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OPD Anecdotes
[Bob Thistlewaite]
Barbara:
I have a story about your remarkable step-father. I joined OPD in 1964 and first met Bob when I was going through the Recruit Academy . Bob did some of the teaching and he made a positive impression on all of us. He never talked down to us, unlike some of the other instructors. Bob talked to us, as equals and comrades. He had some wonderful funny stories that helped break up the monotony of the 8-hour-a-day lectures. I am sure that he does not remember me, but I sure remember him.
But my Thistlewaite story is long after that, when both Bob and I already retired from OPD. It was 1992 and I was in, of all places, rural central Mississippi . I was on a bicycle tour and a local deputy sheriff was escorting our cycling group through a major truck route that was quite dangerous to cyclists.
Once we cleared the dangerous area, the Mississippi deputy sheriff pulled off the road in a clearing and we did as well, thanking him profusely for his assistance. I then went back to my bike and was getting ready to continue the journey. In the meantime, one of the other cyclists in my group apparently mentioned to the deputy sheriff that I used to be on the Oakland Police Department.
The deputy sheriff rushed up to me and asked if was a retired Oakland Police Officer. When I said yes, he immediately said, "Do you know Bobby Thistlewaite?" I was astonished to hear a name I had not heard in several years coming out of this guy's mouth, southern drawl and all. The deputy then went on to tell me that he was in the Navy many years before and was stationed at Treasure Island (near Oakland ). He first met Bob one night in Oakland while Bob was working (I don't remember the circumstances). They became friends.
The deputy sheriff went on to say that he was so impressed with Bob and his police officer professionalism that, years later, after his military discharge and return to Mississippi , he chose law enforcement as his career.
This chance meeting and delightful story that resulted impressed me in two ways. What were the odds of me meeting this guy? And how much can one person can influence another ranging over many years and several hundred miles?
Phil Coleman
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[ 63 rd Street ]
Hey Jim:
I remember that incident, we all had to laugh. Reminds me of the saying: Ignorance is correctible, Stupid is forever"
Connie Blevins
It was on 62nd or 63rd, w/of Tel...it's hell gettin' old, jim
Vonbrauch1@aol.com wrote:Was Wilbert's demise in the area of 13th Ave and Foothill? Seems to me
I was either the responding officer or one of the cover units on that
one. It's tough when you bring a toy to a gun fight but it does show
God has a sense of humor.
Jon vB
And a second runner-up. The 211A (.38 revolver) susp who after robbing the "Junk" in the Box on upper Tel ,ran w/b on 63rd St.(?) and hid in the bushes. The passing R/O spotted him and ordered him out and to drop the gun.
Our nominee pointed the gun at the R/O and "fired", but his bullets (.32 cal rounds, wrapped in Kleenex to hold them in the .38 mm hole) fell out just as he fell mortally wounded from the K-3.
One of the most bizzare cases I handled as a tech, but at least the good guys won this one, AND I have a story to take w/me. Even God will shake his head at this one...jim c
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[Wilbert Watkins]
Jack Lundquist's post on some Darwin Award nominees reminded me of one of Oakland 's favorite sons who should have an entire wing of the "Stupid Criminals Hall of Fame" devoted to him. If I recall correctly, his name was Wilbert Watkins and he operated mostly in East Oakland . I first ran across him when I worked for Fred Tornow in Burglary and the Fence Detail. His initial claim to fame was to have his picture displayed in the Burglary Bulletins that Fred used to publish periodically, but he was soon to graduate to the big time with two capers that distinguished him as perhaps the most inept criminal in Oakland 's history.
In the first incident Watkins decided to graduate from the burglary business and move up to bank robbery. He picked the Bank of America on East 18th Street near the lake and things went pretty well until he dropped his wallet (containing his ID) as he left the bank. Needless to say, he was apprehended and convicted.
His final caper resulted in his removal from the gene pool and established him as Oakland 's all time Darwin Award candidate. After getting out of prison for the bank 211, he was living at his parents home in the east end and apparently took a liking to a young lady who lived next door. He decided to break into her residence one night and went into her bedroom. The girl's father heard a disturbance and went to investigate and encountered Watkins, who was armed with a replica semi-automatic pistol, which he pointed at Dad. Unfortunately for Watkins,
Dad had a real .45 and he shot Watkins once in the head.
I was working in Homicide at the time and I was reviewing the reports that came in overnight when I noticed Watkins' name. I had to go down to the morgue and check it out. He had a hole in his head you could drive a Buick through...
Bill Clark
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[War Stories ** Coleman, Horne]
Now MOST of those stories are true. But what brought on the flare incident, was that I was the passenger R/O and he smoked. He always threw ashes on R/F floorboard (had ridden alone for 200 yrs). I asked him to cease & desist at least twice and when the next one hit (aflame) i reached under my seat, grabbed a road flare, lit it and tossed it onto L/F floorboard...end of problem.
Case #2 w/ "fertile Freddie the bedroom commando" (RIP)as he called himself. He was asleep behind St. Marys HS and I was trying to put an old tire casing around his red lite, (peer pressure & hoping he'd get a Code 3 blood run) when some ice fell from it and when i looked thru the window, Fred was pointing his 6" .38 at my gut (before vests).He won that one.
#3. Fred's last day on street. We held him down and removed his undies, making him work all swing shift w/o them in wool pants. Then the undies went to the lab and got "DOG ASS" (his other nickname) written across the back w/florescent powder. At his retirement party we dimmed the lights and brought out the blk light. The C.O. P. wrote a Written Reprimand to him, gold city seal and all for improper dress.
#4 (and LAST) Fred crashed the 5000 Piedmont (Mtn View Cemetery) fence chasing a 10851, I bailed out when badguy did, and about 300 yds & 25 headstones later I realized I did not have my hot patten leather shoes on..So, GTH, I'm due one too.
Thanks to all u guys that spark my memory & I apologize to the others that forgot to hit DELETE about 10 mins ago.
Gosh, it WAS fun,AND they paid us to do it. Stay safe & healthy,
Gringo Jim C
R Souza <Nodui@earthlink.net> wrote:
fWhile we are telling old-timers stories Fred D' Askquith comes to mind. He broke in Bruce (Jim) Coleman on the hill beat (12) in 1968. I remember Fred telling Bruce on the dog-watch with his gravel voice, "Relax kid this is sleep time."
Bruce Coleman didn't sleep even on his off time. That's why he's so skinny. Fred wouldn't let him drive or touch the radio. Many times through the night one could hear Fred's unique voice over an open mic., "Gimmy that damn thing kid!!" This became a challenge for Bruce. He was answering up for everything even on 7th St . One day while all was quiet in the West sidearound 3 AM, Fred was in his usual position behind Safeway in Rockridge. Bruce was throwing lit matches and caught Fred's uniform on fire. Fred was so mad he hit the road running with a lit flare and Bruce was like a suspect North bound through yards. Bruce was surprised when Fred caught him and remarked that he didn't want to out run Fred because he was old and would have retired. What a couple, they kept us all awake.
Big Willie. What can you say about this man we've all met and admired. Lots of stories. Enough to say that he was the only civilian to receive a Police Funeral. He was, and still is, one of us. I saw the look in his family's eyes when we showed up. They were never so proud of him as they were then.
Jim Horne 6492
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