He Was One of the First Black Cops in OC. His Memoir Reveals Struggles with Racism
Updated: Aug 12, 2020
Harlen "Lamb" Lambert sat attentively a year ago as Daniel Michael Lynem, a former Black Panther, spoke about his life during a small gathering at the Heritage Museum of Orange County in Santa Ana.
The last time the two met, Lambert arrived in uniform at Lynem's family home on June 5, 1969/
"Sir, you are under arrest as a suspect for the murder of a police officer," he informed Lynem, before reading him his Miranda rights.
Lambert was the first black cop in Santa Ana and one of the first in the county. The night before, Lambert's fellow Santa Ana officer Nelson Sasscer had been slain while on patrol.
Read more on my first Los Angeles Times feature out on newsstands Sunday but available online now: