MGM worked around his rehab schedule. Meanwhile, the Sparta city council dismisses Gillespie as chief of police. The Sparta Police Departments core values are the preservation of human life, integrity, professionalism, and service. Originally, CBS opted to pick up the series for only a set of six two-hour movies. Season 3 Excluded Episodes: Fairest of Them All, Crackdown, Anniversary, My Name is Hank, King's Ransom, A Loss of Innocence, Home is Where the Heart Is, Indiscretions, Citizen Trundel Part 1 and Part 2. Quality ServiceWe will provide quality, professional service to our community by: IntegrityHaving sound moral principles that earn the trust, respect, and confidence of the community and each other through: FairnessTo provide equal treatment of all persons without prejudice or bias by: CommunicationSharing information and knowledge with the community, other agencies, and within our department as allowed by law through: Helpful AttitudeA helpful attitude is fundamental to earning the respect and confidence of the community. The Sparta Police Department serves a population of over 9,500 residents, with 21 sworn officers, one code enforcement officer, and two non-sworn administrative assistants. Magnum, P.I. While there is a real Sparta, the version of Sparta shown on television is very different from the real town. Despite only appearing in 18 of 22 shows, OConnor won an Emmy for season two. For season two, production moved to Covington, Georgia. Dugan was appointed acting chief by Councilwoman White, but he was actually working undercover for the FBI in an attempt to stop the assassination of a civil rights preacher during a visit to the town by a white supremacist group (that is not revealed until the Season 3 episode "Anniversary"). !function(p,n,o){if(! Parker generally sits behind the dispatcher's desk, handling the telephone and radio, although he is also assigned to patrol duty. BONUS! The episode and the season end with both Gillespie and Tibbs awaiting the verdict in their respective residences the evening the case is given to the jury. Fax:(616) 887-7681 Sparta appears on the Sparta U.S. Geological Survey Map. However, due to clearance issues, the following episodes are excluded Trainings are conducted at various locations throughout Monroe County including the military installations of Fort McCoy and Volk Field. O'Connor received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, and Rollins the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series, his second. (Seasons 47), Carroll O'Connor (198995) as Matt Harris, This page was last edited on 22 February 2023, at 22:31. For season two, production moved to Covington, Georgia. What should NOT be placed in drop off container: A divorce, her relationship with Chief Gillespie is deeply adversarial in the beginning, and the two clash often when she first appears on the show. As a result, he is temporarily suspended from his duties as chief of police pending an investigation and intent on seeking out Rankin's killer. [5] Denise Nicholas, who played Harriet DeLong, said "Carroll set the standard for loyalty. Forbes becomes friends with Gillespie and often works closely with him when Gillespie becomes acting county sheriff. At first, she allowed him to consult on the series per his contract. Gillespie once referred to her as "The Dragon Lady". [11] When the film was broadcast in its original, two-hour format, a black screen was added in between the intro tag and the opening title; it read "In memory of Hugh O'Connor: 19621995". Click to follow us on Facebook at:Sparta Missouri Police Department. However, she was never divorced from her husband, Ken Farren. (Seasons 37), Roy Eversole, Parker Williams' step-father. She has returned to operate a legal phone sex business. With Virgil Tibbs as a reluctant mentor, he is well liked and a clever and driven asset to the department. It was released Christmas 1991 and 1992, and was among the top holiday recordings of those years around the South and Midwest. The Support Services Division is at the center of all operations, and is comprised of both the Communications Center and Police Records. To quell the tensions between the Tibbses over this, Gillespie volunteers to keep the boy in his home. The fifth season begins with the revelation that Chief Gillespie has a 19-year-old daughter by the name of Lana Farren, played by Christine Elise (formerly of Beverly Hills, 90210). Since CTU members bring a unique skill set to their individual agencies they are often called upon for their expertise to resolve situations where the entire CTU is not needed. As members of the Sparta Police Department, we are committed to providing, Preventing crime, thereby improving the quality of life, Responding promptly to calls for service and other public needs, Providing state of the art training and continuing education programs, Being honest, and demanding the same from each other, Treating all persons with dignity and respect, Expressing compassion in our attitudes and in our communication, Ensuring consistency in decision making without favoritism, Keeping crime victims informed about their cases and where to go for additional help, Educating the community about crime risks and prevention, Informing the community about the inner workings of our department, Encouraging the open exchange of ideas and information, Showing empathy and concern for the needs of others. Police officers will check the boxes daily, collect the contents and prepare for disposal that is eco-friendly and in accordance with Federal and State laws. (Seasons 67), Virgil's maternal aunt Ruda Gibson (Seasons 46), Vic Glendon, Harriet DeLong's ex-husband and Eugene's father (Seasons 46), District Attorney Myron Dutton (Season 2), Tyrell Gibson, Virgil Tibbs' younger cousin and Ruda Gibson's son (Season 46), Nurse Tracey Boggs, Bubba's girlfriend. OConnor missed the end of season two due to illness. to Philadelphia. When his father acquired the role as the Sparta, Mississippi, Police Chief Bill Gillespie on "In the Heat of the Night" he cast him for the role of Lonnie Jamison. In the second season, the show was moved to Georgia, to an area east of Atlanta and it remained there for the rest of its run. The season ends with Bill and Harriet forced to confront the impending execution of Harriet's ex-husband and Eugene's disapproval of their relationship. Tony Scali is the Police Commissioner in a small town, where solutions to difficult situations often require considerable creativity. (Season 68), Ted Marcus, Sparta city councilman and attorney (Seasons 28). One of the stars ofIn the Heat Of The Nightnow lives in Sparta. Design Type All. Tibbs is now a San Francisco cop with a wife (Barbara McNair), daughter (Wanda Spell), and son (George Spell). And addressing that became a much larger element in our thinking about the show. After it is revealed that Joanne was once a, Portrayed Officer Parker Williams. [4] (requests for police assistance, file a complaint of a criminal nature, or report a vehicle accident, etc. Father DiMarco's heartfelt summation to the jury contributes to the case being dismissed (though that is not revealed until the start of Season 6). In 1989, while working on the set, he was hospitalized and had to . Trundel, who later has her murdered. Officers assigned to the CTU are required to attend monthly training sessions and participate in extended tactical exercises. The cases and adventures of the police forces in and around Sparta, Mississippi. 1. In fact, the police departments current building once served as the Citys fire department and jail. The series ran on the network until May 19, 1992, then was shown on CBS until its finale after an eighth season, on May 16, 1995. Some of those appearing in In the Heat of the Night episodes were: Future Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman stars, Helene Udy, William Shockley and Chad Allen made guest appearances. Harriet's son Eugene once again finds himself at odds with the police, endangering his parole trying to help a friend. Both locations can visually and audibly record training so they can be critiqued after each session. It was hoped that Rollins would get his legal and personal issues resolved and return to the series but unfortunately, that was not the case. We will accomplish this by: 8:30 am to 4:30 pm - Personal care products He offered to have her not appear in the episode, but she chose to do so to bring closure for her and her family. . EPoliceSupply.com 766 Falmouth Road Suite B10 Mashpee, MA 02649. African-American Philadelphia police detective Virgil Tibbs is arrested on suspicion of murder by Bill Gillespie, the racist police chief of tiny Sparta, Mississippi. In the episode "Ches and the Grand Lady", Bobby Short reprises his role as Ches Collins, the blues musician from "Sweet, Sweet Blues" in Season 5. The 1967 film In the Heat of the Night was set in Sparta, but was actually filmed in and around Sparta, Illinois. [3], Company H of the 13th Mississippi Infantry (known as "The Spartan Band") was enlisted at Sparta on March 23, 1861. The City of Sparta retains the title of "Bicycling Capital of America" and it's only fitting that the police department utilize bicycles as part of its overall policing strategy. It isn't until the arrival of Chief Hampton Forbes (Carl Weathers) in Season 7 that we see Sheriff McComb and Chief Gillespie as friends again. A proud father and grandfather, when not serving the community, Thomas can be found surrounded by family, or working on his hobby, restoring vintage automobiles. Lonnie is a very capable officer and takes his job seriously. In "First Girl", Gillespie hires Christine Rankin, Sparta's first black policewoman. Only O'Connor and director Leo Penn knew the truth during filming. We came back with a renewed vigor but also with the realization that there is still a lot more to be done. At the beginning of the seventh season, Tibbs takes a leave of absence, moving to Jackson, Mississippi, to complete his law degree on a compressed schedule. "Police Chaplains do two things; they help take care of police officers and they help police officers take care of Sparta. There were no soundstages in Covington, so producers retrofitted two warehouses for standing sets like the police station. Sparta Police Department 260 W. Division St. Sparta, MI 49345 Phone: (616) 887-8716 Fax: (616) 887-7681 Email: Police Chief Office Hours: Monday 12 Pm - 6 PM Tuesday 9 AM - 3 PM Wednesday 9 AM - 3 PM Thursday 9 AM - 3 PM Friday 9 AM - 3 PM Saturday & Sunday - Closed Emergencies Please call 911 Dispatch Contact: (616) 887-7331 Future Desperate Housewives star Doug Savant and veteran actor Kevin McCarthy also made their guest appearances on the two-part pilot episode, as well as O. J. Simpson (whom NBC executives originally wanted for the role of Virgil Tibbs, but O'Connor selected Rollins), who made a cameo appearance in Season 2. The show dealt with a variety of issues, including racism, police brutality, interracial relationships, hate crimes, drug trafficking, drug addiction, alcoholism, AIDS, misogyny, incest, child abuse, sexual harassment, euthanasia, anti-Semitism, political corruption, prostitution, domestic violence, mental disorders, dysfunctional families, suicide, capital punishment, poverty, and drunk driving. Phone:(616) 887-8716 (1980 . Jimmy Dawes, ex-con who becomes a police informant (Seasons 26). Forbes is the first black chief of the department and a 20-year veteran of the Memphis, TN, police department, serving in one of the four police districts in the city of Memphis as an inspector. Although the team suffers friction over Tibbs' dissatisfaction with the department's limited resources and racial attitudes, and Gillespie is annoyed at the detective's condescending suspicions about his hometown, the two men prove highly effective in enforcing the law. OConnors contract stipulated that he would be story editor (using the pseudonym Matt Harris) as well as star. But over the course of the series, Harriet sees Gillespie's softer, more caring side and begins to think more fondly of him. It was not publicly known at the time when Season 5 ended whether or not the show would continue. Sign up for the newsletter to get the latest updates about getTV. Also, the Sparta city council was pushing Virgil Tibbs to run as a possible candidate for Chief of Police to replace Gillespie, but Virgil wasn't interested in doing so; regardless, a rumor begins that Tibbs is after Gillespie's job, causing dissension between the two men. Phone (616) 887-8251 After playing Cpl. He had been struggling with a substance abuse issue since his teen years which culminated in his demise. Police Department As Sparta Police moves forward and tries to simplify our goals in the future in what sometimes can be as I said, a very complex job, we are committed to doing the following three things: We will continue to be vigilant and proactive in locking up people who break the law, especially those people who victimize others. Bill Champlin of the band Chicago sang the opening theme song for the television series. 2. OConnor was diagnosed with a life-threatening coronary artery blockage during season two and underwent sextuple bypass, forcing him to miss four episodes. After being excoriated by Gillespie for her complicity, Linda finally comes forward and implicates her husband. In the third season, Carroll O'Connor took complete control of the show, after firing husband and wife executive producing team David Moessinger and Jeri Taylor. excluding holidays. Finally, in "Dangerous Engagement", Gillespie and DeLong tie the knot at the same sanctuary involved in the "Sanctuary" case from Season 5. Their relationship in the TV series is much less adversarial than it is in the film version. Employment [5] Carroll O'Connor threatened to sue a tabloid which published a story saying that MGM and Carroll had fired Rollins for being absent from the set due to his problems. After the first black woman to join the force, Officer Christine Rankin, died in the line of duty on her first day on the job, Corbin is recruited to take her place. with information, Jimmy Dawes (Afemo Omilami). While Althea is waiting to go into labor, Tibbs' friend and ex-colleague from the Philadelphia P.D. Joe Don Baker(Walking Tall) stepped in as acting chief Tom Dugan. William Schallert, who played Mayor Schubert in the original 1967 film, also made an appearance on the show in Season 4. The episode also guest stars Jean Simmons as the dying grand dame of Sparta who also happens to be Ches's old flame and the overbearing great-aunt of Lonnie Jamison. He loves to read, mostly on topics that can assist him with his work as a police officer, as well as African American literature. Althea and Virgil are frustrated trying to bring Ainslee to justice because new district attorney Gerard Darnelle (Wilbur Fitzgerald) doesn't have enough evidence to prosecute him, especially a positive ID (Ainslee blindfolded Althea with her scarf during the attack, so she didn't see Ainslee's face, but she recognized his voice), and Ainslee's wife Linda provides him with an alibi saying that he was at home with her at the time that Althea was attacked. The season and the TV series wraps up with a two-hour movie of the week, "Give Me Your Life", starring Peter Fonda as Marcantony Appfel, leader of a religious cult in which the sexual abuse of children is rumored to have occurred. Simpson. 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