour out your stash and if you had too much he would always see to it someone got you home - but your car stayed there till the next day! He cut up and joked with the kids just like he was one of them. I knew several that had been into some trouble and Woody would spend a lot of time with these kids showing how to change their ways before it was too late, and he was nearly always successful.
Cajunmike - I'm think it might have been Lawrence but not real sure. I was wondering the same thing after reading a very interesting article on JFK's assasination involving Lawrence Wood.
I hope EwingFTW will read the the following article and give us any idea how much is factual or if he could add to it.

http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/cowtown.txt

The article is "The Cowtown Connection" by Duke Lane and tells about the coincidence of some odd Fort Worth Police activity at the same time of JFK"s assasination that involved FWPD officers LE Wood, HW Sinclair and others. It was very interesting to me and I doubt if many locals have ever read it.

#9 hinzdl

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Posted 06 May 2009 - 11:14 AM

The Cowtown Connection article you are referring to is Captain Lawrence Wood who during the 50s was a sergeant and in the six at the time JFK came was a Lieutenant. I believe he is the officer you are referring to at Carlson's. He rode a motorcycle his entire careere as a police officer. After his death his family donated his Harley and his mini-Harley to the Police Department and is currently display by the Fort Worth Police Historical Assoc. at the Training Academy 1000 Calvert. He never changed to the foot shift motorcycle when they came out. He continued to ride the hand shift Harly. The shift lever is located on the left side of the gas tank.

He also had two brothers on the Department, both of them were sergeant's. One resigned and took a job with Northwestrn Institute in Illinois. This is a school which many officers are sent to for trtaffic course. I can not remember both names right now, but one was Tom and he is pictured in a 1949 Mechanics Illustrated astride his Harley with the first PA attached. If I can answer any other questions please let me know. I have several photos of him on his bike, one in uniform with his son Jerry on the bike with him...

#10 Papaw

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Posted 06 May 2009 - 11:33 AM

hinzdl - thanks, that must have been him, he did mention he had brothers in on the force. We have been honored to have had - and still have - some great officers representing our city.

Welcome to the Forum!

#11 EwingFTW

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Posted 06 May 2009 - 03:36 PM

QUOTE (Papaw @ May 6 2009, 12:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
hinzdl - thanks, that must have been him, he did mention he had brothers in on the force. We have been honored to have had - and still have - some great officers representing our city.

Welcome to the Forum!



Here are a couple of pictures from the archives of the Fort Worth Police Historical Association.



This appears to be Officer Wood and his son on the left preparing a float for a downtown parade. Note T&P Station in the rear. Don't have the identity of the other officer at this time.





Sgt. Wood at the Harley Shop 1401 (?). Lawrence Wood joined the FWPD in 1942 and retired in 1978 as Captain Wood, head of the Traffic Division. Drop by the Fire and Police Training Center, 1000 Calvert. His two motorcycles are near the entrance. A lot of other great history items are displayed along the hallways.

Capt. Wood had two older brothers on the Police Department, Thomas Wood, 1936-1963 and J. E. Wood who resigned in 1963 to teach at Northwestern.







#12 Papaw

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Posted 06 May 2009 - 03:52 PM

Yep, that's him I recognize him right away.

Thanks

#13 cajunmike

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Posted 06 May 2009 - 07:24 PM

That is the same one I remember but it was the late 60's early 70 when I met him.

Thanks for the photos...........Love it.........
Mike

#14 hinzdl

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Posted 08 May 2009 - 07:29 AM

Just a little additional FW Police History. In the article you refer to, "The Cowtown Connection", under the section The Unidentified Man, a fingerprint expert is referred to. This officer was Lloyd Courtney ID#95. He retired in Feb 1984 but returned to the Department as a part-time identification employee. He and his wife were killed in their southwest Fort Worth home. A daughter was convicted of the double murder. Hope you find this interesting, another part of the Department's history.

#15 Papaw

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Posted 08 May 2009 - 04:29 PM

Very interesting, the Courtney's lived just around the corner from me (on Stadium) and attended our church.
Sort of Ironic, there was another FWPD fingerprinter named Paxton (can't think of his first name) that was also was a member of the same church - Was then the Mathews Memorial Methodist Church on W. Berry.
These were both great people and the death of the Courtney's was very tragic.

I appreciate the information and the connection of the people.

#16 EwingFTW

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Posted 08 May 2009 - 10:27 PM

QUOTE (Papaw @ May 8 2009, 05:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Very interesting, the Courtney's lived just around the corner from me (on Stadium) and attended our church.
Sort of Ironic, there was another FWPD fingerprinter named Paxton (can't think of his first name) that was also was a member of the same church - Was then the Mathews Memorial Methodist Church on W. Berry.
These were both great people and the death of the Courtney's was very tragic.

I appreciate the information and the connection of the people.


The "other" fingerprinter was Capt. Jay Paxton. He was head of Police Records for as long as I can remember. He served the PD for 37 years and had Police ID #8.

Jay was also my neighbor in the 2900 block of S. Jennings. Ave. when I was very young.





#17 Papaw

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Posted 08 May 2009 - 10:34 PM

That was it - Jay. It's a small world.

Thanks

#18 EwingFTW

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Posted 20 May 2009 - 08:48 AM

May 23 marks the 47th Anniversary of the establishment of the
Fort Worth Police Department K-9 Patrol.

With six officer-dog teams, their first call was to Williamson-Dickey
on West Vickery for a burglar alarm. (Only two answered the call and it was
a false alarm!)

Here are a few pictures and a link to several more

http://news.webshots...571787839CQrKqT



Here I am with Bandit



Fireman Bill, Officer Bob, Sparky and Tex



Officer D. L. Smith and Tinker



And here are two present day K-9 Officers





Be sure and click the link to see them all.

FWPD K-9 Patrol


All photos by former Reserve Officer Jimmy Crocker (R119)





#19 Papaw

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Posted 20 May 2009 - 12:59 PM

Interesting collection, they look so easy going and to their trainers/handlers I'm sure they are but I sure wouldn't want to be their target when they get down to business!

Thanks for the file.

#20 cajunmike

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Posted 20 May 2009 - 03:51 PM

Great old photos..........
Mike

#21 Birdland in Handley

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Posted 20 May 2009 - 11:39 PM

I really looked forward to Fireman Bill's yearly visits to Westcliff Elementary! We kids loved that little house that would catch on fire when too many appliances were plugged into extension cords--the little doll whose burning clothes Fireman Bill would extinguish by dropping and rolling it into a doll-scale carpet. Seems like by my day, he had a live Dalmatian, but it was so long ago. . .
And what beautiful K-9 officers. As a (semi)satisfied German Shepherd owner, I wish Officer Thunderball, chief of our subdivision (big yard) was as disciplined as she is beautiful, like the REAL officers.

#22 Papaw

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Posted 21 May 2009 - 08:00 AM

Birdland, your post reminded me of the time a Fort Worth Detective came to B.H. Carroll (must have been early fifties) and put on a shooting demonstration in the school auditorium. He was shooting a 38 short barrel and standing in one of the isles shooting at targets, candles etc. that were at the front of the stage with a bullet trap behind the targets which the best I can remember about 25 feet away and never missed. He even shot over his shoulder using a mirror. It was the most interesting show we ever had in school - and the loudest.
I'll bet kids won't get to see anything like that in todays times, those were the good old days!

#23 Birdland in Handley

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Posted 22 May 2009 - 01:23 AM

QUOTE (Papaw @ May 21 2009, 09:00 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Birdland, your post reminded me of the time a Fort Worth Detective came to B.H. Carroll (must have been early fifties) and put on a shooting demonstration in the school auditorium. He was shooting a 38 short barrel and standing in one of the isles shooting at targets, candles etc. that were at the front of the stage with a bullet trap behind the targets which the best I can remember about 25 feet away and never missed. He even shot over his shoulder using a mirror. It was the most interesting show we ever had in school - and the loudest.
I'll bet kids won't get to see anything like that in todays times, those were the good old days!

WOW. And I thought the firefighters put on a show--we never got an exciting and loud Police demonstration assembly.

I remember an unfortunate Assembly in Jr. Hi or early Highschool wherein a police officer gave a talk on rape prevention and basically told us kids that if you were a lightly/skimpy dressed girl, you were asking for rape; and the implication was that the girl was at fault. UGH! We 70's girl kids in the audience challenged him on that.


#24 travelbear

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Posted 22 May 2009 - 10:14 PM

To retired Off. Hinzdl, how about a good story from the old days involving "Zipper and Tweezer." I'm sure readers of this thread could us a good laugh.

#25 hinzdl

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Posted 27 May 2009 - 07:55 AM

You got my nickname right, Zipper. Everyone said when I started that if I turned sideways and stuck out my tongue I'd look like a Zipper. Actually I'm still the same size. I’m not sure about Tweezer, remind me who it is. But as for a story, here’s one for you. The statue of lmitations is over so these officers are ok.

In the late 1970s two officers were working the Westside of Fort Worth. One night they found a dummy in the roadway and tossed it in the trunk of the patrol vehicle. Working for about a week on something they could do with their new found friend they devised a plan. Below Lake Como there is a baseball field. A road leads from the south side of the Lake down to this field and turns into a circle, there is no other way in or out. Late one night the two officers arrived at the ball field and place the dummy in a tree along with a shiny metal pipe. Next they rigged a cigarette with a hole near the filter and insert the fuse of a firecracker. With the plan coming together, they only needed some other dummies, so they called another patrol unit. When the other two officers arrived they exited their vehicle and stood on the driver's side talking. The passenger officer as plan dropped his cigarette out the window. Shortly the firecracker went off and the passenger officer fell over in the front seat. The driving officer turned on the spotlight and flashed it through the tree line. The glint from the metal rod was picked up by one of the officers standing outside and he quickly drew down on the dummy. As soon as the other officer saw this they began yelling not to shoot but it was too late, twice fire left the barrel of his weapon. The two pranksters were devastated and the two unsuspecting officers were left in the dark and the dust of a patrol car as it roared out of the park up the hill to the lake and disappeared into the darkness, driving without light naturally so no one could see their unit number.

Fortunately at that time the nearest residence were some distance away and the angle at when the shots were fire were towards the railroad track that run along side of W. Vickery. For months the two pranksters sweated their stupidity but no "shots fire" calls were ever received and no repercussion came from the juvenile stunt. This is not something that was condoned then and definitely not today. If the officers had been caught they would have been dismissed as should be.

#26 EwingFTW

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Posted 27 May 2009 - 11:38 AM

QUOTE (hinzdl @ May 27 2009, 08:55 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
You got my nickname right, Zipper. Everyone said when I started that if I turned sideways and stuck out my tongue I'd look like a Zipper. Actually I'm still the same size. I’m not sure about Tweezer, remind me who it is.


Here are a couple of stories about "Officer Zipper": He told me he first applied to the Dallas PD and to help meet the weight requirements, he placed lead weights in his back pockets. Dallas PD required applicants to weigh without clothes. He was turned down.

Trying again, he applied to the Fort Worth PD and using the same tactic he was able to weigh fully clothed -- and he passed.

I also learned that at one time he was on the SWAT Team. He was not the same build as you imagine a SWAT officer to be. His reply was that he got on the team because they could push him through small openings.





#27 Papaw

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Posted 28 May 2009 - 06:34 AM

Both of those stories are hilarious.

#28 hinzdl

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Posted 28 May 2009 - 07:47 AM

I have decided I would give you a real story about the Fort Worth Police Department. If it is to long or if you feel this is not what you want to see on this thread, please let me know.......

In the 1940s and into the 1950s, a five-mile strip of highway rivaled the earlier, legendary Hell’s Half Acre on the south end of town in matters of vice and political corruption. Sometimes called “Thunder Road” or the “Jax Highway”, beer joints, sleazy motels, and nightclubs flourished. These denizens stayed open, sometimes illegally, around the clock. A Tarrant County District Attorney said Fort Worth had become known as “Little Chicago.” Murder was occurring all along this road and local gamblers like Edell Evans vanished. Herbert “The Cat” Noble was blown up. Cecil Green and Tincy Eggleston also become victims of the era’s violence.

Economic inflation exploded the prices of ordinary consumer goods in November of 1951. Milk was selling for $.92 a gallon and gasoline hit 20¢. President Truman announced he would support Dwight Eisenhower for the presidency and Joe DiMaggio retired, bidding farewell to the New York Yankees. Other people were trying to find jobs to pay for the rising prices. Twenty year old Willie Mays landed a job with the New York Giants baseball team and a Fort Worth man, Floyd W. Gilmore, found an ad in a Fort Worth newspaper seeking police officers. Gilmore probably had heard stories of the violence on the Jacksboro Highway but pinned on a “Panther” badge anyway, on November 19th, 1951.

A Fort Worth native from the age of 6, Gilmore had been born in Waxahachie in 1924. He served in the Army in 1943 unto 1945 with the 112th Cavalry, which had been a Texas National Guard unit before the war. He and his wife Bobbie were married in 1946 and he began a career as a Fort Worth officer, working the south side of the city. In 1957 he was assigned as a detective to the Plainclothes Division.

Detective Gilmore was one of many Fort Worth officers who provided security, at the Hotel Texas, for President John F. Kennedy, on November 21st, 1963, as he spent his last night in Fort Worth before a planned a speech at the Dallas Trade Mart. A speech he would never deliver because of his untimely death at the hands of alleged assassin Lee Harvey Oswald. Kennedy had a prosthetic chair specially made for his back problems and it was shipped wherever the President went. On the morning of November 22nd, Gilmore sat down in the chair to try it out just before the secret service loaded it into a truck to be ferried to Dallas. He was the last person to take a seat before it was loaded, and presumably the last person to occupy the chair before Kennedy died. This might have been a small claim to fame, but his grandchildren still like to tell that story.

When Kennedy left that ill-fated morning, Gilmore went home for some well-earned sleep. Gilmore’s wife woke him with the news of the assassination; he couldn’t believe the irony of Kennedy’s assassination after the entire Fort Worth police force had worked so diligently to protecting him the night before. A photograph taken that fateful afternoon at the Dallas Trade Mart shows assembled guests sitting and waiting for Kennedy’s arrival, apparently not yet aware he had been shot. Behind the podium sits the empty chair. Just a few hours earlier that same chair had been occupied by Detective F.W. Gilmore of the Fort Worth Police Department.

Gilmore sometimes supplemented his modest police salary by providing security to local stores. While “moonlighting” one day, he observed a woman shoplifting and followed her to the parking lot. Before she could get into a car, he grabbed the keys from her hand and stalled her “get away”. She began yelling “Somebody call the law! Somebody call the law!” Gilmore replied, “Hell, woman, I am the law.”

On another occasion, while working in Vice, Gilmore and his partner interrupted a gambling operation. The suspects scattered like a covey of quail and a foot chase ensued. Gilmore grew tired of the chase and pulled his service revolver, firing a shot in the air. The suspects stopped in mid-stride and were apprehended. It was the only time in his 33-year career Gilmore fired his weapon on duty. He worked 13-years in Plainclothes before transferring to the Youth Division where he remained until his retirement in 1984.

Gilmore had been injured, in 1968 while on-duty, when a commercial truck crashed into his patrol unit. The accident resulted in multiple back and neck surgeries, which caused his absence from the force for about a year. Gilmore died in 1989 following a battle with cancer. He and his wife Bobbie, who still lives in Fort Worth, had three daughters and nine grandchildren. His family remembers him as a kind and devoted husband, father and grandfather, as well as a man of duty and honor.


#29 Phil Phillips

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Posted 28 May 2009 - 07:20 PM

These stories are fantastic. Please, keep them coming. Does anyone remember the name of a motorcycle officer from about 1970 on the east side (Handley)? I think he had a brother or two on the force. My grandfather used to tell stories about his working at the gambling joint on Jacksboro Highway.

#30 hinzdl

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Posted 29 May 2009 - 07:30 AM

QUOTE (Phil Phillips @ May 28 2009, 08:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
These stories are fantastic. Please, keep them coming. Does anyone remember the name of a motorcycle officer from about 1970 on the east side (Handley)? I think he had a brother or two on the force. My grandfather used to tell stories about his working at the gambling joint on Jacksboro Highway.


If it's who I'm thinking of it the person the other guy on this thread called Woody. He was a Captain when he retired and I've always know him as Captain Wood. He had two borthers on the department one of them retired as he did and the other resigned and went to Northwestern Institute which is a traffic school for Police. Capt Wood lived in Handley area. He rode a Harley Motor with a stick shift on the side of the gas tank for his whole career. Even when the foot shifts came in he continued to ride the same motor. After he retired he rode the motor for his funeral escort service. One day he was going to do an escort and went out to kick over his bike. He started feeling baad and went back in his house an sat down. He passed away that very day. He was a good officer and a hell of a motorcycle rider. He was a member of the Precision Drill Team and would do all types of stunts on his bike with other officers. When I learn how to post pictures on this site, I'll put up some of the Drill Team. Hope this is the one you're thinking about. And thanks for the comment. I'll put some more stories up also. If you are interested in the police department history go to my website @ Visit My Websitethere are several stories on that site and I try to put on new one also. It's a free hosting but I don't get a lot of space so I have to change the stories in and out.

Another interesting site is about a cold cases murder that happened in 1974 on the westside of Fort Worth, the link is Justice For Carla.

#31 OfficerWoody

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Posted 29 May 2009 - 10:10 PM

QUOTE (Papaw @ May 6 2009, 10:11 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Woody was a FWPD Sargent that was assigned to Carlson's DriveInn and Root Beer Stand on University Dr. in the late 50's and early 60's while I was attending Paschal High School. This might have been an "extra" job as far as I know but he was there nearly every evening - especially on weekends. He drove his police Harley and was there to keep peace and quit amongst the teens which continually drove around and through the drive in with their loud pipes and blazing radios. What was different about Woody, he was one of the kindest person you would ever meet and was the kids best friend. He associated with the teens like he was one of them and he actually won their respect by him respecting them. If he caught you drinking he would pour out your stash and if you had too much he would always see to it someone got you home - but your car stayed there till the next day! He cut up and joked with the kids just like he was one of them. I knew several that had been into some trouble and Woody would spend a lot of time with these kids showing how to change their ways before it was too late, and he was nearly always successful.
Cajunmike - I'm think it might have been Lawrence but not real sure. I was wondering the same thing after reading a very interesting article on JFK's assasination involving Lawrence Wood.
I hope EwingFTW will read the the following article and give us any idea how much is factual or if he could add to it.

http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/cowtown.txt

The article is "The Cowtown Connection" by Duke Lane and tells about the coincidence of some odd Fort Worth Police activity at the same time of JFK"s assasination that involved FWPD officers LE Wood, HW Sinclair and others. It was very interesting to me and I doubt if many locals have ever read it.


Well, Woody might have been YOUR friend, but I was constantly in his doghouse (and bounced from Carlson's) for cruising, for being out of my car, for chewing gum too vigorously while he was berating me, for generally being a pain in his hardass. Now Mrs. Hitt was my friend at Carlson's. I can still taste those bacon burgers.


#32 Papaw

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Posted 30 May 2009 - 05:12 PM

I had forgotten all about Mrs. Hitt, she was a charm and could make a mean burger. Now Woody and I did have some words, but I found I got by with a lot more at Carlson's than I got by with at Lone Star Drive Inn on Berry & 35. I learned not to push Woody as he was sort of like Charlie Turner at Paschal High - he always seemed to know what you were up to or had done.

#33 EwingFTW

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Posted 07 July 2009 - 09:32 PM

stgo2019 posted some great FWPD Air 1 photos in the City section. hinzdl (one of the founders and current Trustee of the Fort Worth Police Historical Association sent me some more Air 1 pictures to post and I want to keep my posts in the Local History section.

Isn't it interesting to see some of the activities of the Police Department that we seem to know about, but are so low profile, that we really don't realize the value they play in protecting our City.

Here is an early version of Air 1. I would guess it was late 60s or early 70s. I was present when we showed off the first Police helicopter in early 1968 at the Academy, 1000 Calvert.



I'm guessing this was not too recent since the SWAT team has a new vehicle


An upclose view of the two helicopters.



Here is a picture of the two aircraft and the Crew. If you ever get an upclose look at one of these birds you will be amazed at all the cameras, lights, etc., etc., they have onboard now.







#34 Papaw

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Posted 08 July 2009 - 09:50 AM

EWingFTW - Thanks for those shots. You don't realize how much choppers have changed over the years until you see them next to each other.

#35 EwingFTW

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Posted 04 August 2009 - 11:29 AM

Check out the Fort Worth Police Historical Association link below and click on Newsletters to read our August Letter.

We have some great exhibits of Police History at the Fire and Police Training Center, 1000 Calvert. Alan Bean took his Fort Worth Police Badge and ID to the moon (he was designated a Special Officer before his dearture) and its on display.



Fort Worth Police Historical Association



#36 hinzdl

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Posted 26 August 2009 - 06:45 AM

Any old time Fort Worth Officer

How many of you have ever heard of Elkader, Iowa. We’ll I hadn’t either until I talked with Don King, a great-nephew of Fort Worth Police Officer Julius J. Hoover. Elkader was named for a young Algerian hero, Abd el-Kader, who led his people in a resistance to French colonialism between 1830 and 1847.

In 1856 Elkader made a bid for the county seat of Clayton County, Iowa, the same year that Fort Worth stole the seat of government from Birdville. Elkader was officially plated on June 22, 1846 just three years before Major Ripley Arnold rode into the area of the confluence of the Trinity and established Fort Worth with his 42 man dragoon. The population of both towns’ was small when they were established as the county seat of government.

Five years before the railroad rolled across shaky rails into Fort Worth and fifteen years before the Milwaukee line steamed into Elkader Julius J. Hoover was born on July 24, 1871. The city roles of 1901 show Hoover working for the Texas Brewery Company at 9th and Jones in Fort Worth. He obtained this job in 1895 at the age of 24. Nothing has yet been found about his employment with the Brewery or his appointment as a regular officer in April, 1910. There is however a short article about his death on October 16, 1910.

Julius worked as a regular Fort Worth officer until he became ill on Monday October 10th. The next Friday was miserable hot with the temperature in the high 90s. It became worst for Hoover when he was transported to the hospital around 3:45PM now suffering an appendicitis. Preparations for surgery were halted when he developed pneumonia. Four days later he died without the operation being performed.

A funeral service was held a week to the day by Father Byrne at All Saints Catholic Church on the cities north side. The services were not only attended by his parents but also members of the Woodsmen of America, Masons, Knights of Pthyians and the Fort Worth Police Benevolent Association.

The photo at the top is from the 1901 Fort Worth Police yearbook and the one to the left was sent to us by Hoover’s great nephew. Notice the difference in the badges. The top photo is the “eagle” badge anad the one to the left is the “shield” badge. He wears #60 of the shield style.

Few probably remember this Fort Worth special and regular officer other than his family, great nephew, Don Austin, and the Fort Worth Police Historical Association, however officers should know the men and women who have passed on their guardianship of this great Department. Join us and help recover their story.


#37 Brian Luenser

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Posted 06 September 2009 - 01:18 PM

Watching this Fort Worth Police copter searching an area around HWY 121 and Sylvania this afternoon. Here are a couple of shots of it. I am tired of the haze. This is a result of the California fires. I understand that my home isn't in danger, and not to seem insensitive to those who have family and property in jeopardy, but I hate Smokey, crappy, hazy skies.






www.fortworthview.com

#38 cajunmike

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Posted 06 September 2009 - 03:14 PM

Monee,

Could you not zoom in any closer? I wanted to see what kind of watch the pilot was wearing..........great shots.
Mike

#39 David Love

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Posted 06 September 2009 - 05:37 PM

In early 2005 before my place was completed, during the Mexico fires if I remember correctly, you could almost smell the smoke.





Cool shots, wonder what they were looking for?

Better Business Bureau:  A place to find or post valid complaints for auto delerships and maintenance facilities. (New Features) If you have a valid gripe about auto dealerships, this is the place to voice it.


#40 EwingFTW

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Posted 06 September 2009 - 10:48 PM

Unique Law Enforcement

Fort Worth's latest efforts in DWI enforcement


a Monee9696 photo

In case you don't read English, we have it in Spanish too.


a Monee9696 photo

And then, in Lincoln County Oregon, the Sheriff often posts this patrol car just as you roll in to Waldport for speed enforcement.



Close-up of the Deputy. What a deal - no vacation, sick leave, pay raises and no supervision!









#41 cajunmike

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Posted 07 September 2009 - 07:14 AM

I have not seen that Fort Worth car before, but on my business travels in Louisiana there are a few cities that post some of the dummy cars on side of the road. It does make you slow down.
Mike

#42 David Love

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Posted 07 September 2009 - 08:38 AM

Would be a pretty good use of resources if the cars were near the end, or past, their lifecycle. I’ve always wondered why the use of radar drones isn’t more wide spread. Some road crews use them, but you’d think the ROI would be better than an entire police car.

Better Business Bureau:  A place to find or post valid complaints for auto delerships and maintenance facilities. (New Features) If you have a valid gripe about auto dealerships, this is the place to voice it.


#43 cajunmike

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Posted 07 September 2009 - 08:45 AM

David,
The ones I have seen in LA. are ones that have been taken out of service. There is a one that sits at the Tourist Ino/Rest stop when you cross over into Shreveport from Texas. I am sure it makes the people think that somewhere on the property there is a police officer and not to go around trying to break in the cars.
Mike

#44 EwingFTW

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Posted 07 September 2009 - 11:07 AM

QUOTE (David Love @ Sep 7 2009, 09:38 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Would be a pretty good use of resources if the cars were near the end, or past, their lifecycle.


Its my understanding that the Sheriff's car in Waldport is only in place when there is no officer availble on that shift to use the car.

For the Fort Worth car, I bet you will get a chance to see it in service in the late evenings and especially around 2:00 am if you are out and about. (Maybe Monee9696 can get us a picture?)

Last week about 10:00 pm I observed a DWI Unit and a SI (School Initiative) Unit on a stop at the
I 30 service road and Bryant Irvin. I guess they are using the school officer's units at night.






#45 David Love

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Posted 07 September 2009 - 04:07 PM

I'm guessing it's the season, holidays, football, I see a LOT more DUI activity this time of year... use to always be East of Throckmorton st, now there's just as much, if not more, Taylor st and west.




Better Business Bureau:  A place to find or post valid complaints for auto delerships and maintenance facilities. (New Features) If you have a valid gripe about auto dealerships, this is the place to voice it.


#46 EwingFTW

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Posted 09 September 2009 - 01:08 PM

Badges of the Fort Worth Police.

The four badges at the bottom of the poster are the ones worn by Patrol Officers since 1873.

The other badges represent ones worn by Chiefs, Special Officers, Detectives, Supervisors, etc.

The badge with a black band or one with the Latin inscription is worn to honor a fallen officer.




Originals can be viewed at the Fort Worth Police and Fire Training Center, 1000 Calvert.

Many more items of Police History are on display and maintained by the Fort Worth Police Historical Association.




#47 EwingFTW

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Posted 22 September 2009 - 06:44 PM

QUOTE (hinzdl @ Aug 26 2009, 07:45 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
The photo at the left is from the 1901 Fort Worth Police yearbook and the one to the right was sent to us by Hoover’s great nephew. Notice the difference in the badges. The photo on the right is the “eagle” badge and the one to the left is the “shield” badge. He wears #60 of the shield style.

Few probably remember this Fort Worth special and regular officer other than his family, great nephew, Don Austin, and the Fort Worth Police Historical Association, however officers should know the men and women who have passed on their guardianship of this great Department. Join us and help recover their story.


Here are the photos mentioned in hinzdl's earlier post. The picture ID says Badge 80, but as he says it is really #60.



Today's Fort Worth officers wear the Panther badge which has been worn since June 12, 1912.






#48 hinzdl

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Posted 16 October 2009 - 07:12 AM

Here's another Fort PD Story:

Jamil’s Grocery located at 1936 Mitchell Blvd. in east Fort Worth had shut down for the night. The doors were locked and only a ghostly glow from the neon signs inside could be seen through the front window. It was early in the morning of June 7th, 1979 as four shadowy figures approached the front of the store. About 2:45 am one of the figures threw a brick through the front window. Not hearing the loud blast of a burglar alarm the foursome stepped from the darkness and entered the eerie glow of the store. Shards of glass still danced across the floor as the youths head toward the back of the store. It only took a moment for them to find their target, the cooler. They gathered up as many six packs of soda as they could carry and started back to the front.

Across town in a small out of the way room in the heart of Fort Worth, Craig West listened as glass was crushed under the feet of someone walking in Jamil’s. He alerted dispatch at the first sounds of the breaking glass and now listened for voices. He heard what sounded like cans being rattled together and passed this information on to the dispatcher.
As the four young burglars started to exit the build on Mitchell Blvd, they were surprised by flashing spotlights and several Fort Worth Police Officers restraining their canines which were baring their teeth in a greeting for the youths. The officers advised the lads to stay put and drop their loot. Keeping an eye on the dogs, the four juveniles disposed of their sodas, which rolled down the parking lot. Back in his small domain, Craig listened to the officer’s commands and flipped a switch to mute the sounds. He slowly stood and chalked up # 286, 287, 288 and 289 on the big bulletin board above his desk. More criminals had been added to his roster of crooks caught in the act, through the help of the police department’s monitor room.

The monitor room was a closet size space filled along one wall with switches and domed red light bulbs which flashed when burglary activity was detected by the listening devices. Under each switch on the board was a label which alerted the operator to the location of the signal. Crammed into the space was a desk and bulletin board along with file cabinets which held the business information and an emergency contact for each location.

West had been sitting in his cubby hole, since 1977, listening for the sort of telltale signs that proved the demise of the Jamil Grocery gang. He looked 18 years old even though his true age was 25. Cripple by polio from birth, he had to walk with two aluminum crutches, but this did not deter him from loving his job; he could now sit during his shift and only had to use his ears. Previously he had been a desk clerk at a motel but it had been difficult for him to stand for such long hours. When the monitor room job became available he snatched it up believing it would be interesting to listen to people without their knowledge; until it was too late.

The Monitor Room was assigned under the command of Lt. Stan Pruitt who was also in charge of the Burglary Prevention Unit and K-9 Patrol, and normally staffed by police cadets. This monitoring system was the predecessor to the present day business and personal security systems found across the U.S. In 1979 Craig worked with an array of loudspeakers, dozens of switches and flashing lights which kept him in contact with many businesses and store throughout the City. The alarm system was wired to an undetectable object such as dummy thermostats and then passed by telephone to the monitor room switch board, which activated the light on the board and sound an alarm.. This sophisticated network, for the 1970s, monitored sixty buildings in the city ranging from grocery and convenience stores to the Kimbell Art Museum. The Museum had one of the best security programs in the world and was extensively monitored by West as were other important spots: City Hall, Police Property Room, the drug storage area, Vice and Narcotics office, the Auto Pound, Internal Affairs and other selected spots.

When the alarms were slow Craig passed time with a good book to entertain him. He told Star-Telegram police reporter Victor Dricks, “It seems like a slow job but the satisfaction is great”, as he pointed toward the wall above his desk where the photos of #289 and others hung.

Over three hundred non-sworn personnel work for the Department and this is just one of their stories. As with Craig West each one of these employees should be recognized for the service they provide to the Department and its officers. Remember the next time you see one of these staff members tell them thanks, after all they are the folks that help protect you by sending backup, identifying suspects, the clerical tasks of compiling reports and the very important work of getting that paycheck into your hands.

Join the Fort Worth Police Historical Association and help us in our quest to find more Fort Worth Police stories.


#49 EwingFTW

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Posted 17 October 2009 - 09:01 AM

QUOTE (hinzdl @ Oct 16 2009, 08:12 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
The Monitor Room was assigned under the command of Lt. Stan Pruitt who was also in charge of the Burglary Prevention Unit and K-9 Patrol, and normally staffed by police cadets. This monitoring system was the predecessor to the present day business and personal security systems found across the U.S. Join the Fort Worth Police Historical Association and help us in our quest to find more Fort Worth Police stories.


I must brag a little... It was in the late 60s that Lt. Pruitt and I visited Chief Eugene Pond of the Wichita, Kansas Police Department to view his installation of a monitoring system. We brought the idea back to Fort Worth and the City's Communication Division built our system which as you can see provided big dividends for the day when we thought this was really "high-tech."

Incidentally, about six years earlier Chief Pond sent two of his K-9 Officers and their dogs to Fort Worth to show Chief Hightower and city leaders, the value of a Police Department having a K-9 Patrol.

Today, Fort Worth has 12 K-9 units, which you will seldom see, unless you are out very very late.

Here is one of today's K-9 Officer and his partner.



and then back to 1962








#50 hinzdl

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Posted 09 November 2009 - 07:40 AM

A Retired FWPD Sgt.

It was down to the last game in baseball's World Series when St. Louis finally defeated the Yankees in 1926 and down to the last minutes when Stella Stout told her husband, Joe, that the baby was on the way. In a typical male rationale, Joe explained to his wife it was too soon for the baby but agreed to accompany her to the doctor's office in the Flatiron Building at 9th and Houston, in Fort Worth. Loading Stella into their "Hupmobile", he drove from their home in Handley through the bumpy dirt streets to downtown. James Stout was jarred into the world, on July 16th, 1926, as soon as Dr. John Stanfield greeted the couple at the office door. Jim served in the Navy from 1943 - 1946 where he learned to ride motorcycles.

Two months after Officer W.O. Whatley was killed in an on-duty motorcycle accident, 22-year-old Stout answered an advertisement for a Fort Worth motorcycle officer. Whether he knew of Whatley's demise is immaterial, Stout took and passed the entrance test, but was told to return when he turned twenty-three, the minimum age for police officers in June of 1949. Jim followed the instructions and returned to the department to claim a position on September 1st. Issued a cap shield, badge and whistle, he spent his first day with Officer J.H. "Jim" Hackney excelling in his new job by writing six tickets and not crashing his motorcycle. From his $185.00 a month paycheck, he purchased his uniform, a gray linen shirt and pants, shoes, cap, and gun. He also furnished his own 1948 Harley Davidson motorcycle and began a 35-year career, working a six-day workweek.

In February 1952, Detective H.E. Cleveland was killed and Detective A.L. Armstrong was wounded in the upper torso during an arrest attempt on Queen Street in east Fort Worth. The injured officer was assisted to Sergeant Howard Gurley's unit and requested to be placed in the front passenger seat before he was whisked toward the hospital. Officer Stout was listening to the chatter of the police radio as Gurley sped down E. Lancaster where Stout picked up the speeding patrol unit and escorted it to the intersection of Lancaster and Main. Stout swung wide to make the left turn and laid the motorcycle so far over on its side that sparks danced across the pavement. Later Armstrong was sitting on the hospital bed and told Stout he thought he’d have to make room for him in the patrol car, when the motorcycle lay over on its side.

In 1963, Lee Harvey Oswald, alleged assassin of President John F. Kennedy, was laid to rest in Rose Hill Cemetery on E. Lancaster. Sergeants Ray Barnes, and Stout, among others were assigned a 12-hour shift to guard the gravesite for fear vandals would desecrate the grave. A cemetery employee, removing old flowers from Oswald's grave, found a card among one of the bouquets. Stout was pulling his shift when the cemetery employee approached him and tossed the card through the patrol car window. The card was written in Russian and Stout contacted the Texas Christian University Linguistics Department requesting the writing be translated. "To Alec, From Loving Marina. Sleep Quietly My Dear Husband. Marina Oswald, 1 December 1963."

Jim, now a 19-year veteran, was assigned as flight officer on the new Bell 47G-5 helicopter, which was purchased by the City of Fort Worth. The helicopter was new to the law enforcement community and Stout had to write procedures for the use of the "eyes in the sky" to assist Fort Worth's 600 officers in locating and apprehending criminals.

Stout became friends with Astronaut Alan Bean and proposed to Mayor R.H. Stovall that Bean be made an Honorary Fort Worth Police Officer. Stovall embraced the idea and sent Jim to Houston, Texas on September 9, 1969, to present Bean an honorary police commission and Fort Worth police badge in an informal ceremony. One onlooker said, "He'll be operating out of Fort Worth's most way out sub-station." Bean blasted off for the moon, police badge and identification tucked securely inside his spacesuit. As he stepped off the ladder onto the moon's surface, he was not only making history as the 4th man to walk the moon but also the first Fort Worth Police Officer. Bean as a police officer, technically, was on duty 24 hours a day, 365 days a year when he reported to his new sub-station and began patrolling his beat with that first step onto the moon's surface. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram dubbed Bean as Fort Worth's first "Astrocop."

Another of Jim's talents was the use and understanding of sign language. Being concerned about police services to all Fort Worth citizens he asked a hearing impaired friend, Bill Mason, if there was any service available whereby the hearing impaired could instantly contact emergency services. Mason related there were hearing impaired people who to communicated with friends or contacted a message center with the use of a TTY machine. Stout approached Camillia Martin who worked in the Community Services Division of the police department and after several phone calls and a lot of coordinating Mrs. Martin was able to find a TTY coupler, which Western Union donated to the department. The Fort Worth Knights of Columbus donated another necessary part of the new system, a computer. The police department's cost was installing a private telephone line with the number known only to those hearing impaired persons who had TTY machines in their homes.

In 1976, a new police shoulder patch was presented to a uniform committee through a design contest. For many years, officers in the department assumed that Officer Ludwig Bruno, who was an artist and killed in the line of duty, had submitted the winning design. Retired Sergeant Jim Stout was talking to Deputy Chief B.J. Kirkpatrick and mentioned he had designed the patch and had taken it all over the world. Kirkpatrick determined to find the truth, looked into the situation and found Stout had indeed designed the present day patch which a Uniform Committee had approved. He declared his finding didn't lessen Bruno’s contribution to the department, nor take away from his talents as an artist. Today's shoulder patch is prized by the department, however many officers may not know what each part of the design represents. The shield shape depicts the symbol of protection, the same as it did in medieval days. The Star represents the founding of law enforcement in this country during the frontier days and also the Texas logo, "The Lone Star State". A center ring locks the star inside and represents unity and the continuing purposes of law enforcement. The steer head, the same as on the City flag, was placed over the star to serve as a reminder of the city's old west heritage.

Before retiring from his police career on December 31, 1984, Jim escorted: seven Presidents of the United States, numerous astronauts, foreign and domestic dignitaries. When famous celebrities came to Fort Worth, Stout would be found at their side providing protection and friendship.

Sgt. Stout lives on Fort Worth's eastside and has created several FWPD items of interest such as large ceramic badges and watches with the patch inlaid on the face. He continues to donate police memorabilia to the Fort Worth Historical Association.




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