What can anyone tell me about this?
I see references to it on sites about the North Hollywood shootout, but no actual info on this bank robbery.
So...anyone..buhler?

I am surprised that more is not available on that bank robbery. Back when it happened, it was one of the biggest events (crime wise) to occur in California. As I recall there were 5 heavily armed guys who robbed a savings and loan office in Norco and then led the police on a chase throughout the southern Ca. area shooting pretty much everything that moved along the way. I believe one officer was killed and 8 were wounded. Some 30+ police cars were damaged and a police helicopter was shot down. Two of the bad guys were killed and the other three were captured and went to prison.

This is the only link I could find that had any details about it:

www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0IBP/is_9_46/ai_91820709

They must've had a Barrett to take down that copter

I find it amazing that they could operate in that stench.

I hate norco

Quoted: I am surprised that more is not available on that bank robbery. Back when it happened, it was one of the biggest events (crime wise) to occur in California. As I recall there were 5 heavily armed guys who robbed a savings and loan office in Norco and then led the police on a chase throughout the southern Ca. area shooting pretty much everything that moved along the way. I believe one officer was killed and 8 were wounded. Some 30+ police cars were damaged and a police helicopter was shot down. Two of the bad guys were killed and the other three were captured and went to prison. This is the only link I could find that had any details about it: www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0IBP/is_9_46/ai_91820709

I saw that article as well - it did not have a whole lot of info on the robbery in it.
Any Kali LE want to chime in?

Quoted: I find it amazing that they could operate in that stench. I hate norco

MOOOOOOOO...

I remember it.  We were living in Kali then.  IIRC, the BGs led the coppers on a wild chase for many miles.  They ended up driving up into the Lytle Creek canyon area...a dead end, just like in a western movie.  We used to shoot up there on the county land...before the greenies screwed it up for everybody.

Anyway...the road quickly becomes heavily rutted rocky heavy gravel and not fit for cars and high speed.  IIRC, they bailed there and got into a big gun fight with the lawmen.  Since there were many more lawmen than BGs...the BGs ended up dead or in custody.

I also remember a shitload of cop cars ate it that day.  Some from bullets and some from the rocky roads in the canyon.

Good story...but no press like the Hollywood bank heist.

Norco Shootout

I bought the video....
They actually realeased the footage.  It kind of sucked becuase of the looping of like 4 minutes of footage, but tells you every thing you want to know.  

There was also a made for tv movie staring some no tallent ass clown, oh yea
Mario van Peoples.  It was on UPN (i think)

www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000006GA3/sr=1-4/qid=1137607770/ref=sr_1_4/002-9762604-9614461?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance

Wikipedia article (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Hollywood_shootout) is short and has links to external sources.

The Riverside County, CA Sherriffs Department has a story about it Here

The Press Enterprise has a Story on it too

I remember studying about this at the police academy, and listening to the radio traffic tapes.  The thing that sticks in my mind the most was that as soon as the dispatchers put the call out, a unit replied immedaitely that he was 10-97. (On scene) I believe that officer promptly killed one of the bad guys (getaway driver) with a shotgun blast.

It's also hard to believe that LE agencies didn't allow their officers to carry rifles after that incident.

Quoted: I find it amazing that they could operate in that stench. I hate norco

How true!

Norco and Chino are STINKY!

That used to be one of the training videos they'd show every year til North Hollywood came along.

Quoted: I remember studying about this at the police academy, and listening to the radio traffic tapes.  The thing that sticks in my mind the most was that as soon as the dispatchers put the call out, a unit replied immedaitely that he was 10-97. (On scene) I believe that officer promptly killed one of the bad guys (getaway driver) with a shotgun blast. It's also hard to believe that LE agencies didn't allow their officers to carry rifles after that incident.

- Even after North Hollywood and other incidents numerous departments dont allow officers to have rifles.  I work for one of them.  Hell, we cant even use slugs

Quoted: Quoted: I find it amazing that they could operate in that stench. I hate norco How true! Norco and Chino are STINKY!

Eau de Chineaux

Quoted: What can anyone tell me about this? I see references to it on sites about the North Hollywood shootout, but no actual info on this bank robbery. So...anyone..buhler?

Norco Radio Traffic

I remember that. I was living in Upland and working at GD back in those days. It was big news down there.

Quoted: The Riverside County, CA Sherriffs Department has a story about it Here The Press Enterprise has a Story on it too

Wow, this is an amazing story.

Quoted: Quoted: I remember studying about this at the police academy, and listening to the radio traffic tapes.  The thing that sticks in my mind the most was that as soon as the dispatchers put the call out, a unit replied immedaitely that he was 10-97. (On scene) I believe that officer promptly killed one of the bad guys (getaway driver) with a shotgun blast. It's also hard to believe that LE agencies didn't allow their officers to carry rifles after that incident. - Even after North Hollywood and other incidents numerous departments dont allow officers to have rifles.  I work for one of them.  Hell, we cant even use slugs

Why is that?  Money, politics, "safety," cluelessness?

I was a rookie officer working for a small department in northern Ca. when this happened. I can remember that this incident was one of the main reasons many departments allowed the switch from revolvers to semi-automatic pistols for patrol use. I went from a S&W model 28 with 18 rounds (six in the gun and two speed strips) to a Browning Hi-Power with 40 rounds (14 in the gun + two mags).

We carried shotguns loaded with 00 buckshot in our patrol cars and we were also allowed to carry slugs in our  gear bags to use if needed. Although we had rifles back then (M1 carbines), they were only carried in the truck of the patrol supervisors car or locked in the armory.

I then transferred to the local sheriff's office where they still carried revolvers, so I carried a S&W model 66 with 4 extra speed loaders for a total of 30 rounds. I got on the SWAT team as soon as I could and was then issued an old AR-15  (SP-1 with a three prong flash suppressor and triangle forend......wish I still had that!) to carry. We used those for several years until they were traded in for full auto CAR-16's.  Eventually we were allowed to carry semi-autos on patrol and I carried a SIG P226 for the remainder of my time there.

It was not until the North Hollywood bank robbery that the majority of departments allowed all officers to carry long rifles in the patrol cars.  

Quoted: Why is that?  Money, politics, "safety," cluelessness?

The "it will never happen here" mentality, plus some admins buy the "its military and we don't want to look military" line. When I went to my last LE patrol rifle school, there were IIRC two other agencies in attendance who issue the Mini 14 for just that reason. My primary agency limits rifles to the Mini for essentially the same reason.

Quoted: Quoted: Why is that?  Money, politics, "safety," cluelessness? The "it will never happen here" mentality, plus some admins buy the "its military and we don't want to look military" line. When I went to my last LE patrol rifle school, there were IIRC two other agencies in attendance who issue the Mini 14 for just that reason. My primary agency limits rifles to the Mini for essentially the same reason.

At my Dad's former department it was hypersensitivity to the potential of over penetration and using a rfile in the city.    Just too damn worried about too damn many people and too damn many buildings too damn close.  And the need for a rifle caliber weapon had yet to ever arise.  (That's not to say they weren't available, .(45 Resings and Garands) just never needed)  Most of the area departments now have some kind of patrol rifle in the cars in addition to shotties on the front seat racks.

Quoted: Quoted: The Riverside County, CA Sherriffs Department has a story about it Here The Press Enterprise has a Story on it too Wow, this is an amazing story.

This is a better Police link on the Story:www.rcdsa.org/norcorobbery/robbery.html

Airforce Story on the Robbery


Monument Honors Deputy Slain in 1980 Robbery

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I remember studying about this at the police academy, and listening to the radio traffic tapes.  The thing that sticks in my mind the most was that as soon as the dispatchers put the call out, a unit replied immedaitely that he was 10-97. (On scene) I believe that officer promptly killed one of the bad guys (getaway driver) with a shotgun blast. It's also hard to believe that LE agencies didn't allow their officers to carry rifles after that incident. - Even after North Hollywood and other incidents numerous departments dont allow officers to have rifles.  I work for one of them.  Hell, we cant even use slugs Why is that?  Money, politics, "safety," cluelessness?

One reason is that it will make the brass over SWAT feel less special if someone other than their guys have rifles.  Another factor is that our range people simply dont want to do the work that is required to train the people to use them.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I find it amazing that they could operate in that stench. I hate norco How true! Norco and Chino are STINKY! Eau de Chineaux

Many of the dairys between the river and the 60 freeway along I-15 are now closed, and have been turned into California style houses and industrial warehouses.

I lived in Sky Country (big cluster of houses at Limonite and Etiwanda) for 5 years with my family in the early 90s, and my mom still lives there to this day.

I had never heard about this. Norco was a pretty small town at that time. Hell, the I-15 hadn't even been run all the way through there yet.

Quoted: Quoted: Why is that?  Money, politics, "safety," cluelessness? The "it will never happen here" mentality, plus some admins buy the "its military and we don't want to look military" line. When I went to my last LE patrol rifle school, there were IIRC two other agencies in attendance who issue the Mini 14 for just that reason. My primary agency limits rifles to the Mini for essentially the same reason.

Seems like some/many of the higher-ups care about as little for the well-being* of their line officers, as they do for the rest of us little folk.  But if I'm doing a "1+1=3" thing here, pls correct me on it.


* By "well-being," I mean the ability of one to defend oneself with an appropriate amount/level of force or firepower

It typically takes bodies in the streets to create any movement for change when it comes to gear.

Quoted: [Seems like some/many of the higher-ups care about as little for the well-being* of their line officers, as they do for the rest of us little folk.  But if I'm doing a "1+1=3" thing here, pls correct me on it. * By "well-being," I mean the ability of one to defend oneself with an appropriate amount/level of force or firepower

I can't comment on an open board

I was there, so to speak.

I was in the Air Force at the time stationed at Norton AFB in San Bernardino.

I listened in horror to the radio net and the robbery started in Riverside and ended in San Bernardino County.   7 officers wounded, 1 killed.  

I had a 12 man ERT team ready to go complete with (2) M60's, (2) M79's with smoke and HE rounds, .38's, and M16A1's, and plenty of ammo for each,  NVG's, and radio's.   We had everything except a radio to call in an airstrike with.  

JAG said no, mentioned something about Posse Commitatus.    I was soooo pissed.  

Got to go later that night to the command post near Lytle Creek, unarmed, to bring them jackets for the officers on the mountain.  

To Ghetto: They must've had a Barrett to take down that copter , Nope a well aimed shot with a .308 hit the radio console and caused a lot of smoke in the cokpit forced the Hughes 500 helicopter to land.  (Call sign 40 King 1)

The next day after the capture of the remaining suspect(s)  The Sheriff of the county sent one of his DC-9's to Sturm - Ruger and purchased 250 Mini-14 rifles with (6) 20 round mags each.   Another van was sent to a local ammunition merchant and within 2 days of this incident deputies were carry rifles in their cars.   Officers who had their own rifles, and could quailify, could carry those too.   They have been carrying since and nobody said a thing against it.  The sheriff was not going to let it happen again.  

It took the North Hollywood shootout and the "Texas 7" escape to get the rest of LEO Admin's to pay attention.  

Sometimes for Law Enforcement Administration, the learning curve is a little slow.    

Here, I've already got a thread started with some good insight.

North Hollywood Shootout

Quoted: <snip> It took the North Hollywood shootout and the "Texas 7" escape to get the rest of LEO Admin's to pay attention.   Sometimes for Law Enforcement Administration, the learning curve is a little slow.

And often lined with dead/wounded officers.

tagged