A Tribute to LAPD Chief Daryl F. Gates

By Richard Hannibal

Every child and young adult has their heroes who carry them through life; I certainly have mine. There was my fellow officer and friend, who while standing beside me, took a bullet meant for me. There was my friend, Arleigh McCree, an LAPD explosives and firearms expert who was killed in the line of duty while disarming a bomb. Of course, there is Clint Eastwood, even at his age, every cop's hero. Then there was LAPD Chief Daryl F. Gates, who I and most street-cops greatly admired. Perhaps some day I will write more about my heroes. But right now, I focus on Daryl Gates, who passed away on April 9, 2010 at the age of 83, following a short illness.

Police work is highly rewarding and at the same time relentlessly criticized. Many folks resent authority and the very nature of the job cause us to be scrutinized and judged; as it should. Chief Gates was no different from the rest and received his share of scrutiny and criticism.

Daryl Gates' 43 years with the LAPD included his tenure as chief from 1978 to 1992. These were trying times for our society in general and for law enforcement in particular. I know. I was there. Our society was evolving and it was law enforcement's sacred duty to hold things together while the nation tried to become less judgmental and more tolerant. It was a tightrope for cops, who had a hard time walking the thin line while societal issues were constantly changing. It took a strong leader like Chief Gates to keep that line in focus and lead the rest of us into the unknown. He did this, because he was a cross between a no-nonsense street-cop and a gifted manager. I suspect, like me, he was somewhat naïve about politics, but he made no apologies for what he believed in. He clashed frequently with elected officials who had personal agendas. And he was fiercely loyal to his rank and file. Perhaps the former was one of his greatest faults, but the latter is why we young 'street cops' loved and admired him. He was an exemplar of modern law enforcement and has been called an "All-American Hero."

Chief Gates was innovative in his approaches to crime fighting and prevention. Many of his ideas were accepted world-wide. The turbulence of the times was met by the birth of the modern Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) teams, which have continued to evolve to this day. Under Chief Gates' direction, these highly disciplined teams approached high-risk incidents and hostage situations with surgical precision. The 'yahoo, cowboy' way of doing things was no more. Chief Gates was the "father of SWAT."

On the gentler side, Chief Gates instituted the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program, better known as D.A.R.E. This evolved to an international education program that seeks to prevent use of illegal drugs, membership in gangs, and violent behavior.

The ongoing professional respect of Chief Gates is seen in the following quote. "I've never seen a situation where 18 years after retirement, officers who never worked with him still cheer him as Chief of Police." I am one of those officers. I am saddened by his passing, but encouraged when I see our ever-evolving law enforcement community hold on to Chief Gates' inspired esprit-de-corps and dedication to the sacred, public trust. He will be missed.