Karl Francis Hettinger

Karl Francis Hettinger (October 29, 1934 - May 4, 1994) was an American police officer of the Los Angeles Police Department. He was known for surviving the "Onion Field" incident, in which he and his partner, Officer Ian Campbell, were kidnapped on the night of March 9, 1963 by criminals Gregory Powell and Jimmy Lee Smith and taken to an onion field near Bakersfield, California where Officer Campbell was fatally shot.

Hettinger's story is depicted in Joseph Wambaugh's 1973 nonfiction book, The Onion Field. The book was adapted into a 1979 feature film of the same name in which Hettinger was portrayed by John Savage.

Hettinger was born in Los Angeles, California to Francis and Elsie (Eberley) Hettinger. He had two sisters, Miriam and Eunice. He was raised in Los Angeles. He was married to Helen Beth Davis in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 1, 1962; they eventually had three children: Laurie, Kurt and Christine.

On the night of March 9, 1963, Hettinger and his partner, Ian Campbell, pulled over a 1946 vehicle driven by Powell and Smith. After both men got out of the vehicle, Powell disarmed Campbell and pointed a gun at his back. Smith and Powell held the officers hostage and all four of them returned to the vehicle. Campbell was then forced to drive the four of them to an onion field near Bakersfield. When they arrived, the officers were ordered to step out to the field. Powell asked Campbell if he had ever heard of the Lindbergh Law. When Campbell replied "Yes," Powell shot him. Hettinger managed to escape to a farmhouse where he called for help. Powell was arrested hours later whereas Smith was arrested the next day.

According to Pierce Brooks, Hettinger suffered from survivor's guilt because of Campbell's death, describing it as a "tremendous guilt complex." Depressed and finding it difficult to function, Hettinger was transferred to a less stressful job, as a driver for the police chief. But after he began shoplifting, Hettinger was forced to resign from the police department. In addition, Hettinger was forced to visit squad rooms and publicly admit blame for his lack of courage at the onion field. His experience inspired the controversial "Hettinger Memorandum," whereby officers were admonished never to give up their weapons.

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