Volume 43- No. 19
May 10, 2012
by lyle e davis For a long time I have thought that a neat idea would be to plop oneself down in a police station, go through the case files, interview the police officers involved and write stories about law enforcement. I don’t need to do that. George Nuttall has done it. George is a retired California Highway Patrol Captain, retiring in 1983. Since that time, he has been busy chronicling his 30 plus years in law enforcement work. It makes for a rollicking romp through law enforcement, starting with the San Diego Police Department, then continuing on with his CHP career. Lots of humor, lots of camaraderie, some tragic moments, some broken hearts, a few tears . . . but some enjoyable read. As I read through George’s book, “Cops, Crooks and other Crazies,” I recalled stories cop pals of mine had told me about ‘the early years.’ Thirty, forty or more years ago, Escondido cops did not have the tight rules and regulations they do today. It was typical to break in a ‘rookie’ by sending a radio call at 2 or 3am about a large man near the corner of Juniper and what is today known as E. Valley Parkway, with a large object in his hands, possibly a weapon. Blue pants, white shirt. Suspicious character. The poor rookie would drive up and down in his patrol car anxiously looking for this suspicious character . . . while the other on duty cops had a good laugh at his expense. The rookie, worried whether or not he would pass his probationary period, was more The Paper - 760.747.7119
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and more frustrated because if he couldn’t find this suspicious character after such a vivid description and repeated radio calls . . . well, would he survive his probation period. The tall suspicious person was the Joor Muffler Man, a tall statue about 40’ high, and a landmark in Escondido for years . . . and it’s still standing. Similar exploits were pulled
in the San Diego Police Department back when George Nuttall became a rookie police officer. It wasn’t all fun and games, though. He learned some good law enforcement and investigative techniques. He met and knew some great cops who became life long friends. He also met cops that should never have been hired as cops. Incompetents and even worse. Some were
out and out thieves. George Nuttall does not have a great deal of love for the San Diego Police Department back in ‘the early days.’ Lots of terrible mismanagement, political favoritism, bribery, corrupt cops, an ‘old boy network,’ and less than fair treatment for good cops . . . often with outrageous violation of the rights of hard working cops to retain their jobs by being conscientious enforcers
“Cops, Crooks & Other Crazies” Continued on Page 2