Roy E. Steckel
Encyclopedia
Roy Edmund Steckel served as Los Angeles Police Department
Chief of Police
from December 30, 1929 to August 9, 1933. He succeeded and was succeeded as chief by James E. "Two-Guns" Davis
. During Steckel's reign as Chif of Police, Los Angeles hosted the 1932 Summer Olympic Games. The L.A.P.D. employed 800 duly sworn police officers. According to the L.A.P.D.'s official site, crime was very low during the Olympics, with there being only "two robberies, eight burglaries, 39 thefts, and 10 auto thefts."
Steckel was dismissed as chief by incoming major Frank L. Shaw
, who had run on a platform that included a plank calling for Steckel's dismissal. Under Steckel's regime, Mayor John Clinton Porter
appointed a former detective with the L.A.P.D. to head up an intelligence operation aimed at both the police department itself and city officials. L.A.P.D. intelligence operatives were bolstered with private investigators, who were given captain's badges. The L.A. City Council eventually disbanded the intelligence operation after three years. The incident led Time Magazine to term the L.A.P.D. "super-snoopers".
Under Steckel, L.A.P.D.'s first "air patrol", consisting of 10 police officers assigned to a fixed wing squadron, was implemented in 1931.
, there was a movement in Los Angeles and California to deny Mexican immigrants welfare
benefits in a general drive to repatriate them to Mexico, ostensibly to alleviate unemployment
. This led to California's Mexican Repatriation Program. In 1931, Chief Steckel claimed that, “Most of our crime problems are caused by aliens without respect for the laws of the country.”
Los Angeles Police Department
The Los Angeles Police Department is the police department of the city of Los Angeles, California. With just under 10,000 officers and more than 3,000 civilian staff, covering an area of with a population of more than 4.1 million people, it is the third largest local law enforcement agency in...
Chief of Police
Chief of police
A Chief of Police is the title typically given to the top official in the chain of command of a police department, particularly in North America. Alternate titles for this position include Commissioner, Superintendent, and Chief constable...
from December 30, 1929 to August 9, 1933. He succeeded and was succeeded as chief by James E. "Two-Guns" Davis
James E. Davis
James E. Davis was a New York City police officer, corrections officer and council member. He was killed by a fellow politician in New York's City Hall, in a bizarre instance of political rivalry gone awry....
. During Steckel's reign as Chif of Police, Los Angeles hosted the 1932 Summer Olympic Games. The L.A.P.D. employed 800 duly sworn police officers. According to the L.A.P.D.'s official site, crime was very low during the Olympics, with there being only "two robberies, eight burglaries, 39 thefts, and 10 auto thefts."
Steckel was dismissed as chief by incoming major Frank L. Shaw
Frank L. Shaw
Frank L. Shaw was the first mayor of a major American city to be recalled from office, in 1938. He was also a member of the Los Angeles City Council and then the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors...
, who had run on a platform that included a plank calling for Steckel's dismissal. Under Steckel's regime, Mayor John Clinton Porter
John Clinton Porter
John Clinton Porter, born in Leon, Iowa was a U.S. political figure.He served as the 33rd Mayor of Los Angeles between 1929 and 1933, and ran for re-election twice more but was defeated in 1933 by Frank L. Shaw and in 1941 by Fletcher Bowron...
appointed a former detective with the L.A.P.D. to head up an intelligence operation aimed at both the police department itself and city officials. L.A.P.D. intelligence operatives were bolstered with private investigators, who were given captain's badges. The L.A. City Council eventually disbanded the intelligence operation after three years. The incident led Time Magazine to term the L.A.P.D. "super-snoopers".
Innovations
During Steckel's term as Police Chief, radio dispatching was first implemented. Called "the most modern municipal police radio system in the world", the radio network transmitted from a transmitter located in Elysian park and utilized eight switchboards at City Hall. Forty-four patrol cars were equipped with radio communications, though two-way broadcasting did not come until 1938. The radio network reduced police response times to less than three minutes.Under Steckel, L.A.P.D.'s first "air patrol", consisting of 10 police officers assigned to a fixed wing squadron, was implemented in 1931.
Controversies
During the first years of the Great DepressionGreat Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, there was a movement in Los Angeles and California to deny Mexican immigrants welfare
Welfare
Welfare refers to a broad discourse which may hold certain implications regarding the provision of a minimal level of wellbeing and social support for all citizens without the stigma of charity. This is termed "social solidarity"...
benefits in a general drive to repatriate them to Mexico, ostensibly to alleviate unemployment
Unemployment
Unemployment , as defined by the International Labour Organization, occurs when people are without jobs and they have actively sought work within the past four weeks...
. This led to California's Mexican Repatriation Program. In 1931, Chief Steckel claimed that, “Most of our crime problems are caused by aliens without respect for the laws of the country.”