I'm not sure why but I have always been interested in the history of the LAPD. I'd like to find something that maybe goes from their begining through the 40's or 50's. Since it was the last area of the country to be settled, going from pioneer tows to mega metropolis I think their police force is interesting.

Thanks.

It doesn't cover the entire span you're looking for, but "The Badge", a book written by Jack Webb (of Dragnet fame), is an interesting look into how the LAPD operated during the 1940s-1950s. It covers a number of their more high-profile cases, as well as some of the more mundane stuff like how fingerprints were handled back in the day, and it goes into a little of their history.

I have a 1958 copy sitting on my shelf. It's yours if you want it. Instant Karma. Just email me at the address in my profile.

Guardians of Angels: A History of the Los Angeles Police Department
by James A. Bultema

'The Centurions Shield' by Sherrard, Bushey and Bushey is another choice.

Chief by Daryl F. Gates misses your mark on age by a little bit. The Onion Field by Joseph Wambaugh and the Black Dahlia by James Ellroy, although a fiction novel, does get into some of the culture.

Thanks for the recommendations guys. And Rogue, I will take you up on that. I'll shoot you an email. Thanks!

The Chief Parker era (my father came on the job then), the Chief Davis/Gates era (I came on then) and subsequent Chiefs/eras have shaped the LAPD in different ways. These books may give you a good flavor how things changed ...