By Cameron Mooney
On a hot day in early 1981 I went
out to FPK on a body swap for a
deputy being rolled up for being a coward.... the paperwork
on him
said he couldn't cut patrol training but the real reason is
that he didn't
back up his TO when they were in the Jordan Downs housing
projects
together (fortunately that wus (I think his name was Ruben
G------) got
arrested by ELA for 211'ing whores)
I was entering the place of
legends... FPK was my first choice...
I was coming there from being a policeman on the east coast
but
I was still the FNG and 22 years old. I didn't park in the
parking lot
but on the street, reticent at entering the lot without
permission.
I waited at the back door until a trusty came out,,, no way
I was going
to try to buzz in...
As I
entered walked past the booking cage towards the W/Sgts
office I looked to my right seeing Dan Cruz the jailer. As
I took my first
view of my home a man entered the front lobby, jumped over
the counter
and began fighting
with Deputy Cruz.... before I could think I ran to his
aid and we all began struggling (the guy was dusted on
PCP)... the
dispatch center emptied out and we all went over the
counter and out
the front door. I
had the suspect in a carotid restraint, which actually was
more like a choke hold and I remember Lt Al Chancellor, the
watch
commander, putting his hand on my shoulder and telling
me
“harder... softer.. that’s good...”
I hadn't been in the station 20
seconds... what a beginning to a career
PART II
“A girl? I was going to get a
GIRL as my FTO.. at FIR ESTONE? no way”
What I got was one really good policeman... Jackie
Yarborough... the locals knew her as Blondie....
When
I arrived at FPK a contract had been put out on her as she was mistaken
for shooting
some
gang banger the week before... the walls south of Firestone were placa'd with
her
name
"X'd" out.... She was a smart savvy woman in mans world and she knew
how to fit in and
how to jump in.. six feet of legs and
flashlight. Well the entire station took umbridge to
any
gang member threatening us so I got to learn every vehicle code, county muni
code, every
penal
code imaginable and myself and another trainee Mike Goldfeder probably arrested
more
than 100 people that first week between the two of us. Jackie made me stop to
get
her a road coke every night at G.I liquor at
94 and Central. She would drive home, gun in
lap, not stopping for any lights in the
ghetto... sounded like a smart woman to me.
Her
husband, John, still worked at Lynwood and occasionally we would meet somewhere
so
they could say hi... a welcome second for me to write.
Training... what a roller coaster ride... I want you old
heads to know that the legend
of
Firestone lived in each of our hearts.... we were taken to each place a FPK
Deputy was killed... other FPK deps would
query us on occasion to remember we didn't forget.
I really remember that I lived at the station
for about 4 months ..usually wearing
County underwear, socks, and T-shirts.
For
about two months I never knew there was a bunkroom so I slept in the shower...
My
secret sleep spot was discovered one day by Lt. Dennis Slocumb who asked me
what the hell I was doing. Bunk rooms were
for real deputies....
I remember
turning a report in one day after shift to A/sgt John DeMooy (sp?)
waiting anxiously like a lotto winner for it
to be approved so I could go to sleep
(usually four hours after shift and NO
overtime was EVER requested...
or considered..
it was reminded always it was a privilege to be at FPK).... anyway
I heard
"Trainee Mooney report to the W/Sgts office ASAP with a fire
extinguisher and a field fire
report"///Upon arriving I found the remains of a burg report
burning in the
waste basket.... to be extinguished and documented... Great incentive to
get
up on the learning curve quickly. It seemed
like I was always being tested by A/sgts who
took great joy in
making life interesting for a trainee... many asked if I wouldn’t like to just
take a swing at
them... boy I’m glad I wasn't that stupid. These guys became people who
would have died
for me.
Remember the idiot I was
replacing?.. well he was assigned to station Jailer while
he awaited his fateful transfer from FPK. One
night I brought in a Duster with some Sherm.
While
I was booking him a 998 went out and the station emptied (Even George Ramos
the
station mechanic had a plain wrap and his 2 inch). I threw my sealed
evidence and property
package
onto the jailers counter, acknowledged he had it, and rolled out to the
scene.
When
we came back I went to this deputy, Ill just call him punk from now on, and
asked for my
evidence
and he just looked at me blankly.... WHAT evidence..... He told he never saw it
(which
would just be what a coward would say). A station wide search found me standing
in front of the trusty dorm. As I looked in
the window there was a dusted trusty looking
out
the window stoned out of his mind.... 6 dusted trusties and 8 hours later
I had just about
finished the paperwork. The jailer refused to
take any responsibility for his failure and
I
learned a really good lesson. Sgt Murry Carter wrote me up for it in the black
book for
failing
to secure evidence properly.... amazing that page disappeared.... should have
been
listed
as "work damage".
Ever
try to be different as a deputy.... at Firestone? How about being a vegetarian
and
into health foods and tofu and stuff... with
places like Spartan Burgers and Stops.... and
deps
who thought veggie boys were fags.... that story and more will be for the next
installment.
--- Cameron Mooney