All language subtitles for Dragnet S03E05 Police Commission (DR-13).DVDRip.NonHI.cc.en

This is the city.

Los Angeles, California.

In the 1890s, freight and passenger
travel from the San Fernando Valley

to the Los Angeles plain came
by wagon over the Cahuenga Pass.

Thirty years later,
hundreds of automobiles

turned out for the
opening of the Mulholland

Highway, bumper to
bumper, a hint of the future.

By 1928, there was one horseless carriage
for every two and a quarter people.

Today, there are over 4
million cars in the county

and seven freeways have
replaced the dirt roads of yesteryear.

With hundreds of thousands
traveling these freeways daily,

there are bound to
be some problems.

Most are accidents.

Occasionally they
get more involved.

That's when I go to work.

I carry a badge.

The story you're
about to see is true.

The names have been
changed to protect the innocent.

It was Monday, August 12th.

We were working the day watch out
of Los Angeles Police Commission,

Investigation Division.

The boss is Captain
George Milemore.

My partner is Bill Gannon.

My name is Friday.

We had a meeting
with Captain Milemore.

The commission had decided to crack
down on dishonest tow truck operators.

In the trade they are
known as wildcatters.

Bill, Joe, what do you
know about wildcatters?

Freelance tow truck
drivers cruise the streets

and the freeways
looking for a tow job.

A driver's license from DMV and a
rig to drive and they're in business.

Behind the wheel they are
subject to the same laws we all are,

but some of them are writing
their own business rules.

Yes, sir, but there
are plenty of good tow

operators, honest men
who do an honest job.

Charge fair prices, help keep
traffic moving, sometimes save lives.

Correct and the city
needs every one of

them, but it's a highly
competitive business,

even cutthroat.

That means the bad
as well as the good.

Fortunately, the good
outnumber the bad by far.

- But the bad spoil it for
everybody.
- That's it.

Whatever happened to the idea
of a tow truck association, Captain?

It's still an idea.

Maybe someday tow truck owners will get
together to establish business standards,

police their own. We hope so.

In the meantime it's up to us.

And that's why the official
police garages fit in the picture.

Right. Chief Rodin has authorized
a new regulatory program.

From now on, OPG drivers will wear
grey uniforms and this shoulder patch.

They'll also wear a replica of
this patch on their uniform caps.

This way any motorist who asks
a police officer to call a tow truck

will know he is getting help from
one of our licensed 16 garages.

With established towing charges
and standard rules of operation.

That's right. And we'll
inspect those 16 garages often.

If any fail to measure up, we'll
find others to take their place.

- There's only one problem.
- What's that, sir?

Sixteen OPGs aren't enough. There
are far too many wildcatters operating.

The public is being
swindled every day.

Complaints from motorists.

Everything from misrepresentations
to gross overcharging.

- Hard to prove.
- You know it.

Usually just within the law.
But we got a little leverage.

Yes, sir.

Tow trucks operate out of repair
shops. That's where the big money is.

- Drivers work on a percentage of
what they haul in.
- Yes, sir.

The Police Commission issues permits to
all the auto repair shops in Los Angeles.

All right, sir. We'll get to
work on these right away.

- Good. They're urgent. And Joe.
- Yes, sir?

Don't forget what I said
about that leverage. Use it.

Six of the complaints given
us by Captain Milemore

had been made against the same tow
truck operator, a man named John K. Anzo.

All six had been
made in the past month.

10:30 a.m.

We began with the
first complainant.

Her name was Phoebe Kensington.

She lived in an old apartment house in
the 200 Block on West Catalina Avenue.

- Yes.
- You're Mrs. Kensington, are
you?

I'm Ms. Kensington.

We're police officers. I
wonder if we might talk to you.

What about?

You wrote a letter about
a man who towed your car.

Oh, yes.

Wouldn't you like to sit down
and talk about it, ma'am, inside?

Well, my babies are asleep.

In your letter you said that you were towed
from the Harbor Freeway, is that right?

Well, I had to turn sharply. One of
those hippies cut right in front of me.

I struck the fence.

Mr. Anzo said it would cost $12
for towing my car and $30 to fix it.

I wrote you that in the letter.

Yes, ma'am, you did, but you didn't
say whether you signed a contract.

- Contract?
- Yes, ma'am, for Anzo's
services.

Oh, yes. Well, I
suppose I did, but that

didn't give him the
right to do what he did.

Well, what did he
do, Ms. Kensington?

- He fixed the wrong door.
- How is that, ma'am?

I struck the fence
on the right side.

He repaired the door
on that side but claimed

the door on the left
side needed fixing too

so he did. It cost me $30 more.

Do you know how much $72 is to a
woman in my position, young man?

Yes, ma'am. I believe
I do. Did you pay him?

Well, he wouldn't let me
have my car until I did.

You'll get me my
money back, won't you?

- I'm afraid we can't do that.
- I don't understand.

When you signed the
contract, you paid him.

All you can do now
is file a civil suit.

- You mean go to court?
- Yes, ma'am.

This is ridiculous.

I complained to the police.

I expect you to do something.

Yes, ma'am.

Instead you do nothing
except wake up my babies.

11:15 p.m.

The tow truck driver John K. Anzo
had obviously cheated Ms. Kensington,

but he had not committed a
crime that we could prosecute.

We headed for the Hollywood address of
the second complainant, Mrs. Perry Chance.

Yeah, what do you want?

- We're looking for Mrs. Chance.
- Who wants her?

Police officers.

Yeah. Well, she ain't here.

What is it, Fats?

These guys say they're cops.

- You fellas here about the
letter?
- Yes, ma'am. That's right.

Come on in.

I'm Margaret Chance.

This is my husband.

- Everybody calls him Fats.
- What letter?

- I filed a complaint with the
law.
- About what?

About 250 bucks for hauling that
heap of yours! That's about what.

There's no complain. Forget it!

- Go shave and put on a shirt,
would you, Fats?
- There is no complaint!

The car was mine! I was
driving and nobody got hurt!

You were as potted as a
geranium and you know it.

The first solid week's worth you get
in three months and what happens?

You tank up and rapped
your car on a telephone pole.

Along comes Anzo and you fork over
250 bucks to haul you and your car in,

250 bucks cash!

- Is that how it happened, sir?
- You better believe it's how it
happened.

This Anzo character is no dummy. I
figure he knows a live one when he sees it.

Hooks up and hauls away
before the police show.

That way my husband beats a
drunk driving rap, doesn't he?

- Mr. Chance?
- Anzo, I never heard of him.

- Did you pay him in cash?
- I just said I never heard of
nobody named Anzo!

Where is your car now?

- I sold it.
- I sold it, what was left of it.

Fats does extra work at the
studios when he can get it.

Things are pretty slow
these days. We have to eat.

- There's only one thing I can't
figure out.
- Yes, ma'am.

Anzo, how did he get
to the wreck so fast?

There are plenty of
tow truck drivers who

cruise the city looking
for somebody in trouble.

They are called wildcatters.
That's what Anzo is.

Most of them have shortwave
radio receivers in their trucks

so they can monitor ambulance
calls, even tune in on police bands.

Argh!

Argh!

- Officer?
- Yes, ma'am.

Anzo, you'll get him?

We'd have more chance if
your husband would testify.

He won't but I will.

Your evidence is just hearsay.
Anyway it was a cash deal.

Anzo would most likely deny it.

He's got all the angles
figured, hasn't he?

- No, ma'am, not all of them.
- What do you mean?

Six people sent in complaints.

You're only the
second one we've seen.

The next victim had
written his letter in Spanish.

We called in and asked
Danny Galindo to meet

us at the complainant's
place of business.

1:20 p.m.

We arrived where
Maria Arruba worked.

She was a cook in a tamale
house near 61st in Santa Fe.

Along with Danny Galindo
we interrogated her.

Tell her we got her letter
and we'd like to help her.

Okay.

Muchas gracias.

- She says she understands.
- All right, good.

Now, according to her
letter, she says a man

driving a yellow truck
offered to help her and

he asked her to sign something.

Maria Arruba told us Anzo
insisted she sign a piece

of paper before he tow her car
from the scene of a minor accident.

Although she couldn't
understand what he was

saying, she knew what
he wanted her to do.

Later she learned she
had signed a blank contract

and had to pay him $75
before he'd release her car.

She also said Anzo
had not repaired it.

He had simply pulled a bent
fender away from a wheel.

She was then able to drive
her car without difficulty.

If we could prove Anzo had persuaded
Maria Arruba to sign a blank contract,

we might have a case.

The charge would be
business conduct contrary

to the general
welfare of the public.

We decided to talk to Anzo.

2:30 p.m.

We arrived at Anzo's garage.

1 Atom 78 Roger
frequency 19 clear.

1 atom 26 1 atom 26 see the
woman is probably already there now.

- John Anzo?
- He's not here.

- You expecting him?
- Could be.

- Police officers.
- What's the beef?

What makes you
think there's a beef?

- Well you said you're fuzz,
ain't you?
- We'd like to talk to Anzo.

- Like I said, he ain't here.
- When do you expect him?

- You're going to lean on him?
- That depends.

- Ah, that figures.
- How is that?

A guy like Jake tries to help people when
they need help and what does it get him?

Suppose you tell us, mister.

The name is Jones,
Eddie Jones. I fix cars.

Jake pulls them
in and I fix them.

We're in business, private enterprise,
JKA Towing and Auto Repair.

- You Anzo's partner?
- I just fix cars.

He's moving up fast, Jake. Opens
up a new place in a couple of months.

- Two more trucks, maybe three.
- Is that so?

You cops are all alike. Jake started
from nothing. He was broke flat.

He built this from sweat and blood,
long hours, sometimes 18, 20 a day.

I saw it happen, all of it.

Now, you want to bust him for the
way he looks after people in trouble?

You said it, mister. We didn't.

Eddie? Can I help
you, gentlemen?

- You John Anzo?
- Right.

Police Commission Investigation.
We'd like a word with you.

And why not? Let's
go into the office.

Eddie, busted radiator and some
body work. Order's on the seat.

Come on.

3818 Tujunga Apt. 4 in the rear.

You always monitor
the police calls, do you?

- There's no law against it, is
there?
- There is if you do it for gain.

No, sir, not me.

Did you tow and repair a car for a
woman by the name of Maria Arruba?

- I don't know.
- I'd have to check my records.

- Would you do it now?
- Sure. Arruba you say?

That's right.

- It might help if I knew when.
- Within the last 30 days.

Business had been pretty good. I'm
fixing a move. This place has had it.

- Arruba you said?
- First name Maria.

Oh, sure. I remember her.

Couldn't speak much English.
We had a go-around about the price.

Guess she must have filed
a complaint or something.

- Yes, sir. She did.
- Oh, I'm sorry to hear that.

Here, see you for yourself.

That's her signature
authorizing the tow and repairs.

How much repair work did you do?

One fender was smashed
down against the wheel,

the radiator needed some
help, and a headlight was busted.

- And you took care of it.
- No.

A day or two after I
towed her in, she shows

up here with a nephew
I think she said he was.

Smart kid. Claimed I made
her sign a blank contract.

He said they'd take the
car right then without repairs.

I pulled out the fender
and gave them the car.

- For $75?
- Pretty expensive tow, wasn't
it?

It's all there.

Flares at the scene of the accident,
check motor at scene of accident,

hook up and tow,
two days storage.

Well now, it still
figures high, doesn't it?

Look, the kid tried to get
tough. I had a contract.

If he'd been decent about it
we might have come to terms.

I'd had a little talk with the
nephew. They decided to pay.

Do you keep all your
records here? Yes, I do. Why?

Would you mind
showing them to us?

Federal and state tax, business license,
county license, Board of Equalizations?

Help yourself. I've
got nothing to hide.

Now, if you gentlemen will
excuse me, I've got to make a living.

Well, don't you want to stay here
while we go through these things?

Why? I trust you.

The records of JKA
Towing and Auto

Repair indicated that
John Anzo had opened for

business 14 months ago with
an initial capitalization of $2000.

Anzo was listed
as the sole owner.

Several other names were
listed as salaried employees

with normal deductions
for tax purposes.

Among these was the mechanic we had
talked to, Edward L. Jones, shop manager.

Anzo maintained a
checking account at a

nearby branch of the
Mercantile National Bank.

His record showed a balance of
several thousand dollars in that account.

5:10 p.m.

I went to report our
progress to Captain Milemore.

Bill stopped off at R&I to request
a possible make on John Anzo.

It was a long shot but we needed
more than we had and we knew it.

All right, how are you doing
on the Arruba compliant?

Well, we haven't
got much so far.

Just Anzo's claim that Maria
Arruba spoke a little English,

when she can't
spoke a word of it.

You're on Anzo's original request
for a permit with the commission?

Yes, sir, we did. There's
nothing out of order.

He lists himself as sole
owner, you know, the usual.

- He's batting a thousand.
- Yes, sir, he is so far.

A woman signs a contract
knowing full well what she's doing

and then stands still
for a $30 overcharge.

Another woman signs something
without knowing what it is but pays anyway.

A drunk pays off because
he is afraid of the truth.

They all make Anzo
as legal as traveler's aid,

and there's no way of
knowing how many others

have been victimized without
even writing a complaint.

Misrepresentation not, comporting with
the public welfare aren't easy to prove.

- That's the trouble.
- Yes, sir. I know.

We need evidence strong enough to
stand up before a hearing examiner.

- It's your job to get it.
- Yes, sir.

- Captain.
- Bill?

R&I ran the name John
K. Anzo, Joe. He's clean.

- Only on paper.
- All right.

- Yes, sir?
- Prove it.

Thursday, August 15th, 9:20 a.m.

We interviewed everyone who had
filed a complaint against John Anzo.

We failed to find anything that could
be used as evidence against him.

The local newspapers had taken
an interest on the wildcatters too.

They sent one of their
feature writers to get the details.

Then anyone involved in the
crackup can ask a police officer

to radio for a tow from
an official police garage.

No, they don't have to
be in an accident, Vince.

Maybe they've stalled, can't get their
engine started, out of gas, flat tire,

anytime they need
assistance away from home.

So that gives the OPGs an edge
over the competition, doesn't it?

Well, the OPGs are all owned
and run by private businessmen.

There's no financial
tie-in with the department.

If there's any edge at all, it's because
they're willing to play it straight,

- meet department standards and
not overcharge.
- I see.

Every official police garage is inspected,
checked out at regular intervals.

A garage that doesn't cut it just isn't an
OPG anymore. Another one takes its place.

- You said there are 16.
- One for every geographical
police division.

Now, when the number
of divisions are increased,

- so will the number of OPGs.
- Yup.

Finding other garages
that come up to OPG

standards won't be hard
because most of them do.

What's this dodge I hear
some tow driver use?

Telling the motorists he'll get a
ticket if he stalled on a freeway.

Scare psychology to sell a fast tow.
It's rough being stuck on a freeway.

Some wildcatters
milk it for all its worth.

- Like how much?
- Well, $5 to change a tire, 10
for a short can of gas.

What's that? A short can?

All right, now suppose you
run out of gas on a freeway.

I leg it to the nearest station.

Not if you're a woman, you
don't. Along comes a wildcatter.

He always has a
five-gallon can of gasoline.

He sells you the gas for $10 but he
only pours two gallons in your tank.

- Suppose I don't want an OPG
tow?
- That's your privilege.

Okay. I'm dealing with a wildcatter.
Are there any rules I should follow?

Don't agree to a tow without getting a
filled-in contract that lists all charges.

Don't allow your car
to be hauled away until

you know exactly
where it's being taken.

There shouldn't be
any trouble about that.

Tow trucks are required
to have their address

and phone numbers painted
on both sides, aren't they?

Yeah, that's right.

But some freelance
drivers have working

arrangements with more
than one repair garage.

By the time you locate
your car, chances

are you've run up extra
charges for storage.

- Another thing.
- Yeah?

Don't let a wildcatter
look under your hood.

- Why not?
- That look will cost you 10
bucks.

- Excuse me. Talk to you a
minute, Joe.
- Gannon?

- Vince.
- Thanks, Joe. I think I got all
I need.

Right, Vince. I'll see you.

Crime report from
Ted Condell, AID.

They picked up
something on JKA Towing.

- The complainant is an OPG
driver.
- Is that right?

He was summoned to an accident this morning
at 7:30 by a patrolman out of Wilshire

Division. Seems he reached the
scene the same time as the JKA driver.

There was an argument
over whose tow it was.

The JKA guy threw a punch, attacked
the OPG driver. Charged him with 242.

- JKA driver make
the tow, did he?
- He sure did.

He's named here in the
report, Edward L. Jones.

- One more thing.
- What's that?

They found a JKA business
card in one of the accident victims.

Tow drivers usually leave their
card with the motorists, don't they?

It's considered proof the motorist
agreed to a tow. That's not unusual, is it?

- This time it might be.
- Well how do you figure?

The victim, he's in the morgue.

We put in a call to the
county coroner's office

and requested a full report
on the accident victim.

If we could prove the
JKA business card had

been placed on the body
after death, we'd have

all the evidence we needed for
the commission to move against JKA

and to add a charge
of grand theft auto.

We talked to Eddie Jones.

- You just missed him.
- We want to talk to you.

- I'm busy.
- Monday you told us you fixed
cars.

Anzo pulls them in and
you repair them, is that right?

- Your memory is okay.
- You never drive the truck.

I got a license. Do
you want to see?

Does that mean you
drive the truck sometimes?

Jake drives days. Sometimes I work nights
until the morning. I don't sleep so good.

- So it's against the law?
- Ever heard of assault and
battery?

The crumb was
moving in on my tow.

- You ever been
in trouble before?
- What kind of trouble is that?

Sure I belted him.

A guy has got to stand
up for his rights, don't he?

Nobody ever handed me nothing.

- You said it was your tow.
- Can you prove it?

- I gave him my card.
- You gave him your card.

Sure. The guy
who belongs to this.

How did you make
it to the accident?

Radio. I was cruising.
I heard the call.

The driver of this car, what did he say
to you when you gave him your card?

Nothing. He was in a bad way.

I told him I'd take
care of his car.

He looked at me
and nodded. That's all.

Just saw it and nodded his head.

- And that's your story, is it?
- It's the truth.

How much do you have
invested in this business, Eddie?

- How much?
- 14 months.

- 14 months, that's all?
- I don't get you.

Monday you told us Anzo was
broke when he opened up here.

His records show he
started out with $2000.

Now, where did he get it?
- I don't know. Ask him.

- We will but we thought you'd
know.
- Yeah? Why?

Your interest in the
business, Eddie, it shows.

11:30 a.m.

We wanted to talk to Anzo but first,
we had to check out a couple of things.

While Bill contacted the county coroner
for the report on the accident victim,

I called R&I to request a run on Eddie
Jones for a possible criminal record.

All right, Jones,
Edward Lawrence.

3657 Danker.

Yeah, that's right.

Male Cauc, Grey-black, Hazel,

5'10, 165, 7-10-25.

Right. Thank you.

About 7:45.

Uh-huh.

No chance at all.

Thanks.

Coroner's office says
the victim died on the

way to central receiving
approximately 7:45.

And the AID report
shows Jones slug the OPG

driver at 7:30 so the
victim could have been

alive when Jones gave
him his business card.

Yeah. But didn't Jones claim the victim
looked at him and nodded his head?

That's what he said.

Coroner's office
says the victim was

rendered unconscious
at the moment of impact.

Can the coroner prove that the
victim never regained consciousness?

He will swear
an affidavit to it.

Tow truck drivers
follow a pattern.

They usually work
the same general area.

It took us 20 minutes
to locate John Anzo.

12:50 p.m.

While Bill stayed with the car for a
possible call from Communications

on the Eddie Jones
R&I we had requested.

I talked to John Anzo for
the second time in four days.

We appreciate your
cooperation, Anzo.

I'll give you the
help I can, Sergeant.

Maybe you can clear
up a couple of things.

Fire away.

What do you know
about Eddie Jones?

I know I couldn't get
along without him.

- Well he said I ought to ask you
something.
- Like what?

Like where you got the
$2000 to start in business.

Oh, I don't have
to tell you that.

No, sir. You don't
have to tell me anything.

But if you're clean, you should
be as anxious as I am to prove it.

Now, we've had six complaints about
you, seven with the one this morning.

That many complaints
deserve investigation, don't they?

What about this morning?

Eddie Jones assaulted
another tow truck driver.

Eddie's got a temper, but
he must have had a reason.

He said he did. Now Anzo,
did you get the money from him?

- The $2000?
- Yes, sir?

From Eddie? What if I did?

That'd make him your
partner, wouldn't it?

I suppose it would.

- Is he?
- Is he what?

- Your partner.
- I don't think that's any of
your business.

Your application for
permit with the Police

Commission lists you
as the sole owner of JKA.

Now if you have a partner,
a silent partner like Eddie,

and you fail to show it on your
application, your permit can be revoked.

- You know that, don't you?
- On what grounds?

- Fraudulent application.
- That's a technicality,
Sergeant.

Besides I haven't said
Eddie was my partner.

Maria Arruba doesn't speak
any English, not one word.

Now, how did you
explain that contract to her?

She seemed to understand
what it was all about.

That drunk you took for
everything he had on him,

what technicality made
that job worth 250 bucks?

I don't know what
you're talking about.

I'm talking about the way you
and your partner do business.

You know what. Suddenly I
can't understand a word you say.

I'll let my attorney do
my listening for me.

You do that, Anzo.

A call just came in on Tech
2. The R&I on Eddie Jones.

Six priors. Felony assault and
kidnapping. Both out of state dismissed.

Four subsequent arrests in Los
Angeles dating back five years.

All 242 and 415.
All convictions.

It sounds like Greek to me.

Well, we'll do more for you than
you did for the Arruba woman.

- What's that?
- We'll see that you get an
interpreter.

The story you have
just seen is true.

The names were changed
to protect the innocent.

On September 9th, the hearing was held
before the Police Commission Examiner,

City of Los Angeles.

In a moment, the
results of that hearing.

Evidence presented at the
Police Commission hearing

firmly established the
fact that Edward L. Jones

was a partner in JKA
Towing and Auto Repair.

The hearing examiner's recommendation
to the Police Commission led to final

revocation of Anzo's permit on the
grounds that he conducted business

in a manner not comporting
with the public welfare.

Charges of grand theft auto and assault
are pending against Edward L. Jones.

The governor of the
State of California

signed into law Assembly
Bill 1650 which now

gives the authority to all local
police departments in the state

to regulate all tow
car service operation,

including the licensing thereof.