Harold Witkov
City of Ferguson needs a "Two-Gun Pete" police force
By Harold Witkov
My 91-year-old dad loves to tell the story about the time he met "Two-Gun Pete." It happened some sixty-five years ago, but to hear my dad tell the narrative, it could have been just last month.
Back in the days, my father tended bar in Chicago on East 51st Street. As neighborhoods went, there weren't any rougher. Dad worked in a poverty-stricken, high crime ghetto.
One day, a well dressed African-American police detective entered the premises, and, with an air of confidence, walked to the front of the long drinking bar. Choosing not to sit at a stool, he leaned against the wall. As my dad recalls, the man was carrying two revolvers, one on each side. Placing a hand on the bar, he looked around. The entire place had gone silent.
My dad whispered to the other bartender, "Who the Hell is that?" Henry, the other bartender, under his breath, whispered back, "That is Mr. Washington, alias 'Two-Gun Pete,' a man of reputation to be feared."
Nobody moved. Nobody made eye contact with him either. But Two-Gun was not shy about making eye contact. He looked everyone over.
My dad, the only white person in the place, approached. Loud enough for all to hear, Two-Gun asked, "Is everything all right here?" My dad nodded in the affirmative and asked, "Would you like a beer?" "No" was his answer. He stayed five minutes, left, and then there was a collective sigh of relief.
So who was Two-Gun Pete? Two-gun Pete was one tough black policeman (turned detective) who specialized in bringing black criminals to justice. Two-Gun Pete was one of the deadliest cops in Chicago history. He was the legendary trigger-happy cop who, if need be, did not mind being judge, jury, and executioner. He bragged of having killed a dozen men.
So now we have Ferguson, Missouri, totally out of control with ongoing arsons, rioting, and looting. Whatever the misguided reasons behind their frenzy may be, these criminals need to be stopped and jailed. If he was alive today, Two-Gun Pete could probably clean up this entire Ferguson mess by himself in a week. But imagine what a police force of Two-Gun Petes could do?
So Eric Holder, the mainstream media, and liberals in general all think Ferguson, Missouri, needs wholesale change in the police department. They believe the Ferguson police force needs black cops in black neighborhoods, and this will diffuse all the pent-up anger. They also think this should be the approach in every city across the country.
Maybe they are right, maybe not. But as far as the city of Ferguson, Missouri, is concerned, what is needed is not more black officers patrolling the streets. Ferguson needs a Two-Gun Pete police force.
© Harold Witkov
November 27, 2014
My 91-year-old dad loves to tell the story about the time he met "Two-Gun Pete." It happened some sixty-five years ago, but to hear my dad tell the narrative, it could have been just last month.
Back in the days, my father tended bar in Chicago on East 51st Street. As neighborhoods went, there weren't any rougher. Dad worked in a poverty-stricken, high crime ghetto.
One day, a well dressed African-American police detective entered the premises, and, with an air of confidence, walked to the front of the long drinking bar. Choosing not to sit at a stool, he leaned against the wall. As my dad recalls, the man was carrying two revolvers, one on each side. Placing a hand on the bar, he looked around. The entire place had gone silent.
My dad whispered to the other bartender, "Who the Hell is that?" Henry, the other bartender, under his breath, whispered back, "That is Mr. Washington, alias 'Two-Gun Pete,' a man of reputation to be feared."
Nobody moved. Nobody made eye contact with him either. But Two-Gun was not shy about making eye contact. He looked everyone over.
My dad, the only white person in the place, approached. Loud enough for all to hear, Two-Gun asked, "Is everything all right here?" My dad nodded in the affirmative and asked, "Would you like a beer?" "No" was his answer. He stayed five minutes, left, and then there was a collective sigh of relief.
So who was Two-Gun Pete? Two-gun Pete was one tough black policeman (turned detective) who specialized in bringing black criminals to justice. Two-Gun Pete was one of the deadliest cops in Chicago history. He was the legendary trigger-happy cop who, if need be, did not mind being judge, jury, and executioner. He bragged of having killed a dozen men.
So now we have Ferguson, Missouri, totally out of control with ongoing arsons, rioting, and looting. Whatever the misguided reasons behind their frenzy may be, these criminals need to be stopped and jailed. If he was alive today, Two-Gun Pete could probably clean up this entire Ferguson mess by himself in a week. But imagine what a police force of Two-Gun Petes could do?
So Eric Holder, the mainstream media, and liberals in general all think Ferguson, Missouri, needs wholesale change in the police department. They believe the Ferguson police force needs black cops in black neighborhoods, and this will diffuse all the pent-up anger. They also think this should be the approach in every city across the country.
Maybe they are right, maybe not. But as far as the city of Ferguson, Missouri, is concerned, what is needed is not more black officers patrolling the streets. Ferguson needs a Two-Gun Pete police force.
© Harold Witkov
The views expressed by RenewAmerica columnists are their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of RenewAmerica or its affiliates.
(See RenewAmerica's publishing standards.)
