In researching recently the years 1941-42 I found a few interesting articles. There’s not so much crime fighting involved, but shows once again things haven’t changed much in the DPD in these many years.
I was in the Police Choir for one year in 1986 and I really enjoyed it. This fine organization is still in existence of course but there was another police choir just before the war.
Nineteen police officers made up the Dallas Police Department Choral Club in February 1942. Apparently the members were known to be good singers, but also “carried a lot of weight” according to the DMN. Lt. O.P.Wright was the leader of the group. He said that L.S.Reeves, a baritone is 6-foot-6 and 245 pounds. On the other hand there was C.C.Greer, who was 5 foot 10, and “only” 225 pounds. One only has to look at the average weight and height of American males in 1941 to determine that these were considered really “big men” at the time. One of the members, Officer Thompson, described as a “blond giant” was exceptionally good. Some citizens had offered to send him to a nationwide radio show called the “Major Bowes Hour,” kind of like an “American Idol” show. Thompson declined however.
Among the officers were some that would become somewhat famous in the future. Chief Welch, himself a singer, arraigned that the officers got time off for the Tuesday night rehearsals. There was motorcycle officer J.E.Curry, who later was Chief of police on November 22, 1963. There was another future Assistant Chief Charles Batchelor, who at the time was a Point Control Officer at Main and Akard Streets. The article doesn’t say how long the choir stayed in existence. I would imagine that after the start of WWII, and the reduction of DPD officers due to the draft and enlistments, that the choir probably was put aside for the duration of the war.
On December 20, 1941 it was reported that the DPD received 40 new shotguns. They were only to be used in an emergency and primarily by detectives who were conducting espionage investigations after the start of the war.
Inspector of Detectives Will Fritz said on December 28th that the DPD would be complying with the nationwide order that all cameras and radios held by “aliens” would be turned in immediately. By “aliens” it was meant that Germans, Italians, and Japanese would turn in such items to authorities and Fritz said that they would be held in the police property room.
It’s hard to believe now the fear and hysteria that gripped the nation after Pearl Harbor. It was thought that the Axis powers had the means to bomb cities as far inland as Dallas. They didn’t, but we didn’t know it and the government ordered that large cities conduct blackout drills. Dallas County had 12,597 temporary air raid wardens on top buildings such as the Baker and Adolphus Hotels as well as other strategic points and big plans were put into place for the even bigger night.
On Monday January 19, 1942 the lights went out all over Dallas. Officers were positioned all over the city to catch violators. As would happen today, and after weeks and weeks of hoopla, there were the usual people (as today) who said “I didn’t know there was gonna be a blackout?” One drunk driver drew attention to himself at Ross and Allen and was arrested when he turned on the lights of his truck before the all clear siren announced the end of the drill. There were 52 reports from citizens who complained on their neighbors that didn’t turn off their lights.
7000 probably way too eager air raid wardens filled out complaints about willful refusals to turn out lights, flooding the blackout headquarters at 108 Field Street in the days after the drill.
Dallas police as usual were caught in the middle of neighbor ratting on neighbor complaints. They probably hated each other anyway and thought “the doorbell light is still on, I’ll complain!” For instance there was the 1990 block of North Carroll. A porch light was turned on twice during the black out and the householder was “very sarcastic” when warned.
See, nothing ever changes in Dallas Texas.
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