Cop Story Transition

Badge Numbers:
I had three. When I was sworn into the SJPSR, I was given R651. During my time as an active-duty Reserve, I was promoted to sergeant and then Lieutenant (Peter Falk had nothing on me and he couldn't spell Colombo ). About 1970 something, the department modernized and went to computers, meaning the badge numbers had to change. In the reserves, they assigned numbers by rank. One Chief, two Deputy Chiefs, four Captains and four Lieutenants (I wanted 007) and got 009A. I'll tell you about the third badge in the next story.

As a Reserve I met many people and held many different posts. One of those people was the Chief of Campus Police for City College.
Here Old Timers Disease creeps in because I not only don't
remember his name, I have no idea what his initials are. San Jose Unified School District (SJUSD) was looking for someone to head its new department of security, what's his name, recommended me. I was interviewed and hired, badge 100. Just a short note here, I was working for SJUSD for two maybe three years when I got a Call from my boss. He asked me how well I knew the guy that suggested my name (you can see I don't remember his). Anyway, I was told he was just arrested for embezzlement of public funds. He wanted to know if he should be worried. When the school board forced him to retire, my boss said he was going to ask me to go duck hunting with him (I guess he trusted me).
Around 1980 something the state of California offered school districts the option to turn their security departments into police departments. Mine took the option and I was now the Chief of School District Police.
This was a neat job. My district ran from east San Jose to west San Jose right through the middle of the city. For this reason, I stayed with the reserves. My department budget Was limited to say the least and I was able to get a lot of things from the SJPD that I otherwise couldn't afford. My officers attended the Police Academy and received their POST certificates. And off-duty SJPD officers could be hired by me to work Plane clothes on my high school campuses as SJUSD officers. The job offered other perks. I had an hour for lunch and most often I took it at one of the high schools. I could run the trach. Use the library. Work out in the weight room, well you get the picture.

Ambush:
Willow Glen was a high school in the district. It was a favorite with white rich boys. They would party in the parking lot without fear of the neighbors. I made them a priority. My ''security officers would roust them as often as possible.

Because o that they set a plan to ambush my officers.

They knew my guys were unarmed and they set the trap. Three of my guys were
beaten so bad they had to be taken to Valley Medical Center (VMC). I was just gassing up when the call came out. I was informed that S. N, M.F., and a third officer, old timers again, were in route to VMC. I headed there.
In the waiting room were S .N's mother and father. They were worried sick thinking their son was at death's door. I did the best I could to calm them and went back to where they were being seen by the medical staff. All three were sitting on the same gurney arguing about why the ambulance didn't sound the siren or even turn on the red tights, and S. N's parents are thinking he is dying. Anyway, a nurse passes and S.N 's hand shoots out and with a puppy's eyes and voice askes, ''will I be able to play the piano after this?''
The nurse said, ''I don't see why not. You aren't hurt that bad." He said, ''oh, thank God. I couldn't before."
The nurse looked at me and all I could do was shrug, and say, ''and
his parents think he is dying."
None of the boys were ever identified, but I had a good idea just who they were. One, the ringleader was the son of a prominent Liquor distributor. I called and made an appointment to speak to him and his son. He met me at his office, until that time the only office I had seen was my father's, a room in the basement of his bar walls lined with different liquor bottles. This one had mahogany walls doors and desk, posh doesn't cover it.
I told him that I had information that pointed to his son. He asked if I had proof, and I admitted that I did not. He asked what I was there for then. I told him that I wanted to talk to his son. He said that would be ok. I told the boy about me and my dad. I was the son of a bar owner, and people were sure I was providing beers to my friends (that was lie it never happened). I looked at his dad, he wasn't smiling anymore. I told the boy that if a roomer like that ever got to the ears of an ABC agent (the people who enforce the liquor laws in California) It would cost his dad plenty. Dad said I made my point and assured me that his son wasn't doing that. I then told him neither was I but a roomer could be very expensive, No more problems in parking lots at Willow glen.