MEMORY LANE D
allas, Texas is the 9th largest city in the United States with a diverse population of over 1.2 million people covering 384 square miles. Chief David Brown com- mands the Dallas Police Department with a force of 3527 commissioned offi - cers and 549 noncommissioned civilian employees. Gazing into the archives of the Dallas Police Department’s Motorcycle
Unit provides only a glimpse of yesteryear. A few artifacts have survived, but some parts of history are lost forever. Several motorcycle offi cers left their mark, but many are forgotten names of a bygone era captured on an old police photograph. Others have become forever linked to a moment in time.
THE MOTORCYCLE SQUAD The Dallas Morning News; 09-10-1908. It is not unlikely the city will adapt the motorcycle for the purpose of running down speeding automobiles. It seems that several cases of unusually fast racing have come to the notice of Commis- sioners and they realize the apparent inability of the police equipment to apprehend the auto speed fi ends. “The only thing to be done is to get a motorcycle and put
an offi cer on it,” said the Commissioner. “Let him run these automobiles down and get their numbers. Really, he ought to carry a gun and make them come to a stop, if he has to puncture one of their tires.” 01-17-1909. Motorcycles are to be purchased
by the city and used by some members of the police force. This is for the answering of hurried calls and for chasing of speeding automobiles and other suspected breakers of the law. 01-19-1909. Police Commissioner said yes-
terday that he expects the two motorcycles ordered for use in the police department to arrive in Dallas today. The machines will be put in service at once for the men to respond to hurry calls and to be used in overtaking automobiles when they are going at a rate of speed thought to be in excess of the limit fi xed by the city. The motorcycle policemen must be experts to operate the motorcycles at a suf- fi cient speed to overtake fl eeing automobiles, and still avoid any accidents to themselves or pedestrians whom they encounter. The wheels will likely be in use before the end of the month. Several of the men will be in practice for riding having graduated in the use of the bicycles, and will easily take on the habit of the motorcycle. In 1909 the Dallas Police department
became motorized and the Motorcycle Squad was established with the purchase of 2 motor-
cycles that year. The riders still got plenty of exercise as the motors worked off magneto needles, which would not start until the machines were pedaled and reached a speed of 10 mph. However, their acquisition proved invaluable as they enabled an offi cer to get to the scene of a crime quickly. By 1910 the Motorcycle Squad had grown to four offi cers.
Dallas became the fi rst in the nation to install traffi c lights at intersections. Within four years, the motorcycle squad would add ten additional offi cers, all riding Harley-Davidson® Police motorcycles. The fi rst Dallas Police motorcycle offi cer to die in the line
of duty was Offi cer Johnnie “Hoot” Gibson. On April 19, 1923 at about 3:45 a.m., motorcycle offi cers Gibson and Nobles were patrolling the downtown area when they observed Grant’s Drug Store being burglarized. They dismounted their motorcycles and approached the drug store with their guns drawn. The burglar fi red at Gibson from inside the store. Offi cer Gibson was struck in the neck and abdomen. Shortly thereafter he died on the sidewalk. On February 12, 1925 at about 10 p.m., motorcycle offi cers Clarence Marshall Isbell and R.D. Wofford were patrolling south Dallas when a large touring car sped past the offi cers. Offi cer Isbell rode up to the driver’s side and instructed the driver to pull over. At that moment, the occu- pants shot at Isbell and struck him in the right temple. He
LASERS FOR MOTOR OFFICERS
+ Speed enforcement + Crash scene mapping + Distracted driving
The rugged TruSpeed®
Sxb
is simple to operate and lightweight, making it ideal for motor officers.
1.877.696.2584
www.lasertech.com/hdmo www.facebook.com/LaserTechnologyInc
SPRING 2015 | THE MOTOR OFFICER™
27
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44