Pullen, Carl, 2007 February 15

Carl Pullen joined the New Haven Police Department in 1962 after serving in the Marine Corps and worked as a patrolman and detective for thirteen years. This interview focuses on his experiences on the police force in the 1960s. Pullen remembers the era as a period of great social unrest. He recalls working in the Hill section as a plainclothes officer during the May Day Demonstrations. He tells the story of arresting Doors' lead singer Jim Morrison at a 1967 concert. Although the media and many fans claimed that the police mistreated Morrison, Pullen discounts their allegations. He also talks about the protests of the 1960s. Pullen admits that he agreed with the sentiments of some protesters but not necessarily their radicalism. He also felt the professional imperative to remain a neutral party. Pullen talks further about his experience as an African American police officer, the discrimination that he and other minorities faced, and the successful lawsuit that he and other officers filed that won better assignments, promotions, and fairer hiring for women and ethnic minorities.

Interviewer: Bucknoff, Zach