Your reaction probably will hinge on your age when you learn that 50 years ago today, James Forte, late of Texas, softly but firmly breeched the color line in the Culver City Police Dept.
On Culver City’s 50th birthday, the quintessential gentleman became the first black police officer before becoming the first black member of the Fire Dept.
He flung open the door to the broad swath of diversity for which the community now is nationally known.
It is widely held across Culver City that Mr. Forte was no accident of history – he was the ideal choice to achieve the previously impossible.
Here is what people are saying:
Thomas Small, vice mayor – “What a fantastic achievement to be celebrating. I will be encouraging the City Council to commemorate this occasion.”
Ron Iizuka, assistant police chief – “Congratulations to Jim. I did not know Jim when he was working here. But I did know him afterward.”
Steve Rose, CEO of the Chamber of Commerce – “Jim was the right man at the right time.
“When Jim was a police officer, we would have coffee at Winchell’s Doughnut Shop on Jefferson every so often.
“The Culver City Police Dept. went on to become one of the most diverse departments in Southern California. That is a credit to (longtime) Chief (Ted) Cooke.
“Regardless of whether you loved or hated the way he did things, there was a lot of change under Chief Cooke.”
Jim Clarke, City Councilman – “We are very proud of the fact our police force is more diverse than the population of Culver City. Yet we know we have a very diverse population because our School District was rated as the fourth most diverse district in the United States.
“We have made progress over the last 50 years, but obviously we want to do more.
“We have made diversity within our employment and our community one of our six Strategic Planning goals.”