The Fight Against Crime: Notes From the Front : Man, 74, Eager to Take a Bite Out of Crime

Meet one of the newest recruits to the Los Angeles Police Department force.

Ed Stolker of Woodland Hills is a robust, articulate, enthusiastic and friendly guy who takes meticulous notes during his classes at the Police Academy. He has ready answers when called upon in class and is obviously well thought of by teachers and fellow students.

Part of the reason he does so well is that he obviously loves police work. He’d like to be a part of the force for the rest of his life.

Stolker is 74 years old.

“I’ve retired three times already,” said Stolker, who formerly worked as a nuclear engineer. “Police work just sounded so interesting, I thought I would try this.

“It has been even more interesting than I thought. And a lot of fun.”

Stolker is in the 35-member class for technical reserves. As opposed to line reserves, who carry guns and can participate in a wide range of police action including arrests, technicals do work that has far less potential for confrontation with criminals.

When they graduate Oct. 3, these technicals will be assigned to work the phones and the information desks, and will be sent out in unmarked cars to take reports on robberies and stolen cars.

They will occasionally assist detectives in gathering fingerprints and other evidence at crime scenes. “I hope I can get involved in the scientific part of the investigations,” Stolker said, which is only natural considering his years as an engineer.

Although Stolker said the classes, which go on for 20 weeks, have cut into his social life, people close to him have been supportive.

“My fiance just loves it,” he said. “She is interested in everything I am learning. I have to give her a full report after every class.

“And she helps me out,” he continued, without a trace of irony. “I practice with her on the handcuffs.”

The technicals are especially important to the department in an era when Chief Willie Williams has declared he wants fewer officers behind desks and more out in the field. These reserves will be required to work at least two shifts per month and most will work more. For this they will be paid a total of $15 a month as a stipend.

“Some police agencies have technical officers that they pay, but our program is strictly voluntary,” said Sgt. Duane Kelliher, who is in charge of administration for the reserve unit. “And we are very glad to have them.”

There are now 285 technical officers on the force, including 80 women. Kelliher oversees the application and examination process for citizens who want to become technicals. Each candidate takes written and oral exams to test their comprehension of basic language skills and their ability to deal with the public. They also have to pass a medical examination and a background check.

He said about 100 people applied for the 35 positions in the current technicals class. Stolker’s age was not, Kelliher said, a hindrance to him joining the program.

“Age sometimes does take its toll,” he said. “But it’s offset by the fact that someone of that age will have a certain amount of maturity that an 18- or 19-year-old would not have in dealing with people.”

Kelliher said he is not sure if Stolker is the oldest person who has ever gone through the program, but he certainly is one of the oldest.

“These people are often on our front lines with the public,” he said. “They will have to deal with people in all sorts of emotional states.”

Recently the entire 3 1/2-hour evening class for technicals dealt with how to fill out a stolen vehicle form. “It’s a report you are probably going to take every time you are on the desk,” the instructor, Officer Frank Schweitzer, told the uniformed group meeting in a classroom built with funds donated by the late producer/actor Jack Webb.

“You’ve got to have this one down,” he told them. “Get it to the point where it only takes a couple of minutes.

“In this city, I guarantee that you’ll do lots of them.”