Dragnet, the brainchild of Jack Webb, may very well be the most well-remembered, and the best, radio police drama series. From September, 1949 through February 1957, Dragnet's 30 minute shows, broadcast on NBC, brought to radio true police stories in a low-key, documentary style. The origins of Dragnet can be traced to a semi-documentary film, "He Walked by Night" from 1948, in which Webb had a small role. Both employed the same Los Angeles Police Department technical adviser, used actual ...

Thomas Laval admits to being involved in a truck highjacking. While in custody, he jumps out of a window, but Sergeants Friday and Romeo are accused of pushing him to his death. An announcement is made that the next program in the series will be sponsored by Fatima cigarettes. A gang of hijackers have started to work in the city and truck loads of valuable merchandise have vanished. The thieves are clever and seem to have a fool proof system. Detective Sergeant Joe Friday has been assigned...

The cops search for a big blonde who shoots her victims in cold blood. Is he possibly a man in woman's clothing? Detective Sergeant Friday is assigned to Robbery Detail. Sixteen persons have been robbed and beaten senseless. The victims described the assailant as a tall beautiful woman. It ‘s Friday’s job to stop her.

The Police receive information that an escaped criminal, called Alfred Garvey, is hiding out in the City. While searching for him at a hotel Garvey shoots an off-duty cop, and friend of Friday and Romero, John Maxwell. He was about to go on vacation but decided to visit Friday and Romero first. Soon a Police manhunt is launched to find Garvey.

A man posing as a doctor is burglarizing homes in the city. Marla Hutchins commits suicide after being robbed by the phony Dr. Schulte, owner of the Los Angeles College of Psychotherapeutics. The police have his description and must find him.

Three robbers pull a jewelry store job in San Diego and get away with $135,000 worth of hot ice. They are believed to be heading towards Los Angeles.

A lunatic has been making false police calls and has caused a serious accident. His weapon is a 10-cent piece.

A string of safe burglaries breaks out in LA. For the past two months thirty-five safes have been broken in to. The police know that there is more than one man in the operation but they do not have any leads to the thieves’ identities.

An old man, poorly dressed, robs a liquor store and is very apologetic about it.

A Chinaman has been badly beaten and his valuable jade has been stolen. The needed clue is supplied by an observant six-year-old boy. A young woman has been murdered. Her body was discovered behind locked doors. The assassin is still at large. Detective Sergeant Joe Friday has been assigned to Homicide Detail and it's his job to find him.

A bunco gang of petty swindlers have set up operations in the city. They work the obituary racket, selling worthless merchandise to the relatives of the deceased. They're experienced, cunning and they work fast.

In the past two months a thief has broken in to eighteen markets in Los Angeles. There is no lead to his whereabouts and no clue to his identity.