Lt Darrell Duggins was born in High Point, NC. He was in the Marine Corp during the Korean War. He came on the Department in 1955. He went to TAC about the time our agency was starting QRT [SWAT]. He had a rappelling and scuba background. He was a no-nonsense guy when you were working but let his hair down when he was off duty. "Eight hours of work for eight hours of pay" was his mantra. He was one of the first Lieutenants with QRT as a TAC Shift Platoon Commander.

Lieutenant Darrell Duggins

Lt Darrell Duggins was born in High Point, NC. He was in the Marine Corp during the Korean War. He came on the Department in 1955. He went to TAC about the time our agency was starting QRT [SWAT]. He had a rappelling and scuba background. He was a no-nonsense guy when you were working but let his hair down when he was off duty. "Eight hours of work for eight hours of pay" was his mantra. He was one of the first Lieutenants with QRT as a TAC Shift Platoon Commander. He carried a "Claw" in his rear pocket. He always made good police decisions. He reminded those who knew him of an old Dutch uncle. In 1980, various members of the agency went on a dive trip with him, where he showed them all more about scuba diving than they had ever known before, and they were all seasoned divers. He was diving in the harbor before there was a dive team, so he set up a team and ran it. The department was happy to give the diver responsibility to the fire department, which was also happy with the equipment we ended up giving them. Lt. Duggins was good buddies with Commissioner Bishop Robinson. He retired in the early 90's. He died of complications from a stroke in 2000. There was a picture of him outside the QRT office in the annex, calling him "the grandfather of QRT." Those that worked with him often remarked to one another that when they were faced with a difficult decision as a LT, they would say, WWDHD, "What Would Darrell Have Done?". And then they did it. He was shot in a police incident in the Eastern District as a sergeant. He wore his Citation of Valor, but no one ever asked him about the incident. We are unsure of what happened either, but we know it was awarded to him for an incident that took place in 1972. When he and Ed Boston were wearing their uniform summer blouses, perfect pressed pants, white hats, gold badges, etc., they were the most professional sight one could have ever seen.