Edward M. Davis
| Edward M. Davis | |
|---|---|
Edward M. Davis
|
|
| Born |
November 15, 1916 Los Angeles, California |
| Died | April 22, 2006 (aged 89) San Luis Obispo, California |
| Other names | Ed |
| Police career | |
| Department | Los Angeles Police Department |
| Country | United States |
| Years of service | 1948–1978 |
| Rank |
 |
| Other work | California State Senator |
Edward Michael Davis (November 15, 1916 – April 22, 2006) was the chief of the Los Angeles Police Department from 1969–1978, and later a California State Senator from 1980–1992 and an unsuccessful Republican candidate for the United States Senate in 1986. Davis' name was familiar to a generation of Americans since it appeared on its own card for "technical advice" in the closing credits of the popular television programs Dragnet (1967–70) and Adam-12 (1968–75).
Born in Los Angeles, California to James Leonard Davis and Lillian Fox Davis, Davis graduated from John C. Fremont High School in Los Angeles. He joined the LAPD and married Virginia Osborne in 1940. During World War II he took a leave of absence from the police department in order to serve in the United States Navy.
When he became Chief of Police, Davis inherited a police department that was essentially the creation of Chief William H. Parker and which held strong institutional values and views within its ranks. The result was a department that saw itself as a bastion for peace and the traditional American values of old Los Angeles.
He instantly became well-known internationally in 1969 when he held a press conference announcing the arrests of Charles Manson and his followers for what are known as the Tate and LaBianca murders. His role is well-documented in the book Helter Skelter, written by Vincent Bugliosi, the prosecutor in the case.
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