Parker Center HQ & Metropolitan Detention Center
(Daytime photos by yours truly)
Parker Center HQ in downtown L.A. opened in 1955, and was renamed to honor the old Chief, after he died, in 1966. She’s a beauty in her basic style – sometimes referred to as “The Glass House” yet also as an edifice, this classic building was featured in many books and films. She has been scheduled for demolition, not seen as landmark-enough for those in charge, it will be replaced by some new monster soon. O.J. was questioned here, and he is seen leaving hurriedly in his white Polo shirt, hounded by TMZ types, and shuffled into a car by his dopey lawyer.
To a stranger like me, but someone who likes the buildings of the past, it was with a sense of melancholy that I walked near, glanced up at the dirty windows, could sense it was empty – no more crimes would be solved there, no more buddy-cops taking a lunch break to discuss the takedown of some jerk like Eddie, no more defeated gumshoes having to angrily turn in their gun & badge to the Lieutenant – only to storm out and go solve the murder on their own! Those days are gone.
Also, a few images of the “fortress-like” Metropolitan Dentention Center, as it was described by the press when Nash spent a while here at the turn of the century. But good news for Eddie, Yelp gives it two-and a-half out of five stars. Sounds nice.
Also, that’s not John Holmes and Ron Jeremy, that’s just two pics of Hall & Oates. They were also private eyes.
smauge 5:41 pm on March 27, 2018 Permalink |
I just watched the doco LA92 (highly recommend it) about the LA riots, and this place was heavily targeted at the beginning of the riot, just after the not guilty verdicts were announced. So it has a place in that history too. I wish I’d taken time to see it when I was there on holiday.
John 10:45 pm on March 27, 2018 Permalink |
Yes, several books could be written about her mystique and history. And it is a relatively small place for how big LA crime is, the detectives and brass must have been packed in there like elbows to nostrils.