Necssary Force - The Story behind the 849 N. Summit photograph

849 N. Summit was one of the busiest locations for Rock Cocaine and PCP sales in Pasadena during the 1980's.  This image shows Officers Phlunte Riddle and Naum Ware looking for a suspect who sold rock to another undercover officer during a buy bust operation and then fled.  The photograph does not need as much explanation as the other print in the Necessary Force exhibition but it is worth noting some things.  With the current scrutiny of law enforcement over racial issues, this photograph documents the fact that Pasadena Police Department was very diversified 30 years ago, as were many other agencies.  In fact Phlunte went on to become the department's first black female lieutenant.  It also shows that black officers were involved with trying to improve the conditions in the areas of the city with a predominantly black population.  While Naum Ware was at Pasadena PD he conducted over 1,000 hand to hand buys on the street, he was amazing.  He put himself in harms way so many times, he was able to disguise himself and blend in like no one else I knew.  His ability to change his appearance  even allowed him to purchase drugs from the same suspect on more than one occasion which is almost unheard of.