21st Precinct

Police Drama (1953 - 1956)

"21st Precinct, just lines on a map of the city of New York. Most of the 173,000 people wedged into the 9 tenths of a square mile between 5th avenue and the East River wouldn't know if you asked them that they lived or worked in the 21st. Whether they know it or not the security of their persons their homes and property is my job, my job and the job of 160 patrolmen, 11 sergeants, and 4 lieutenants of whom I'm the boss. My name is Kennelly, Captain Frank Kennelly."

Jack Webb's Dragnet got off to a rocky beginning through the first few episodes while the cast and crew found their pace with the show's format and tone, but it was not long before NBC realized that it had a hit on its hands with the gritty police procedural drama. CBS realized it as well and probably wondered why their procedural drama, Broadway is My Beat was not doing quite as well.

BiMB did okay in the ratings but never found a sponsor to support it. The show came on the air a few months before Dragnet and developed a following, but the fact remained that BiMB remained a network sustained program while Joe Friday and his crew were selling a lot of Fatima Cigarettes. The differences between the two shows were apparent to listeners. Although BiMB was set on "the gaudiest, the most violent, the loneliest mile in the world", the show showed both the cops and robbers through rather rose-colored glasses. Some of the bad guys on Dragnet were unfortunate souls who had been given a bad break, but if they were the scum of the earth the show showed them unfiltered, and only the unquestionable integrity of the LAPD could protect the citizenry from them.

The radio network attempted to step into the gritty criminal underbelly seen by a modern police force with 21st Precinct, which debuted on July 7, 1953, as a summer replacement for My Friend Irma. The new show took a cue from Dragnet by following the smallest details of Captain Frank Kennelly's working day as he led the 21st. The program did not use any theme or transitional music but leaned heavily on sound effects of typewriters, telephones, footsteps, and various background conversations to help paint a picture of the police station or the New York streets.

The stories are told from Captain Kennelly's viewpoint as the leader of the 21st. He is the man responsible for the safety of the men serving the Precinct as well as the citizens residing within its borders. Each episode opens with a desk sergeant receiving a telephone report of the crime which is that week's focus. Of course, there is a lot more than just the crime du jour, Kennelly spends part of the day dealing with officers' personal and professional problems, such as injuries on the job, rub shoulders with city officials, and take time for the never-ending stream of paperwork.

Both this series and Dragnet owe a debt to the departments they represent for story material. While Joe Friday's story came from the files of the LAPD ("Only the names are changed"), 21st got its stories from the New York Patrolmen's Benevolent Association. Getting material from the Police Union rather than the Department itself puts a different, more personal slant on the stories.

The reality faced by Joe Friday is much grittier than that encountered by Captain Frank Kennelly and his men, but the reality of the 21st Precinct is that of everyday cops facing everyday problems. In both shows, it is the noble actions of the police that make the world a safer place.

Based on true stories, 21st Precinct aired after Dragnet gained popularity and audiences were hungry to hear behind-the-scenes stories of police life. Set in New York, 21st Precinct focuses on a specific police unit. It is action packed from the start of the show, so get on the edge of your seat, start biting your lip and tune in to the 21st Precinct!