August 2014 Dallas Police Shield

On October 6, 1977 the Dallas Morning News reported that the officers at Central Division, then located at the old barn on Chestnut Street, were mourning the death of one of their own, Max Countryman.

Officer Countryman was returning from Jackson, Mississippi where he had represented the DPD in a national pistol shooting competition. His Dallas police van that he was driving ran out of gas on Interstate 55 and stalled in front of Mississippi Highway Patrol headquarters about 1:30 am. The officer was struck as he exited the van. It was a hit and run accident and pieces of a headlight, two small pieces of chrome and a paint smear found on the police van were the only clues immediately available.

Max had hired on as one of the first police cadets in 1969 at the age of 19. He trained as a cadet until he was old enough to become an officer in 1970. The officer had earned 17 commendations during his tenure as a Dallas officer. These included the lifesaving and meritorious conduct awards in 1971 when he rescued a 33-year old man from a burning house on Reiger Street. Using a blanket as a shield, he went into the house and carried the man down to waiting firefighters.

Max grew up in Mount Vernon Texas. He was a crack shot from an early age and competed locally for the DPD’s pistol team. During this time he met Officer Pat Crawford who was also on the pistol team. The two officers began dating and were married in May, 1977. Pat eventually retired from the DPD.

I remember that I was a brand new rookie about the time that Max was killed. I also remember that there was much sadness for a long time at Central, and that Max Countryman was truly missed, and is to this day. There is a painting of Max and he is with other fallen officers from Central Division in the lobby of the Central Substation. Go by and see the memorial sometime.

In other news there was an outcry of protest from some downtown office workers because of a new jaywalking ordinance enacted because of the increasing number of pedestrian accidents that had kept increasing annually.  

I’m not sure about this “new” crackdown because as I worked the 130’s during this time which included downtown Dallas, one did not ever, ever jaywalk downtown. I seem to remember that it was somewhat a source of pride for officers who worked downtown that people couldn’t and wouldn’t cross the street mid-block…or maybe I just dreamed that?

At this time there were still Traffic Division point control officers. They were tough guys and as a young 21 year old rookie, heck I was even scared of ‘em! Their intersections were their personal domain and even other DPD officer’s better not cross mid-block unless they were in a foot chase. I wish they were still downtown!

The area that was most effected by the ordinance was around Jackson, Griffin and Commerce streets. Federal employees would cross Jackson Street in droves on weekday afternoons as they were getting off work without bothering to walk to nearby Griffin Street to cross with the traffic signal. Police assigned to the area during the initial crackdown had written hundreds of citations to federal workers, drawing protests from the offenders to the department and of course the media. There was even a complaint from some federal department administrators to the higher ups at the DPD.

Yes, jaywalking was a big deal back in the 1970’s. But, I’m not so sure today.   

Speaking of downtown Dallas, there was also a story on October 20^th about a crackdown on people who ignored the parking tickets that were issued to them. For instance officers had arrested three people with a total of 50 parking tickets that had gone unpaid. Officers said that the standard response from citizens when they were informed the reason for the warrant for their arrest was, “Are you kidding me?” Apparently they weren’t kidding!  

There was a time in Dallas during the 1970’s that even conservative Dallas was caught up in the freewheeling Disco and later Urban Cowboy craze. It was a fun time that I believe Dallas will never see again. Myself along with many other officers at Central Division, remember fondly these days, either working Lower and Upper Greenville, or heading out to the clubs after getting off at 11:30 PM. I’ve written before in this space about how there was a dance club on every corner, especially on Greenville Avenue which was...maybe too close!

 Now, you would be hard pressed to find a dance club in Dallas, unless it’s C&W.  

During the boom years in Dallas and yes… I dare not say… but I will at this point, “The Golden Years of the DPD of the 1970’s and 80’s,” there was a Playboy Club at Yale and Central, in the old Dallas Cowboy’s building and a club called the Jabberwocky at the long gone, and notorious for illicit rendezvous, Le Baron Hotel. We all know about the Bunnies’ at the Playboy club, and a lot of DPD officers had “keys” but I didn’t know that the Jabberwocky had their own version called “Foxes.” I’m sure that someone in the audience will remember the “Foxes.” Many will remember the Bunnies of course. The Bunnies’ had the famous cotton tails on their uniforms but…not sure about the “Foxes.”

Anyway, there was a charity football game that was held on a sunny Saturday afternoon and benefitted the National Foundation for Ileitis and Colitis. The brother of the Playboy Club’s general manager, Gene Perkin’s, had died a few weeks earlier of the incurable intestinal disease. His parents had spent almost $400,000 during the 12 years that Perkin’s brother had suffered from the disease. The two managers of the club’s had planned the benefit even before the death of Perkin’s brother.

The game turned out to be a big media event for obvious reasons. Reporters from print and television, cameramen and “free-lance” photographers which meant anyone with a Polaroid camera crowded the sidelines.

You may ask, “What does this have to do with Dallas Police Department history Willie Hank?” Well, as you might expect, the Dallas police WERE somewhat involved…way, way off duty of course.

The first two quarters of the benefit game WERE played by members of the Dallas Police Department. They were basically warm-up entertainment for the real game that happened in quarters three and four between the Bunnies’ and the…er…ah…Foxes.

Once the third quarter started, the two female teams were hard at it and were cheered on by male cheer leaders, made up of male employees of the clubs. The pictures from the game show the two teams with the (I had ‘em in the academy) mid 1970’s short shorts and the ever present, white knee socks with blue stripes that we all remember. More than $14,000 was raised by the two teams. Of course the national director of the foundation found the time to come to Dallas for the game. He said that he was pleased that Dallas is involved and that the game was a lot of fun. You can’t knock that!”

What the DMN didn’t say is “Who were these Dallas Police who played the first and second quarters?” Does anyone out there remember this game? Let me know.

It’s… a vital piece of DPD history.

On another note, I’ve been appointed as a member of the board of directors of the Dallas Police Museum. I’m also a board member of Honor Flight DFW which flies WWII veterans to Washington DC to visit THEIR WWII Memorial as well as the Korean and Vietnam memorials. My experience with HFDFW will hopefully help with the development and expansion of the DPD museum which is long overdue. Watch this space for further developments.