Log 81: The Long Walk (Episode 14, Season 1)

Episode 14

In this episode, Jim learns about "Officer Presence". He and Pete respond to a robbery call, help an old man, investigate a prowler call, and capture armed suspects.

As our story starts, the officers are at roll call.

After reading the crimes of the night, Mac talks to them about "Officer Presence". It is the "best guarantee that an emotionally charged situation won't get out of hand". At the end of the discussion, Lt. Moore tells everyone to "remember when you're up against a criminal, if you believe you're a better man than he is, he'll believe it too."

Reed is making sure that Malloy is listening for reasons that will become clear later.
 (Is that a lighter in front of Jim?)

When they are in the car, Jim reveals that he doesn't think he knows how to use Officer Presence. He was too afraid of looking "stupid" to ask about it at roll call.

"How do you impose your presence, other than just by being there?"

"You let people know who you are, what you represent. Mostly, it's the way you talk to 'em."

"You really think that does it, huh?"

"Usually, unless your voice cracks in the middle."

 Before Jim can ask anymore questions, they decide to back up 1-Adam-18 at a 211 (robbery) in progress at 11890 Santa Monica Boulevard.

I just like this cap of the old-time gas station.

Where is everybody?

Not in here, the door is locked.

They must be in here, notice the key in the door.
Remember when you had to ask for the key to get into a gas station rest room?

This is what happens to men who try to come into the Ladies' Room.

As Malloy and Johnson are pulling the injured attendant out of the Women's Room, another attendant comes running up to them. He tells the officers that he called the cops per the gas station's strict policy. He describes the suspect and tells them that the suspect made his getaway on foot.

He was a young fella 20, 22. Light hair, white shirt, tall, skinny guy. No car.

Reed and Malloy take off in the same direction as the suspect.

They stop and question this man walking two Scottie dogs.

He saw the suspect get into a red convertible.

Reed wants to search the area for the red convertible and the suspect. Malloy tells him to forget it, the car was probably stolen and he's probably ditched it by now. 

"We'd burn a lot of rubber for nothing."

"Just doesn't seem right."

"It isn't right, that's why there's a law against it."

"I mean, why write it off?"

Well, they have to write it off because they receive a call to see the woman at 1741 North Argent Street about a found adult. 

1741 N. Argent is the address of Hogan's Guest Home.
I guess "Guest Home" is 1960's speak for "Assisted Living Facility". Are Hogan's Heroes now his Guests? 

Hey, Mrs. Ward from episode 13 is now Mrs. Devers and a nurse! So, she was having hard times during Christmas because she was divorced or widowed and unemployed? I'm glad she's re-married now and has a job, I hope Harvey is doing well.

Mrs. Devers tells Malloy and Reed that there is a man at the Guest Home who does not belong there. She thinks he accidentally joined Hogan's "guests" while they were were having their "outdoor enjoyment period". Nobody knows his name or where he is from and the man isn't much help because he is tired and disoriented.

Pete and Jim will talk with the man to try and find out more about him.

The old man must like Pete, he tells him his name right away, "Saulsbury, James Howard Saulsbury".

"Where do you live Mr. Saulsbury," asks Jim.
Mr. Saulsbury replies, "Deadwood".

"Deadwood? Where's that?" asks a confused Reed
"South Dakota," answers Mr. Saulsbury.

Mr. Saulsbury is in California visiting his daughter, Martha. He can't remember her last name or address and he doesn't have any identification on him. Reed then leaves to make a call and check if there is a missing persons report on Mr. Saulsbury. While Reed is gone, Mr. Saulsbury tells Malloy how his daughter took him to a department store today. She told him to wait in the car.

Reed returns to verify that there is a missing persons report on Mr. Saulsbury. It was filed by his daughter in Santa Monica, about 5 miles away! Instead of waiting in his daughter's car, Mr. Saulsbury took it for a drive.

"Where were you going today, Mr. Saulsbury?"

"Dakota, back to Deadwood. It's a mighty long drive, so I got an early start. Can you tell me, do I have much further to go?"
(Richard Hale was 77 when he played 91-year-old Mr. Saulsbury, I think some of the wrinkles were added by the make-up artist.) 

"No sir, not much further."

OK, hold on a minute. Who gave this episode the title, "The Long Walk"? Mr. Saulsbury drove from Santa Monica to Los Angeles. He planned on driving back to Deadwood, not walking. There are no long walks. Did the person giving out these titles even watch the episodes? It's obvious that the person writing the summary for Netflix did not watch this episode. The Netflix description reads, "Then they encounter and old man who's just trying to walk home--to Deadwood, South Dakota". Where is the quality control?!? 

Their next call is for a prowler at 3742 Juniper Road. 

First they check outside, they don't see the prowler.

Next they talk to the PR, a babysitter. She thinks the prowler has been trying to get in the back window upstairs.

Reed checks upstairs, Malloy checks the backyard. Again no prowler. They start to tell the babysitter that the prowler is gone.

When they hear a noise coming from the backyard.
(I'm 5'2", so I imagine that this is what it would look like if I stood between Jim and Pete. While also wearing a long, strawberry blonde wig.)

Pete and Jim go outside to investigate and discover that the prowler is actually a masked bandit.

"Looks like a opossum"-Reed
(This is the dumbest thing Reed says in the entire run of the show.)

"It's a raccoon"- Malloy

Reed doesn't think the raccoon will make a very good bust, even though it's clearly trespassing.

After that exciting caper, the boys decide to request code 7. They are denied and dispatched on a 459 silent (burglar alarm silent) call at 9000 Cordova.

Pete stays in the front of the building, Jim goes around to the back.
"Remember, if you see anything, stay put and signal me," instructs Malloy.

Reed finds an open door and signals Malloy with his flashlight. Malloy then calls for backup.

Walters and Brinkman arrive on the scene. Malloy and Brinkman will go see Reed has found in the back while Walters stays out in front.

Reed tells Malloy and Brinkman about the open door he has found. He and Malloy will go inside while "Brink" stays outside.

Jim and Pete enter the dark warehouse.

Get down, shots fired!

Pete goes to find a light switch and tells Jim to stay put and cover him. Jim looks terrified when Pete leaves him.

Pete finds the switch. When the lights come on, the suspects fire again.

Pete fires back and hits one of them.

Pete checks on the suspect he has shot. He's dead.

The others run for the front door.

They shoot and hit Walters!

Pete catches them as they are heading for the side door.
"Freeze! Hold it right there."

This guy turns and shoots at Pete. Pete returns fire, killing the suspect.

"Reed, on the double, I got 'em."

Malloy stares down the remaining armed suspects.

(Isn't this cap the coolest? Look, there's a 12 and its Adam-12! Awesome!)

Once Reed joins him in covering the suspects, Malloy empties his gun.

I may not know what a raccoon looks like, but I know what 6 empty shell casings look like.

That's right, while I was waiting for you I was covering these guys with an empty gun. 

Later, Reed and Malloy recap their evening.

"Turned out to be quite a night," comments Reed.

Did you know your gun was empty?

"Yeah, I knew it. Trouble was, if I'd have stopped to reload it, I could've wound up dead."

"You know that stuff the Sergeant was talking about today? Officer Presence? I guess I got the message."

The End

I am not a fan of this episode. The dialogue between Jim and Pete about Officer Presence feels forced and unnatural, as if it is straight out of a training video. There are exactly 2 things I like about this episode:

1. The actor playing the 91-year-old Mr. Saulsbury gives an accurate performance of a confused, elderly gentleman.

2. I find it hilarious when Reed misidentifies the raccoon as a possum.

I give this episode a rating of:

Do you agree? 

See you next time! KMA-367!