Dragnet - Big Bobo

0:00Ladies and gentlemen, the story you're about to hear is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent. You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned to Internal Affairs Division. A man who claims he's a policeman has been accepting bribes in your city. Evidence points to the fact that he is an officer. Your job, check it out. Trigment. The documented drama of an actual crime. For the next 30 minutes in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department, you will travel step by step on the side of the law through an actual case

1:01transcribed from official police violence. From beginning to end, from crime to punishment, Dragnet is the story of your police force in action. It was Monday, April 18th. It was cold in Los Angeles. We were working the day watch out of Internal Affairs Division. My partner's Frank Smith, the boss of Captain Fulton, running Friday. I was on my way into the office. It was 7.58 a.m. when I got to room 36. Squad room. Good morning. Bye. We keeping you up? There's a couch down in the hall. Maybe you can use that. Yeah. Remember a couple of months ago, say it was on that quiz show? Yeah. Yeah, so we heard something about that. Well, one of the prizes was a dog. You know, they were going to give us a little pup. Turned out there were giving away cockers. Very nice dogs and turpets. Fan me, talked it over in the site. We'd rather have one of those bass and hounds. One of those dogs with a little short hind legs in long years.

2:03Long face, bass and hounds. They seem in the magazines. You know, they got sad eyes. I always looked so sad. We were hard to get. We had to wait a while. I got to call Saturday. The pup was there. I went out and picked him up. He named him Hector. Yeah. That's it. Hector. Why? Why? Because the old expression kind of said. Since Hector was a pup, you had a child? Hector, so you still a pup? Oh, Hector, the pup. I was up with him all night. He couldn't sleep. He kept quiet. You still work here, don't you? I just stayed up and kind of hung until I'm in the company. You're still working here? Oh. They didn't come in this morning. Yeah, there's a couple of mugs out there. In fact, thank you. They're glad to get the bed tonight. Excuse me. Yes, ma'am. Something to do for you?

3:05Man down room 38, Bunko. Tell me to come here. Yes, ma'am. The vet had that nickname. He said to you. Why the report, Captain? All right. Would you like to sit down? Thank you. Now, what we do for you? I think it's been too long. What's that? Well, I paid for it over a month ago. I'm tired of waiting. You want to tell us why would you mean? Well, Henry should be home. But now it's been over a month. Who's Henry? My husband. Henry far well. When I gave the man the money said he'd get Henry out of jail right away. That's what he told me. What man? The man who came to see me. Well, yes, ma'am. But who was he? A policeman. 812 am. We continued to talk to the woman. She identified herself as Mrs. Henry far well and she gave us the full story. Wonder this man approach, ma'am. Just a minute, ma'am. I got it all written down. Ma'am? Got it right here in my bag. Yep. Here it is. Mark 6. That's where to met him.

4:05Where was that? Where was that? Where? To meet him. He comes to my house. He told me he wanted to talk to me about something that was important. I didn't know him. There was no reason he'd have anything important to talk to me about. But he said he knew the mystery. You mean your husband? At Jack's. Henry far well. See him present? Yes. Then there are three and a half years. We don't like to ask this Mrs. far well, but it's necessary. Berglory. That's what he was convicted for. Judge told him he'd go to jail for five years to life. When his first time he's been in jail? I thought so. First I thought it was all a mistake. It was wrong about the mystery. Yes, ma'am. It went. Came out in the trial. Things he'd done the same thing before, twice before. I didn't know about it when we got married. Didn't have any idea. The mystery's my second husband. First one died ten years ago. Woman my age gets lonely. So when Mrs. Farwell asked me to marry him, I said yes.

5:07Then I found out about Stephen. Miss Man said he knew your husband is right. That's right. Told me the next several years go. Then he went on to tell me how the mystery could get out. What do you mean? The way he told it. If you had friends who knew the right people, you could get out of jail. What's that? If the right people were paid, a man could get out of prison. And he wanted you to give him some money? Not at first. When he came to the house at the beginning, he didn't even mention it. Not at all. When did he bring it up? Oh, about a week later. Came over in the afternoon. I was out in the yard and he said he'd met the people who were important. The ones who could get the mystery out of prison. Did he say what these people were? No. Just told me he'd met him. No, what happened then? I'm much 14th. He told me that it could be a range for the mystery to get out of jail. Tell me, did he tell you how this could be done?

6:09Well, from what he told me, he'd talk to the right people. That's the way he said it. The right people. I see. If he gave him $5,000, the mystery could be turned out. $5,000, huh? Yes. I told him I couldn't give it that much, but I just didn't have it. What the man say when you told him that? Ask me how much I could give him. I said if I sold a few things, did what I could to get more money, I might be able to pay $3,500. What'd he say about that, say, the R.A.? No, no. No. He told me he'd have to go back and talk to the people as they said it'd be enough. What'd you see him again? Two days. He came back. What'd he say then? Tell me it'd be okay. The money'd be enough. I got it together and gave it to him. That same day? No. No, it was two days later on March 16th, that's when I gave him the money. It's been over a month now and the mystery still hasn't been turned out.

7:10I wrote to him, but he doesn't say anything about coming home. I don't think he knows anything about it. Now, I don't want to cause any trouble. Just want to miss throughout a prison or else I want my money back. He told us this man was a policeman. That's right. In what city? I don't understand. Well, what city did he work in? Or what city did he say he worked in? Here, and what same. That's right here. Did he show you some identification? Yes, I wouldn't just hand over the money without that. I saw his dad. Mm-hmm. It looked like this one. Let me see. Yeah, hmm? Just like that one. Same thing. Mm-hmm. Did he give you a name? Yes. He said he was Jimmy Sovelle. Sergeant Jimmy Sovelle. That's the SORVEL. That's right. Oh, that's right. Did you say anything else to identify him? What do you mean? Well, did he show you any other cards? Anything else? You mean it might be a wrong name? That's right. Oh, no, I'm sure about that. I wouldn't just hand the money over to anybody.

8:12I was sure. What do you mean? I saw his driver's license. Did he tell you where he was? You mean in what department? That's right. Yeah, it's one of the reasons I believed him because of where he worked. Well, right here in the city hall. Well, I continued to talk to Mrs. Filewell Frank, put in a call to personnel. Three minutes later, he called me out into the hall. Let me close, sir. What do you got? Oh, I checked the personnel records. Yeah, what did you find out? Looks like she was telling the truth. What? There is a gem for Val. City hall? Well, closer than that. Uh, auto-ff detail. We put in a call to auto-ff detail and ask the Sergeant James Surveillance right away. Well, a victim waited in the squadron, Frank, and I took the officer down to the interrogation room. Glad to know you. Yeah. Thanks.

9:14What's your son-of-a-bottom? Well, it's a rough one, Jim. We hope you got the answers. Now, give me a try. How long you been a policeman? Twelve years. How long you been working auto-faction? Two years, just, um... I worked there before about five years ago. Uh-huh. Well, what's your son-of-a-bottom anyway? You know a woman named Filewell? Um, who's he? You know it all together. How about a man, Henry Klyler? No, I'm sorry. No, wait a minute. Who? Two years ago, and I was working at Bergery, seems like a suspect of that man. Yeah. Big guy. Fallen twice before the way I remember. Bad name, or I'm sorry. Might be the same one. What about him? I already went to the joint a couple years ago. Well, his wife came in here this morning. Yeah. So she gave him in $3,500 to get far well out of jail. Well, you know, some kind of a deal. This fellow said he knew the right people. Told her a little juice and opened the doors for a role in it.

10:15Uh-huh. How do I say it? Well, this guy told her he was a policeman. He told her I'd need to prove it. What's the name? The Orch. Do you believe it? Well, no, we don't order. We figure we get your side of the story. First, well, there's nothing to tell you Friday. I had no partner action. That's the truth. I hope it stands out. It's got to. I don't know anything about the deal. Nothing at all. I wouldn't know the woman if she walked in here right now. Well, when you don't mind letting her take a look at you then. No, I know. Bring her in. Right. Yeah. Odd shit in the thick meat. So as the fellow that took her gave your name, I put a goof up someplace. Okay. You got your driver's license? Yeah. Want to show it to him? Sure. Next line is, take it out of your wallet, isn't it?

11:15I don't like this any better than you do, Jim. Yeah. See ya. You got your badge on? Yeah. You want that too? Well, I want to see it. All right. This file also says the suspect showed her a badge. It says it looked good. I don't think it was mine. Here. One step inside this file also. Yes. Thank you. All right, Miss Farwell. You know this man? Yeah. Things I've seen in some place before? Yes. Don't be careful and look carefully. You know where you've seen him. I'm trying to think. Take your time. Be sure. Yes, ma'am. Please be sure. Yeah. He has a little shorter. Had a mustache before. But I can tell. I can tell for sure. What's it? He's the one that took my money.

12:20Mrs. Farwell was taken down the hall where she made a complete report. We continued to interrogate Sergeant James Survelled but he maintained his innocence. He was suspended from the police department pending an investigation by our detail and the District Attorney's Office. He was arrested by the police department by the time we talked to Survelled's friends and the many worked with his financial condition and investigated. He owed some money but he was not behind in his payments. His bank account didn't show any large deposits and from what we could find out he was not living beyond his means. If he was guilty, he hadn't spent any of the money that he'd taken. We asked the staff's office to make a run on con men who would use a similar approach. They came back with a list of 18 possible suspects. We pulled a mug shot from the packages on the men and they were fired. They showed us another living room of a very small house. Now then, what is it this time you come to bring my money back? No, ma'am. Where am I going to get it? Seems like a long time. The Mr. is still in prison and I haven't got my money. We'd like you to look at some pictures if you would. Plus four. We'd like to see if you recognize any of the men.

13:21Sure, I got nothing else to do. Let's see him. There you are, ma'am. Mm-hmm. Yeah? Mm-hmm. Yes, ma'am. All right. Now, look the pictures. Now I get the money. No, ma'am. When do I get it? Well, we haven't been able to recover it yet. What? We haven't found it yet. What about that man? You got so there. What about him? Ma'am. Make him tell you where the money is. He took it. Make him tell. And what we've been able to find out, he hasn't got it. Now we get down the cases, huh? What's that? Let's lay the cards on the table. I'm getting pretty mad about it. When I first came to see you, I wanted the money back. Either the effort to have the Mr. Alva prison, either one, it didn't much matter which, but I did want one of them. No, ma'am. No. You've got the man who took the $3,500. Got him in jail. And you tell me you can't find the money, is that right? It's not right. You want to know what I think? What's that?

14:21I think you're all in it together. That's what I think. The whole bunch of you're all in the things together. That's not true. You say so, but I think different. Now, I'm going to tell you something, Mr. Buddy. I'm not going to wait anymore. I want the money back, or I'm going to the newspaper again. I'll tell him what's happening. They'll get me some action. I'm going to get some action. No, I won't. I've done all my waiting already. You think that just because I'm an old woman, you can push me around while you just got another face coming. I want that money, and I want it right now, and if I don't get it, you're going to be in a lot of trouble. We're doing everything we can to get you more than you better start doing more because I'm not happy at all. All you cops just stick together. Well, this time it's not going to do you any good. You don't understand this far, Will. I think I do. Maybe too much. I'll tell you what I'm going to do. I'll give you just three days to get that money back or I'll squeeze my head off to the newspaper. You've got some man in jail. Next thing you'll be telling me he didn't do it. We're not sure he did. Uh-huh. Well, he did. I guess I know I'm the one who stole some.

15:22He's the man, and I want to see him in prison too. And he's guilty that's where he'll go. I'm telling you he is. What more do you need? Just one more thing. What's that? Proof. Frank and I went back to the office and met with Captain Folton. We laid out the results of our investigation. According to what the victim told us, we had the right man in custody. But according to the evidence we found, it was a case of mistaken identity. Two days later, on Thursday, April 28th, we got a call from a bartender out on Vermont Avenue. Frank and I do about the same. Hi. I'd like to see Vince L. Cart. I'm him. What do you want? Police officers. Frank's left-left-right. Oh, yeah? Wanna come back here? We can talk. Yeah. Right. All right. What do you want to see us about? I know I'm letting myself in for a lot of trouble. Anything you guys can do to help me out, I'd appreciate it. But I ain't asking for no special treatment. We'll ask Paul to tell us what it is.

16:23Well, night before last, a couple of kids came out. They sounded the bar, ordered it, then. Well, they looked kind of young. So I asked to see their ID. Playin' it safe, you know? Go ahead. Well, they showed me their driver's license. I checked them. Looked all right to me. So I served them. Yeah. Yes, I made them kind of embarrassed. They only had one, and then shoved off. There was no sooner out of the place when this guy came out. Told me he wanted to talk. What about it? Said the two kids run to age. Minus. That I served them on the beefers on. Who was it? That's why I called you. Maybe I was wronged several times. Maybe I did make a mistake. But I sure ain't going to stamp and no shakedown. Not a penny's worth. Just a little try to get it. Sure. Told me if I paid off, he'd forget what he saw. Who is it? Cup. Name of Jim Surveille.

17:23We got a description of the man who tried to blackmail Vince Elkhart. It matched Sergeant Jim Surveille. Well, I continue to talk to Elkhart, frankly, in the call to the policeman. I'm asking him to come over to the bar. It took him 12 minutes to get there. He was brought into the place and confronted by the bartender. Would you turn around? Sure. How's that? Uh-huh. Yeah. How about it? There's many dogs, flaws I can say. Well, he's the wrong man. We made arrangements for Vince Elkhart, the bartender, to come down to the city hall and go through the mud books. He was unable to find a picture of the suspect. We contacted CII up in Sacramento and asked them to check their files. Third, he's 5.30 pm. We returned to the bar. No. Come right down to it, I guess I shouldn't only be my cop. Should've known it all along.

18:24Have you seen this fellow before? I'm not sure about that. Seems like I might have, but I can't be sure. We do a pretty good business in here. A lot of people. You might have been around, but I can't name a date of time. Was he with anybody than Eddie was in here, remember? I don't remember. Matter of fact, I don't even remember him coming in. Just all of a sudden after the kid left, he was at the bar. Caused me to pick. Really standard me to think I cut the car. Or would you tell him when he asked you for the payout? Set for him to get out of the place. That if he was going to make a pinch to go ahead and do it or else clear out. Did he leave? Yeah. Said I didn't give him any choice. Walked out. Hello. Yeah, that's right. Just a minute. Hey, Vance. Yeah? Catch the phone, will you? Yeah. Excuse me. Yeah, go ahead. Here, go ahead. Hello? Yeah, that's right. Who? Oh, yeah. Mm-hmm. Have a note? Yeah. No, I understand. Uh-huh. Well, it's nice of.

19:24Sure, I thought about. Okay. Yeah. Goodbye. You guys must live right. Let's listen to him. The phone will be cut. Yeah. You'll be right over. Frank and I took up positions in the back of the bar. 20 minutes later, the suspect walked in. Hi, all right. Hello? How can you cook, I? Sure. Oh, it's nice of you. Oh, it's your been cold, I had it. Yeah. I feel much better. I'm going to go to the hospital. I'm going to go to the hospital. I'm going to go to the hospital. I'm going to go to the hospital. I'm going to go to the hospital. I'm going to go to the hospital. I'm going to go to the hospital. I feel much better. Slow, Mike. Here's your drink. Frank. Where can we talk? So run to you. And where about the two guys in the back?

20:25They won't bother anybody. Both guys. All right, I'll call what about it. You mean the pill? That's right. I thought the boys downtown, they say let you out the hook of 750. That's a lot of money. Their license is worth more, isn't it? I'm supposed to. But I got to know what I'm buying. The lobby guy is downtown. Well, that doesn't come in, but all you've got to do is dig up the money. All right, that's what you're doing. You mean just that. How far up there's a payoff, though? All the way to the top? We have enough. All right. Yes, sir, you play along with us and you do all right. This is him. All right, Mr. Let's go. What are you talking about? What is this police officer doing to arrest? Oh, what? The suspicion grand theft and impersonating an officer. And we ought to be able to figure out a couple more in the way downtown. Hey, you guys are wrong. You made a mistake. There we have. I'm sorry. You're going to be awful sorry about this. Is that right? Sure, I get a lot of friends in town, so I'm pretty high. Mm-hmm. You mind giving me your names and numbers? I want to be sure I got the right dope on you guys. Tom, I get through.

21:25You'll both be working so far out. You'll need a passport to get home. Mm-hmm. Got it all figured out, aren't you? Front back in the middle. Yeah. Like reading this story. Well, I don't know about the first part. Yeah. But I can tell you how it's going to end. The suspect was taken down to the city hall. He refused to give his name and the thorough search of his person failed to turn up any one day and identifying him. His fingerprints were rolled while we waited for the results of the check bank and I talked to the suspect in the squad room. How long you figure you're going to be able to keep this thing up? I don't know what you're talking about. No, come off. We've got you dead to right and you know what? News to me. Why'd you tell us who you are? I forgot. You know a man named Jim Servell? I don't think so. According to that bartender, you said you were Servell. Well, he's got a big mouth. Well, I think we've ever been arrested. I forgot. You better get the memory back. Why? I got it. ID. Smith. Yeah?

22:25Mm-hmm. Wait a minute. Talk to me after that. Here. All right. All right. 46? Yeah. Yeah. All right. 52, huh? Okay. All right, thank you. You better get in touch with those big friends of yours. I will win this necessary. Well, time just came up. We got your records. Well, name, child, Bobo Ciernan, Austin, there. You've fallen twice in California once for GTA, once for attempted robbery. He's now standing once for me, wreaked in two from out of state, all three, uncharted extortion. Why are we arrested? How about it? You don't have to go in the box. Where's the badge in the driver's license, my place? Where's that? Oh, tell over on grand. Where'd you get the badge? But, guy, I know. One of the old ones. Mark doesn't know the difference. Yeah. How about the license? Made that up myself.

23:25Why'd you pick sorvel? Looks like a good dodge. You cop was gonna cause trouble. Why him? Tell you the cleaning store out in Highland Park one night must be a place where the store is held as business. Correct what I was him. We got to talk and see if it's just worked out. What about the prison deal? I had to build that for yourself. Well, I know a guy up at Q. He buddies up with the prison and gets all the information and cuts a letter out to me and I pull the slums. How many times you worked the deal? Collect the three. Last one was an old woman. What'd you take? 3500. Just you and the guy up in the joints, I already. Yeah. You're willing to make a statement? Sure. I will call it tonight. But can you tell me something? What's that? There are two out of states these you think are actually writing? We don't call it. Why? Well, rather do my time here in California, it's nice here. Yeah. Pretty good. But the nice hearing in California is different. Well, I wouldn't worry. You won't see much of it. The story you've just heard is true. The names were changed to protect the innocent. On July 28, trial was held in Department 96, Superior Court of the State of California,

24:29in and for the County of Los Angeles. In a moment of results of that trial. Charles Keenan-Opner was tried and convicted on Grand Theft Money, three counts. And received sentence as prescribed by law. Grand Theft Money is punishable by imprisonment for a period of not less than one, nor more than ten years in the state's own attention. Sergeant James Sobble was reinstated in his duties with full back pay. You have just heard dragnet. There is about 30 cases from official files. Technical advice comes from the Office of Chief of Police, W.H. Parker, Los Angeles Police Department.