Thomas Reddin (June 25, 1916 – December 4, 2004) was a Los Angeles Police Department chief.
Reddin began his LAPD career in 1941 and was chief from February 1967 to May 1969. He was at the helm in 1967, when police clashed violently with thousands of anti-war protesters who gathered outside the Century Plaza Hotel, where President Lyndon Johnson was being honored.
Reddin helped modernize the department and introduced the community policing concept,[1] which "perceives the community as an agent and partner in promoting security rather than as a passive audience."[2]
During his tenure, he allowed his department to give technical advice for the first three seasons of the revived version of the Jack Webb-created detective drama Dragnet (He even made an appearance at the end of the Season Two finale, "The Big Problem," in a plea for improved community relations between the department and the city) and during the first season (1968–1969) of the police drama Adam-12.
On June 5, 1968, after Robert Kennedy was assassinated at the old Ambassador Hotel, Reddin gained national attention for taking steps to ensure the safety of suspect Sirhan Sirhan so he could face trial.
After leaving the LAPD on May 6, 1969, Reddin became a newscaster for KTLA-TV. He was a candidate for mayor in 1973, but lost to City Councilman Tom Bradley, a former LAPD lieutenant. In his latter years he had a successful career operating, Tom Reddin Security Services, employing 350 guards for numerous buildings throughout Southern California.
Thomas Reddin died of Parkinson's disease on December 4, 2004 at the age of 88. He is buried at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
References
1. official website of THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT
2. The Use And Effectiveness Of Community Policing In A Democracy
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