Unreal nonsense to take a barricaded suspect with no vest and only .38s.
What nonsense not to wear the vest and to try to take a barricaded suspect who wants to fight it out using only .38s..
shareRemember, this took place in the 1960's.
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MovieChat Forums > Madigan (1968) Discussion > Unreal nonsense to take a barricaded sus...
My father started his law enforcement career in 1970. It wasn't until the Eighties that vests became common. Second Chance didn't introduce it's first vest until 1971/72 and it took years before cops started wearing them. Dad began wearing a vest in the late seventies and he has told me that older cops would tease him. So the scene isn't as far fetched as you might think. ESU and S.W.A.T. was just starting in the late sixties and it was rare for most cops to be seen with rifles and shotgun - especially in New York City. Again it's just a slick little movie directed by the great Don Siegel.
shareThe military had flack vests as in Pork Chop Hill movie. The TV show Naked City had a episode with the police with flack vests going after a suspect who was in an apartment with a hostage.
shareTrue. Remember though that Madigan starts to put on a vest, but then leaves it off. Says something about it weighing him down.
shareI worked for a major police department then. The patrolmen had two choices of weapon, a Smith & Wesson and a Colt 45. The Smith & Wesson could be a 38 or 357. The men with a 38 often carried speed loaders. Browning came out with a .45 but they weren't allowed to use it. They could carry whatever they wanted as a back up gun.
I don't know everything. Neither does anyone else
The NYPD at the time only issued .38 special Revolvers and continued to do so in to the 80s.
shareSome folk have trouble keeping in mind that things were not always as they are right now.
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