MARCH 2022. Blues Vol 38 No. 3

AROUND THE COUNTRY
CENTRAL POLICE
SUPPLY
You’d have to go a mighty long
ways back to find the origins
of Central Police Supply Store,
located at the corner of Houston
and Washington Avenues. Conveniently
located, right across
from the old Central Headquarters
of the Houston Police Department.
Now to be fair, it wasn’t always
called Central Police Supply. It’s
original name was “F-15”. And it
wasn’t always located in the red
brick building it has been housed
in for the last 20 years either.
Though it’s always been located
at that intersection, it was once
housed in the smaller gray stone
and brick building immediately
adjacent to the current building.
There were multiple owners,
all Houston Police Officers, and
they had gone in together on the
original ‘F15’ business. Well time
and fate dwindled the number
of ‘partners’ in the business until
the longest running partner,
Officer Ray Simper, was the sole
survivor of the original group.
Over the years, a LOT of Officers,
Deputies, Troopers, State
and Federal Agents have all
made a stop into Central Police
Supply. I can’t possibly remember
all the times I have been
there over the last 30 plus years.
I always had to have the latest
and greatest “thing” or “whatchamacallit”.
There were a few times some
snap broke, some light stopped
working or a jacket had a hole
in it and it was always easier to
just stop in at Central and get
what I needed fixed, repaired,
serviced or replaced! A few
times, the folks there proved to
be a “lifesaver” of sorts when
you work evenings or nights and
your SL-20 stopped charging
or working. They would always
repair it right then and there.
I’ll even admit, there was a
time or two, I had gone in with
holes in my boots, uniform, or
jacket and Ray or one of the
girls would let ‘charge’ new pair
until payday. It wasn’t often mind
you, but the two or three times
over 30 years I could charge
something, kept me returning
as a faithful and loyal customer.
Not so much for the convenience,
as the leniency and compassion
they always had for their customers.
No one there ever had
to help me. They did so because
they knew me and they knew I
would always show up with cash
and a dozen donuts. My way of
saying “Thank you” for the grace
given unto me when I needed it.
Nowadays, such customer
service isn’t really afforded
anywhere on this planet! Which
I understand. Times and people
have changed. Hell, the whole
world has changed. One thing
that hasn’t changed, is the fact
Central Police Supply remains
open and active at the intersection
of Houston and Washington
Avenue. And Officers, Deputies,
Troopers, Federal and State
Agents are still walking in, getting
whatever they need, buying
34 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 35