Anthology idea: Excerpts from Witty Police Detectives

One new book anthology that I hope will be compiled, edited, and published soon, is a book with a title such as, "The Wit and Wisdom of Police Detectives."

I recently obtained from the Austin (Texas) Public Library some audio recordings of the 1950s radio series "Dragnet," featuring a Los Angeles (Calif.) Police Department law-enforcement officer called "Sergeant Friday."

I am finding as I delight in the blunt-sounding and accusatory interviews that Sergeant Friday conducted with criminal-law suspects that Sergeant Friday helped to transform the entire image of the so-called "straight man" in American humor.

Unlike most "Straight Men" of American humor, who are dry and stodgy and very formal and verbose, Sergeant Friday of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) is often funny and witty and pithy. He is presented as being far more interesting than the "clever" and "entertaining" and "colorful" thieves, con artists, burglars, murderers, and other denizens of the criminal underworld whom Sergeant Friday interviews in person for LAPD.

The terse one-liner rejoinders to suspected criminals that Sergeant Friday of the Los Angeles Police Department verbalizes with pugilistic prowess elicit from listeners more chuckles and delighted laughter than do the vast majority of all professional comedians and entertainers. "How marvelous, to sense that Straight Men CAN be interesting, contrary to what the American news media generally indicate"--so the listener notes to himself as he listens to the latest memorable retort from Sergeant Friday.

In addition to his humor, of course, Sergeant Friday does present the invaluable societal message that the pursuit of crime is foolhardy, injurious to others, and self-destructive. For that, we can also be very thankful.

It would be interesting to find out whether the Los Angeles Police Department has erected a public statute honoring one of "LAPD's Finest and Greatest Officers: Sergeant Friday." Or possibly LAPD has sponsored a "Sergeant Friday" exhibit at a "History of LAPD Museum" somewhere in Los Angeles, California.

Listening to audiotapes of Sergeant Friday also serves as a helpful reminder that there are some citizens of Los Angeles, California, who are, in fact, true to that city's name. Not only are they themselves law-abiding and honorable, but they seek to help lawfully and in a civil manner purge that Southern California city of "Los Diablos" (The Devils).