The Year of the Cop

The LAPD’s postwar model of policing routinely served as a standard for departments across the country. Backed by federal Law Enforcement Assistance Administration funds and support from newly elected law-and-order governor Ronald Reagan, the LAPD led the way in bolstering its paramilitary function through riot control plans, the use of helicopters, and the invention of Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) teams, which was quickly adopted by other departments. At the same time, the department sought to legitimize the iron fist with the velvet glove of community relations and improved officer training. As this chapter shows, the LAPD engaged in a process of militarization and enhanced its martial capacity while expanding its reach through community relations programs.