Here is the answer to the 80s timeline: 

  1. The Equal Rights Amendment failed in Congress. 
  2. The short-lived comedy series Police Squad! Lasted just 6 episodes before getting cancelled and spawning the Naked Gun Movies
  3. Richard Gere showed Debra Winger he could be an Officer and a Gentleman.  In 1982, and in that year After The Fire released this German song, which when it is translated into English means “The Commissioner” here is Der Kommissar