Walter E. Headley (May 11, 1905November 16, 1968) was the Chief of Police of

Miami, Florida Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...

in the 1960s. Headley became famous for his use of the phrase "

when the looting starts, the shooting starts "When the looting starts, the shooting starts" is a phrase originally used by Walter E. Headley, the police chief of Miami, Florida, in response to an outbreak of violent crime during the 1967 Christmas holiday season. He accused "young hoodlum ...

". During his tenure as police chief, he was regarded as a popular public figure by many, in spite of his heavy-handed policies. Headley was characterized in the 1969 ''Miami Report'' about the

1968 Miami riot A group of black organizations in Miami called for “a mass rally of concerned Black people,” to take place on August 7, 1968, at the Vote Power building in Liberty City, a black neighborhood. Sponsors were the Vote Power League, the Souther ...

for the

National Commission on the Causes and Prevention of Violence The U.S. National Commission on the Causes and Prevention of Violence (National Violence Commission) was formed by President Lyndon B. Johnson in on June 10, 1968, after the April 4 assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. and the June 5 assassin ...

as a "strong-minded, hardworking police chief" who "carried virtually unchanged into the late 1960s policies of dealing with minority groups which had been applied in Miami in the 1930s and even earlier". This was an apparent reference to policies promulgated by Headley's predecessor, Chief

H. Leslie Quigg Howard Leslie Quigg (18871980) was an American policeman who was twice the chief of police in Miami, Florida Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the ...

Early life

Headley was born in Philadelphia in 1905. According to Headley, when he was 15, he stole his father's draft card and joined the

U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...

. Following work as a riding instructor and sausage salesman, he joined the police in 1937. Headley was made chief of police in August 1948.

"When the looting starts, the shooting starts"

On December 26, 1967, during the

civil unrest in the United States Listed are major episodes of civil unrest in the United States. This list does not include the numerous incidents of destruction and violence associated with various sporting events. 18th century *1783 – Pennsylvania Mutiny of 1783, June 20. ...

that occurred in the

long, hot summer of 1967 The long, hot summer of 1967 refers to the more than 150 race riots that erupted across the United States in the summer of 1967. In June there were riots in Atlanta, Boston, Cincinnati, Buffalo, and Tampa. In July there were riots in Birmingh ...

, Headley announced that six three-man teams of officers equipped with "shotguns and dogs" would respond to the "young hoodlums" from "Negro districts" in Miami with lethal force and stated "his men have been told that any force, up to and including death, is proper when apprehending a felon". In a pithy soundbite during the post-statement interview with reporters, Headley claimed that Miami had avoided "civil uprising and looting" because he had "let the word filter down that when the looting starts, the shooting starts". Headley stated: "Felons are going to learn that they can't be bonded out from the morgue." Florida Governor

Claude Kirk Claude Roy Kirk Jr. (January 7, 1926 – September 28, 2011) was the 36th governor of the U.S. state of Florida (1967–1971). He was the first Republican governor of Florida since Reconstruction. Early life Kirk was born in San Bernardino, C ...

expressed his support for Headley's tactics: "Let them all know they will be dealt with arshly We have the weapons to defeat crime. Not to use them is a crime in itself." Headley added "we don't mind being accused of police brutality."

Death

Headley died of

cardiac arrest Cardiac arrest is when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. It is a medical emergency that, without immediate medical intervention, will result in sudden cardiac death within minutes. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and possib ...

in 1968 at the age of 63. He was replaced as chief of police by Bernard L. Garmire.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Headley, Walter Chiefs of the Miami Police Department 1905 births 1968 deaths Child soldiers United States Army soldiers