Reader Submitted Story

As you pointed out recently in the mail column, the cast members of Disneyland Security do NOT carry guns. And that does also go for the officers who "walk the dogs".

My "Summer Pick" for the summer of '95, was the dogs. The shift started just before sundown, and went until after the fireworks. We usually had the option of putting our dog up for the night just before the fireworks, because some of our safety posts were pretty close to the actual launch trailer (my favorite).

At about 15 to 20 minutes before the fireworks, we would take up traffic control posts to stop all foot and vehicle traffic from going into the danger zone while the fireworks were being fired. One post was by Junction Gate, and another was at the R/R crossing at Shoemaker road, and one by the then TDA construction site by the maintenance shop.

But my favorite was the one by the kennels and ToonTown's head room's outside break table (just north of the tunnel going under the "berm". When the fireworks would go off, there was always the chance that some newbie would stick their head out for a good look. One night a small group of "Head Room" folks were having a break at their table, and trying to talk me into letting them stay there for a really good show. I almost weakened, but an alert fireman from his post atop a nearby building spotted them, and reminded me of my duty. They just left the table, and the fireworks started, so I was still facing away from the launch trailer, when one of the rockets (mortars) blew up in it's launch tube and sent flaming pieces right past me and right through the table area where the cast members had been seated.

The area where we walked the dogs went from in back of the "NewsStand" (just shy of the Main Street tunnel back north) following the "fence" past the "Mill", around to just in back of he "RoundHouse". As I mentioned earlier, the TDA building was under construction during that summer, so there was no worry of guests seeing the dogs, and for them to see them was a no-no.

We had no Doberman type dogs, and the dogs that were "walked" were not attack trained, as then you would need a licensed handler. Most of them were of a mixed breed collie / shepherd type. The only doge that was Not in the mold of looking like a "guard dog" was the bomb dog, but it is probably best that I do not discuss that one here, as I believe that might compromise his usefulness, as he / it is handled in a unique way when around the guests (if the need arises).

I have a few more "security stories" if the interest is there.

For example, you mentioned the motion sensors on the fences. They DO exist, but not on the Harbor Blvd side of the park. If you were to try to walk around the park just inside the fence, you could see the areas that would probably need the sensors, for their being out of convenient site of cast members going about their business back stage.

They cover the fences in those areas for about a total of 300 to 400 yards, out of fairness to Disneyland, I'll let their exact placement remain a mystery.

The areas that get the most "guest" traffic are the bamboo garden at the north end of the roundhouse along the offramp. The areas by the Newsstand and the Kennels are also a favorite for these "guests".

I was walking Tefra, one of the new young dogs, during the summer of '95, and was behind the news stand, and had just turned around to return to the mill area, when I heard an out of place noise in back if me, and spotted a young man coming over the roof of the news stand. Tefra and I just stood there and watched him, and he had not seen us yet. He hit the ground and turned around and saw us, and just melted. He just sat down, and said nothing, and I called for a van to come and pick him up.

He never said a word to me, and I (or Tefra) never spoke to him either.

On another point, there are almost no ex-cops in the officers ranks, but there are a few in management. In fact one of the best guys in Disneyland Security is a retired chief of police from Vail Co. (he IS one of the "good guys").

Best wishes, and Enjoy, from 

Grandpa Bob

Editor's Comments: First, thanks to Bob for the stories. I decided not to adjust or gloss his use of the terminologies — such as the location of the Mill backstage, or where Shoemaker was — in order to keep the tone a bit more personal. 

I think I speak for all of us, Bob, when I answer your implied question with a resounding "YES!" — we are very interested in more such stories.