Radio Recap: 21st Precinct

"21st Precinct-- just lines on a map of the city of New York. Most of 173,000 people wedged into the 9/10ths of a square mile between Fifth Avenue and the East River wouldn't know if you ask them that they lived or worked in the 21st. Whether they know it or not, the security of their persons, their homes and their property is my job-- my job and the job of the 160 patrolmen, 11 sergeants and 4 lieutenants of whom I'm the boss. My name is Kennelly, Frank Kennelly. I'm captain in command of the 21st."

21st Precinct was a latter-day police drama that aired July 7, 1953 to July 26, 1956 on CBS. The series was written and directed by Stanley Niss and produced by John Ives, who were simultaneously collborating on Gangbusters, also on CBS.

21st Precinct starred Everett Sloane as Captain Frank Kennelly, head of the precinct. Although 21st Precinct was surely inspired by the fame of Dragnet to fashion a series with a strong sense of realism it was unlike every other radio police series I've heard. There's very little on 21st Precinct that deals with violent crime; I don't think you can consider 21st Precinct a crime series at all, it's mostly a human interest drama concerned with the various personal matters that bring people to a police station. Sometimes there's a crime but usually the incidents are mundane-- like a man being bit by a dog or a homeless man being picked up on vagrancy-- and even when there are criminals to be caught, it seldoms involves gunplay.

Great episodes include "Case of the L.D. 80" in which Canelli deals with a night watchman whose assessment is due (December 4, 1953) and "the Giver," a bittersweet Christmas tale of a man giving away appliances (December 22, 1954).

21st Precinct is a bit off-beat compared to other police dramas; I can recommend it if you're looking for something different.

The Old Time Radio Researchers have a YouTube playlist of more than 100 episodes of 21st Precinct:

"And so it goes, around the clock, through the week, every day, every year. A police precinct in the city of New York is a flesh and blood merry-go-around. Anyone can catch the brass ring, or... the brass ring can catch anyone."