`WHEN I CAN'T FIND THE DOOR ANYMORE, I'LL QUIT' : 44 YEARS AFTER DONNING BADGE, OFFICER HELPS DEPARTMENT REMAIN L.A.'S FINEST.Byline: Dennis McCarthy Dennis McCarthy may refer to:
There are a couple more pounds on the frame, a few more wrinkles on the face and a lot more gray in the hair. But the eyes haven't changed. The eyes still bore into you with the same intensity they've always had when Los Angeles Police Department "LAPD" and "L.A.P.D." redirect here. For other uses, see LAPD (disambiguation).  This article or section is written like an . Detective John
O'Toole For the English footballer, see .John O'Toole is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He has been a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario since 1995, representing the riding of Durham for the Progressive Conservative Party. is trying to break someone down or size someone up. Usually, a suspect. Sometimes, a newspaper reporter. In a job where the running joke about retirement has long been ``20 years and 20 minutes,'' 70-year-old O'Toole is still finding the door to work every day. This week, the Valley Traffic Division detective-sergeant celebrates 44 years on the job - celebrates it with a record his superiors in the department call legendary for its dedication. O'Toole hasn't taken a sick day in 42 years, since a bad case of the flu laid him low back in 1955. He still leaves his Studio City home and comes to work with the same fire in his belly he had back in 1953 when he hit the streets of L.A. as a rookie cop. ``John still fights me every day about getting back out on the streets,'' says Detective Bob Uber Jr., his boss at Valley Traffic. ``But he's too valuable inside handling in-custody arrestees, and filings. ``There's not a week goes by that a judge, deputy district attorney or city attorney doesn't seek John out for some advice or to solve a problem,'' Uber says. ``The word around the (Van Nuys) courthouse is if you've got a problem, call John O'Toole.'' O'Toole squirms a little in his chair at the praise. He's from the old school where you just go out, do your job, and don't make waves. Where you leave your problems at the office, and don't take them to the nearest bar after work, or home to your wife and kids. Too many cops do, and the results are often disastrous. Broken marriages, stress-related disabilities, and early, eager ``20 year and 20 minute'' retirements from a job they used to love, but now can't wait to leave. O'Toole's been able to avoid the pitfalls. Married to the same woman, Rita, for 35 years, he leaves the stress and problems in the top drawer top drawer Noun Old-fashioned, informal people of the highest social standing of his desk every night, and as far as retirement, forget it. He's still walking through the door to work, and will for as long as he can find it. LAPD 1. LAPD - Link Access Procedure on the D channel. 2. LAPD - Los Angeles Police Department. has no mandatory retirement A mandatory retirement age is the age at which persons who hold certain jobs or offices are required by statute to step down, or retire. Typically, mandatory retirement ages are justified by the argument that certain occupations are either too dangerous (military personnel) age. ``I think you have to find something positive in your life and your job, and just hang on to it,'' O'Toole says. ``As long as your mental outlook is good, you physically stay stronger and better.'' He laughs as his partner, Detective Bill Aurand - himself with 30 years in the LAPD - hands him the rookie photo taken of O'Toole when he joined the force in 1953. The year Ike took his first oath of office An oath of office is an oath or affirmation a person takes before undertaking the duties of an office, usually a position in government or within a religious body, although such oaths are sometimes required of officers of other organizations. , the Korean War Korean War, conflict between Communist and non-Communist forces in Korea from June 25, 1950, to July 27, 1953. At the end of World War II, Korea was divided at the 38th parallel into Soviet (North Korean) and U.S. (South Korean) zones of occupation. ended, and the New York Yankees  Editing of this page by unregistered or newly registered users is currently disabled due to vandalism. wrapped up a fifth straight World Series.
A time when the Valley was mainly orange groves, and there was still a red light on top of the Van Nuys police station, which was in the City Hall building. Times were changing, but not that fast. Less than a decade before O'Toole joined the force, there were only two patrol cars in the Valley - one west of Sepulveda Boulevard, one east. Whenever someone called into the station needing a cop, the desk sergeant Noun 1. desk sergeant - the police sergeant on duty in a police station deskman, station keeper police sergeant, sergeant - a lawman with the rank of sergeant turned the red light atop City Hall on to alert the Valley's two patrol cars, which had no radio contact, to drive back into the station. ``It's funny,'' O'Toole says, laughing at the old war stories. ``I can't remember who I talked to last week, but I can remember the phone number people in the Valley used to call if they needed a cop back in the '50s - Madison 5211.'' The job, of course, is not nearly the same as when he first put the badge on 44 years ago, O'Toole says. ``People accepted authority better back then,'' he says. ``The laws were more clearly defined, and there wasn't so much restriction on probable cause Apparent facts discovered through logical inquiry that would lead a reasonably intelligent and prudent person to believe that an accused person has committed a crime, thereby warranting his or her prosecution, or that a Cause of Action has accrued, justifying a civil lawsuit. to make an arrest. Now, it's all in the political arena.'' Still, he loves being a cop - loves walking through the door of the detective bureau every day to size someone up, or break someone down. The days of Madison 5211 may be long gone, but it's still ``a good, steady job,'' John O'Toole says. Being a cop. At 70. CAPTION(S): 3 Photos PHOTO (1) Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. police Detective John O'Toole cuts his birthday cake alongside Deputy Chief Martin Pomeroy. Hans Gutknecht/Daily News (2) John O'Toole signs up in 1955. (3 -- color) John O'Toole Marked 70th birthday |
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