Excellent Article: Last Call for Gumshoes

San Francisco is missing its private investigators.
This engaging article by Phil Bronstein explains...

Something’s gone missing from the shadowy streets of San Francisco, a precious, revealing relic already mostly vanished long before the thieving suction of COVID-19. A piece of it is still with us, though who knows whether even that will survive.

Few have noticed its disappearance, which is a tragedy because it is a deliciously naughty, rich vein of life; the city and its rough-edged, romantic culture will suffer without it.

So, what is this about? What happened? There are clues... more

Conversation Piece: Harry Caul was a composite of Hal Lipset and Leo Jones.

A Blue Blaze Irregular reports...
One famous San Francisco treat missing from the article is Leo Jones. His company was named Fargo. His body wires were commonly referred to as Fargos by police, mostly west coast. Body wires on the east coast and federally were referred to as Kels. Leo was an originator of many items were mostly 39,xx mhz and other low bands. He also had a countermeasures gear company named Sabre.

Extra Credit...

Leo Hugh Jones was born in Sioux City, Iowa in 1926 and moved with his family at a young age to Stockton, California. He attended the University of Santa Clara for 3 years then took a job selling air conditioners in 1948. Jones continued his education with extension and night classes from the University of California at Berkeley and the University of San Francisco until 1949. He never completed the requirements for a degree, instead starting up the Fargo Company in 1950 at age 24. In 1957, Jones married Helen R. Kenny. Leo Jones was an avid boat enthusiast, often inviting law enforcement and political dignitaries on his boating excursions. He was also a relentless perfectionist, as was evident in his correspondence. He was closely involved in the shaping of eavesdropping laws; engaging in a letter writing campaign, making arguments to political and law enforcement leaders and providing expert testimony to congressional committees. more

Double Extra Credit...

Leo Jones: Pioneer in Electronic Surveillance
by Ralph Simpson, History San Jose, February 2012

Introduction
Leo Hugh Jones (8/17/1926 – 2/10/2002) was an early pioneer in the development of electronic surveillance and countermeasures devices. In 1950, he founded a company called Fargo to design and manufacture these high-tech specialty devices. Fargo was based in San Francisco and sold its products exclusively to law enforcement organizations around the world. more

Sad Update (1/30/21)...
Jack Palladino, the (San Francisco) private investigator who worked on high-profile cases ranging from the Jonestown mass suicides to celebrity and political scandals, has been placed on life support after suffering a head injury during an attempted robbery.

Palladino, 70, had just stepped outside his San Francisco home on Thursday to try out his new camera when a car pulled up and a man jumped out to grab it from him, police and the detective's stepson Nick Chapman told the San Francisco Chronicle.

As the suspect grabbed the camera, Palladino fell and hit his head on the pavement, causing a traumatic head injury. Chapman said Palladino was not expected to survive after undergoing surgery to stop the massive bleeding.

Palladino was wrapping up one final case before joining his wife and work partner, Sandra Sutherland, in retirement.  more