But on the other side, with the exception of R.E.’s guys, most of the department felt the same way Tim, Bob, Eddie, and Ray did about Taylor and Perrodin. Even if they were afraid to speak up publicly, they believed this was not the way those two good men should go out.
On Election Day, Eddie, Tim, and Ray won by an overwhelming number of votes. Eddie was now the president, Ray was the vice president, and Tim was on the board. This meant they now had the power to make a difference. It wasn’t just talk anymore. They had to walk it like they talked it. There were two other officers on the board, but they could be persuaded to vote with the majority. The union now had the drive to fight and was willing to put everything on the line, even if they didn’t know what such an act would mean for them.
***
Their first move as a union was to do a vote of no confidence against Mayor Bradley. In the streets, he was referred to as the “King of Compton” and, based on his moves throughout the city, it seemed to be true. It wasn’t going to be easy to go up against someone so powerful, but they were determined to try.
They made “No Confidence” and “Stop the Corruption” signs in protest. Members of the police union showed up at least thirty deep at city council meetings, picketing as they held signs. They called the news ahead of time and got great coverage. Soon word made its way to them that both the mayor and R.E. were really pissed off about what they were doing.
This went on for several weeks. Protests, picketing, news coverage, the inescapable image being blasted over the airwaves of police officers holding up “No Confidence” and “Stop the Corruption” signs.
The mayor struck back in retaliation, making statements during city council meetings that he couldn’t trust the police department and saying they had threatened him. Tim and Eddie attended the council meetings. On several instances, during those meetings, Bradley made threatening statements toward them and the department.
While all of this was going on, a weekly underground newspaper called “The Truth” began circulating throughout the department. No one knew who’d created the paper except for the few who were responsible for it. In a forthright way, it articulated what was happening behind the power moves R.E. and the mayor were making.
The articles in “The Truth” and the information they revealed only served to anger R.E. and his people even more, especially when it reached a point where people couldn’t wait for the newest issue to be released. The paper came out once a week. The information revealed in the articles added fuel to the growing anger R.E. and the mayor felt about Tim, Bob, and the police union. The mayor and R.E. thought they were the ones behind “The Truth.”
Mayor Bradley, R.E., and their people were convinced one of the Compton P.D. detectives, Marvin Branscomb (known by everyone as “Marv”), wrote the articles, and they also suspected Tim and Bob, but had no proof of anything.
R.E.’s people were in a knot over “The Truth,” and were on a serious hunt to find out who was behind this, as they tried to play it like it was only a scurrilous rag spreading falsehoods.
While this was going on, Tim’s wife Joanna, who had worked for the force for as long as Tim and Bob had, had been transferred. She'd been Captain Perrodin's secretary at the time of the takeover by R.E., but was then moved to a different position as secretary to the detectives.
One morning, Joanna came in to work and found her computer had been confiscated by R.E. She was told he had reason to believe she was the one writing “The Truth” and was using her work computer to do it.
Joanna was very upset. So were Tim and Bob, but they didn’t show it. The guys got together that night to discuss what they were going to do about R.E.’s actions. They came up with a plan to bring up at the briefing the next day about the issue of Joanna’s computer being confiscated. Each of them would have a say about it and they did.
One of the things they appreciated about being a part of the Compton police force - something they didn’t realize was special until they worked for other agencies later - was that they could say what was on their minds, regardless of rank. This happened on a daily basis. They hashed things out like adults, without it being seen as insubordination.
At other law enforcement agencies (they would later learn), such behavior would be admonished. Once a person made any kind of rank, people measured what they said, sometimes not even sticking up for themselves. The Compton P.D. way of speaking one’s mind might have seemed unprofessional, but it was something they were proud of. People always knew where they stood.
A few days later, the mayor decided to hold a city council meeting during the day instead of at night, when they were usually held. This was a strategic move. The guys would be working during the day and would be unable to attend.
Bob, Eddie, and Ray were all working in the detective unit when a detective walked in.
“You ain’t gonna believe this,” he said. “The mayor came in with around fifteen or twenty guys wearing hard hats and army boots. They’re his new security team.”
During the council meeting, Bradley had stated how, for his own safety, he could no longer trust the police department and had brought in his own security force. His new bodyguards were made up of parolees and members of the Nation of Islam.
“What the fuck…”
“I know,” said the detective. “It’s crazy, right?”
The guys wanted to see for themselves.
“We’re the police!”
“Yeah, how can he just bring in his own version of the police and think that’s going to fly?”
“We’re not going to stand for this shit!”
The guys were scheduled to get off at five p.m. and were going to walk over to City Council chambers. They planned to take a photo of the new security detail as proof that the mayor had actually hired these guys. They were going to be smart in how they went about it. There would be no confrontations. They even called their union attorney to make sure they were within their rights to take a photo while the meeting was going on. The attorney said they were fine if it was a public forum, which this was.
Around ten detectives - including Bob, Eddie, and Ray - went over to the City Council chambers. Beforehand, Bob went to a local drugstore and bought a disposable camera.
When they entered through a back door, sure enough, spread out along the sides of the council chamber and the back walkways were at least fifteen members of the Nation of Islam and parolees dressed in orange construction hats and black army boots. The mayor’s new security force.
The guys all looked at each other. They couldn’t believe what they were seeing.
The bodyguards stared fiercely at the detectives. R.E. and Anderson were also in attendance.
As the detectives walked toward the side, Bob made eye contact with several of the bodyguards. They each gave him a hard-ass look, arms folded in front of their chests.
Bob raised his camera and took a picture of one of the parolees standing against the wall. When the flash went off, it was as if time froze. Silence. Quiet enough to hear a proverbial pin drop. Then the moment broke as several of the bodyguards walked up to Bob as Bruce Frailich, Eddie, and the rest of the detectives came up behind him.
“Who the fuck are you?” one of the bodyguards asked.
“I’m the fucking police,” Bob said, “Who the fuck are you?!”
Some of the bodyguards started to get loud.
“Get the camera!” one yelled.
Bob gave the camera to Bruce, who was standing behind him.
“Hold this,” he said.
The detectives were now in a standoff with the bodyguards, as the two factions yelled back and forth. It wasn’t what the detectives wanted, but dammit, they were the police. How could they be kicked out of their own City Hall? Their own jurisdiction?
By the Acting Chief of Police yelling at them, that’s how, which was exactly what R.E. proceeded to do; he screamed at his own police force.
“Get outside!” he said. “This is a direct order!”<
br />
The detectives couldn’t believe what was happening. One citizen who witnessed it later told reporters she couldn’t believe the police were remanded to leave, but the parolee bodyguards were allowed to stay.
The standoff was intense. The detectives’ boss had just given them a direct order to leave. If they didn’t, it would be considered insubordination. The detectives left. Several citizens, R.E., Anderson, and all the bodyguards followed them out.
The detectives went to the sidewalk out front. R.E. instructed one of the bodyguards to call for assistance. In short order, several units were rolling up, Code Three. As soon as the bodyguards heard the sirens getting close, they took off running in every direction, scattering in the wind away from the scene.
The detectives burst into laughter, watching it all in disbelief. What in the fuck just happened? Was any of this real?
R.E. and Gary Anderson stood on the steps of City Hall watching the mayor’s new security detail hightail it roadrunner style. R.E. looked furious. He and Anderson went back inside to the City Council chambers, seemingly defeated, but the detectives knew this was not the end. No way. R.E. would have his revenge for what had happened. They knew it was coming, even though they hadn’t done anything wrong.
They discussed it that night over beers, staying in constant contact with Taylor and Captain Perrodin. News got back that Mayor Bradley and R.E. were furious over the day’s events. Tim, Bob, Eddie, Ray, and Marv were willing to take on whatever they were coming with. They believed they were on the right side of things.
They were down for the cause.
***
Tim and Bob went to the briefing the next morning. They expected R.E. would be ready with whatever retaliation he had planned.
It didn’t take long for them to find out what it was.
First up, R.E. called in Marv and placed him on administrative leave. They said they had a witness who saw Marv making copies of “The Truth” at Staples while he was on duty. This wasn’t true and was never proven, but for the moment Marv was out, and there was nothing he could do about it.
Next up, Bob and Eddie were called into Lieutenant Danny Sneed’s office. When they walked in and sat down, Preston Harris was already there, standing in the corner. He was obviously present as a witness and backup.
“You’re being placed on administrative leave with pay,” Sneed said, then asked for Bob and Ed’s guns and badges. Harris didn’t look at them. It seemed he knew it was wrong, but he had picked his side and had to stand with it.
“This is a joke, right?” Bob laughed. “What for?”
“Because you interrupted the city council when you took that picture,” he said. He also pointed out that Bob and Eddie both failed to follow R.E.’s direct order to leave. That was insubordination.
Bob noticed the look on Eddie’s face. He was angry.
“This is wrong,” Eddie said. “You have no basis for this.”
When Eddie got angry, he started to lose it. Bob could see it in his eyes. He grabbed Eddie's shoulder and tried to calm him down.
“There’s nothing we can do about it right now,” Bob said. It wasn’t worth getting out of control over. Not right then.
Eddie still had his say, but he calmed down enough to hand over his gun and badge. Bob handed over his and they left.
***
They thought for sure the next move was going to be against Tim, but they were all blindsided by what happened. Bruce Frailich was called in and put on administrative leave for taking the camera from Bob during the incident. Bruce was an easygoing Jewish guy. He was definitely on the group’s side, but wasn’t trying to go out on a limb for it. He preferred staying neutral, but because he hung around them, he was included by association.
Tim was being left alone. It was unbelievable. They didn’t do anything to him. This was shocking because they knew that, out of everyone, R.E. disliked Tim the most.
The situation was worse for Bruce. He'd never been in any trouble. He was beyond stressed about being put on administrative leave. The guys tried to talk to him, but he was so upset it was clear he wasn’t going to listen to anything they had to say.
This was the first time during everything that had been happening that they actually felt bad. Bruce had never been down for the cause like they were, although he said he agreed with what they were trying to do and knew, deep down, that they were right.
***
News of them being put on administrative leave swept through the department. Many people were angry about it, especially the younger guys. The department was now in complete turmoil. Acting Chief of Police R.E. took orders from Mayor Bradley. Bob, Eddie, Marv, and Bruce stayed in close contact with each other by phone and occasional meetings.
Neither side was going to back down. Things were only going to get worse.
Bob, Eddie, Bruce, and Marv were all married with children and Bob never forgot the look on his wife, Kathy’s face when he told her he’d been put on administrative leave.
She'd always supported him and did so this time as well, but was very pointed about what was happening.
“You’d better know what you’re doing,” she said. “Don’t lose your job over this. Nobody is sticking their necks out except you guys.”
She was right. Although Bob and the guys had done nothing wrong except stand for what they believed, there were, admittedly, moments when they doubted the decisions they’d made.
***
There were big plans for the next city council meeting. The guys on administrative leave were going to get together and picket outside the council chambers. Bruce was Jewish, so they had also contacted the Jewish Defense League (JDL), a far-right group which fought for Jewish people being wrongly persecuted and staunchly protected them from antisemitism. The guys thought this was a great way to get attention and piss off the mayor in the process.
One of the main demonstrators was the (now late) Irving David “Irv” Rubin, then chairman of the JDL. Rubin was a radical demonstrator who wasn’t afraid to go to jail for what he believed or whatever cause for which he was fighting. He had been arrested many times, usually in some high-profile way.
The guys contacted him and explained what happened to Bruce. Rubin was down and agreed to show up at the council meeting with a group of radicals. It was just the kind of theater the guys were hoping for.
This was going to be good.
On the night of the council meeting there was a decent turnout of Compton cops who were pissed that the guys had been put on leave and came to show support.
Bob, Eddie, Marv, and Bruce, because they were on administrative leave, were not allowed at the department or City Hall, so they couldn’t actually picket. They came to the council meeting, but had to stand on the railroad tracks, which ran north and south down the middle of Willowbrook Avenue, adjacent to the police department and City Hall.
People picketed on their behalf on the sidewalk. The four of them were about twenty feet away, standing on the dirt next to the tracks, laughing, watching it all with their arms folded.
About thirty minutes or so into the council meeting, Irv Rubin and his people showed up. They meant serious business, even carrying a bullhorn.
Irv walked over to the guys, shook hands, and introduced them to his people. “You ready?” he asked with a smile.
The guys all laughed.
“Hell yeah!”
Irv looked at his people.
“Let’s do it!” he said, and launched into yelling all manner of excitable rhetoric into the bullhorn.
It was the kind of loud that couldn’t be disregarded or dismissed. The guys looked at each other and busted up laughing. They high-fived, knowing this kind of disturbance would piss off R.E. as well as the mayor and his cronies.
Tim was inside at the meeting. He came out smiling.
“You can hear everything he’s out here saying,” he stated, referring to Irv and his bullhorn. “The look on the mayor’s face was priceless. You could hear a pin d
rop in the room. Actually, all you could hear was Irv on his bullhorn.”
The guys all laughed.
About five minutes later, one of the city officials came outside and told Irv he couldn’t use the bullhorn. It was disturbing the peace and if he continued, he would be arrested. At that threat, Irv ratcheted things up, yelling even more until it was time for the citizens at the meeting to express their concerns at the podium.
At that point, Irv went inside with some of his people and they all got their two minutes to speak. He didn’t get arrested, but his showing up at the council meeting and raising the fuss he did was the talk of the town.
When the meeting was over and the picketers and Irv and his crew were gone, the guys headed to a spot for some beer. They celebrated what they knew was an undeniably overwhelming win. Nobody had expected them to pull such an extreme measure. They’d gotten the JDL and Irv Rubin to show up! They were real badasses. Everyone would understand that they couldn’t be marginalized the way they had been and not be expected to fight back.
(Two years later they would hear of Irv Rubin, in custody awaiting trial, dying after falling off the second-floor balcony at the county jail, his throat sliced open.)
***
News got back that the Mayor and R.E. were pissed about all the noise that had been made at the city council meeting. The following week, Bruce was reinstated to full duty. Clearly no one wanted Irv Rubin showing up every week. Bob, Eddie, and Marv were happy for Bruce.
That feel-good moment was short-lived, however, when they started hearing rumblings that the mayor was so angry about what happened, he was considering bringing in the L.A.S.D.
This was something the guys had been hearing for as long as they’d been on the force. Cops before them, some twenty years back, had heard the same thing. Bringing in the sheriffs had always been a threat of sorts, but no one took it seriously. Everyone - Black, white, Latino - agreed there was no way a Black-run city was going to bring in the “Mighty Whiteys” (which was how most of the Black officers referred to the L.A.S.D.). The city officials weren’t going to give up that kind of power. They wouldn’t be able to manipulate the Sheriff’s Department the way they did the Compton P.D.
Once Upon A Time in Compton Page 25