WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:04.000 Here's another in NBC's great parade of new shows. 00:04.000 --> 00:06.000 ["Dragnet Theme"] 00:06.000 --> 00:10.000 ["Dragnet Theme"] 00:10.000 --> 00:15.000 Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to hear is true. 00:15.000 --> 00:19.000 Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent. 00:19.000 --> 00:22.000 NBC brings you Dragnet. 00:22.000 --> 00:29.000 ["Dragnet Theme"] 00:29.000 --> 00:34.000 You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned to robbery detail. 00:34.000 --> 00:38.000 An armed gang of blitz bandits has started to work in your city. 00:38.000 --> 00:42.000 Their pace is fast. Four and five robberies each night. 00:42.000 --> 00:47.000 The criminals are not amateurs. They're well armed, dangerous. 00:47.000 --> 00:50.000 Your job, get them. 00:50.000 --> 00:52.000 ["Dragnet Theme"] 00:52.000 --> 00:55.000 Dragnet, the documented drama of an actual crime, 00:55.000 --> 00:59.000 investigated and solved by the men who unrelentingly stand watch 00:59.000 --> 01:03.000 on the security of your home, your family, and your life. 01:03.000 --> 01:07.000 For the next 30 minutes in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department, 01:07.000 --> 01:10.000 you will travel step by step on the side of the law 01:10.000 --> 01:13.000 through an actual case from official police files. 01:13.000 --> 01:16.000 From beginning to end, from crime to punishment, 01:16.000 --> 01:20.000 Dragnet is the story of your police force in action. 01:20.000 --> 01:25.000 ["Dragnet Theme"] 01:25.000 --> 01:29.000 It was Thursday, October 23rd. It was windy in Los Angeles. 01:29.000 --> 01:32.000 We were working a day watch out of robbery. 01:32.000 --> 01:35.000 My partner's Ben Romero. The boss is Ed Backstrand, chief of detectives. 01:35.000 --> 01:39.000 My name's Friday. I was on my way back from the statistician's office, 01:39.000 --> 01:42.000 and it was 1142 A.M. when I got to room 27A. 01:42.000 --> 01:44.000 Robbery detail. 01:44.000 --> 01:46.000 How'd it work out, Joe? Any good prospects? 01:46.000 --> 01:48.000 I don't know how good they are, but I got a handful. 01:48.000 --> 01:50.000 How many did you get? 01:50.000 --> 01:53.000 Let me see. 15, 18, 22. 01:53.000 --> 01:56.000 Ethel down in the stats office ran them on the IBM for me. 01:56.000 --> 01:58.000 There they are. 01:58.000 --> 02:00.000 Hmm, let's see. 02:00.000 --> 02:02.000 It's a gang of three men working on foot. Blitz robberies. 02:02.000 --> 02:04.000 They only take cash. M.O. is tie-ups. 02:04.000 --> 02:08.000 Work from eight to ten at night. One of the gang's tall, the other two short. 02:08.000 --> 02:10.000 And these are the men the machine sorted out. 02:10.000 --> 02:14.000 Under that heading, yeah. If our information's wrong, then so's the machine. 02:14.000 --> 02:16.000 Got a good bunch of candidates here. 02:16.000 --> 02:18.000 Their descriptions match up with what we got. 02:18.000 --> 02:21.000 They seem to. Check the names on that list, Ben. 02:21.000 --> 02:23.000 Some of the smartest thieves in the country. 02:23.000 --> 02:29.000 Yeah. Tommy Willis, Ray Grandpa, Kemp Satelli, Manny Roberts, 02:29.000 --> 02:32.000 George Cross, Mario Koski. 02:32.000 --> 02:35.000 Reads like June graduation at San Quentin. 02:35.000 --> 02:38.000 Yeah, George Cross and Tommy Willis are in town. We know that. 02:38.000 --> 02:40.000 And Koski is around a couple of weeks ago. 02:40.000 --> 02:42.000 And what about the rest? It's a big field. 02:42.000 --> 02:45.000 Have to check them out, I guess. Might as well start at the beginning. 02:45.000 --> 02:48.000 Do you see the overnight reports yet? Yeah. No restaurants, no liquor stores. 02:48.000 --> 02:51.000 That makes five days the gang's laid off. 02:51.000 --> 02:54.000 Well, I can afford to, can't they? Eighteen robberies in 24 days. 02:54.000 --> 02:55.000 That's a pretty good haul. 02:55.000 --> 02:58.000 This stop-and-go strategy of theirs, Joe, it's got me. 02:58.000 --> 03:01.000 Yeah. They work hard for a week in one area and then they lay low. 03:01.000 --> 03:04.000 If they just keep going, we might have a better try at them. 03:04.000 --> 03:06.000 Hey, Joe. Yeah, Chandler. 03:06.000 --> 03:08.000 A fellow out there to see you, Joe. His name's Decker. 03:08.000 --> 03:11.000 Decker. Henry Decker? Didn't say. Want to see him? 03:11.000 --> 03:13.000 Yeah, send him in. Right. 03:13.000 --> 03:15.000 Come on in, Mr. Decker. This way. 03:16.000 --> 03:18.000 How are you, Joe? You're looking good. 03:18.000 --> 03:20.000 Well, Hank Decker. How are you? 03:20.000 --> 03:22.000 I'm fine. 03:22.000 --> 03:25.000 What are you waiting for? Applause? Come on in and shut the door. 03:25.000 --> 03:27.000 Hank, this is my partner, Ben Romero. Ben, Hank Decker. 03:27.000 --> 03:29.000 Hi, Hank. How are you, Ben? 03:29.000 --> 03:30.000 Hank and I are in service together. 03:30.000 --> 03:33.000 Yeah, I just dropped in for a visit, Joe. Are you busy? 03:33.000 --> 03:36.000 No more than usual. Sit down. Thanks. 03:36.000 --> 03:38.000 I remembered you telling me you were on the PD, 03:38.000 --> 03:41.000 so I figured I'd drop around and get an inside track. 03:41.000 --> 03:43.000 How do you mean? I just filed with civil service 03:43.000 --> 03:45.000 to take the exam next month. 03:45.000 --> 03:47.000 Figured I'd like to work at being a cop. 03:47.000 --> 03:49.000 He sells shop, Joe. 03:49.000 --> 03:51.000 Great pep talk, you boys hand out. 03:51.000 --> 03:53.000 You sure you want to be a cop? 03:53.000 --> 03:56.000 Look, I'm 30 years old, Joe. I'm married, high school education. 03:56.000 --> 03:58.000 About a year of junior college. 03:58.000 --> 04:01.000 What's your wife think? She's not sold. 04:01.000 --> 04:03.000 Well, that's why I dropped in. 04:03.000 --> 04:05.000 How about coming out to the house for dinner tonight? 04:05.000 --> 04:08.000 You want me to sell her? Just talk to her. 04:08.000 --> 04:11.000 Seven okay? Seven's okay. 04:11.000 --> 04:13.000 Glad to have met you, Ben. 04:13.000 --> 04:15.000 Same here, Decker. See you again. 04:15.000 --> 04:17.000 Bye, Joe. See you tonight, Hank. 04:20.000 --> 04:22.000 Well, what do you think, Ben? 04:22.000 --> 04:24.000 Oh, to make a good cop? 04:27.000 --> 04:30.000 We had a list of 22 possible suspects. 04:30.000 --> 04:32.000 By five o'clock, Ben and I had checked out two of them 04:32.000 --> 04:34.000 who might possibly have had a hand in the blitz robberies 04:34.000 --> 04:37.000 of the 18 liquor stores and restaurants in the past 24 days. 04:37.000 --> 04:40.000 Number one man was Thomas Willis, Caucasian, 04:40.000 --> 04:45.000 age 29, 5 feet 11 inches, 175 pounds, dark hair, blue eyes. 04:45.000 --> 04:48.000 Number two man was Mario Kosky, Caucasian, 04:48.000 --> 04:52.000 5 feet 6 inches, 170 pounds, dark hair, dark eyes, 04:52.000 --> 04:55.000 large scar under his chin, running across his throat 04:55.000 --> 04:57.000 up to and behind his left ear. 04:57.000 --> 05:01.000 According to our informants and after questioning some of their associates, 05:01.000 --> 05:05.000 either Willis or Kosky or both could have taken part in the blitz holdups. 05:05.000 --> 05:09.000 We showed their mugs to the victims, but none of them could give us definite assurance 05:09.000 --> 05:12.000 that either Willis or Kosky were in the holdup gang. 05:14.000 --> 05:17.000 At seven that night, I went out to Hank Decker's house for supper, 05:17.000 --> 05:21.000 met his wife Linda, his four-year-old twin boys. 05:21.000 --> 05:25.000 We talked about the Army, played with the kids for a while. 05:25.000 --> 05:28.000 Before we sat out to eat, we put the boys in bed. 05:28.000 --> 05:31.000 Hank was in the kitchen carving a roast. 05:31.000 --> 05:35.000 His wife closed the door to the kids' room and we started downstairs for the kitchen. 05:35.000 --> 05:37.000 What do you think of our two atom bombs? 05:37.000 --> 05:40.000 They're fine kids, Miss Decker. 05:40.000 --> 05:45.000 Hank told me that you were worried about him wanting to join the force. 05:45.000 --> 05:49.000 I was 12 years old when my father was shot down. 05:49.000 --> 05:51.000 He was a policeman in Des Moines. 05:51.000 --> 05:54.000 He was only 37 when he died. 05:54.000 --> 05:57.000 I wouldn't know what to do if anything like that happened to Hank. 05:57.000 --> 05:59.000 What do you want me to say? 05:59.000 --> 06:02.000 But does Hank really want it? 06:02.000 --> 06:04.000 Can't you talk him out of it? 06:04.000 --> 06:07.000 You're his wife, can you? 06:07.000 --> 06:09.000 No, I think it's his choice, Miss Decker. 06:09.000 --> 06:11.000 He's going to have to make up his own mind. 06:11.000 --> 06:13.000 I'm sorry. 06:13.000 --> 06:17.000 If it's what Hank wants, I guess I worry too much. 06:17.000 --> 06:21.000 A lot of women marry cops, they have and they will, and they all worry. 06:21.000 --> 06:23.000 Hank will be all right. 06:23.000 --> 06:29.000 Do you guarantee it, Joe? 06:29.000 --> 06:32.000 During the next month I heard from Hank Decker only once. 06:32.000 --> 06:34.000 He was studying hard. 06:34.000 --> 06:36.000 During the same month, Ben and I were working hard, 06:36.000 --> 06:40.000 trying to find some kind of a concrete lead to break the Blitz gang. 06:40.000 --> 06:45.000 There had been no subsequent holdups which seemed to tie in directly with the gang or its operations. 06:45.000 --> 06:48.000 From the list of possible suspects which Ben and I made up, 06:48.000 --> 06:51.000 18 names had been eliminated for one reason or another. 06:51.000 --> 06:56.000 They were in jail at the time of the robberies, out of the Los Angeles area or out of the state. 06:56.000 --> 07:02.000 But four names remained, George Cross, Tommy Willis, Mario Koski, Julian Brock. 07:02.000 --> 07:07.000 During the latter part of the month, George Cross was booked on a minor charge and we questioned him at that time. 07:07.000 --> 07:10.000 He showed no knowledge of the holdups. 07:10.000 --> 07:12.000 Nearly two months after the robberies were committed, 07:12.000 --> 07:16.000 Ben and I were still without a solution as to the whereabouts of the gang. 07:16.000 --> 07:20.000 Never known a Blitz gang like this before, Joe. 07:20.000 --> 07:23.000 Once they get wound up, they usually go into let caught. 07:23.000 --> 07:25.000 Did you get out those telegram checks to the east yet? 07:25.000 --> 07:27.000 Last night before I went home, sent out all three. 07:27.000 --> 07:30.000 Willis, Koski and Brock. I'd like to find just one of them. 07:30.000 --> 07:34.000 Chicago might have something. That's Koski's old hangout. Willis too. 07:34.000 --> 07:36.000 What about Brock? He's from Kansas City, isn't he? 07:36.000 --> 07:40.000 Yeah, I got a wire too. Might have an answer from one of them tomorrow. 07:40.000 --> 07:43.000 That's a slow job. We'll have to wait it out. 07:43.000 --> 07:46.000 I guess so. No follow-ups from the victims we talked to. 07:46.000 --> 07:50.000 I'll get it. 07:50.000 --> 07:51.000 Robbery Friday. 07:51.000 --> 07:53.000 Oh, hiya, Joe. Hank Decker. Congratulations. 07:53.000 --> 07:54.000 What for? 07:54.000 --> 07:57.000 Just passed my written exam. Got the letter this morning. How about that? 07:57.000 --> 07:59.000 That's fine. When do you take your physical? 07:59.000 --> 08:02.000 Oh, not till the end of the month. Next week I take the oral and agility tests. 08:02.000 --> 08:04.000 Then the physical. If I get by them, I'm in. 08:04.000 --> 08:06.000 You're going to have a full month at the police academy after the test. 08:06.000 --> 08:07.000 There's a lot of work, Hank. 08:07.000 --> 08:09.000 It can't be any worse than these tests. 08:09.000 --> 08:13.000 It's a tough 30 days out there on the hill. Law, court procedure, evidence, 08:13.000 --> 08:16.000 combat firing target practice. You'll have to wade through all of them. 08:16.000 --> 08:18.000 You ever going to have anything encouraging to say? 08:18.000 --> 08:19.000 Yeah, when you graduate. 08:19.000 --> 08:21.000 I won't count on it. How's your job going? 08:21.000 --> 08:24.000 Slow. How's your wife feel now? 08:24.000 --> 08:27.000 About taking the job? A little better. She said to say hello. 08:27.000 --> 08:29.000 Okay. Keep us posted, huh? 08:29.000 --> 08:30.000 I'll do that, Joe. 08:30.000 --> 08:33.000 Right. Bye. 08:33.000 --> 08:35.000 Hank passed his written test. 08:35.000 --> 08:37.000 Sure anxious. 08:37.000 --> 08:39.000 Browny, Romero, got a minute? 08:39.000 --> 08:43.000 Yes, Gaffer. Come on, Joe. 08:43.000 --> 08:44.000 You got something, Ed? 08:44.000 --> 08:47.000 Yeah. Those blitz robberies you're handling. 08:47.000 --> 08:48.000 Not having much luck. 08:48.000 --> 08:51.000 We were. Gangs disappeared. Not a trace of them so far. 08:51.000 --> 08:52.000 They leave town? 08:52.000 --> 08:54.000 We're not sure, Ed. We don't even have a good description. 08:54.000 --> 08:55.000 We're guessing most of the way. 08:55.000 --> 08:58.000 What are your guesses? You've had a couple of months to make them. 08:58.000 --> 09:02.000 Twelve of the holdup victims we talked to told us definitely that there were three men in the gang, 09:02.000 --> 09:05.000 two of them short, one of them tall. We've just been working from there. 09:05.000 --> 09:10.000 All three of them have dark complexions, started with 22 possibilities and got it weighted down to four. 09:10.000 --> 09:11.000 No, wait a minute, three. 09:11.000 --> 09:14.000 Yeah. Tommy Willis, Mario Koski, Julian Brock. 09:14.000 --> 09:16.000 Willis and Koski are eastern hoods. Brock's from the middle west. 09:16.000 --> 09:17.000 And where are they now? 09:17.000 --> 09:21.000 Haven't showed their faces around town. Checking some of the cities in the east. 09:21.000 --> 09:23.000 That's about all we've got, Skipper. 09:23.000 --> 09:26.000 Eh. Not much for two months' work. Thieves can't be that smart. 09:26.000 --> 09:27.000 Right now they are. 09:27.000 --> 09:29.000 We've sounded out every lead we had, Ed. We're doing our best. 09:29.000 --> 09:32.000 Either of you ever hear of a man by the name of Al Mishakov? 09:32.000 --> 09:34.000 No, I don't think so. 09:34.000 --> 09:36.000 He was a Chicago gunman in the old days, wasn't he, Ed? 09:36.000 --> 09:37.000 That's right. 09:37.000 --> 09:39.000 I thought he was doing time in Juliette. 09:39.000 --> 09:43.000 Parole last year. Got a tip he was spotted on East Broadway night before last. 09:43.000 --> 09:45.000 You figured it might tie in with our job? 09:45.000 --> 09:50.000 I don't know. Find out. If I remember right, Mishakov's brother used to be pretty friendly with Mario Koski. 09:50.000 --> 09:54.000 I helped send both of them up 13 years ago. Same rap, robbery. 09:54.000 --> 09:56.000 Is that all you heard, Ed? Somebody spotted Mishakov? 09:56.000 --> 10:01.000 That's all. If you can track him down, you might get some kind of a lead. 10:01.000 --> 10:04.000 That's more than you got now. 10:06.000 --> 10:11.000 That night and for the next two nights following, Ben and I had dinner downtown instead of going home. 10:11.000 --> 10:15.000 And then we spent the rest of the night covering the lower end of the city in search of Al Mishakov. 10:15.000 --> 10:20.000 We got more than a dozen leads on where to find him from some of our informants, but none of the leads paid off. 10:20.000 --> 10:27.000 We kept missing him. No one knew where he was staying. No one knew or no one would tell us. 10:27.000 --> 10:30.000 Worst thing about this job, Joe, leg work? 10:30.000 --> 10:32.000 You must be averaging 10 miles a night. 10:32.000 --> 10:36.000 My feet say 20. Almost midnight. 10:36.000 --> 10:38.000 Here's McCarthy's place. Let's try it. 10:38.000 --> 10:39.000 Right. 10:41.000 --> 10:43.000 Let's go down to the end of the bar, Ben. 10:43.000 --> 10:44.000 Yeah. 10:45.000 --> 10:48.000 Hiya, Ben. Good to see you come in. What's new? 10:48.000 --> 10:50.000 Oh, not much, Bert. Meet my partner, Joe Friday. 10:50.000 --> 10:52.000 Hiya, Friday. What do you fellas have? 10:52.000 --> 10:57.000 Looking for a guy, Bert. His name's Al Mishakov, Chicago. You heard anything? 10:57.000 --> 11:00.000 He was in here earlier tonight. Couple of guys with him. 11:00.000 --> 11:02.000 Are you sure? What do you look like? 11:02.000 --> 11:04.000 Six feet, about 45, I guess. Big build. 11:04.000 --> 11:08.000 Sounds like him, all right, Joe. Is he staying in the neighborhood, Bert? 11:08.000 --> 11:12.000 Down here? I don't think so. Most of those big-timers stay uptown someplace. 11:12.000 --> 11:13.000 You looking for Mishakov? 11:13.000 --> 11:15.000 I'd like to talk to him. How long ago was he in? 11:15.000 --> 11:21.000 Oh, about 8 o'clock. Couple of guys with him. They were talking about driving out to the airport. Something about Las Vegas. 11:21.000 --> 11:23.000 There's an 840 plane for Vegas, isn't there, Ben? 11:23.000 --> 11:26.000 Thanks. Oh, 840, 850. I can't recall which. 11:26.000 --> 11:28.000 Bert, do you remember the exact time they left? 11:28.000 --> 11:34.000 Exactly. No, for say, there's one of the fellas that was with Mishakov down there in the middle of the bar. 11:34.000 --> 11:35.000 Which one, Bert? 11:35.000 --> 11:39.000 There. The one with the sandy hair, big chin. See him? 11:39.000 --> 11:41.000 Yeah. Want to tell Joe? 11:41.000 --> 11:42.000 Come on. 11:44.000 --> 11:47.000 And, George, you know what he said? He said when he was in Vegas last week... 11:47.000 --> 11:50.000 Pardon me. Pardon me. I'd like to talk to you a minute. 11:50.000 --> 11:51.000 Yeah, who are you? 11:51.000 --> 11:53.000 Police, Sergeant Friday. 11:53.000 --> 11:55.000 Oh, have a drink, Sergeant. 11:55.000 --> 11:57.000 No, thanks. I said I wanted to talk to you. 11:57.000 --> 12:01.000 Oh, Square John. Huh, wait a minute, George. Square John wants to talk to me. 12:01.000 --> 12:03.000 Come on outside. We can talk better out there. 12:03.000 --> 12:05.000 I ain't done nothing. What's the pitch? I got a right to know. 12:05.000 --> 12:07.000 Let's go outside. 12:07.000 --> 12:09.000 Maybe I don't want to go outside. 12:09.000 --> 12:10.000 I think you better. Come on. 12:10.000 --> 12:17.000 All right, all right. Quit shoving, you dumb cop. Shoving people around. What are you trying to do? 12:18.000 --> 12:20.000 Ah, what a sausage. 12:20.000 --> 12:21.000 All right, down this way. 12:21.000 --> 12:23.000 Of course, parked up next alley, Joe. 12:23.000 --> 12:26.000 Hey, look, what's this all about, huh? I got a right to know. 12:26.000 --> 12:28.000 You were seen with Al Mishikoff tonight. Where is he? 12:28.000 --> 12:29.000 Who? 12:29.000 --> 12:30.000 Al Mishikoff. You want us to spell it? 12:30.000 --> 12:32.000 I don't think you can spell your own name. 12:32.000 --> 12:34.000 Nobody's asking you to play smart. 12:34.000 --> 12:36.000 Where's Mishikoff? 12:36.000 --> 12:37.000 Out of town. What do you care? 12:37.000 --> 12:40.000 Here's the car. All right, inside you. 12:40.000 --> 12:43.000 Now, look, you got me wrong. I ain't done nothing. 12:43.000 --> 12:44.000 Where's Mishikoff? 12:44.000 --> 12:47.000 You and some other guy drove to the airport with him tonight. Let's have it. 12:47.000 --> 12:50.000 I'm clear, I tell you. I just drove out with him. That's all. 12:50.000 --> 12:52.000 Where'd Mishikoff go? 12:52.000 --> 12:54.000 Vegas. Took the plane for Vegas. 12:54.000 --> 12:55.000 When? 12:55.000 --> 12:58.000 About 8.30, quarter to 9. What's up, anyway? 12:58.000 --> 13:00.000 Who's the guy traveling with Mishikoff? 13:00.000 --> 13:01.000 Nobody. 13:01.000 --> 13:03.000 Who's the guy traveling with Mishikoff? 13:03.000 --> 13:06.000 Koski. I just met him tonight. 13:06.000 --> 13:08.000 Mario Koski? Is that the guy? 13:08.000 --> 13:10.000 Yeah, I'm level and I ain't done nothing. 13:10.000 --> 13:13.000 Ben, get to a phone call the office. Contact Las Vegas police. 13:13.000 --> 13:15.000 Ask them to pick up Koski and Mishikoff. 13:15.000 --> 13:19.000 When we got back to the office, we questioned the man we had picked up for almost two hours. 13:19.000 --> 13:21.000 His name was John Delmar, an ex-convict. 13:21.000 --> 13:26.000 He'd been paroled from Folsom Prison two months before after serving three and a half years for burglary. 13:26.000 --> 13:30.000 He said Mishikoff was looking for a man to work with him and Koski. 13:30.000 --> 13:32.000 He didn't specify the work. 13:32.000 --> 13:35.000 Delmar said he refused the offer, but they parted on friendly terms. 13:35.000 --> 13:40.000 He said Koski and Mishikoff told him that they were going to Las Vegas for a few days, then returned to Los Angeles. 13:40.000 --> 13:44.000 But when Ben and I checked back with the Las Vegas police, they said Koski and Mishikoff were going to Las Vegas. 13:44.000 --> 13:52.000 When I checked back with the Las Vegas police the next morning, they reported that nobody answering the description of either Koski or Mishikoff was seen arriving or leaving the airport. 13:52.000 --> 13:56.000 We checked with the airlines and sent inquiries to law enforcement agencies throughout the entire area. 13:56.000 --> 13:58.000 No sign. 13:58.000 --> 14:02.000 Three weeks went by. Still no sign. 14:02.000 --> 14:07.000 Nothing in there overnight, Joe. No, not a thing. 14:07.000 --> 14:11.000 Oh, yeah, same here. Reno, Sacramento, San Francisco, nobody's seen them. 14:11.000 --> 14:15.000 They've got to come out sometime. We can wait. Yeah, we can wait. 14:15.000 --> 14:19.000 Gets on your nerves. Let's check with Backstrand. Maybe he's got a job for us in the meantime. 14:19.000 --> 14:24.000 You're getting as eager as your friend Hank Decker, Joe. Incidentally, how'd things turn out for him? 14:24.000 --> 14:28.000 He passed all his exams, putting in his months training at the Academy now. He should do all right. 14:30.000 --> 14:31.000 How are you? 14:31.000 --> 14:33.000 Hi, Mike. Skipper busy? 14:33.000 --> 14:36.000 Not in his office. Won't be in till afternoon. 14:36.000 --> 14:37.000 What's the matter? 14:37.000 --> 14:39.000 He's got a lecture at the police academy this morning. 14:39.000 --> 14:41.000 Thank you. Thanks, Mike. Come on, Ben. 14:43.000 --> 14:46.000 Ben and I drove out to the police academy near Elysian Park. 14:46.000 --> 14:50.000 We went out to check with Ed Backstrand on the blitz robberies, not to listen to his lecture. 14:50.000 --> 14:55.000 When we walked into the classroom, he was just finishing up, so we sat in the back of the room and listened. 14:55.000 --> 14:56.000 It was a pretty good speech. 14:56.000 --> 15:06.000 Because of the alertness of the arresting officer, his talent for memorizing detail, and his knowledge of how a criminal acts under a given set of circumstances, the arrest was made. 15:06.000 --> 15:10.000 Well, that's about it, gentlemen. Thank you for your attention. 15:10.000 --> 15:17.000 Now, when I ran this speech over at home, my wife said it wasn't a very good talk, but at least it came out on time. 15:17.000 --> 15:22.000 Now, it seems, I'm two minutes short, so I guess I failed on both counts. 15:22.000 --> 15:28.000 If I may, I'd like to use the few minutes that are left to tell you what I think of being a cop after 24 years. 15:28.000 --> 15:33.000 For one reason or other, you men have chosen the career of a police officer. 15:33.000 --> 15:38.000 Now, let me tell you right now, without any qualifications, it's a thankless job. 15:38.000 --> 15:41.000 Maybe you can't see it now. Maybe you think I'm exaggerating. 15:41.000 --> 15:46.000 But when you graduate next week and get that uniform on, your whole lives are going to change. 15:46.000 --> 15:50.000 You're going to lose friends, a lot of them. 15:50.000 --> 15:53.000 They'll want parking tickets fixed, some other favors. 15:53.000 --> 15:58.000 You'll have to turn them down, so you'll be a heel, a fathead. 15:58.000 --> 16:04.000 When you're on the beach, you're going to meet the cream of society and the scum, the lowest. 16:04.000 --> 16:07.000 Sometimes you won't be able to tell the difference. 16:07.000 --> 16:16.000 Some of you will have to work with thugs, stupid gangsters, dope addicts, cheap women, all the human garbage you can find in a big city. 16:16.000 --> 16:22.000 You'll come home at night and take a shower to wash off the dirt, but you still won't feel clean. That's the job. 16:22.000 --> 16:28.000 When you buy a box of candy and bring it home for your anniversary, the neighbors will say you chiseled it. 16:28.000 --> 16:34.000 When you save up a few dollars and buy a new car or some furniture for the house, that's graph. 16:34.000 --> 16:39.000 People are going to want favors. They'll offer you things, a free beer or a new dress for your wife. 16:39.000 --> 16:44.000 If you take it, you're a chiseler. If you don't, you're a tough cop. 16:44.000 --> 16:47.000 Well, here's a piece of advice. 16:47.000 --> 16:50.000 Take nothing from anyone, no matter how good a friend he is. 16:50.000 --> 16:53.000 Pay for everything you get and don't ask favors. 16:53.000 --> 16:57.000 Treat everybody alike, no matter what they look like or what they believe in. 16:57.000 --> 16:59.000 You don't play favorites. 16:59.000 --> 17:04.000 There are going to be times when a few men in the department get out of line. 17:04.000 --> 17:10.000 The newspapers will play it up because it makes good reading and the average John Public will love it. 17:10.000 --> 17:14.000 Because that's the only way he can pay you back for that traffic ticket you gave him. 17:14.000 --> 17:19.000 Being a good cop is a hard job, but it's a good one. 17:19.000 --> 17:24.000 Let me warn you just once more. It's one of the most thankless jobs on earth. 17:24.000 --> 17:26.000 That's all, gentlemen. 17:26.000 --> 17:36.000 The following week, Hank Decker graduated from the police academy and hit the transfer list for a regular assignment. 17:36.000 --> 17:40.000 He drew a job of teaching combat firing and boxing at the academy. 17:40.000 --> 17:44.000 He didn't like it, so he put in a request for a transfer and waited. 17:44.000 --> 17:48.000 For the next six weeks, Ben and I waited, too, for some sign of the Blitz bandits. 17:48.000 --> 17:50.000 There wasn't any. 17:50.000 --> 17:55.000 The only possible suspects, Mario Koski and Al Mischikoff, had disappeared completely. 17:55.000 --> 17:58.000 We kept a close check on every possible avenue of information. 17:58.000 --> 18:00.000 Still, no sign. 18:00.000 --> 18:04.000 Ben and I were transferred to the night watch on robbery for a few weeks, 18:04.000 --> 18:09.000 and that gave Hank Decker a chance to drop in and visit with us a couple of hours when he went off duty at the academy. 18:09.000 --> 18:12.000 He was still as eager as ever. 18:12.000 --> 18:14.000 Hi, Ben. Is y'all anything new? 18:14.000 --> 18:16.000 Hi, Hank. Nothing here. What about the academy? 18:16.000 --> 18:18.000 Oh, big news. What's up? 18:18.000 --> 18:21.000 Getting a transfer starting next Monday. Gonna start on a beat. 18:21.000 --> 18:24.000 Thought you were all tied up with that boys' club you started out there. 18:24.000 --> 18:26.000 Oh, I was, but Hanson's gonna take over when I leave. 18:26.000 --> 18:30.000 The kids sure love it. Free swimming in the pool, boxing lessons. We teach them everything. 18:30.000 --> 18:33.000 Where's your beat gonna be, huh? Central, right in the downtown district. 18:33.000 --> 18:36.000 Might learn something, huh? You'll learn a lot if you want to forget most of it. 18:36.000 --> 18:39.000 Look, it's a quarter after seven. Don't you ever go home for dinner, Hank? 18:39.000 --> 18:42.000 Getting my wife used to it. This new shift's gonna be night work, you know. 18:42.000 --> 18:45.000 Wait till you're on it for a year, and then you tell us how you like it. 18:45.000 --> 18:48.000 A year? I want to be in the detective bureau after a year. 18:48.000 --> 18:50.000 Well, you're not even gonna last a year. If you don't get home to dinner, 18:50.000 --> 18:53.000 your wife's called twice this week already. She calls me. 18:53.000 --> 18:55.000 Okay. When did she call tonight? She hasn't yet. 18:55.000 --> 18:58.000 I guess I better head off. Let me know if anything breaks, huh, Joe? I'd like to tag along. 18:58.000 --> 19:01.000 Okay, Hank. Well, on your way. 19:01.000 --> 19:03.000 Okay. Good night. So long. Good night. 19:05.000 --> 19:08.000 How eager can you get? Were we like that when we started? 19:08.000 --> 19:12.000 Not me. I never had that much energy at one time in my whole life. 19:12.000 --> 19:15.000 Hot shot, Joe. I'll get it. 19:15.000 --> 19:21.000 At 767 East Broadway, a liquor store. 211 and slugging. 19:21.000 --> 19:26.000 At 767 East Broadway, a liquor store. 211 and... 19:26.000 --> 19:29.000 767 East Broadway, 211, liquor store. Let's go. 19:29.000 --> 19:32.000 767 East Broadway, King's Liquor Store. 19:32.000 --> 19:35.000 We pushed our way through the small crowd outside the door and into the shop. 19:35.000 --> 19:39.000 Two patrolmen in uniform were already interviewing the proprietor. 19:39.000 --> 19:42.000 He had two large gashes on his head just above the right temple. 19:42.000 --> 19:46.000 He was trembling and badly shaken, but he managed to give us a good description of the holdup men. 19:46.000 --> 19:49.000 Yeah. I can tell you what they looked like. 19:49.000 --> 19:51.000 Three of them. 19:51.000 --> 19:53.000 They were all white, black, and white. 19:53.000 --> 19:55.000 They were all white, black, and white. 19:55.000 --> 19:59.000 One of the short men, he had a big scar here on the throat like this. 19:59.000 --> 20:02.000 One of the short men, he had a big scar here on the throat like this. 20:02.000 --> 20:05.000 After the three men robbed the store, they slugged me and tied me up. 20:05.000 --> 20:07.000 Turner, this man's hurt. You call an ambulance? 20:07.000 --> 20:08.000 On the way, Sergeant. 20:08.000 --> 20:10.000 That's fine. 20:10.000 --> 20:13.000 We have just one more question, Mr. King. Here's a handful of pictures. 20:13.000 --> 20:16.000 I'm sorry, but I'm not sure if you're going to be able to get me out of here. 20:16.000 --> 20:19.000 I'm sorry, but I'm not sure if you're going to be able to get me out of here. 20:19.000 --> 20:22.000 I'm sorry, but I'm not sure if you're going to be able to get me out of here. 20:22.000 --> 20:25.000 We have just one more question, Mr. King. Here's a handful of pictures. 20:25.000 --> 20:28.000 We'd like you to tell us if any one of these men were in the gang that held you up tonight. 20:28.000 --> 20:29.000 Let me look. 20:29.000 --> 20:31.000 There you are. Take your time. 20:31.000 --> 20:34.000 No. No, not him. 20:34.000 --> 20:37.000 No. 20:37.000 --> 20:40.000 No. 20:40.000 --> 20:42.000 Oh, this one. Here. 20:42.000 --> 20:44.000 He took the money from the register. 20:44.000 --> 20:46.000 Would you look through the rest, please? 20:46.000 --> 20:47.000 Anymore? 20:47.000 --> 20:49.000 Let me see again. 20:49.000 --> 20:51.000 No. 20:51.000 --> 20:54.000 No. Oh, here. Another one. 20:54.000 --> 20:57.000 The fat one with the scar. This is him. 20:57.000 --> 20:59.000 I think he's the one that slugged me. 20:59.000 --> 21:02.000 Thanks, Mr. King. Here's our card. We'll be contacting you later. 21:02.000 --> 21:05.000 Turner, will you and your partner take the crime report? We've got some checking to do. 21:05.000 --> 21:06.000 Right, Sergeant. 21:06.000 --> 21:07.000 Thanks. Come on, Ben. 21:07.000 --> 21:09.000 Yeah. 21:09.000 --> 21:12.000 Koski and Meschkoff. You picked out both of them, Joe. 21:12.000 --> 21:15.000 Yeah, we certainly did, didn't we? 21:15.000 --> 21:18.000 Attention all units. Attention all units. 21:18.000 --> 21:19.000 Wait a minute. 21:19.000 --> 21:25.000 The southeast corner of Broadway and East 3rd, a liquor store and restaurant 211, code 3. 21:25.000 --> 21:27.000 All units, the southeast corner of Broadway and East 3rd. 21:27.000 --> 21:29.000 Come on, Ben. Let's roll. 21:29.000 --> 21:51.000 When we got to the liquor store and restaurant at Broadway and East 3rd, Ben and I knew for certain that Koski and Meschkoff were back in the city and working hard. Their ammo matched down to almost the smallest detail. We put a call through to communications and the entire central division was alerted. Then we called Chief Backstrand and told him the news. 21:51.000 --> 22:03.000 He assigned a special detail from the Metropolitan Unit to patrol the area until further notice. But at 923 p.m., before they pulled out of the police garage, the Blitz bandits added two more liquor stores and one more restaurant to their list of victims. 22:03.000 --> 22:07.000 Early the next morning, Ben and I met with Chief Backstrand in his office. 22:07.000 --> 22:09.000 You got a make on that third man yet? 22:09.000 --> 22:15.000 We ran his description through R&I early this morning, Ed. The closest candidate's a guy by the name of Julian Brock, done time here in New York. 22:15.000 --> 22:17.000 Any tie-up with Koski or Meschkoff? 22:17.000 --> 22:19.000 Mama, she says he knows Koski pretty well. 22:19.000 --> 22:22.000 And that's good enough. Now, how do you think you're going to get these thieves? 22:22.000 --> 22:27.000 We've got the alert out, Chief. Special detail from the Metropolitan Division's been briefed. Communications all set. 22:27.000 --> 22:36.000 All right. Here's a tip for you. Tell the men if there's a hold-up call that only the car in the area of the hold-up will handle it. These thieves are no amateurs. Let me try some decoy trick. 22:36.000 --> 22:41.000 Tell the men to stay in the area they're assigned to until they receive a call. Check? 22:41.000 --> 22:43.000 We'll take care of it, Ed. You going to be on the hand tonight? 22:43.000 --> 22:45.000 When do you figure on starting? 22:45.000 --> 22:47.000 We'll have the full detail out by 630. 22:47.000 --> 22:50.000 Play it safe and start at four. Why chance missing them? 22:50.000 --> 23:02.000 At 330 that afternoon, we left the police garage with a special detail from the Metropolitan Division, and we started to cruise the central area. 23:02.000 --> 23:07.000 We weren't looking for any action the first few hours, and we didn't get any. 23:07.000 --> 23:12.000 The five o'clock traffic in the downtown area was heavy as usual. 23:12.000 --> 23:19.000 Hope that gang holds off until after six. We couldn't get out of this traffic if our lives depended on it. 23:19.000 --> 23:22.000 We'd probably do better on foot if it wasn't for radio contact. 23:22.000 --> 23:27.000 Control four to 80K. Control four to 80K, your location. 23:27.000 --> 23:28.000 Get it, will you, Joe? 23:28.000 --> 23:37.000 Yeah, wait until I get the mic. 80K to Control four. 8-OK to Control four. Our location on Spring Street between second and third. 23:37.000 --> 23:47.000 80K, standby. 80K, call your office, code two. Call your office, code two, KMA 367. 23:47.000 --> 23:50.000 80K to Control four, Roger, KMA 367. 23:50.000 --> 23:53.000 Yeah, now what do I do for a parking space? 23:53.000 --> 23:55.000 You know, you're lucky. That guy up ahead there, he's pulling out. 23:55.000 --> 23:59.000 Good, that hasn't happened to me in six months. 23:59.000 --> 24:02.000 Okay, hold on, Ben. I'll be back in a minute. 24:02.000 --> 24:18.000 Yeah. 24:18.000 --> 24:19.000 City Hall? 24:19.000 --> 24:20.000 2511. 24:20.000 --> 24:23.000 2511. 24:23.000 --> 24:25.000 Robbery, Chandler. 24:25.000 --> 24:27.000 This is Friday, Bill. You want us? 24:27.000 --> 24:30.000 Yeah, I just met a Joe. Chief wants to talk to you. 24:30.000 --> 24:31.000 Hello, Friday. 24:31.000 --> 24:32.000 Yeah, Ed. 24:32.000 --> 24:35.000 Cruiser car just brought in a guy answering the description of Mario Koski. 24:35.000 --> 24:36.000 Yeah? 24:36.000 --> 24:40.000 Get over here right away and question the guy. If it is Koski, we can all go home early. 24:40.000 --> 24:48.000 Ben and I went back to the office and questioned the man who gave his name as Conrad Larkin. 24:48.000 --> 24:53.000 He was Koski's approximate height and weight, same color hair, same color eyes. 24:53.000 --> 25:00.000 The resemblance to Koski's picture was evident. We questioned him thoroughly about the blitz robberies, and then we checked out his fingerprints. 25:00.000 --> 25:06.000 The coincidence was hard to overlook, but we were satisfied. The man was not Mario Koski. 25:06.000 --> 25:14.000 There was a phone message on my desk to call Hank's wife. I called her, and then we checked with Chief Backstrand again and started for the police garage. 25:14.000 --> 25:16.000 It was ten minutes past six. 25:16.000 --> 25:18.000 Hey, Ben. Joe. Wait a minute, will you? 25:18.000 --> 25:20.000 Oh, hi, Hank. What's all the excitement? 25:20.000 --> 25:23.000 I heard about those jobs last night, the blitz gang. How about tagging along tonight? 25:23.000 --> 25:24.000 What's the story? 25:24.000 --> 25:27.000 You suit yourself, Hank. 20-I-do home for dinner. 25:27.000 --> 25:29.000 I told the wife I'd eat out tonight. 25:29.000 --> 25:31.000 You sure you're not due home for dinner? 25:31.000 --> 25:34.000 No, not tonight, Joe. Uh, is everything in luck yet? 25:34.000 --> 25:36.000 Not so far, Hank. Maybe later on tonight. 25:36.000 --> 25:38.000 Come on, here's the garage. 25:40.000 --> 25:43.000 How close did you come to the gang last night? 25:43.000 --> 25:46.000 Not close enough. Two steps ahead of us all the way. 25:46.000 --> 25:49.000 They sure must work fast. Five jobs in a row. 25:49.000 --> 25:51.000 All right, Hank. Let's don't rub it in, huh? 25:55.000 --> 25:57.000 Hey, Ben, watch it, will you? 25:57.000 --> 25:59.000 Watch out. 25:59.000 --> 26:01.000 Woman driver. 26:01.000 --> 26:03.000 How about it, Joe? You think I can make the outfit? 26:03.000 --> 26:05.000 You can talk to Ed Backstrand. He might get you a transfer after a while. 26:05.000 --> 26:07.000 Yeah, I might try it. 26:07.000 --> 26:10.000 Joe, look across the street. There's a guy coming out of the bar. 26:10.000 --> 26:11.000 Where? 26:11.000 --> 26:13.000 In front of the bar. He's standing there. Guy in the dark coat, you see? 26:13.000 --> 26:15.000 Yeah. Two other guys behind him. 26:15.000 --> 26:17.000 Who is it? 26:17.000 --> 26:19.000 I can't be sure. Ben, you better pull up. 26:19.000 --> 26:21.000 Koski. Looks just like his picture. 26:21.000 --> 26:23.000 All right. Come on. 26:24.000 --> 26:26.000 All right, hold it, mister. We want to talk to you. 26:26.000 --> 26:28.000 Watch it, Joe. 26:28.000 --> 26:30.000 Hank, get down. Get down. 26:33.000 --> 26:35.000 Two of them down, Ben. 26:35.000 --> 26:37.000 Other than one up alley. Let's go. 26:37.000 --> 26:39.000 Did they get Hank? 26:39.000 --> 26:40.000 Yeah. 26:40.000 --> 26:42.000 All right, hold it right here. 26:42.000 --> 26:44.000 All right, Koski. Throw out your gun and come out with your hands up. 26:44.000 --> 26:46.000 All right, let's return the fire. 26:48.000 --> 26:50.000 Come on. 26:50.000 --> 26:52.000 He... 26:52.000 --> 26:54.000 He had his chance. 26:54.000 --> 26:56.000 Yeah. Grab his gun. Let's get back to Hank. 26:56.000 --> 26:58.000 Did you get the guns from the other two? 26:58.000 --> 27:00.000 Yeah, they're dead. Hank got them both. 27:00.000 --> 27:02.000 All right, one side, please. 27:02.000 --> 27:04.000 Officer, did you call an ambulance? 27:04.000 --> 27:06.000 Yeah, they're on their way. 27:06.000 --> 27:08.000 Come on, Ben. One side, please. Will you let us through? 27:08.000 --> 27:10.000 Hank, how you doing? 27:10.000 --> 27:12.000 That's a good job. 27:12.000 --> 27:14.000 Ben, will you get the crowd black? Give him some air. 27:14.000 --> 27:16.000 We're going to get him some air. 27:16.000 --> 27:18.000 All right, let's go. 27:18.000 --> 27:20.000 All right, easy, Hank. They'll be here in a minute. 27:20.000 --> 27:22.000 Hank? 27:22.000 --> 27:24.000 Hank? 27:24.000 --> 27:26.000 How's it going, Joe? 27:26.000 --> 27:28.000 Going? 27:28.000 --> 27:30.000 Yeah. Come on. 27:34.000 --> 27:36.000 What have you got, Joe? 27:36.000 --> 27:38.000 Phone message from Hank's wife. 27:38.000 --> 27:40.000 For you? 27:40.000 --> 27:42.000 Yeah. 27:42.000 --> 27:44.000 What's that? 27:44.000 --> 27:46.000 A letter from his wife. 27:46.000 --> 27:48.000 For you? 27:48.000 --> 27:50.000 Yeah. 27:50.000 --> 27:52.000 You returned the call? 27:52.000 --> 27:54.000 Before we left the office. 27:54.000 --> 27:56.000 Who was it? 27:56.000 --> 27:58.000 She wanted me to remind Hank 27:58.000 --> 28:00.000 he was due home for dinner at 7 o'clock. 28:08.000 --> 28:10.000 The story you have just heard is true. 28:10.000 --> 28:12.000 Only the names were changed 28:12.000 --> 28:14.000 to protect the innocent. 28:14.000 --> 28:16.000 You have just heard the 12th in a new series of authentic cases from official files. 28:16.000 --> 28:18.000 Technical advice for Dragnet is furnished by the Los Angeles Police Department. 28:18.000 --> 28:20.000 Tonight's program is dedicated to patrolman James Frank Goggin 28:20.000 --> 28:22.000 of the Cleveland Police Department, 28:22.000 --> 28:24.000 who on the morning of January 13, 1939, 28:24.000 --> 28:26.000 gave his life 28:26.000 --> 28:28.000 so that yours might be more than a mere 28:28.000 --> 28:30.000 one-year-old. 28:30.000 --> 28:32.000 The story you have just heard is true. 28:32.000 --> 28:34.000 Only the names were changed to protect the innocent. 28:34.000 --> 28:36.000 Only the names were changed to protect the innocent. 28:36.000 --> 28:38.000 The story you have just heard is dedicated to patrolman James Frank Goggin 28:38.000 --> 28:40.000 of the Cleveland Police Department, 28:40.000 --> 28:42.000 who on the morning of January 13, 1939, 28:42.000 --> 28:44.000 gave his life 28:44.000 --> 28:46.000 so that yours might be more secure. 28:46.000 --> 28:48.000 Dragnet came to you from Los Angeles. 28:48.000 --> 28:50.000 Dragnet came to you from Los Angeles. 28:50.000 --> 28:52.000 If you enjoyed tonight's production of Dragnet, 28:52.000 --> 28:54.000 if you enjoyed tonight's production of Dragnet, 28:54.000 --> 28:56.000 you'll want to listen to Richard Diamond, 28:56.000 --> 28:58.000 private detective, 28:58.000 --> 29:00.000 as played by the screen's romantic tough guy, Dick Powell, 29:00.000 --> 29:02.000 heard Saturday on most of these NBC stations. 29:02.000 --> 29:04.000 This is NBC, 29:04.000 --> 29:12.000 the national broadcasting company.