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Pittsburg PD 50 years ago, part 8
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In 1970 a PPD Auxiliary officer responded with regular officers to two burglaries in progress, netting five burglars (two being armed) — all within the first hour of his first tour of duty. The Auxiliary resigned the next day. - photo by Courtesy Photo / Ken Peak
There seems to be a high level of interest (and memory) when it comes to the old-time Pittsburg Police Department (PPD), so hopefully readers will appreciate a broader view of policing as it existed 50 years ago. Therefore, I decided to write about this topic in several installments, each with a different focus. Part 8: Selected cases My experiences at PPD served as excellent teaching tools during my 37 years of instructing university criminal justice classes; the PD and the incidents and problems we dealt with provided a great learning “laboratory.” Two case studies below were used often in those classes: the first describes the inherent danger of the work, and the second is excellent for explaining to students how probable cause (for making arrests, searches, and seizures) works in the field.