MEMORY LANE


died en route to Parkland Hospital. Crime was so bad in 1925, motorcycle offi cers were equipped with sawed-off shotguns. Nickel parking meters were installed and Harley-Davidson®


three-wheeled motorcycles were used to enforce time limits. By 1933 the Motorcycle Squad had grown to 18 motors. In 1936 Dallas added 15 new Harley Davidson® cycles to help handle the Centennial crowds.


motor-


SHOCKING MACHINES Radio revolutionized patrol procedures, and Dallas led the way by becoming the fi rst to install one-way radio receivers in squad cars. The fi rst broadcast across the police short wave transmitter began with the historic words “All patrol cars standby.” In 1933 all motorcycles were to be equipped with the short wave radio. The Harley-Davidson Motor Company received the contract, and at a cost of $185 and 11 junked motorcycles, six radios were purchased. The 1936 Texas Centennial, which actually amounted to a


World’s Fair, went off without any serious problems. The big- gest controversy involving the work of the police department was brought on by members of the motorcycle unit, who saw an unfortunate prank backfi re. Sgt. Ben Whicker was one of four motorcycle offi cers who had wired their motorcycles so the current from the radio batteries made them shocking machines. In October of 1936, Sergeant Wicker was sitting in front of the Centennial grounds on a motorcycle used by patrolman J.C. Pharr. Wicker had connected the walking stick to the motorcycle battery and was giving passers-by a shock by touching them with the stick as they came near. Ruth Brewer, leaving the Centennial, raised her hands in an attempt to ward off Wicker’s walking stick and touched it with her palm. She was standing in a puddle of water which had collected on the sidewalk and the shock knocked her unconscious. Whicker and other offi cers revived Ms. Brewer, took her to headquarters, and explained to Lieutenant Bert Delinger what had happened. Delinger offered an apology to Miss Brewer, and then sent her home where a private physician examined her and had her hospital- ized. The weekend incident did not come to the attention of the Chief until the following Monday morning. He immediately went to the police garage and made a personal inspection of all department motorcycles, fi nding four wired with shocking devices. Angered, he tore the wires from the motorcycles and told those present that “horseplay in the department will stop, even if I have to fi re every man in it.” Back in the offi ce, he sent for all motorcycle patrolman on whose vehicles the shocking devices were found. He also called one of the offending offi cers in from his home to inform him that he was being suspended. A lieutenant was also reprimanded for not having fi led a report on the incident. Wicker was suspended for 15 days and reduced from sergeant to patrolman with a cut in pay from $159 per month to $139 per month. The city’s motorcycle squad of 35 offi cers, which helped set the nationwide traffi c safety record in 1940, was slashed


28 THE MOTOR OFFICER™ | SPRING 2015


DPD Motorcycle Unit, post 1914, in ft. of 106 S. Harwood St


down to four motors in 1941. After fi ve long years the motor- cycle squad began staging its comeback and the city would purchase 15 new Harley Davidson®


motorcycles.


In 1951, the Dallas Motor Unit expanded to 64 offi cers, all on Harley-Davidson®


motorcycles for traffi c control.


THE ASSASSINATION On November 22, 1963, Dallas became the focal point of the nation and the world when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated as his motorcade drove west on Elm Street from Dealey Plaza, just east of the triple underpass. Security preparations for the President’s visit were vast. Four hundred Dallas police offi cers were assigned to a security detail including crowd and traffi c control. There were three advance motor- cycles to alert the Chief of Police and the Secret Service SAC of the progress of the parade. There were also fi ve additional motorcycles preceding the lead vehicle, two on both sides of the presidential limousine, and two riding at the rear of the motorcade. The extensive security measures were to no avail. One of the fi rst offi cers to realize that the president had been shot was motorcycle Offi cer Bobby Hargis. Offi cer Hargis was following close behind the left rear fender to the presidential limousine, and a sheet of blood fl ew into his face. As hysteria erupted, Secret Service agents radioed ahead to the Chief of Police travelling in the lead car. “Get us out of here… quick. The President’s been shot!” Chief Curry immediately radioed


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