LAPD Weighs Museum Exhibit for Patrol Car Shot Up in Bank Heist

The bullet holes in walls have been patched up and life is finally returning to normal in North Hollywood after the spectacular Bank of America robbery.

Lauded as heroes and saviors, officers of the LAPD have suddenly added the roles of curators and historians to their job description--the task of recording, analyzing and preserving the events of Feb. 28.

A month after killing two heavily armed bank robbers, the department is fighting a different kind of battle, trying to handle a flood of calls from law enforcement agencies all over the country who want video footage of the gunfight to use as a training aid.

“Everybody has a bank,” said Lt. Anthony Alba, an LAPD spokesman. There’s also the question of what to do with six patrol cars riddled by some of the estimated 1,000 rounds of armor-piercing ammunition the robbers fired.

“The department’s been looking at the possibilities of displaying one of the most damaged cars in a museum setting,” Alba said.

Although a location for the display has not been determined, Alba said that it was important that the LAPD preserve items from the gun battle, not only to serve as a reminder to the public of the danger of police work, but to help train recruits as well. Five other damaged vehicles will be scrapped for spare parts.