This video contains footage shot around San Diego during the July 13, 1969, Black Panther riots and other anti war civil unrest that was common in the US in the late 1960's and early 1970's.

Comments from officers who were involved are below the video.

SAN DIEGO POLICE

HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION

RICHARD BENNETT SDPD 1961-2002

These films appear to show the race riots from the summer of 1969. O. J. Roed was the Chief, and the all-white police cars first appeared in late 1968.

Uniformed officers did not have face shields in any of the pictures. Face shields were used from 1970, and were kept in the armory at HQ.

When riot formations were to be used, the face shields were brought to the scene from downtown. It was during the O.B. riots of 1970 that the shields were requested, but a field lieutenant decided not to wait, and sent officers on foot to clear the vacant field at Nimitz and West Point Loma without face shields. The result was that Wilford J. O'Neal ("Irish" O'Neal) was struck in the face with a jagged chunk of concrete. O'Neal lost his eye, and never returned to work.

The race riots were a carry-over from the 1965 Watts riots, and every summer there was racial tension and clashes with the police.

In the summer of 1969 I was a new motorcycle officer, but all motor cops were assigned to cars with partners. We worked 12-hour shifts, with no days off for (I think) ten days. The Black Panther HQ was on Imperial Ave, which I think was the 2500 or 2600 block on the south side of the street. There was a lot of open hostility against the police in the late 60's.

The riots quieted significantly when the first moon landing was televised. It was the first night of peace, and welcomed by us all.

SERGEANT DENNIS DAWNSON SDPD 1968 - 1992

Boy did I look young then.  That was me lying down on the grass at 40th & Ada street.  Cool video.

RESERVE OFFICER BOB LAMPERT SDPD 1963 - 1972

I was there and shot much of the same video but it's been so long ago can't be sure if it's mine. I can tell you at 8:25 the detective with the rifle is Sergeant Bob Curry who eventually went to the San Diego Marshal's office.

I was there at the very beginning and a suspect from the park ( Bobby White) was shooting at officers above on the hill (west of the park) when Chief Roed showed up and had rounds shot over his head, I was working as a Photographer for Channel 10 at the time but was also a Reserve. I was filming across towards where the shooting was coming from and was also a member of the Police Revolver Club and shot sometimes with team 2. I could tell that the officers shooting weren't hitting the mark so I put down my camera borrowed an officers revolver and fired two rounds knocking the suspect (White) to the ground, picked up my camera and filmed the arrest. I won a journalism award for the video on that day.

The Investigation on the shooting was conducted by Homicide and because of my position of photographer and Reserve it was handled as a "Special Investigation" and never publicized.

The Lt. was Charles Schilder.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Lampert