All language subtitles for Dragnet S02E19 The Big Amateur.DVDRip.NonHI.cc.en

This is the city, Los
Angeles, California.

Like cities everywhere,

visitors accept
it at face value,

and like cities everywhere,

all is not what
it appears to be.

A high school can hide
a gang of car thieves.

A slum can be
the home of a poet.

A quiet suburban street

can be the scene
of a double homicide.

The trained observer
takes nothing at face value.

He learns to look
beneath the surface.

Some observers
look for their own gain.

I look for yours.
I carry a badge.

It was Monday, May 5th.

It was clear in Los Angeles.
We were working the day watch

out of Frauds Division,
Bunko Section.

The boss is Captain Lambert.

My partner's Bill Gannon.

My name's Friday.

On most jobs, Monday
mornings are usually routine.

When you're a police officer,

there are very few routine days.

This Monday was not
to be one of those few.

The story you are
about to see is true.

The names have been
changed to protect the innocent.

You see these?

First thing, Joe. You know that.

- Go ahead, admit it.
- What's that?

You're wondering what I'm doing.

- Am I?
- Why don't you ask me?

I know you well
enough. You'll tell me.

Not if you don't ask, I won't.

- Yes, you will.
- You just watch, pal.

You can learn something

that cost me 3
bucks to find out.

- What's that?
- You see what I'm doing?

Hiding money in envelopes.

Not hiding, Joe.

See what I wrote on
the face of this one?

Insurance.

See this one?

Haircuts.

You don't know what
this is all about. Do you?

You're gonna tell me.

Because you're a friend,
Joe, I'll let you in on it.

Cost me 3 bucks, a
buck and a half each,

for me and Eileen
to attend that lecture.

What lecture?

Sponsored by the
PTA at the boys' school

to raise funds for the new gym.

- Is that so?
- New gym's built.

They need money for equipment,

so they're having
this series of lectures.

Six for a buck and a
half. Well worth it too, Joe.

What are the lectures about?

Home management.

They have these experts
come in and speak.

Like Friday night,

this economics
professor from Loyola,

Father Paul Donnelly,
he showed us

this surefire system
to keep a home budget.

With those envelopes.

Well, that's the key to it.

You draw up a list of your
regular expenses, see?

Then you write each
separate expense

on the face of one
envelope, like insurance,

mortgage, clothing, telephone.

And you put the money in
each envelope every week.

That's it.

That way, you have your
whole budget planned

and cash on hand to
meet your obligations.

How many envelopes
you got there?

Well, let's see.

Eileen and I figured we have
19 separate items, all told.

Well, you need
one more, don't you?

What for?

A buck to buy the envelopes.

Friday.

Yes, sir.

- Gannon there with you?
- Yes, sir.

Both of you come
into the office, will you?

Right, Captain.
You heard the man.

Just a second. I forgot I
need another one of these.

Yeah.

Put it down in this
one every time,

I'll be a millionaire
inside of a month.

What's that?

For every time you come
up with some smart remark

about my way of doing things.

Sergeant Friday, Officer
Gannon, Tyler Finch,

president of the Southwest
Businessmen's Association.

Mr. Finch and I
have just come down

from the chief's office.

Would you mind
telling these two officers

what you told me upstairs?

Well, no, I don't mind.

But this will make
the third time, Captain.

I must say you people
really are cooperating.

If you would please, Mr. Finch.

Surely. Boy, I told the gang
at Monday night's meeting

you people would
appreciate this.

As far as that goes,
the whole city will.

What's that, sir?

Just look at that. She's
a beauty. Isn't she?

Bet you boys would like to
win one like that yourselves.

Yes, sir. It's a nice trophy.

You betcha.

You know, Captain,
this one goes over big,

we can make it a
yearly award, you know.

I'm sure all of us in SWBMA
would be happy to give it.

Now, Mr. Finch, would you give
Friday and Gannon here the details?

Oh, I'm sorry, Captain.

You see, it was kind
of my idea, this trophy,

and I guess I get a
little carried away.

My baby, you know.

Yes, sir.

Officer Gideon C. Dingle,
badge number 3986.

You boys know him?

No, sir. I don't believe I do.

Dingle? No, I don't.

Well, like the chief was saying,

fine fella, that chief of yours.

Like he was saying, you got
some 5,000 men on the force.

Guess you can't know
them all, can you?

No, sir.

One of the boys in our
association, the SWBMA,

he played ball for
UCLA, '34 and '35,

all American both years.

Well, him and me,
we know we found

an all-American
policeman, Gideon C. Dingle.

He's great stuff,
one in a million,

great example for the kids,

the community,
and for you people.

Kind of reminds you of
Pat O'Brien, you know,

in one of those Warner
Brothers movies.

Sounds like he's quite a guy.

And your organization
is gonna present him

with that trophy,
is that the idea?

Just wish it was
solid gold, that's all.

Solid gold. Gideon
Dingle deserves it.

You know, the
thing I like about this

is the way he took
it when we told him.

How do you mean, sir?

Why, he wouldn't
have none of it, no part.

Just doing what we
tax payers paid him for.

I tell you, he's great
stuff, that Dingle.

That's really what
I'm doing down here.

How is that, sir?

Well, Dingle's acting like a
school kid about this thing.

Said he didn't deserve
anything, nothing at all.

Now, we've got this
beautiful metallic trophy

and we aim to
see that he takes it.

It's the least we can do.

So, at the suggestion of the
steering committee at the SWBMA,

I called the chief personally.

Great stuff, that
chief of yours.

- Know what he said?
- No, sir.

I told him what we
wanted, and he said

for me to trot right
down and talk it over.

He said something about
it not being necessary

to give out a trophy,
that as tax payers

we paid your salaries
and that was enough.

It's not enough for us.

This trophy is just a
little something extra,

a lasting tribute
to a fine policeman.

Mr. Finch, the department
has its own service awards.

You remember the chief
explaining that to you?

Yes, Captain.

We at the SWBMA
know about those,

but this is a little
something extra for a man

who gives a little something
extra in his line of duty,

and we aim to see
that Gideon C. Dingle

is properly recognized by
some of the citizens he serves.

Do you know what the
boys really wanted to do?

And I told him we'd have to
check with you people first.

What's that?
They want to call it

the GCDACSA,

the Gideon C. Dingle
Annual Citizen Service Award.

Yes, sir. That's what
they wanted to call it.

Well, that's very commendable.

So is he. Now,
as to why I'm here,

what with Gideon being
the shy old bird that he is,

you people have got to help us.

We want to set up
the award ceremony,

and we want you to guarantee
that you'll produce him

on the specified night
to accept his trophy.

Afraid we can't
do that, Mr. Finch.

You mean, you won't?

I mean, we can't.

There is no officer
Gideon C. Dingle

in the Los Angeles police force.

- Well, we might have known.
- Yes, sir?

Man with as much
humility as Dingle.

How is that?

He didn't even give
us his right name.

As a matter of
routine, Mr. Finch,

while you were
talking to the chief,

his aid checked
our personnel files.

How about badge 3986?

At the present time, that
number isn't on issue.

But it's a real badge,
and the uniform.

I tell you, there's
something wrong here.

That's why Sgt. Friday
and his partner are in here.

They're assigned to this
now and they'll run it down.

I feel like an
overgrown fool, Captain.

What will I tell the
boys at the SWBMA?

Hopefully, nothing.

We've taken you
into our confidence.

We'd like you not to say
anything to anyone about this

until we pick up the man.

You figure he's up to something?

We don't know if he
has criminal intent or not.

But usually, in
this kind of case,

an individual will often
gain the confidence

of unsuspecting people,

and then work some
kind of a swindle.

But he's been around
the neighborhood

for a couple of months now.

Wouldn't you think if
he was up to something,

he'd have tried by now?

Not necessarily.

Some of these bunko artists
spend a great deal of time

setting up an operation.

We won't know anything for sure

until we catch up with him.

- Seems a shame, don't it?
- What's that, Mr. Finch?

Me and the boys, all of
us, being taxpayers and all,

we thought we were doing right.

We figured we found ourselves

a real fine policeman
to do something nice for.

You did.

I sure don't see how you
figure that now, Captain.

You thought enough of
your police department

to want to commend it,

and in a very thoughtful
and generous way.

Yeah. But our special
policeman turns out to be a phony.

It's really nothing to
feel bad about, Mr. Finch.

We thought he was great stuff.

We've got 5,000 more
in the city who are.

9:20 a.m. Along
with Tyler Finch,

Bill and I returned
to the squad room.

We again reminded Finch
not to mention to anyone

that Gideon Dingle
was an imposter.

He assured us he wouldn't.

Finch gave us a
description of Dingle.

He gave us a list of names

of some of the men
in his association

that had dealt with Dingle

more directly than some
of the other members.

He also furnished us with
the names of businessmen

in the neighborhood to
whom Dingle had been helpful

while impersonating
a police officer.

9:35 a.m. we ran the name
Gideon C. Dingle through R & I.

It began to get tough.

He had no previous
criminal record.

We left the police
administration building

and drove out to begin
the interviews with people

who still believed
that Gideon C. Dingle

was a model police officer.

The first name on our
list was George Lumm.

He owned and operated
a bar in New Chinatown.

He was one of
the initial sponsors

of the Gideon C. Dingle award.

It was 9:47 a.m. when we arrived

at the Green
Dragon Bar and Grill.

Yes, gentlemen. May I help you?

Police officers.
This is Bill Gannon.

My name's Friday.

I am George Lumm.
I am the proprietor.

May I help you?

Are you a member of the Southwest
Businessmen's Association?

Yes. That is right.

We'd like to talk to you
about Gideon Dingle.

Oh, yes. Officer Dingle.

Fine man. Fine man.

When's the last
time you saw him?

The day before
yesterday. Yes, that's right.

At closing time, as usual.

As usual?

I always feel so secure
when Officer Dingle is around.

I never worry about a robbery.

You observe the 2
a.m. curfew, do you?

Of course. All drinks are
picked up by 1:30 a.m.

That isn't what I
meant, Mr. Lumm.

- I mean, you close at 2.
- Well, yes, sir.

And what time do
you open for business?

For lunch. We serve
a merchant's lunch.

Sometimes Officer
Dingle eats here.

Does he pay for it?

Every time.

I try to pick up his check,
but he won't hear of it.

He says police officers are
not allowed to accept gratuities.

That is why you are here?

How is that?

You are checking
due to the award

we are going to bestow?

I can assure you, you
need check no further.

Officer Dingle is a fine example
of your police department.

You should be proud of him.

Yes, sir. Now you say he's
here every night at closing time.

No. Not every night.

Sometimes three
or four times a week.

Once in a while, he
comes by in the mornings.

Oh.

Oh, yes. He helps
us check in the liquor

from the wholesale houses,

and you should see how he
keeps an eye on the duck man.

The duck man?

We serve a great deal
of pressed duck here.

I know for a fact, my duck
man was cheating me.

But ever since Officer Dingle
has been around, no more.

He stands right by the scale
when the birds are weighed in.

Now I find I get
several more servings

for the same amount
of duck. Isn't that nice?

Yes, sir.

Does this Officer
Dingle live around here?

Would you know?

Don't you? I mean,
you are members

of the same police
department, are you not?

Well, we haven't
checked on his address.

We thought you
might know offhand.

No, I do not.

Do you think he'll be by today?

- Funny.
- What's that, sir?

You sound like you
are looking for him.

We are.

Oh, now I see. Tyler.

Tyler Finch, our president,

he said something
about going downtown

to see you people
about Officer Dingle.

We want to make
sure he will be present

to accept his award.

I believe it is to be
sometime next week.

If he should happen to come in,

would you be good
enough to give us a call?

Detective Division.

Yes, sir. That's right.

It won't do any good.

How's that?

Mr. Dingle does not
want to be a detective.

Huh?

He has said many times,

he just wants to be an
ordinary policeman all his life.

10:15 a.m.

Obviously, it wasn't
gonna be easy.

We knew we couldn't run the risk

of more intensive questioning

in regard to Gideon
Dingle's whereabouts.

If the remainder of the
neighborhood business people

were as taken in as George Lumm,

they might also warn Dingle
that we were looking for him.

The next name on the list
was a Miss Ardith Roach.

She was the owner of
the Sunshine Academy,

a nursery school.

Police officers.
You're Ardith Roach?

Yes, that's right.

You a member of the Southwest
Businessmen's Association?

Yes, I am.

You acquainted with
Officer Gideon Dingle?

- Well, it's about time.
- Ma'am?

I want to speak
to you about him.

Yes, ma'am.

Now, everybody, look
in your picture books.

I'll be back in a minute,
and I'll want you all

to tell me about Uncle
Dudley and his farm.

Will you step back here?

I don't want the children
to hear what I have to say.

Yes, ma'am.

That Officer Dingle,

you really should
have a talk with him.

Yes, ma'am. We'd like to.

I shouldn't wonder.
Are you his superiors?

Not, exactly.

Well, he's not exactly
setting a good example

for my children
and their mothers.

How do you mean, Miss Roach?

Well, you know about the award

all of us are going
to present to him.

Yes, ma'am. We've
heard about it.

Yes, well, the minute
he heard about it,

I'm told he
refused to accept it,

and after all he's done for us.

Now, I can understand
humility and all that.

But everybody in
this neighborhood

wants him to have that
trophy and he should take it.

Yes, ma'am. When
did you see him last?

That's just it.

The day after we had our
meeting to decide on the award,

I'm told that Tyler Finch,
our association president,

informed Officer Dingle
of the presentation

and he just hasn't been around.

- How long ago was that?
- Two days now.

And he always came by
every day, always after school

to help the mothers
pick up their youngsters.

Is that right?

Well, you know how
much help that can be.

He always helps the
children cross the street

and opens the car door for them

and he's such an efficient
policeman on top of it all.

- Is that so?
- Indeed.

He absolutely refused
to let any of the mothers

double park in
front of the school.

Refusing the award is
one thing, but the other...

- What's that?
- The mothers of my children

- want to show
their appreciation, too.
- Yes, ma'am.

Several of them baked
him cakes and cookies,

and just look at them.
They're getting stale.

Yes, ma'am.

If you should happen
to see Officer Dingle,

would you be good enough to
give us a call at this number?

Sergeant Friday. You
outrank him, don't you?

In a way.

Did Tyler call you?

- Ma'am?
- Tyler Finch.

He promised all of
us that Officer Dingle

would be on hand to pick up
his award at our next meeting,

and that's why you men are here.

We'd like to talk to him.

Good. If I see him,
I'll give you a call.

Thank you very much, Miss Roach.

I wonder if you'd do me a favor.

What's that?

- Did you come in a police car?
- Yes, ma'am. We did.

Why don't you just
take all these nice things

the mothers made
for him with you?

You could just put
them in his locker

or wherever he keeps his
things at the police station.

Well, you see, he doesn't
work at the same division we do.

Oh, yes.

You work at the big police
building on Los Angeles Street.

That's right.

No wonder.

How's that?

Officer Dingle told me

he'd never go
near that building.

Why is that?

Well, he said he was afraid

he'd end up with a
desk job like you two.

We continued to check
out the various merchants

who were members of the
Southwest Businessmen's Association.

Every place we went,
it was the same story.

Officer Gideon Dingle
was a man above reproach,

the ideal cop on the beat.

No one had seen him
for the past two days.

The last name on the
list was Harry Wilson,

the assistant manager of the
United Bank of Los Angeles.

Yes, sir, two days now.

And I must say I
miss Officer Dingle.

Yeah.

Every afternoon, around
three, closing time,

he always showed up.

Sure gives you a
feeling of security

knowing a cop on a beat
keeps an eye on things.

You say he's been showing
up every day at closing?

Yes, sir. I tell you,

I'm delighted that
the association

is gonna commend that man.

What did you people do?

Transfer him to another beat?

No, sir. We'd just
like to talk to him.

Well, I'm sure
happy to know that.

We wouldn't want to
lose him around here.

Always doing
something for somebody.

- Is that right?
- I should say.

You know, in the
banking business,

you get to know
everybody pretty well.

Yes, sir.

Well, Miss Finley,
she's in her 60s.

Well, she came in
one day last week

to deposit her welfare check.

It was around 2:45
in the afternoon

and Dingle was here as usual.

Yeah.

She told Dingle
her cat got loose

and climbed up a palm tree.

And you know that that
man went over to her house,

got that cat of hers down
out of that tree for her?

What do you think of that?

Yes, sir. That was good of him.

You bet your life.

That man is a walking
bundle of good will

for your police department.

Yes, sir.

Don't see many
around like him, do you?

No, sir. Not many.

3:45 p.m.

We returned to the office
to add up what we had.

We were no closer to
locating Officer Gideon Dingle

than before we left.

One thing you got to say, Joe.

What's that?

This Dingle is a real
goodie-two-shoes, isn't he?

He doesn't have the
smell of somebody

trying to set up
a score, does he?

You know, that's what
I'm beginning to think.

Maybe he's a dingaling,

going around rescuing
old ladies' cats,

helping kids cross the street.

That business of
showing up at closing time

at the Chinese
restaurant and the bank,

maybe he's casing them.

My guess is no.

He really sounds like
a king sized do-gooder.

Either that or he's a squirrel.

Whatever he is,
he's on our side.

Know what these are?

Well, they look
like traffic citations.

Forgeries. Pretty
good ones at that.

What about them,
or shouldn't I ask?

You shouldn't.

Officer Gideon C.
Dingle issued these,

but that's only
half the problem.

Yeah.

You ever try to convince
anyone in this city

that they don't have
to pay a traffic fine?

I see what you mean.

Now these were all written
out of University Division.

Know what Captain
Reese out there told me?

Right now I'd believe anything.

He said these six people
came in and insisted on paying

even after they were told
the tickets were forgeries.

To a man, they said
Officer Dingle was a fair cop.

If he wrote them a ticket,
they were gonna pay.

When were the tickets written?

Over a period of
three days last week.

Apparently the good officer
gets around on that beat of his.

Yeah.

Dingle's been
operating in the main

and around the southwest
area of the city, hasn't he?

Far as we know.

And he's really
stretched his beat

getting all the way
out there to NSC.

Thursday, Friday, Saturday.

Considerate of him, wasn't it?

He didn't write any on Sunday.

Got it all here, above
name has 10 days

to report to University
Division to pay fines.

Cost him a little money
to have those printed up.

All those people show
up today to pay them?

Since 9:00 this morning.

Resent the tickets
down here an hour ago.

Maybe Dingle
switched operations.

You better hop out
there and nose around.

Right, Captain.

If you turn up anything,
we might try staking him out.

Captain?

- Yeah?
- Larson. University detective.

Yes, Larson?

Captain said you'd probably
want to talk to these people.

This is Lola Randolph
and Bob Green.

Yes.

Officer Dingle.

- What about him?
- It was last Thursday night.

Yes.

He told us to turn ourselves in

for curfew violation.

We assured the two
high school students

that there was no reason
for them to turn themselves in.

We reminded them that
there was a curfew law

and they told us that they
would observe it in the future.

I'll tell you something.
I've seen a few in my day.

But this Dingle grabs it all.
He's a one-man task force.

He's sure badge happy.
You got to say that.

Yet you can't
really fault the guy.

He's on the side of the angels.

Well, let's get to him
before he trips over his halo.

We left the police
administration building

and drove out to 1546
Santa Barbara Avenue

to University
Division's station.

We talked with Captain
Charles Reese at University.

He couldn't tell us anymore
than we already knew.

The division was alerted now

and they would be on the lookout

for Officer Gideon Dingle.

4:28 p.m. We
returned to the office.

Sergeant Friday.

Harry Wilson, assistant
manager, United Bank.

Yes, sir.

I thought I better come
up to tell you fellas.

Yes, sir. It's about
Officer Dingle.

All right.

He knows that I'm
one of the people

that's pushing this
award we're giving him.

Yeah.

Well, he called me on the phone.

He's quite a guy.

Let me tell you what he said.

Go ahead.

He said that for
once and for all,

he wasn't deserving

and that he wanted
us to just forget about it.

And just to keep from
having to take that trophy,

he went a step further.

What's that?

He quit.

- Sir.
- That's right.

Dingle quit the
police department.

When did he call you?

Oh, about an hour
after you two left.

Did he say anything else?

What else was there to say?

While Officer Dingle
didn't look young,

he didn't look like a man
that was ready for retirement.

What I mean is a
good man like that

spending all those
years on the force.

Shame for him to up and quit.

Did he tell you where
he might be going?

What he planned on doing?

No. Just said he wanted to
thank everybody for the award.

But now he couldn't accept it

since he no longer
was a policeman.

What a guy.

We appreciate you
coming in, Mr. Wilson.

Now if you should happen
to hear from him again,

let us know, will you?

You keep saying that.

Is there something
funny going on?

You people can contact
him easier than I can.

That's one of the
reasons I came down.

We still want to
give him that trophy.

We don't care if he quit or not.

That's what I came
to see you about.

Yes, sir.

Wonder if you could
give me his home phone.

Friday, Gannon.

Just had a call from
Engine Company 386.

- The fire department?
- That's right.

You'd better get out to
38th and Hoover right away.

Fire at one of the sorority
houses near the university.

- Yeah.
- I don't have to tell you

who is directing the
fire fighting operations.

Officer Dingle.

Battalion Chief Gideon Dingle.

Excuse me, I'm sorry. I
couldn't help overhearing.

Yes, sir.

You people sure lost a good
man to the fire department.

It took us 23 minutes to
get to 38th and Hoover.

Captain Dan Packard
met us at the front porch.

He told us that
Dingle had shown up

shortly after his men and
equipment had arrived.

He said that he had
recognized Dingle as an imposter

and had called into
University Division.

I could see the guy
wasn't causing any trouble,

so I detained him
waiting for you.

Where is he now?

In the kitchen. We had
a small grease fire here.

Nothing to it. We had it
contained in five minutes.

I put two of my men out in back

in case the guy
decided to take off.

And I've been
covering the front here.

Thanks, Captain

What is he, some kind of nut?

We don't know,

but he sure likes
working for the city.

Hold it. Hold it. Sorry, boys.

No one allowed in there
until we're sure it's out.

Police officers.

Arson squad, huh?
Okay, men. Go right on in.

Your name Dingle?

Right. Battalion
Chief Gideon Dingle.

Engine Company 387.

Just here giving assist to 386.

You're under arrest, Dingle.

- Didn't fool you, huh?
- Afraid not.

We want to advise you of
your constitutional rights.

I have the right
to remain silent.

Anything I say can be used
against me in a court of law.

I have the right to an attorney.

If I cannot afford an attorney,

one will be appointed
before any questioning, right?

Do you understand it?

Oh, I should. Don't you think?

- Huh?
- I used to be a cop.

The suspect was found guilty

of violating sections
538D and E,

Penal Code of the
State of California,

in that he willfully
impersonated

both a peace
officer and fireman,

misdemeanors which are
punishable by imprisonment

in the County Jail not
exceeding six months,

or by a fine not
exceeding $500, or by both.