The Editor,
I just found a DVD of early Adam 12 shows. It sure brought back memories; it was my favourite show when I was a kid. Two clean cut blue-eyed cops tearing around LA saving kids lives and protecting folks from the bad guys. You just slept better knowing they were out there.
So where are Pete Malloy and Jim Reed now? Where are those two dedicated guys giving all they had to protect and serve with honour, courage and integrity? I think we ought to look at where they came from. LAPD was in trouble.
They had a very bad public image and were even having trouble getting good recruits. They had not recovered from the Watts riots and there were a number of other less notable incidents that did not make them look good. Enter Jack Webb, long-time producer of gritty radio and television police drama and friend of the LAPD.
Webbs Adam 12 changed peoples view of police across North America. Police were seen as real people with families and personal lives. They were dedicated and tried their best to protect and serve.
Sometimes they were successful and sometimes they were not. But then again, they were just folks wearing a blue uniform doing the best they could. Many kids wanted to be just like them! Maybe all we need is Webb. Perhaps Pete and Jim are out there already.
Real people doing a real job, a hard and dangerous job, they have families and personal lives too. They are trying hard to make a difference. They are saving kids lives and catching bad guys. When one of them makes a mistake, they all get tarred with the same brush.
Still, they put their uniforms on and go to work. They probably never even met the ones we read about in the paper. They do not write force policy and they sure did not write the laws. They just do the best they can to make our community safe, then go home.
You just sleep better knowing they are out there!
Scott Stewart
Richmond
