Distinguished Service

Wednesday, 11 September 2013 03:34 Written by

Awarded by the Police Commissioner to members who have distinguished themselves by exceptional meritorious service. The Distinguished Service Award may be awarded to sworn and civilian members who have displayed their abilities well above the expected standards reflecting technical or administrative achievement or exceptional leadership in achieving a specific goal, objective or innovation. 

Commendation

Wednesday, 11 September 2013 03:32 Written by

To merit this award, the act of service must be accomplished or performed in a manner above that normally expected. It must be sufficient to distinguish the individual member above those of comparable position and responsibility and reflect a highly credible accomplishment. The award may be given for submitting an adopted suggestion which constitutes a definite contribution to the department, such as, invention or innovation resulting in an improved design, procedure, organization or relating to crime prevention or crime resistance.

The "Barrel Head" often mistaken for the “Handle” and perhaps at one time may have been the handle, until guys like Carl Hagen, Edward Bremer, and Joseph “Nightstick Joe” Hlafka, put their spin on things. A "Swivel" was added (to aid in spinning the stick), Size was increased giving us what quickly became an acceptable “Oversize" stick. At some point the handle (Barrel Head) became the striking end, with “Nibs” “hardened/squared off edges for poking/jabbing, and "Size" for stopping power.  Looking back we see Baltimore’s sticks quite possibly became the biggest sticks in Law Enforcement Thanks to guys like Nightstick our own Nightstick Joe.

Call Box

Saturday, 15 June 2013 01:14 Written by

Baltimore got its first Call Box in 1885 - In Baltimore, it is hard to talk about the Call Box without also talking about the Patrol Wagon. They are obviously two very different law enforcement tools, but when it comes to Baltimore Police History, they will forever be linked by a Deputy Marshal and a date. Baltimore's first Call Box came to Baltimore in 1885 and as already mentioned were part of a package deal dreamed up by Deputy Marshal Jacob Frey that was made up of both the Call Box and the Police Patrol Wagon. The date that these things went into service according to Sun Paper accounts was 18 October 1885, and it is believed to have made Baltimore only the second city in the country behind Chicago to use Patrol Wagons.

"The Reminiscences of Samuel J. Battle," interview by Patrolman John Kelly (New York: Columbia University Oral History Office, February 1960), 20–3, 33.
The Oral History Collection of Columbia University


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