Mayor Cobo at home washing dishes

[Michael Hojnacki]

He also owned 967 acres of land in Ora Valley, AZ. of which 300 acres were being platted with homes selling for $50,000 in 1957 dollars prior to his death. The subdivision is named Cobo Catalina Hills and the homes now are selling for 800k.
Cobo Catalina Hills
Oro Valley, AZCobo Catalina Hills
Oro Valley, AZ

[401don]

Please restrict posting obscure photos of racist mayors to those born in the previous century.

[Michael Hojnacki]

You clicked on the link at your own discretion.

[Cincinnati_Kid]

Please restrict posting obscure photos of racist mayors to those born in the previous century.

After Cobo's death, he was followed by another racist mayor, Louis Miriani, who was a crook in his own right, sent to jail for income tax evasion in 1968 for $261,000 spending political contributions, for his personal use. Miriani was the mayor who instituted "The Big Four" goon cops who rode around harassing black citizens.

[Michael Hojnacki]

Miriani demolished old City Hall. He hated that building.

[kathy2trips]

Oh, boy....can we just enjoy history without all the slams and slurs? Racist is as racist does, people.

[Michael Hojnacki]

lol Kathy.

[jackie5275]

He also owned 967 acres of land in Ora Valley, AZ. of which 300 acres were being platted with homes selling for $50,000 in 1957 dollars prior to his death. The subdivision is named Cobo Catalina Hills and the homes now are selling for 800k.
Cobo Catalina Hills
Oro Valley, AZCobo Catalina Hills
Oro Valley, AZ

That $50K home is $448,658.36 in today's money.

[Ray1936]

Miriani was the mayor who instituted "The Big Four" goon cops who rode around harassing black citizens.

I used to fill in on the Cruiser [[Big Four) in the 2nd precinct in the early 1960's before I transferred to the Motorcycle Traffic Bureau. Nice to learn that my partners were goons. Or, perhaps, that I was. All we looked for were felonies, which, I guess, is goon work.

For what it's worth, Miriani had nothing to do with instituting the Big Four car. That started in the early thirties in response to the Purple Gang.

[Michael Hojnacki]

Ray1936 is Jack O'Kelly still around? He would be in his mid 90's by now. Richard Vicelli did an interview last year that was on youtube but it is now a private video. You can look for it on the Detroit Historical website. The media never tells how The Big Four's primary objective was to go after the hardcore criminals such as the bank robbers, murderers, rapists. They didn't conduct raids on gambling or prostitution, The Big Four went after the hardcore criminals and Jack O'Kelly was usually the first one to enter a house on a raid, he'd kick the door down. O'Kelly was injured over 40 times during his career. It would have been interesting to hear stories from him. He said in the early 70's what he feared most was contracting T.B, they would get spit at or a criminals blood on them. When that squad ended the crime rate shot up in the city because the criminals were no longer in fear.

[Michael Hojnacki]

Major dough back then.

[Ray1936]

Ray1936 is Jack O'Kelly still around? He would be in his mid 90's by now.

I think he passed away some years ago, but I'll poke around and try to confirm. He was a legend. And, yes, all police officers worry over contracting disease from spit or blood. And it happens. I would suppose the worry today would be more from AIDS, but that was practically unknown in my time.

[Ray1936]

Couldn't find a grave site or obituary for Jack O'Kelly, but did dig up a 1958 court case against him that was tossed out. Interesting!
https://law.justia.com/cases/federal...83/692/391683/

[One Shot]

Thank you...

[Cincinnati_Kid]

I used to fill in on the Cruiser [[Big Four) in the 2nd precinct in the early 1960's before I transferred to the Motorcycle Traffic Bureau. Nice to learn that my partners were goons. Or, perhaps, that I was. All we looked for were felonies, which, I guess, is goon work.

For what it's worth, Miriani had nothing to do with instituting the Big Four car. That started in the early thirties in response to the Purple Gang.

Nothing personal Ray, not calling you a goon per se, but there are bad cops everywhere. You're ok with me, but it's been documented that that's what some did. My older brother [[ 17 at the time) was harassed, with two of his friends just walking home from the corner store.

[Michael Hojnacki]

Couldn't find a grave site or obituary for Jack O'Kelly, but did dig up a 1958 court case against him that was tossed out. Interesting!
https://law.justia.com/cases/federal...83/692/391683/

thanks Ray1936. Some months back I was looking to see if there was a burial record and I didn't find anything either. I have a pic of himself and another with his wife and a good write up. Yeah from what I know he was a legend standing at 6'5 with a shoe size of 12. Like I said the media never tells how the Big Four kept crime under control and when that squad was eliminated, crime got out of control. Unfortunately when Coleman Young got in, Young had all of the organized crime files destroyed at the DPD. Years of investigations and hard work all but disappeared.

[Meddle]

Cruisers earned their reputations both ways. I heard a lot of bad stories about 10-Cruiser, but then Number 10 had kind of a reputation anyways.

I'm not sure how they managed to do it, but 14-Cruiser was often the first arriving unit on some of the bigger calls.

[Meddle]

Unfortunately when Coleman Young got in, Young had all of the organized crime files destroyed at the DPD. Years of investigations and hard work all but disappeared.

Organized Criminals don't like records being kept on their cohorts.

[Michael Hojnacki]

BTW, It was an entire wall of records. It would have been interesting reading those.

[Ray1936]

Nothing personal Ray, not calling you a goon per se, but there are bad cops everywhere. You're ok with me, but it's been documented that that's what some did. My older brother [[ 17 at the time) was harassed, with two of his friends just walking home from the corner store.

Well, God only knows what the circumstances might have been at that instant in time. Whatever, be assured I was more amused than offended by the goon monniker, and I'd be absolutely lying if I said there had never been any goons in the DPD! Most were weeded out quickly. Some made it to Chief. Go figure.

[Michael Hojnacki]

Well, God only knows what the circumstances might have been at that instant in time. Whatever, be assured I was more amused than offended by the goon monniker, and I'd be absolutely lying if I said there had never been any goons in the DPD! Most were weeded out quickly. Some made it to Chief. Go figure.

Ray, I just wanted to mention that Jack died in 1973, less than two years into retirement.

[Ray1936]

Ray, I just wanted to mention that Jack died in 1973, less than two years into retirement.

Thanks for that info, Mike.