Koppers
Captain
Mario Salas
Secretary
Jeff Bonney
jeffbonney@twc.com
First Lieutenant
Raffi Barsamian
Second Lieutenant
Corey Barron
Chaplain
Robert Risher
Treasurer
Bob Jenkins
Quartermaster
Richard Rizzotto
Sargent at Arms
Bill Lavoie
If you know how to have fun, you qualify to be a member of the “Fun Enforcement Unit” of Al Malaikah Shrine.
In 1962 a few members of the Golden Boot Patrol decided to have fun with Roger Murdick, a Deputy Chief with the Los Angeles Police Department. He was to become Potentate in 1963. Under the direction of Paul J. Smith, a unit was formed and was named the Al Malaikah Koppers. They paid for a complete Keystone Kops uniform, which was at Western Costume Company. During the entire year, they arranged to attend most of the functions and “arrest” the Potentate and one of the attending dignitaries.
The next year, 1964, Mark Gates was Potentate and made the Al Malaikah Koppers an official unit of the Temple. The first officers were, Ollie Hammond-Sargent, Paul Smith-First Corporal, and Pinky Meredith-Second Corporal. Later the titles were changed to Captain and Lieutenant.
In 1966 Paul Smith and Pinky Meredith were guests of Leo Freschi at his hunting lodge in Hayward California. Next to the lodge was Mr. Freschi’s box manufacturing plant. On the roof of the plant was a 1927 Model “T” Ford that had been put there some 20 years prior as a joke. Paul Smith expressed some interest and two weeks later it was delivered to his moving company garage.
Pinky researched plans and pictures of “Paddy Wagons” in the library and the Police Department. Johnnie Windle, the transportation foreman of Paul’s company, turned the old trunk into the present-day “Paddy Wagon”. It has been in many parades since then and in 1970 was taken to Honolulu for the WSA.
A few years later Mr. Aubry Austin of Santa Monica, gave Paul a Model “T” Ford touring car which was put to use as the Koppers “Squad Car”. These vehicles are the darlings of every parade.