Most cops in cities carried either 5 shot .32 revolvers or 6 shot .38 revolvers, usually S&W or Colt with a 6 inch barrel, the .32 S&W was usually a top break model the Colt was a flip out cylinder, the .38 S&W or Colt would be a flip out cylinder.

Beat cops carried a nightstick, a whistle, a call box key and almost always a sap or spring billy in the back pocket.

2 way radios were almost non existant, highway patrol only.

A beat cop had a patrol area of 20 square blocks usually 10x10 or 5x15 and was expected to make the rounds hourly checking doors ("shaking" is the term) and checking in with the station or roundhouse hourly. A Sgt or Lieut. would be doing a car patrol about twice a night. Beat walkers had to learn all the places they could stay warm at night, some store owners gave the cop a key to the back so they could atch a few winks in the warmth of the back room.

The beat cop was expected to know everyone on his beat, homeowners, shop keepers, whores, pimps, kids, etc. He was expected to mete out street justice when needed, rather than drag someone into the roundhouse. Frequently the beat cop did the footwork for Detectives or gave them the initial lead on a local crime but almost never got credit for the arrest (or "collar" in cop speak.)

I knew a Cop who walked a beat in Harlem from 1935 to 1950 when he made Sargent and moved into the Precinct. He had a talent for bouncing his stick off the sidewalk in a pattern. He had a leather thong thru the handle and he would flip it down and it would spin twice on the up bounce. He also could throw it with accuracy up to 25 feet. It had a 6 in lead insert in the bottom end for heft. He carried a S&W .38, 6 extra .38 rounds of ammunition, a big leather flapped summons book (he was expected to write 100 tickets a month), a notepad, a spring billy, a whistle, a jack knife, a call box key, had high top leather beat walking shoes with thick rubber soles ("creepers" he called them). He only fired his service revolver twice in 39 years, he said a good cop drew the revolver as a last resort.

I knew a Deputy Sheriff in St. Johns County FLA in the 60's who only drew his .357 S&W 5 times in 45 years, he just had a way about him that told you not to screw with him. 6 ft 5 in with a flat top you could land a Cessna 150 on. But he was one of the nicest and fairest men I ever knew, I only saw him treat a suspect roughly and that perp was a child molester.

Cars were usually the cheapest they could find. Ford Model T's were the norm or Chevys. Remember they were subject to a City budget and frequently didn't get a raise for years. it took 8-10 years to make Sgt. if the position was open.

Read anything by Max Allan Collins for good Midwest 1930's background, Max wrote for Batman, Dick Tracey, wrote the Untouchables screenplay, wrote a great book about the Chicago Fair with Sally Rand as a character, same for the Lindberg kidnapping, and many, many other scripts. You probably grew up on his work but never knew his name.

Stoney, thanks for the details. I've read and enjoyed many of the Nate Heller stories by Max Allan Collins. He's a master of working real historical people -- like Sally Rand, as you mention, and Amelia Earhart, among others -- into his narratives. It might well be one of his where I learned some of the beat cop details you mention.

I've written to the Cleveland Police Museum, and they have given me a few confirming details as well. Now I have to face the struggle I always have: with the plot! (Plotting is never easy for me. Grrr. . . .)
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-- Paul W. (The Benzadmiral)
('03 Buick Park Avenue, charcoal/cream)
Formerly:
'97 C230, smoke silver/parchment; '86 420SEL, anthracite/light grey; '84 280CE (W123), dark blue/palomino