KTLA News: "Councilman Tom Bradley proposes plan to reduce crime in Los Angeles" (1972)

This would be under the direction and supervision  of the Police Department that would be trained by them. They would drive unmarked cars equipped with citizen band radios attached and connected to the police switchboard. They would not be armed. They would not be out to make arrests as a vigilante group. They would simply be there to saturate a community and by their presence to deter a crime, to report it when they observe it and to help the police the more effectively control the situation. On the basis of 21 years experience as a police officer I've come to the conclusion that we simply have to have this kind of citizen cooperation with the law enforcement agencies if we're ever going to win this battle against crime. I think the events of the last week or so, have pretty well punctuated what we have known for a long time that we're having a serious crime problem in our city and in our community. The killing of a carpenter on the roof of a building by a sniper, the killing of a swimming pool guard, and most recently the death of a highway patrolman, pretty clearly indicate that we've got to do more - that the police alone simply cannot do the job. The citizens are going to have to help themselves by helping the police. And I'm therefore proposing today before the City Council that we create a new program which would augment the efforts of the Police Department's Basic Car Plan and the Neighborhood Watch by establishing what I call a neighborhood [break] in our community to believe that the citizens are going to tolerate what they're  doing, are, are going to encourage them in what they're doing, are going to simply sit by and permit them to go scot-free in their efforts and without some kind of citizen protest. This protest I think could be most effective by that kind of participation. [Reporter:] Councilman, have you talked to Chief Davis about this,  or any police officials to get their reaction? [Tom Bradley:] I know that the program has been tried in other  parts of the country in, in different ways, but I've not yet discussed it with anyone. That would be a matter to be covered by a Council Committee and it will be fully explored. If it is found to be a reasonable and feasible plan, we could institute it in one section of the city, and if it works there, then I would propose that we do it citywide. [Reporter #1:] What safeguards are there against a, a group of people becoming overzealous in patrolling the area and becoming a hindrance to police? [Bradley:] The fact that it would be under the direction and supervision of the police I think would pretty well take care of that matter. [Reporter #2:] Are you saying, Councilman, that the situation has deteriorated there to the point where the police just aren't effective, and need more help? [Bradley:] I think that it's very clear that no amount of police officers can do the job alone. Now this is true all over the country and has been true for a long time. And all I'm suggesting is that with the Basic Car Plan and the Neighborhood Watch Plan which is already underway by the Department, that I think this can be another effective way of expanding the kinds of arms and eyes and legs that the Police Department needs. And these are our civilians. [Reporter #3:] Councilman Bradley, if memory serves right, a few years ago...