Leonard Baldy
Encyclopedia
Leonard Frank Baldy was a Chicago Police Department
officer who became the city's first helicopter
traffic reporter. His sometimes comical look at Chicago
's traffic problems made him a household name. His peers gave him the nickname "Flying Officer Leonard Baldy". He died in fiery crash when his helicopter malfunctioned.
A native of Chicago, he graduated from Lane Technical College Preparatory High School (also known as Lane Tech), and was a World War II
veteran who served as a Signalman
on USS Markab, Baldy gained early recognition in his police career for being the first patrolman in the United States
to experiment with and use the now famous radar gun
to detect the speed of vehicles (1954). He also wrote the first ticket in the world for speeding using a radar device. As a Patrolman in the mid-50's he appeared in Television commercial directing traffic.
He became the most visible department spokesperson when he provided lectures and taught classes to civic groups, organizations and educational institutions on the topic of traffic safety. He provided the first helicopter traffic report over WGN radio in November 1958.
Baldy gained fame during the Our Lady of the Angels School Fire
in December 1958 when he broadcast his observations from his helicopter above the scene and provided traffic instructions over the radio to fire and ambulance vehicles trying to reach the fire through Chicago's congested streets. Both Baldy and WGN radio received public service awards from the National Transportation Safety Board
for their efforts.
After his death, he was elected to the "American Police Hall of Fame" and had his badge number retired.
Forty-six years after his death, the citizens of Chicago remembered him with the honor of renaming a street "Leonard Baldy Way". Chicago newspaper columnist, Neil Steinberg, declared “if ever a Chicago police officer was a celebrity, it was Patrolman Leonard Baldy.”
Chicago Police Superintendent, Phillip Cline said of the Flying Officer, "People who couldn't name the police superintendent knew who Len Baldy was."
One of Officer Baldy's sons became noted radio personality, Jack Elliott
In 2006, his son, Tim Baldy, published a biography entitled Chicago's Finest.
Chicago Police Department
The Chicago Police Department, also known as the CPD, is the principal law enforcement agency of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States, under the jurisdiction of the Mayor of Chicago. It is the largest police department in the Midwest and the second largest local law enforcement agency in the...
officer who became the city's first helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
traffic reporter. His sometimes comical look at Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
's traffic problems made him a household name. His peers gave him the nickname "Flying Officer Leonard Baldy". He died in fiery crash when his helicopter malfunctioned.
A native of Chicago, he graduated from Lane Technical College Preparatory High School (also known as Lane Tech), and was a World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
veteran who served as a Signalman
Signalman (rank)
Signalman was a U.S. Navy rating for sailors that specialized in visual communication. See Signaller for more about the roles of Signalmen.-U.S. Navy:A signal lamp is a visual signaling device for optical communication...
on USS Markab, Baldy gained early recognition in his police career for being the first patrolman in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to experiment with and use the now famous radar gun
Radar gun
A radar speed gun is a small doppler radar unit used to measure the speed of moving objects, including vehicles, pitched baseballs, runners and other moving objects. Radar speed guns may be hand-held, vehicle-mounted or static...
to detect the speed of vehicles (1954). He also wrote the first ticket in the world for speeding using a radar device. As a Patrolman in the mid-50's he appeared in Television commercial directing traffic.
He became the most visible department spokesperson when he provided lectures and taught classes to civic groups, organizations and educational institutions on the topic of traffic safety. He provided the first helicopter traffic report over WGN radio in November 1958.
Baldy gained fame during the Our Lady of the Angels School Fire
Our Lady of the Angels School Fire
The Our Lady of the Angels School Fire broke out shortly before classes were to be dismissed on December 1, 1958, at the foot of a stairway in the Our Lady of the Angels School in Chicago, Illinois. The elementary school was operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago...
in December 1958 when he broadcast his observations from his helicopter above the scene and provided traffic instructions over the radio to fire and ambulance vehicles trying to reach the fire through Chicago's congested streets. Both Baldy and WGN radio received public service awards from the National Transportation Safety Board
National Transportation Safety Board
The National Transportation Safety Board is an independent U.S. government investigative agency responsible for civil transportation accident investigation. In this role, the NTSB investigates and reports on aviation accidents and incidents, certain types of highway crashes, ship and marine...
for their efforts.
After his death, he was elected to the "American Police Hall of Fame" and had his badge number retired.
Forty-six years after his death, the citizens of Chicago remembered him with the honor of renaming a street "Leonard Baldy Way". Chicago newspaper columnist, Neil Steinberg, declared “if ever a Chicago police officer was a celebrity, it was Patrolman Leonard Baldy.”
Chicago Police Superintendent, Phillip Cline said of the Flying Officer, "People who couldn't name the police superintendent knew who Len Baldy was."
One of Officer Baldy's sons became noted radio personality, Jack Elliott
Jack Elliott
Jack Elliott was an American television and film composer, conductor, music arranger, and television producer.-Biography:...
In 2006, his son, Tim Baldy, published a biography entitled Chicago's Finest.