Management Services: DR-11

This ep of "Dragnet 1969" addressed the aftermath of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. As Friday, Gannon, and their fellow officers man the phones in anticipation of riots happening in the Los Angeles area as was happening in other U. S. cities. But what was happening in the City of Angels was mostly peaceful. The entire setting is at a particular part of the police station as they're mostly sitting at the tables taking calls. Not all of them are male as there is one female and one black male uniformed officers also handling the calls. Also, two of the men are expecting. In summary, "Management Services: DR-11" was a pretty entertaining and educational ep of "Dragnet 1969".

This is one of the most unusual episodes of "Dragnet" and it's extremely important from a historical standpoint. Following the death of Martin Luther King, Jr., major cities around the United States were racked with violence and rioting. I was very young at the time, but remember seeing portions of my hometown, Washington, DC, burned to the ground. This episode of the show is about the impact on Los Angeles as well as how the police braced--ready should violence erupt.

This particular show finds Friday and Gannon working the phones along with many other police--coordinating services and phone calls in case of a full-blown emergency. The police brace for the worst and hope for the best.

Overall, while it's not the most memorable episode, it was incredibly timely--debuting six months after the tragic and senseless murder of King. And, seen today, it's a potent reminder of the volatility of the time--something the younger generations may be totally unaware of and could benefit from learning. An important historic artifact.