- time…time…time…time
- OMUFP
- 40 – 40
- Motor 8½
- Car 25
- 842
- Dime check
- Topper
- Pappy
- Crash
- Uncle Neil
- Hardrock
- Clean Gene
- Boo Boo
Friday, November 19, 2010
If you wore a gray shirt…
…then you ought to be able to describe these phrases:
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17 comments:
Chief-Thanks for the trip through nostalgiaville. Say hi to Doc and Din-Din for me.
256
Hmmmm. Only Topper. One of the all time funniest TV shows ever!
time…time…time…time
Isn't that the beginning of a Bangles song?
The blue shirts still had the time...time...time...I almost miss the click as the tape recorder turned off while you thought of what to say next. All the other stuff was before my time...time...time...
chief,
wondering if there was over serving of alcohol involved.. in this riot (a state of disorder involving group violence
) that occured...
http://journalstar.com/news/local/article_3e5632aa-c946-55f2-a093-87cfdb9479d9.html
story about these guys who started a brawl and had weapons?
can you give any details please?
thanks
Ed
256-
Will do.
Ed-
In Officer Tim Mika's reports there is no mention of either alcohol or country western music figuring into this fracas, strange as that may seem.
This post was really for the enjoyment of some of the older members of the staff, and the retirees. I realize it is pretty meaningless to most readers, but I thought this segment of the readership would enjoy it. If you're curious, here's the answers:
•time…time…time…time
Back in the 1970's, we had a telephone dictation system that would hang up on you if there was no audio. Officers would stall for time by speaking a string (time...time...time) to keep the connection alive while fumbling through notes. Every now and then, a new transcriptionist unfamiliar with this habit would actually type time, time, time, time, time....
•OMUFP
Obtaining Money (or Merchandise) Under False Pretenses, now simply fraud or theft.
•40 – 40
Secret code for officers to identify there current location to dispatchers and other units. When called by the dispatcher, you responded with the number of blocks north or south of O Street, and the number of blocks east or west of 1st Street. If car 28 responded with 40 - 40, you knew they were at about 40th and Cornhusker, and probably at Virginia's Traveller's Cafe.
•Motor 8½
There were 10 beats with clever names like Beat 1 and Beat 2. The motorcycle officer assigned to Beat 1 was "Motor 1". The two-man cruiser assigned to Beat 1 was "Car 21." Motor 8½ would have been a motor officer assigned to cover Beat 8, and half of Beat 9 on a day when there were not enough motor officers to staff each beat. You never really knew where you would be working on any given day until you showed up for lineup.
•Car 25
As above, the cruiser covering Beat 5--downtown Lincoln. In my days, it was usually Gene Giles and Dick Kohles. All foot patrolmen needed to be nice to Car 25, and to show them appropriate respect and deference.
•842
One of a few radio codes that would cause the adrenaline to pump--an injury traffic crash--to which you would get to respond Code 3.
•Dime check
There was always an inspection at the end of line-up: get in line and the sergeants would inspect something or another. It was the CO's choice: are the shoes shined? are the sidearm clean? did you all copy the stolen vehicles down in your pocket notebook? Dime check was an inspection to ensure that you had sufficient pocket change to make a phone call, should the need arise.
You also ought to know these people:
•Topper
The gruff-but-lovable Lt. Robert Lattimer, also known a Huck.
•Pappy
The fearless Coroner's Physician, Dr. Harlan Pappenfuss. Officer Paul Wiar could also claim the same moniker, on occasion.
•Crash
Sgt. Warren Chrastil, who, like Topper and many others, took great pleasure in frightening new recruits--until you came to the realization that the bark was worse than the bite.
•Uncle Neil
Neil Shepard, the avuncular manager of the City County Employees Credit Union, to whom all police officers paid a visit when they needed a new car, new boat, or new color TV.
•Hardrock
The famous Lincoln burglar and safe-cracker, Hardrock Dixon
•Clean Gene
Assistant Chief of Police Gene Armstead, who later became the director of the Administrative Services Division, then the City Manager of St. Helena, CA, then the owner of a winery & vineyard services consulting firm, and probably several other careers.
•Boo Boo
Lt. Willis Gordon, less gruff than Huck, just as likable.
Chief-I actually knew all of these except one. In a previous post you had queried why Lt. Lattimer was known as Topper. I'm not sure you ever got an answer. I guess something triggered me today and my recollection is that prior to LPD he was a "Top" Sergeant in the Marines.
Thanks for the memories. Sure beat doing the NY Times crossword this morning.
256
Sorry Anon 9:43, while the Bangles may have remade the song, had we been talking music the credit would go to Simon and Garfunkel.
Chief,
When do you estimate the Crown Victoria will be phased out of your cruiser fleet? About 2015 or so? (by the way have you seen the new 2011 Chargers, those are cool!)
How long did it take to phase out other cruiser brands during your career? I've been seeing more and more Chargers around.
2:05-
That's about right. Among the Chargers we also have 4 new CVs this year that will probably be gone in 2015. There could be a couple that last into 2016.
Chief,
Here's an unrelated, but timely, item of information tangential to a current suspect. The prostitution charge seems minor, at least in contrast to this earlier conviction. Since most accessory to murder convictions were most likely reduced from a stiffer charge, I bet there's a story behind that one.
10:40-
That's worth an entirely new post, and I'll try to do that tomorrow morning.
Also know... Din-Din, Furb, Weed, Butch, JP, Cobs, Wild Willie... hey I was a jailer, we had names for all of you !!!! also throw in 802, DWHUA, and a few more.... LOL !!!!!!
Chief - thanks for the mention of my dad, Robert Lattimer. And, 5:57 was correct- the nickname "Topper" comes from his career in the USMC. He retired at E-9 - Master Gunny.
Also, thanks to you, and all who attended his funeral in 2005, it was an impressive turn out by the LPD, and will never be forgotten.
Good grief, Chief. You really know how to pull a chain.
Clean Gene
Gene-
Google thyself at thine own risk!
Best,
tc
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