the New Centurions (1971)

by Wambaugh, Joseph

  Joseph Wambaugh

  The New Centurions

  *

  EARLY SUMMER 1960

  Chapter 1

  THE RUNNER

  LYING PROSTRATE, SERGE DURAN gaped at Augustus Plebesly who was racing inexorably around the track. That's a ridiculous name, thought Serge--Augustus Plebesly. It's a ridiculous name for a puny runt who can run like a goddamn antelope.

  Plebesly ran abreast of, and was matching strides with, the feared P. T. instructor, Officer Randolph. If Randolph took up the challenge he'd never stop. Twenty laps. Twenty-five. Until there was nothing left but forty-nine sweat suit-covered corpses and forty-nine puddles of puke. Serge had already vomited once and knew another was coming up.

  "Get up, Duran!" a voice thundered from above.

  Serge's eyes focused on the massive blur standing over him.

  "Get up! Get up!" roared Officer Randolph, who had halted the wretched weary group of cadets.

  Serge staggered to his feet and limped after his classmates as Officer Randolph ran ahead to catch Plebesly. Porfirio Rodriguez dropped back and patted Serge on the shoulder. "Don't give up, Sergio," Rodriguez panted. "Stay with 'em, man."

  Serge ignored him and lurched forward in anguish. That's just like a Texas Chicano, he thought. Afraid I'll disgrace him in front of the _gabachos.__ If I wasn't a Mexican he'd let me lay until the crabgrass was growing out my ears.

  If he could only remember how many laps they had run. Twenty was their record before today, and today was hot, ninety-five degrees at least. And sultry. It was only their fourth week in the police academy. They weren't in shape yet. Randolph wouldn't dare run them more than twenty laps today. Serge leaned forward and concentrated on placing one foot in front of the other.

  After another half-lap the burning in his chest was no longer bearable. He tasted something strange and choked in panic; he was going to faint. But luckily, Roy Fehler picked that exact moment to fall on his face, causing the collapse of eight other police cadets. Serge gave silent thanks to Fehler who was bleeding from the nose. The class had lost its momentum and a minor mutiny occurred as one cadet after another dropped to his knees and retched. Only Plebesly and a few others remained standing.

  "You want to be Los Angeles policemen!" shouted Randolph. "You aren't fit to _wash__ police cars! And I guarantee you one thing, if you aren't on your feet in five seconds, you'll never ride in one!"

  One by one the sullen cadets got to their feet and soon all were standing except Fehler who was unsuccessfully trying to stop the nosebleed by lying on his back, his handsome face tilted up to the white sun. Fehler's pale crew cut was streaked with dust and blood. Officer Randolph strode over to him.

  "Okay, Fehler, go take a shower and report to the sergeant. We'll get you to Central Receiving Hospital for an X ray."

  Serge glanced fearfully at Plebesly who was doing some knee bends to keep loose. Oh no, Serge thought; look tired, Plebesly! Be human! You stupid ass, you'll antagonize Randolph!

  Serge saw Officer Randolph regarding Plebesly, but the instructor only said, "Okay, you weaklings. That's enough running for today. Get on your back and we'll do some sit-ups."

  With relief the class began the less painful session of calisthenics and self-defense. Serge wished he wasn't so big. He'd like to get paired up with Plebesly so he could crush the little bastard when they were practicing the police holds.

  After several minutes of sit-ups, leg-ups, and push-ups, Randolph shouted, "Okay, onesies on twosies! Let's go!"

  The class formed a circle and Serge was again teamed with Andrews, the man who marched next to him in formation. Andrews was big, even bigger than Serge, and infinitely harder and stronger. Like Plebesly, Andrews seemed bent on doing his very best, and he had almost choked Serge into unconsciousness the day before when they were practicing the bar strangle. When Serge recovered, he blindly grabbed Andrews by the shirt front and whispered a violent threat that he couldn't clearly remember when his rage subsided. To his surprise, Andrews apologized, a frightened look on the broad flat face as he realized that Serge had been hurt. He apologized three times that same day and beamed when Serge finally assured him there were no hard feelings. He's just an overgrown Plebesly, Serge thought. These dedicated types are all alike. They're so damn serious you can't hate them like you should.

  "Okay, switch around," shouted Randolph. "Twosies on onesies this time."

  Each man changed with his partner. This time Andrews played the role of suspect and it was Serge's job to control him.

  "Okay, let's try the come-along again," shouted Randolph. "And do it right, this time. Ready? One!"

  Serge took Andrews' wide hand at the count of one but realized that the come-along hold had vanished in the intellectual darkness that fifteen or more laps temporarily brought about.

  "Two!" shouted Randolph.

  "Is this the come-along, Andrews?" whispered Serge, as he saw Randolph helping another cadet who was even more confused.

  Andrews responded by twisting his own hand into the come-along position and wincing so that Randolph would think that Serge had him writhing in agony, hence, a "proper" come-along. When Randolph passed he nodded in satisfaction at the pain Serge was inflicting.

  "I'm not hurting you, am I?" Serge whispered.

  "No, I'm okay," smiled Andrews, baring his large gapped teeth.

  You just can't hate these serious ones, Serge thought, and looked around the sweating ring of gray-clad cadets for Plebesly. You had to admire the control the squirt had over his slim little body. On their first physical qualification test Plebesly had done twenty-five perfect chins, a hundred sit-ups in eighty-five seconds, and threatened to break the academy record for running the obstacle course. It was that which Serge feared most. The obstacle course with the dreaded wall that defeated him at first glance.

  It was inexplicable that he should fear that wall. He was an athlete, at least he had been, six years ago at Chino High School. He had lettered in football three years, a lineman, but quick, and well-coordinated for his size. And his size was inexplicable, six feet three, large-boned, slightly freckled, with light brown hair and eyes--so that it was a family joke that he could not possibly be a Mexican boy, at least not of the Duran family who were especially small and dark--and if his mother had not been from the old country and not disposed to off-color _chistes__ they might have teased her with remarks about the blond _gabacho__ giant who owned the small grocery store where for years she bought _harina__ and _maiz__ for the tortillas which she made by hand. His mother had never put store-bought tortillas on the family table. And suddenly he wondered why he was thinking about his mother now, and what good it did to ever think of the dead.

  "All right, sit down," shouted Randolph, who didn't have to repeat the command.

  The class of forty-eight cadets, minus Roy Fehler, slumped to the grass happy in the knowledge that there was only relaxation ahead, unless you were chosen as Randolph's demonstration victim.

  Serge was still tense. Randolph often chose the big men to demonstrate the holds on. The instructor was himself a medium-sized man, but muscular, and hard as a gun barrel. He invariably hurt you when applying the holds. It seemed to be part of the game to toss the cadet a little harder than necessary, or to make him cry out from a hand, arm, or leg hold. The class got a nervous laugh from the torture, but Serge vowed that the next time Randolph used him for a onesies on twosies demonstration, he was not going to stand for any rougher than necessary treatment. However he hadn't decided what to do about it. He wanted this job. Being a cop would be a fairly interesting way to make four hundred and eighty-nine dollars a month. He relaxed as Randolph chose Augustus Plebesly for his victim.

  "Okay, y
ou already learned the bar strangle," said Randolph. "It's a good hold when you apply it right. When you apply it wrong, it's not worth a damn. Now I'm going to show you a variation of that strangle."

  Randolph took a position behind Plebesly, reached around his throat with a massive forearm, and hooked the small neck in the crook of his arm. "I'm now applying pressure to the carotid artery," Randolph announced. "My forearm and bicep are choking off the oxygen flow to his brain. He would pass out very quickly if I applied pressure." As he said it, he _did__ apply pressure, and Plebesly's large blue eyes fluttered twice and bulged in terror. Randolph relaxed his hold, grinned, and slapped Plebesly on the back to indicate he was through with him.

  "Okay, ones on twos," shouted Randolph. "We only got a few minutes left. Let's go! I want you to practice this one."

  As each number one man got his arm around the waiting throat of number two, Randolph shouted, "Lift the elbow. You have to get his chin up. If he keeps his chin down, he'll beat you. Make him lift that chin and then put it on him. Easy, though. And just for a second."

  Serge knew that Andrews would be very careful about hurting him after the outburst the other day. He could see that Andrews was trying not to, the big arm around his neck flexed only a little, and yet the pain was unbelievable. Serge instinctively grabbed Andrews' arm.

  "Sorry, Duran," said Andrews with a worried look.

  "'s alright," Serge gasped. "That's a hell of a hold!"

  When it was twos on ones, Serge lifted Andrews' chin. He had never hurt Andrews in any of the prior P. T. sessions. He didn't think Andrews could be hurt. He squeezed the throat in the crook, pulling his wrist toward him, and held it several seconds. Andrews' hands did not come up as his had. He must be applying it wrong, he thought.

  Serge raised the elbow and increased the pressure.

  "Am I doing it right?" asked Serge trying to see Andrews' upturned face.

  "Let him go, Duran!" screamed Randolph. Serge jumped back, startled, and released Andrews who thudded to the ground red-faced, eyes half open and glazed.

  "For chrissake, Duran," said Randolph, raising the massive torso of Andrews in his arms.

  "I didn't mean to," Serge sputtered.

  "I told you guys, easy!" said Randolph, as Andrews lurched to his feet. "You can cause brain damage with that hold. You stop the oxygen flow to the brain for too long a period and you're really going to hurt somebody, maybe kill them."

  "I'm sorry, Andrews," said Serge, vastly relieved when the big man gave him a weak smile. "Why didn't you tap my arm or kick me or something? I didn't know I was hurting you."

  "I wanted you to get the hold right," said Andrews, "and after a few seconds, I just blacked out."

  "You be damn careful with that hold," shouted Randolph. "I don't want nobody hurt before you even graduate from the academy. But maybe you'll learn something from this. When you guys leave here, you're going out where there's guys that aren't afraid of that badge and gun. In fact, they might try to stick that badge up your ass to say they did it, and that big oval shield would sure hurt coming out. This particular hold might save you. If you get it on right you can put anybody out, and it just might rescue your ass someday. Okay, ones on twos again!"

  "Your turn to get even," said Serge to Andrews who was massaging the side of his throat and swallowing painfully.

  "I'll be careful," said Andrews, putting his huge arm around Serge's neck. "Let's just pretend I'm choking you," said Andrews.

  "That's okay by me," said Serge.

  Officer Randolph moved from one pair of cadets to another, adjusting the choke hold, raising elbows, turning wrists, straightening torsos, until he had had enough. "Okay, sit down, you guys. We're just wasting our time today."

  The class collapsed on the grass like a huge gray many-legged insect and each cadet waited for an outburst from Randolph who was pacing in a tight circle, formidable in his yellow polo shirt, blue shorts, and black high-topped gym shoes.

  Serge was bigger than Randolph, Andrews much bigger. Yet they all seemed small beside him. It was the sweat suits, he thought, the ill-fitting baggy pants and gray sweat shirts always sweat-soaked and ugly. And it was the haircuts. The cadets wore short military style haircuts which made all the young men look smaller and younger.

  "It's hard to put everything into the self-defense session," said Randolph, finally breaking silence, still pacing, arms folded as he watched the grass. "It's damn hot and I run you hard. Maybe sometimes I run you too hard. Well, I got my own theory on physical training for policemen and it's time I explained it to you."

  That's very thoughtful, you bastard, thought Serge, rubbing his side, which still ached from the twenty laps around the track. He was just beginning to be able to take large breaths without coughing or without his lungs hurting.

  "Most of you guys don't know what it's like to fight another guy," said Randolph. "I'm sure you all had your scraps in high school, maybe a scuffle or two somewhere else. A couple of you are Korean vets and think you seen it all, and Wilson here has been in the Golden Gloves. But none of you really knows what it's like to fight another man no holds barred and win. You're going to have to be ready to do it anytime. And you have to win. I'm going to show you something. Plebesly, come here!"

  Serge smiled as Plebesly sprang to his feet and trotted into the center of the circle. The round blue eyes showed no fatigue and stared patiently at the instructor apparently ready for a painful, elbow-wrenching arm hold or any other punishment Officer Randolph cared to offer.

  "Come closer, Plebesly," said Randolph, gripping the little man by the shoulder and whispering in his ear for several seconds.

  Serge leaned back on his elbows, happy in the knowledge that Randolph was evidently going to use the remainder of the P. T. class for his demonstration. Serge's stomach muscles loosened and a sunny wave of relaxation swept over him. It was getting so he was having dreams of running the track. Suddenly he saw Randolph staring at him.

  "You, Duran, and you, Andrews, come up here!"

  Serge fought a momentary surge of anger, but then dejectedly plodded into the circle, remembering that the last time he had failed to master a complicated hold, he was given three laps around the track. He wanted to be a policeman, but he would not run that track again for anyone. Not this day. Not now.

  "I picked Duran and Andrews because they're big," said Randolph. "Now, I want you two to put Plebesly's hands behind his back and handcuff him. Just simulate the cuffing, but get him in the cuffing position. He's the suspect, you two are the policemen. Okay, go ahead."

  Serge looked at Andrews for a plan to take the retreating Plebesly, who backed in a circle, hands at his sides, away from the two big men. Just like the Corps, thought Serge. Always the games. First in boot camp, then in I. T. R. at Camp Pendleton. The Korean War had been over a year when he joined, and yet they talked about the gooks like they would be waiting to swarm over their ship the first moment they landed in Pacific waters.

  Andrews made a lunge for Plebesly, who almost slithered away but was caught by the sleeve of his sweat shirt. Serge jumped on Plebesly's back and the little man went down under Serge's two hundred and fifteen pounds. But then he wriggled and twisted, and suddenly Serge was under Plebesly and Andrews was on Plebesly's back forcing the combined weight of himself and Plebesly on Serge's aching ribs.

  "Pull him away, Andrews," Serge wheezed. "Get a wristlock!"

  Serge pushed himself up but Plebesly had locked his arms and legs around Serge's body from the rear and hung there leechlike with enough weight to topple Serge over backward on the clinging Plebesly who gasped but would not let go. Andrews managed to pry the little man's fingers loose, but the sinewy legs held on and by now Serge was beaten and sat there with the implacable monkey clinging to his torso.

  "Get a choke hold on him, damn it," Serge muttered.

  "I'm trying. I'm too tired," Andrews whispered, as Plebesly buried his face deeper into Serge's dripping back.

  "Okay, th
at's enough," Randolph commanded. Plebesly instantly released Serge, bounded to his feet and trotted to his place in the grassy circle.

  Serge stood up and for a second the earth tilted. Then he dropped to the ground next to Andrews.

  "The reason for all that was to prove a point," shouted Randolph to the sprawling broken circle of cadets. "I told Plebesly to resist. That's all. Just to resist and not let them pin his arms. You'll notice he didn't fight back. He just resisted. And Andrews and Duran are both twice his size. They would never have got their man handcuffed. They would have lost him eventually. The point is that they were expending twice the energy to overcome his resistance and they couldn't do it. Now, every one of you guys is going to run into this kind of problem lots of times. Maybe your man is going to decide you aren't going to handcuff him. Or maybe he'll even fight back. You saw the trouble little Plebesly gave the two big guys, and he wasn't even fighting back. What I'm trying to do is tell you that these fights out there in the streets are just endurance contests. The guy who can _endure__ usually wins. That's why I'm running your asses off. When you leave here you'll have endurance. Now, if I can teach you an armlock and that choke hold, maybe that will be enough. You all saw what the choke can do. The trouble is getting the choke on the guy when he's struggling and fighting back. I can't teach you self-defense in thirteen weeks.

  "All that Hollywood crap is just that--crap. You try throwing that haymaker at somebody's chin and you'll probably hit the top of his head and break your hand. Never use your fists. If someone uses his fists you use your stick and try to break a wrist or knee like we teach you. If he uses a knife you use a gun and cancel his ticket then and there. But if you find yourself without a stick and the situation doesn't permit deadly force, well then you better be able to out-endure the son of a bitch. That's why you see these newspaper pictures of six cops subduing one guy. _Any__ guy or even any woman can wear out several policemen just by resisting. It's goddamn hard to take a man who doesn't want to be taken. But try explaining it to the jury or the neighbors who read in the papers how an arrestee was hurt by two or three cops twice his size. They'll want to know why you resorted to beating the guy's head in. Why didn't you just put a fancy judo hold on him and flip him on his ass. In the movies it's nothing.