The Region - News from Oct. 11, 1985

Los Angeles Police Department Cmdr. William M. Rathburn, who spent five years developing the vast security system for the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, has been named Police Officer of the Year by the International Assn. of Chiefs of Police and Parade magazine. In an interview with Parade, Rathburn admitted that there were some tense moments during what has been hailed by Police Chief Daryl F. Gates as “the accomplishment of the century in law enforcement.” Recalling a black box discovered in the Olympic torch atop the Coliseum by an engineer who was convinced that it was a bomb, Rathburn admitted, “I was still holding my breath when Rafer Johnson actually started lighting the torch.” The box turned out to be an ABC microphone installed to enable the television audience to hear the “whoosh” of the torch as it burst into flames. The country’s highest award in law enforcement, Police Officer of the Year is the top award in the 20th annual Police Service Awards, sponsored by Parade and the chiefs’ association.