Patrolling the 5th District...Stories from the Street

In this episode of The Brighter Side of Blue, we kick off our Patrolling the Districts series with the one and only 5th District of St. Louis — the 90s and early 2000s hotspot for gangs, dope sets, and street violence.

Our guests — Billy Noonan, Tony Boone, and Joe Crews — were in the thick of it, patrolling some of the city’s toughest corners. From high-speed chases and rolling gun battles to dope houses that got hit so often they should’ve just given cops a key, the stories are raw, gritty, and unforgettable.

You’ll hear about:

🚔 The gangs and sets that ruled the streets (19th Street Crips, Beam Street, 270 Sullivan Mob & more)

🏚️ Dope houses like the Hackneys and Andersons that became revolving doors for search warrants

🎭 Characters both feared and comical — from “Stink” and “White Boy Rob” to crack addicts with plastic jaws and shotgun fingers sewn to their chest

🍕 The infamous businesses of the 5th — Sweet Pea’s Ice Cream Parlor, Beaver’s Pizza, and more

😂 Funny moments that prove even in chaos, cops and criminals could share a laugh

Recorded with Billy joining from his porch in Missouri (flag waving, cigarettes blazing), Tony calling from the cab of his 18-wheeler, and Joe holding it down in our bar basement studio — this episode is as real as it gets.

👉 Hit play and step inside the 5th District — where the line between danger and comedy was razor-thin.

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