Dec. 9, 1907 Los Angeles Mayor Harper has restored E.J. Bowen to his old job in the Fire Department after the rookie police officer was fired for allegedly being a coward
That was a fine catch on the black patrolman who was restored to the police force after being accused of cowardice. Of course the Negro cops of that era had a really tough job: I have a story on my own site about Special Officer Arington, who in October 1905 “for nearly twenty minutes fought off the attacks of [a] . . . crowd single-handed and held prisoner a man nearly twice as large as himself. . . . Again and again the officer blew his whistle, and when at last help arrived it was all that three officers could do to restrain the furious mob from tearing the little Negro special limb from limb.” I would be very surprised if they got as much pay as white cops, and of course promotion was denied to them.
See https://www.ulwaf.com/LA-1900s/05.10.html#Negro%20Officer%20Attacked .
Sincerely
George Garrigues