Liberator Pistol History

Tuesday, 17 March 2020 22:56 Written by

Liberator Pistol History

It was crudely made from sheet metal and steel tube. It held only one shot at a time. According to some magazines, it took longer to load it than it did to manufacture it. But the Allies in World War II hoped that the Liberator Pistol would help defeat the Nazis. That said it was not solely made to defeat Nazis

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By 1940, Nazi forces had overrun nearly all of Europe. Britain itself faced invasion across the Channel and was short of troops and weapons. In desperation, the British military designed a crude sub-machine gun, known as the Sten, that could be manufactured quickly and cheaply from stamped parts and steel tubes. The gun was manufactured by the thousands and was widely distributed to be used in the defense of the island.

As it turned out, the Nazis lost the air Battle of Britain and their planned invasion never happened.

In 1942, a Polish military officer had an idea, inspired by the Sten--why not produce a cheaply stamped pistol that could be easily produced in large numbers and dropped behind the enemy lines to arm the various Resistance networks that had been formed in the occupied territories?

The idea appealed to some officers in the American Joint Psychological Committee, in charge of psychological warfare. They concluded that not only would a mass drop of thousands of weapons be of practical use in arming the Resistance fighters, but it would also hurt German morale by making the occupation troops fearful. They assigned the task to a team lead by George Hyde from the Inland Manufacturing Division of General Motors, and within a few weeks he had produced a design for a crude single-shot pistol dubbed the FP-45 Liberator.

Disguising the project as a flare projector (FP) to hide it from Nazi spies, the gun was deliberately designed to be as cheap and easily made as possible. There were only 23 parts: the barrel was a simple four-inch unrifled steel tube, and the rest of the gun was made from stamped pieces of sheet metal. It used the same .45 caliber ammunition as the Colt .45 automatic pistol. Each Liberator cost about $2.10 to make (about $35 in today's dollars). Some wags dubbed it the "Two-Buck Gun", or the "Woolworth Gun", after the five-and-dime store.

To load the weapon, the user had to twist the breech-block at the back of the pistol open and insert a single .45-caliber cartridge into the firing chamber, then close the block. Squeezing the sheet-metal trigger fired the pistol. After firing, the pistol could be reloaded by opening the block, pulling out the spent cartridge case (it often wouldn't come out, so the pistol came with a wooden dowel that was poked down the barrel to push the cartridge case out the back), inserting a fresh cartridge, and closing the block again. Testing done with the prototypes showed that the welded seams would often start splitting after just 10 rounds had been fired through the gun--and none of the tested pistols were still usable after 50 rounds. In humid conditions such as the Pacific islands, the unfinished metal in the guns often rusted and corroded within a few weeks.

But the Liberator was not intended as a combat weapon: rather, it was intended to be single-use and disposable. The idea was that a Resistance fighter could hide the Liberator in his pocket, walk up to an unsuspecting German trooper, pull the pistol and shoot him at close range, and then take his weapons and ammunition. The unrifled barrel gave the Liberator an effective range of fewer than ten feet, and the big .45 caliber cartridge was chosen because it was likely to kill or disable its target with just one shot.

Because the Inland Division was already busy producing M-1 rifles for the Army, the manufacture of the Liberator pistol was assigned to the Guide Lamp Division in Anderson, Illinois, a division of General Motors which in peacetime had been making automobile headlights and turn signals. About 300 GM workers were assigned to the task, and over a period of 11 weeks, they produced over a million Liberators. The finished pistols were packed in waxed-cardboard boxes with ten rounds of .45 caliber ammunition (which could be stored inside a hollow compartment in the pistol grip), a wooden dowel (for reloading), and a cartoon-illustrated instruction sheet showing how to load and use it (because the cartoon did not use verbal instructions, it could be dropped anywhere for any language group). The entire process, from design to manufacture, had taken about six months. Each gun had taken an average of 6.6 seconds to make.

Once manufactured, the Army, under both General Eisenhower and General MacArthur, declared that they saw no use for them, and the Liberators were turned over to the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the American forerunner of the CIA which was in charge of Resistance activities in the occupied territories. Unlike the Army Psychological Warfare guys, however, the OSS never saw any real practicality in the weapon either, and never made any large-scale effort to distribute it to Resistance fighters, though about 100,000 Liberators were sent to guerrilla forces fighting the Japanese in the Philippines and China. Only about 25,000 pistols were dropped to Resistance groups in Europe. There are no documented instances of any Japanese or Nazi occupation trooper actually being killed by a Resistance fighter or guerrilla armed with a Liberator pistol. Most Resistance forces were supplied with the more-effective Sten instead.

At the end of the war, most of the Liberators sat unused in their boxes. To save storage space, they were ordered destroyed. As a result, today authentic Liberators are very rare and are highly prized by military collectors. A WW2 Liberator in good condition (and with the rare original box and equipment) can sell for over $2000.

Although the Liberator was not exactly a military success, during the Vietnam War in the 1960's the CIA resurrected the idea, and produced another single-shot disposable pistol called the "Deer Gun", intended to be dropped in behind enemy areas. The Deer Gun was made from cast aluminum with a short steel barrel and fired the 9mm Parabellum cartridge. It was loaded by unscrewing the barrel, inserting the cartridge, then screwing the barrel back on. About 1,000 Deer Guns were made in 1964, at a cost of about $3.95 each. After some field testing, it was never mass-produced, and the originals were destroyed.

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The Liberator pistol has to rank as one of the most unusual firearms ever designed. First conceived as a way to equip resistance forces in World War II, today most reside behind glass at museums or in the hands of collectors. Fame ultimately escaped it, but it’s safe to say it served its purpose despite no records existing of it ever being used, mainly because the recipients were too busy moving, or fighting to stay alive.

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Its concept began in March 1942, when a Polish military attaché suggested a simple, effective pistol that could be mass-produced and air -dropped by the hundreds or thousands in to waiting insurgents. The thought was that so many weapons delivered at once could instantly arm practically everybody in a local guerrilla group. Plus, it would do wonders for morale if everybody carried a weapon, and it would have a detrimental effect on occupying troops who might be led to believe that there was now a way for populations to massively resist them.

The U.S. Army’s Joint Psychological Warfare Committee accepted the proposal, and two months later George Hyde of General Motors Inland Manufacturing Division produced a design that met the specifications. To ensure its secrecy, it was given the designation Flare Projector-45 to conceal its real function.

GM’s Guide Lamp division was assigned the contract, and in 11 weeks with 300 workers, they assembled a million guns. Those who looked at the contraption had to imagine these were some sort of last-ditch device intended for one-time use. They were right.

Intended for people who may not be familiar with firearms, the Liberator was simplicity in itself.  Of 45 caliber, 5.5 inches long and weighing one pound, it featured 23 stamped steel parts for a total cost of $2.40 per gun.  Five rounds could be stored in the grip, which did not feed into the barrel. To do this, one manually inserted a .45 caliber cartridge at the rear, and then the chamber was hand-closed by a metal part. The round was then shot down a 4-inch, un-rifled barrel for an effective range of 25 feet. To clear the empty case, a wooden dowel was supplied to push it out the back and another round could be loaded.

In reality, the range was wishful thinking. This gun was intended to be placed the person that is to be killed so their weapon could be taken. It could then be discarded, passed on or saved for a final stand.

FP-45 Model 2 Right-rear view of the open action

Liberators were packed in boxes that included 10 rounds of .45 ammunition, the wooden dowel, and a comic strip type instruction sheet.  A million shipped off to both Great Britain and the Pacific, where they were stored and ready to be loaded into containers on aircraft. There they met their greatest obstacles, the General Staffs of the United States Army.

In Europe, Eisenhower’s men saw no practical purpose for the gun and only 25,000 were dropped to the French resistance. In the Pacific, MacArthur was also sour about the idea and the Army ended up turning the remaining lot over to the Office of Strategic Service to be dropped in both theaters when necessary.

Enhanced FP-45 Liberator Study Model 1

Small drops commenced in 1943 over Europe, while that same year 100,000 ended up being sent to China and smaller numbers dropped in the Philippines. In 1944, another European drop occurred in Greece to supply a few thousand to the resistance. By this time, it had a nickname derived from its cheap looks: The ‘Woolworth’ Gun.

How many were actually used will never be known, but it is safe to say some Axis soldiers met their end with the Liberator, as well as having their weapon stolen. There was never an attempt to round them up after the war, figuring most had been thrown away by then. Those that remained, the still hundreds of thousands of unused copies in warehouses, were melted down. Today, the Liberator is written about sparingly as its success is unknown. Its new life is that of a collectible, with excellent specimens in original box complete with accessories fetching up to $2,000 or more.

Inland Guide Lamp Liberator .45 ACP caliber pistol. Made by Inland Guide Lamp manufacturing. Over 1 million of these were made in a 3 month period. These were used as an insurgency weapon during WWII and most of these were distributed to the Philippines. Despite the fact that a million were made there are not too many in the USA as the only ones that made it back were from the GI’S.

U.S. FP-45 Liberator Pistol, manufactured by G.M. Guide Lamp Division, serial # None, cal. 45 ACP, 4" barrel with an excellent bore. The barrel has a smooth grind mark with an "F "inside a" C" stamp on the right side front of the chamber. The metal surfaces are gunmetal gray retaining about 99% original corrosion resistant finish with scattered light handling marks and minor freckling. The cocking knob is in excellent condition with cavity mold number 37. This fully functional model three pistol that has three holes, no breach marking, floor plate is present. The overall condition is it’s in Collectors Grade Condition. {C&R} Inv.: # 1-1301

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Keep checking back for a great story that will go here... we are waiting for the information and confirmation - Please contact Det. Ret. Kenny Driscoll if you have any pictures of you or your family members and wish them remembered here on this tribute site to Honor the fine men and women who have served with Honor and Distinction at the Baltimore Police Department.Anyone with information, photographs, memorabilia, or other "Baltimore City Police" items can contact Ret. Det. Kenny Driscoll at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. follow us on Twitter @BaltoPoliceHist or like us on Facebook or contact us for a mailing address
 
Copyright © 2002 Baltimore City Police History - Ret Det Kenny Driscoll

Sergeant Donald Voss

Sunday, 15 March 2020 06:03 Written by

Sergeant Donald Voss

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Three police injured in melee

The Sun (1837-1989); pg. C20

Jun 19, 1972

Three police injured in melee Crowd of 300 in Cherry Hill Hurls Rocks
A police officer was knocked unconscious, and two others were injured yesterday (18 June 1972) in a stone-throwing melee that resulted in two arrests. The incident occurred at 7:20 P.M. when a crowd of about 300 persons gathered in the 2500 block Norfolk Street, Cherry Hill.

As police officers attempted to capture a handcuffed escaped from the Maryland Training School for Boys. Fifty police officers were summoned to deal with the crowd, which dispersed about 8:30

Taunted Officer
During the melee persons in the crowd taunted the officers and threw rocks at them. Most seriously injured was Sgt. Donald Voss, of the Southern district,
who was beaten and kicked unconscious as he attempted to aid another officer who had handcuffed two girls. The handcuffed girls fled during the struggle.

Also injured were Patrolman Edward Eilerman and Patrolman Richard Curley. All three officers were taken to Mercy Hospital where Patrolmen Eilerman and Curley were reported, in satisfactory condition and Sergeant Voss in fair condition.

Two juveniles were arrested. A police spokesman said the incident, the second major attack on police in as many weeks, was unprovoked and apparently spontaneous.



TO BE CONTINUED...

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 NOTICE

How to Dispose of Old Police Items


If you come into possession of Police items from an Estate or Death of a Police Officer Family Member and do not know how to properly dispose of these items please contact: Retired Detective Ken Driscoll - Please dispose of POLICE Items: Badges, Guns, Uniforms, Documents, PROPERLY so they won’t be used IMPROPERLY. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 
Please contact Det. Ret. Kenny Driscoll if you have any pictures of you or your family members and wish them remembered here on this tribute site to Honor the fine men and women who have served with Honor and Distinction at the Baltimore Police Department. 

Anyone with information, photographs, memorabilia, or other "Baltimore City Police" items can contact Ret. Det. Kenny Driscoll at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. follow us on Twitter @BaltoPoliceHist or like us on Facebook or mail pics to 8138 Dundalk Ave. Baltimore Md. 21222


Copyright © 2002 Baltimore City Police History - Ret Det Kenny Driscoll

Patrolman Emil J Klaas Jr.

Saturday, 14 March 2020 10:05 Written by

 Patrolman Emil J Klaas Jr.

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The Evening Sun Thu Aug 14 1930

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The Baltimore Sun Mon Oct 14 1957

 

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The old saying a picture is worth a thousand words comes to mind. Here if we look at the officers, left coat pocket we see a long leather strap has been fished through his pocket with a nightstick ring on same. As a young officer I often saw old timers walking around with a long leather strap that held their nightstick ring, or in many cases also held their espantoon. Until this photo, I didn't know the reason for the long strap, now I know it was so during the winter months they could fish the strap through the pocket which was opened all the way through allowing officers to get to their pant pocket or firearm. Now their espantoon would be held in its ring, but highly accessible on the outside of the officer's coat.

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Patrolman Emil J. Klaas Jr.

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19 Oct 1954

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 POLICE INFORMATION

Copies of: Your Baltimore Police Department Class Photo, Pictures of our Officers, Vehicles, Equipment, Newspaper Articles relating to our department and or officers, Old Departmental Newsletters, Lookouts, Wanted Posters, and or Brochures. Information on Deceased Officers and anything that may help Preserve the History and Proud Traditions of this agency. Please contact Retired Detective Kenny Driscoll.

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NOTICE

How to Dispose of Old Police Items

If you come into possession of Police items from an Estate or Death of a Police Officer Family Member and do not know how to properly dispose of these items please contact: Retired Detective Ken Driscoll - Please dispose of POLICE Items: Badges, Guns, Uniforms, Documents, PROPERLY so they won’t be used IMPROPERLY.

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Sector Map

CD - SE - E - NE - N - NW - SW - S

Information on the Laboratory for Scientific Interrogation can be found by clicking anywhere on this line.Devider color with motto

Please contact Det. Ret. Kenny Driscoll if you have any pictures of you or your family members and wish them remembered here on this tribute site to Honor the fine men and women who have served with Honor and Distinction at the Baltimore Police Department.

Anyone with information, photographs, memorabilia, or other "Baltimore City Police" items can contact Ret. Det. Kenny Driscoll at  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. follow us on Twitter @BaltoPoliceHist or like us on Facebook or mail pics to 8138 Dundalk Ave. Baltimore Md. 21222

Copyright © 2002 Baltimore City Police History - Ret Det Kenny Driscoll

Baltimore Police News

Friday, 21 February 2020 11:22 Written by

Good Cop - Bad Cop  - We all know as n any profession we have some great police, some really really good police, some good police, adverage police hump cops, bad cops and dirty cops. what most might not understand is no one hates a dirty cop worse than americas good police, and for those that think, all police are dirty if they don't drop a dime on dirty police, fail to understand two things, 1st they need to practive what they preach in that by their not calling in tips on the dirty criminal activity in their own enightborhood are not much better than than the criminals running drugs, and shooting innocent kids. As for Police, If an officer's cover is blown, criminals in his area will move until he is off-duty, likewise, if I am known for diming out bad cops, word gets out and nothing will be done near me, but if I take my notes and either call in myself, or have my wife call in from a payphone, I can cntinue reportng things seen and take out more dirty cops than the first one seen. That said, in my 16 years, I had not seen any serious dirty police, the worse, i had seen was eating off an officers post, use of foul langauge (but there was a time when we were trained to use strong language, it seemed kindness was mistaken as weakness and use of strong language had comands followed more quickley which becomes a safety issue for everyone involved. When I was hired an old timer told me now that I was hired the only way I could lose my job would be to Lie, Steal, or take drugs. He said other than quitting, this is the hardest job in the world to be fired from, they give you instructions for everything you can and cannot do, follow the rules and you will be OK. I have seen guys fired over stealing $5.00 or failing to submit found money, throwing away evidence, officers finding or having drugs turned over to them, but woth no arrest officers have been known to destroy said evidence rather thanw rite a simple found property report ans submitting the evdence. The point is, for the most part more than 99% of Baltimore's police are good police. We hope these stories will help show that while we have had soem bad cops, for the most part we have some fo the nations best police. 

Meter Maids

Sunday, 09 February 2020 04:27 Written by

Parking Meter 
Baltimore Police Meter Maids

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A Meter Maid unit began on 8 May of 1961 with 10 Meter Maids and a Sergeant. Prior to that on 1 November 1958, The Baltimore Police department Traffic Enforcement unit enforced parking meter violations. The first Meters went up on North Ave. after 48 days the meters had made a profit of a little more than $29K. $29K in 1958 would be around $275,000.00 in 2019

Baltimore City Parking Meter / Meter Maid Timeline History 

1937 –  A bill was introduced in City Council to bring Parking Meters to Baltimore (Police Commissioner Lawson opposed the bill favoring instead off street parking. He argued Curb parking would increase the traffic problems downtown.

1955 – 1 November 1955 - After nearly 20 years and four police commissioners arguing for and against Parking meters; Parking meters are finally signed into law and on 1 Nov 1955 the first parking meter was installed and went into use on North Ave in Baltimore City. These meters were enforced by Baltimore Police department's Traffic Enforcement Section.

1961 – 8 Mar 1961 - The Baltimore City Police Meter Maid Section formed within the department's Traffic Enforcement Section.

1980 – The Meter Maids separate from the department and go to the Department of Transportation where they would remain until 2001

2001 – Meter Maids now called Parking Control Agents and work for Parking Authority of Baltimore City.

This information is still being updated and verified 

Factoid: When you insert a coin in the meter and begin to turn the handle you will see a yellow "VIOLATION" flag comes up.  What's cool about these "VIOLATION" flags is there is a serial number on them that is unique to the machine.  If a coin does not fully cycle through the meter the violation flag will remain up and give the meter maid a reference to that meter's mechanism.  A work order to repair it would be generated using that mechanism serial number.  At least that is the way they were used in most cities.  Baltimore also had a metal band that wrapped around the pole that held them, this number was used both by the meter maid, and a citizen to report a broken meter or a meter in violation.
Also, regarding the sticker on the front of the meter that usually says "POLICE WILL NOT TURN HANDLE," or something to that effect. This is where the criminal mind comes into play.  People thought if they had a 2 hr parking limit they would just insert additional coins and not cycle them through the meter. They would then expect the meter maid or police officer to turn the handle for them should they show up and see the time has expired.  They called it "Re-feeding" the meters and of course, that was illegal to do.  So it was just a "parking beware" warning. In Baltimore we have people that will feed your meter for you, in return you give them a tip, a hard fault, highly demanded "Aggressive Panhandler type Tip" Often the driver would put the coins in the meter so the parker would only have to turn the handle in say an hour or just as the meter was about to expire. Often these parkers would cross a line of an aggressive panhandler, into the realm of strong arm robbery. That's why we have so many laws. 
 
Thanks again to Dennis Kohl

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Blue Hand The Badge of Meter Maids

26 May 1963

Reported by James Waesche

Just because she’s pretty, just because she looks sharp in her fitted coat, culottes, and high heels, don’t think you can sweet talk her out of a parking ticket she’s about to stick under your car's wiper blade. No, sir. With a meter maid, it's “strictly,” emphasizes Mrs. Shirley Kurtz one of Baltimore’s original ten Meter maids. She demonstrated.

Pleading Futile

Spotting a meter with its red flag up Mrs. Kurtz effortlessly maneuvered her white compact patrol car into a nearby space. She grabbed her summons book and marched to the illegally parked car. First, she compared its license number with the numbers on her list of stolen cars (called a Hot Sheet – If it had been listed as stolen she would have radioed police headquarters and not tagged the car.) She also checked it the front and rear tags matched.  Writing the summons took only a minute; sliding it under the wiper blade second. She was about to leave when the owner of the car appeared. “ma’am…” Yes, sir?” “I was just this minute coming out here to put a nickel.. uh, to put another nickel… in that meter. It just ran out. Could You…” - “You should watch your time more closely, sir,” Mrs. Kurtz admonished, smiling.”But it just this second…” “ Really you should, sir” “I…” But Mrs. Kurtz had turned and was returning to her car. With her she was carrying the crumpled carbon paper she had torn from between the summons sheets (a carbon-blue hand is the badge of an efficient meter maid). In her car, she stuffed the carbon into a litter bag she carries specifically for that purpose and drove off. It had been a simple, routine process. It might not have been. “The majority of people are nice,
 Mrs. Kurtz said. Sometimes, however, a meter maid will meet a driver who is anything but “nice,” Such a driver-man or woman can be anything from slightly rude to downright obstreperous. Hardly ever, though, is he actually violent.

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Sparks Bitterness

“probably more momentary bitterness results from a parking summons than from any other type violation.” Says the Sergeant. “When a person robs a bank, he knows he is guilty of a crime, but with a parking meter violated, it’s just a matter of forgetting a nickel, or “I was just leaving,” or: I’ve been unloading.” Or “The meter is broken.” Oh, we’ve heard them all.”

Meter maids are trained to handle any type of personality they might encounter. “They’re instructed to be courteous, considerate. A reasonable but firm,” Sergeant Wooden says, This works quite well with the average motorist, but if a person becomes nasty, a meter maid will simply get into her patrol car and drive away. Leaving the angry offender to cool off and to further contemplate the summons, which she doesn’t take with her when she leaves.

Meter maids do not have the power to arrest. They have only the authority to tag parking violators. “they never go into a house,” says Sergeant Wooden, “obviously. They’re unarmed, so as soon as they get in they could be in trouble, They’ve no way of telling what is on the other side of that door.”

In such a situation that is, if someone approaches it calls a meter maid for he-she may only ask what the nature of the trouble is, then relay the message to the police dispatcher. He will then send the required assistance.

Aid In Accidents

A meter maid may, however, assist in a traffic accident. First, she radios the dispatcher and, if a victim needs first aid, she applies it. She also may direct traffic, if necessary, until a policeman arrives.

First aid is one of many subjects the maids study thoroughly during the two-week course at the police academy. They are also given an orientation program to familiarize them with the structure of the police department and with the functions of its numerous sections. They receive instructions from judges on courtroom procedures as sometimes they have to testify in the traffic court. They are taught to use their car radio, and they are put through a driver- training program. They also take courses in the care and maintenance of their patrol cars.

Each meter maid is assigned a car. Every morning after they receive their assignments from Sgt Wooden, they march from their briefing room to the parking lot. There they get a final review of orders and they get a final review of orders and they conduct an equipment check. Call box key, L-shaped aluminum chalk holder with which to mark tires of vehicles in time zones, summons books and stolen auto hot sheets.

They look at the tires of their cars (No! they don’t kick them.) They examine the finish of the car, and if it is scratched or scarred, they tell the sergeant. They even lift car hoods and check-albeit gingerly-the oil and water. On a signal from Sergeant Wooden, they start their cars and drive out to begin their patrol of Baltimore’s 8400 parking meters.

Rooketic Training

Usually, the maids travel singly. Periodically, however, they ride in pairs. This is one during the three-day field training period which follows the classroom work at the Academy. Fr these three days a novice, or rookette,” ride with one of the senior maids… (“We don’t call them “the old maids,” warns their instructor, Lt James B Mills.)

The senior mid drives the first round of the day's post, then she lets the rookette take the wheel and the summons book. Riding with Mrs. Kurtz, who has been with the program since it began in May 1961 was Mrs. Angela M Chaney. Like Mrs. Kurtz Mrs. Chaney is the mother of two (seventeen of the cities twenty-meter maids are married), And, like Mrs. Kurtz, she has a genuine enthusiasm for her unusual job. Before she became a meter maid, Mrs. Chaney was a demonstrator of kitchenware, “But,” she says, “I wanted to do a job that means something

The First Day

Mrs. Kurtz, too. Is dedicated to the Job because of its social significants, but she was originally attracted to t as it was something novel and exciting. Mrs. Kurtz says that three of their friend tried out for the position with the then-experimental group. Among them it was like a contest a challenge,” she says, “I would have died if I hadn’t made it.” But she did make it, as did her friends.

Lieutenant Mills remembers the first day of the operation the day the regional ten maids first went out after months of preliminary hassling over things like official designation (They are called Parking Meter Special Police Women), legal authority for the establishment of the force, and the type of costume (someone kept insisting on slacks).

“The first day they went out, it was one of those all-day rains typical of May,” the Lieutenant recalls. When they returned that evening their hair was all soaked and I thought, “Well, we’ll see no more of them.” But I was wrong. The next day they were all back.”

In its first two years, the program has been quite successful. In one month-22 working days of eight hours, each one-meter maid dispenses between 600 to 700 tickets, according to sergeant wooden. Last year, the meter maids issued 68,515 summons. The burden shouldered by the patrolmen has thus been immeasurably lightened by the ladies in blue.

On Straight Salary

If a meter maid tags a car, the owner stands to pay a fine of $2.50 or $5.50. depending on the location of the vehicle's violation. And, if it is tagged while parked by the stadium during an event there, the penalty is $10.50

The meter maids do not collect coins from the meters. That is the function of a special collection agency. They work from 10 am til 6 PM weekdays and from 8 am until 4 pm on Saturdays. Their schedule is rotated to permit them, in addition to Sunday, one day a week off.

Contrary to what some people think who have been ticketed often think, meter maids are not paid on a sort of 25-cent-per-summons incentive basis. They earn a straight salary, which starts at $3,492 and increases over a six-year period to $4,404. Uniforms are furnished by the department, but each maid must buy her own shirt, tie, and shoes.

They are forbidden to wear flats, “Regulations,” states sergeant wooden, officially. “They don’t look as good,” Adm Lieutenant Mills.

Use little makeup

Meter maids must be between 21 and 30 years old. They have to be over 5-foot-2, but can’t stop 6 feet. They may wear makeup if it is sparingly applied, ”no green eye-shadow,” Lieutenant Mills says. Hairdos may be individualistic, but sensible. It would be difficult, obviously, to attempt to enforce the law while wearing, one’s visored police cap perched atop a high, sculptured coiffure.

Meter maids differ from regular police in that they wear uniforms (policewomen are always in plainclothes), not carry weapons, and lack the powers of arrest. Thue differs from crossing guards, on the other hand, by being full-time employees, of the police department and by being actual enforcement agents.

Started as a “pilot project,” according to Lieutenant Mills, the meter maids, now beginning their third year with double their original woman power, seem to be well on their way to group permanence. “we have been successful with it so far.” Lieutenant Mills said.

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Mrs. Shirley Kurtz
Meter Maid

Meter Maid 1961 Baltimore Police. all of these are of Mrs. Shirley Kurtz She was one of the first 10 meter maids hired by the Baltimore Police department at the start of their using parking meters in Baltimore which was 1 Nov 1958 - initially enforced by our Traffic Division, until 8 May 1961 when they started using the newly formed meter maids. It was odd as it was at that time they were merging Park Police into the department so they didn't want a third department, eventually, they would separate meter maids from the police department. Some were asking the difference between Meter maids and Crossing guards at the time because their uniforms were similar. The major difference, the meter maids were enforcement agents. The Parking meter system proved to be successful gaining the city $29K in its first 48 days (this was back in 1958/59 and off of less than 300 meters. The commissioner for the police department when this idea was first introduced was Commissioner William Lawson and he opposed parking meters in Baltimore, but that was in 1937, it would take until 1958 to have the program up and running and that fell four commissioners later under Police Commissioner James M. Hepbron. If you look at the meter in the 3rd pic, you'll see what looks like a Duncan meter not much different than the meters they were using in the 80's and 90's up into the millennium before the new credit card meters used today.

 

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Mrs. Shirley Kurtz looks for parking meter violations as she drives. On the dashboard is a list of stolen cars, (BKA a Hot Sheet) Maids were making up to $4200 a year.  

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 Mrs. Kurkz, one of the first ten meter maids hired, places a summons under the wiper blade. Last year, 68,515 tickets were issued by these ten Meter Maids. The fines ranging from $2.50 to $10.50

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Some parking zones have no meter but are controlled by special signage. maids use bent rods to chalk tires of automobiles parked in such areas.

Meter Maids check their cars every morning, but they do it gingerly. Mrs. Angela M Chaney holds a tissue as she manipulates the dip-stick

 10 meter maids

The First Ten Meter Maids in Baltimore City

Front Row - Delores Nots, Joan Covert, Sheila McAlee, Shirley Boyley, Elizabeth Aro
Back Row- Betty Erwin, Annie George, Donna Lloyd, Lillian Hartlove, Shirley Kurtz

1968 FORD FALCON

1967 Ford Falcon Meter Maid's Patrol Car

Devider

 What follows are some examples of his work.

Today Parking Meters are different than the old meters, making most of the old meter antiquated and not much use to major cities. With that, there are many of these old meters for sale. We have two meters in our collection here at the house, one is signed by police that comes to visit, the other is signed by local graffiti writers. Like an artist the man, we buy our meters from will decorate them to make an interesting conversation piece for your home. have also been painted in the colors of your favorite sports team, done up to celebrate milestones, graduation, retirement, promotions etc. Contact Dennis Kohl tell him Detective Kenny Driscoll sent you

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  Devider color with motto

 NOTICE

How to Dispose of Old Police Items


If you come into possession of Police items from an Estate or Death of a Police Officer Family Member and do not know how to properly dispose of these items please contact: Retired Detective Ken Driscoll - Please dispose of POLICE Items: Badges, Guns, Uniforms, Documents, PROPERLY so they won’t be used IMPROPERLY. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Please contact Det. Ret. Kenny Driscoll if you have any pictures of you or your family members and wish them remembered here on this tribute site to Honor the fine men and women who have served with Honor and Distinction at the Baltimore Police Department. 

Anyone with information, photographs, memorabilia, or other "Baltimore City Police" items can contact Ret. Det. Kenny Driscoll at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. follow us on Twitter @BaltoPoliceHist or like us on Facebook or mail pics to 8138 Dundalk Ave. Baltimore Md. 21222


Copyright © 2002 Baltimore City Police History - Ret Det Kenny Driscoll

Baltimore Police Boys Club

Monday, 03 February 2020 07:22 Written by

EVER EVER EVER Motto Divder

Baltimore City Police Boys Club
History if Baltimore City Police Boy's Club

Starting in 1944 and continuing through the 1980s, the Baltimore Police sponsored a Boys’ Clubs throughout the city with financial help from Buddies Inc. and a Baltimore Businessmen’s Organization. Policemen chipped in to buy sports equipment, and gave an abundance of personal time and attention teaching games, and giving talks about citizenship, civic responsibility, community relation, and police work. Buddies Inc. raised funds for events like Baltimore Colts Night, and a series of shows Called Up With The People and Baltimore Orioles games. The Shiners of the Bowie Temple in Baltimore joined in supporting the Boys Club in 1977 with a share of the proceeds from the annual Shrine Circus. The First Club was started by Southwestern District. All of the club’s numbering from 2 to 4 at various times were led by Police Officers and Police Cadets. Some boys went one to become cadets. In the late seventies, the department experimented with expanding the club to include girls the name was changed to Youth Clubs, but the idea proved unfeasible and was soon abandoned. Today the club said been replaced by the activities of the Police Athletic League or PAL.

Summer camps for hundreds of inner-city youngsters under 16, who otherwise would have spent their summers idly and devastated or dangerous neighborhoods, began in 1945 on land provided by the U. S Army at Fort Ritchie in Catoctin Maryland’s Mountains. The camps were extensions of the department’s work with the Boys Club. The founder of the camps was Captain William Heart, the first Commander of the Department’s Youth Division. When the Army Land was needed for military purposes in 1974 Commissioner Donald Pomerleau and the Buddies Inc. raised funds to buy an alternative site one route 23 at Deer Run in Harford County. The new location was named, Camp Walter Perkins for the founder of Buddies Inc.

Sarah Callan worked for the department for 47 years before retiring in 1970, kept the books and handled administrative detail for the club and camps. Other key figures were in the league Vance, who helped with whatever needed doing in the early days, Major Patricia A. Mullen, who directed Police Youth Services in the 70’s and 80’s, and Sergeant Don Farley supervisor of the club and camp activities in the same., Period.

As a police and the Baltimore aerial council of the boy scouts of America have cooperated since 19681 programs presented by the scouts one law enforcement day. Each of the nine police districts as sponsored an explorer scout troop since 1944.

The department joined Federal, state, and county law enforcement agencies and hosting all day in March 1980. The event held at the inner harbor, featured a variety of law enforcement as if it’s, explanations of fingerprinting and its value, continuous motion pictures of the crime prevention, a helicopter demonstration, and rolls by the department’s mount unit, always a favorite of the public. Erik Estrada then starring in the television series ships up here did rash field to support the event.

A successful youth division program was created in 1978 by the department’s youth services division now if they use bureau. Teenagers who committed minor crimes like shoplifting join in 90 days of mandatory counseling with a use officer, who attempts to discover the youngsters' interests and a way to pursue those interest as a substitute for idle hands and idle time. The program provides a great deal more in just a warning and in it and I’m conditional release. It can, however, in appropriate cases and with a miscreants cooperation, of the lead the severity of juvenile court.

The southwest district commander of community relations section added A theatrical talks to its work in 1971 police Officer Charles L. Clayton Sr. Better known as buck Clayton with the support of district Commander Richard G. Francis became Charley the magic cop. Clean a recognize professional magician, began making appearances before school children, using is sliding and showmanship to teach safety, brotherhood, patriotism, added dangers of narcotic. The Baltimore police department participated through the 1970s and 1980s in annual Baltimore City fairs as both guardians of the peace and exhibitor of the law enforcement information.
 

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Baltimore Police Boys Club members left to right Sonny Augustyniak, Butch Kotowski, Jim Galloway, and John Randle the Colts Allen “The Horse” Ameche and Claude “Buddy” Young in a training camp visit.

The Police Boys Club of Baltimore

The Police Boys Club of Baltimore is making valuable contributions in the struggle against juvenile delinquency. Calculated to meet the recreational needs of 8 to 18-year-old, club activities include athletics, sports, crafts, woodworking, and scouting. Each club is equipped with a library, recreation room, game rooms, and wood workshops.



The clubs are located at the following:
Eastern, Police Boys Club - 1619 Bank St.,
Northwestern, Police Club - Calhoun and Gold Street
Southern, Police Boys Club - Patapsco and Olmsted
Southwestern, Police Boys Club - Calhoun and Pratt Street

  SW boys club

 First Police Boys Club Formed in Southwestern District
Proves Success
9 June 1944

Applying as a gauge the boys 

Enthusiasm for the club and their readiness to become members. The Southwestern Police Boys' Club. the first of several similar clubs to be established in various sections of the city under the direction of the Baltimore Police Department. is already a success far beyond the hopes of its founders. The club's memberships large enough at its beginning a scant two weeks ago. is growing by leaps and bounds. With facilities to comfortably accommodate approximately 100 boys more than 400 were signed members on the opening night. That list has grown to over 550 and more applications are pouring in each day. Officials in charge of the organization said. 

Fills Need for Fun 

Originally founded by the department as a weapon in its fight on juvenile delinquency, the club. which is installed in the specially renovated third floor of the station house at Pratt and Calhoun streets. has a fertile field in which to work. since that, thickly populated section of town has no recreation for its hundreds of children other than the streets. The clubs' plans. of course, are still in the formative stage. but its athletic program. which is under the direction of Officer.Joseph Epplier a former football player and bicycle racer. is ample proof of the need of such a work for boys of that area.

Except for baseball. which l guess every kid knows a little something about."Epplier  savs." We practically have to teach nearly every lad who comes to us how to play. For the most part, these kids don’t even know the rudiments of even the simplest games like, say ping pong 

Boys Are Willing

"But they are more than willing and are taking the sports like ducks to water. I took a batch of our new baseball equipment to Carroll Park the other day and the gang nearly mobbed me grabbing the gloves and bats in their eagerness to get a game going Epplier got the same reaction When he called for volunteers to man a track team which would represent the club in its first taste of outside competition in the All-For-Glory track meet held by the Department of Public Recreation at Carroll Park last Tuesday. Seventy-five boys showed up for the tryouts the Saturday previous to the Fourth. Epplier ran them through several qualifying heats and whipped some 65 of them together as entrants for Southwestern. 

Win First Meet 

Not only did the lads of the club practically make the meet-they had the largest single entry list but they also ran off with the majority of the honors. placing more firsts seconds and thirds than any of the other groups entered. Donald Bokman stepped off the 100-yard dash for 10-11 Years for the club in 14 seconds and Phillip Weinreich and Rollins Johnson placing second and third. Added points to the club's final record. Little Bill Cammarata in the 12-13 age group covered the same distance for the club in one second less than Rokman and again club members in Bob Peed and Bob May followed him in the next two positions. 

Bill Reis Donald Blurb and Bill Rawlings. all three clubbers captured The 14-15 group lOO·yard dash in that order. The boys of the club chalked up the honors in the 60-yard dash for 7-8 and 9 years as well. Eddie Grap hit the tape first, followed by Larry Smith and Roy Singletary. 

Plans For Winter 

While Lieut. Fred Glock. Who heads the club. and his assistants have their hands Full at the present getting the club moving smoothly. they are not too busy to think of the future. When the summer months are over the club expects to turn to basketball and boxing and wrestling For these latter sports Glock hopes to find sufficient talent in the department but if it isn't available there outside experts will be asked to help out. For purposes of competition, the boys of the club are divided into four groups. the midgets for boys from 8 to 10 junior, 11·12. Intermediates 13·16 and the seniors 16·18 The station resounds with The voices of about 125 boys each night. In addition to its outside athletics, the club contains pool tables. ping pong tables and games of a wide assortment for the boy. Other facilities include a well-stocked library, paneled in knotty pine and constructed by the policemen and a wood-working shop. equipped with power-driven tools. The club is open daily from 4 pm to 9 pm  

Schueler Heads Project 

The overall program of the department is under the direction of inspector John R. Schueler as chief of the Juvenile Protection Bureau William L. Hartung who has been serving in the Bureau of identification and who has been connected with local athletics for many years, is assistant to Schueler. Other officers in charge of special phases of the club are Fred Elgert who does most of the paperwork and Charles B. Gerick. The entire cost of equipping the club which amounted to $1500 was donated to the Southwestern by the Variety Club of Baltimore, Tent No. 9.

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police boys club
George D. Gilbert, 23 Years
Northwest Baltimore Police Clubs

George and the Gilbert of the Baltimore police department, who gave 23 years of service as club’s director, athletic director, club driver and rifle instructor of the western police boys club were eulogized at services 5 March as sharp street memorial United Methodist church. He was a 76 and died suddenly on February 28 new paragraph Robert Johnson, president of Douglass high school class of 1937 recalled fond memories of the deal when they attended the school’s 60 if reading in last June and Hal he was a good citizen and love helping youth. A resolution by Frank Ballston from the Maryland house of delegates also attested to his years of community service.

Jordan D. Gilbert was born January 20, 1920, at Johns Hopkins hospital the oldest of three children of Harry beacon Gilbert and Janie Jenkins. He was the grandson of Harriet Murphy Gilbert, one of five daughters of John H Murphy a senior founder of the African American newspaper and Harry Dion Gilbert. That’s an Afro printer he was responsible for an opening presses from the early flatbed press to the later Goss presses.

Harriet Gilbert Matthews, daughter of gymnastic Gilbert lane, gave in the family tribute to her uncle citing him as a father, brother, husband, grandfather, protector, and lover of children.

Gilbert is a graduate of Douglass high school and attended Morgan state college before world war two interrupted his schooling. His army service started in 1941 and closing service at camp Claiborne Ft Belvidere and Camp Gruber. After discharge in 1953, he worked and Social Security taking accounting and economics at Cortez Peters business school

He sort of service to the Baltimore police department in 1953 and worked the western district police boys club to 1958 and tools retirement in 1976. Poll web. Department of Recreation and Parks recall Officer Gilbert improve the lives of the young boys she came into contact with one gold street in the sand town area and Hauser sports and personal sacrifices proved to be a positive influence in many lives

The Rev. Dr. Bruce Haskins delivered the message of hope and Morse Queen, minister of music a Sharp Street gave an organ solo, “you’ll never walk alone”

He is survived by his wife, Ruth and order deal sister semester three stepchildren, six grandchildren. Pallbearers include Henry David’s Michael Robert and Matthew its and it wasn’t Woodlawn cemetery with funeral arrangements by march funeral homes west

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Bring Back Police-Sponsored Boys Clubs 


When my brother, Frank, and I were growing up in Baltimore City on South Calhoun Street we were both charter members of the Southwestern Police Boys Club on the third floor of the police station at Pratt and Calhoun streets. The club was run by full-time policemen and had an indoor basketball court, boxing ring, pool tables, ping-pong tables, a woodworking shop, a Boy Scout troop, and a TV room. I believe it was open six days a week and closed at about 9 p.m. In the summer, we would go away to Camp Ritchie for one or two weeks. I believe the cost was about $6 per week. We also had baseball teams and football teams.

As I look back on those happy times spent with my friends at the Boys Club and the devotion those policemen gave to helping us boys, I feel that that experience was a major factor in our growing up the process. I wouldn't trade it for anything. Back then, my brother and a friend of his got interested in ham radio and crystal sets while participating at the Boys Club. He eventually became an electrical engineer and a valuable employee at Bell Labs. He is now 81 years old and lives in Massachusetts. I loved to play pool and ping-pong and leaned toward the business side and became a Certified Public Accountant. I am 77 years old and live in Nottingham.

It baffles me as to why we don't have similar clubs to help the youngsters today. When we came home from school, we headed right for the Boys Club until supper time. Our parents knew where we were and that we were in good hands. I realize these are different times in which we live but the basic principles are still there. With a few adjustments, we could do it again. Our father was a retired police sergeant in Baltimore City, and I want to thank the policemen who devoted their time and talent in molding us kids during the early years of our youth. We respected them and they were our friends. I hope this might encourage officials in Baltimore and Baltimore County to rethink the idea of closing the Police Boys Clubs. They did and do make a difference.

Bob Witt, Nottingham

  SD Boys club

 

Retired cop defends Baltimore police Athletic League

As the Baltimore Police Athletic League prepares to end because of budget cuts and transfer centers to the city's Department of Recreation and Parks, community activists, residents and others are starting to rise up. I got this e-mail from retired Baltimore police Lt. Osborne B. McCarter:

It has been quite some time since I talked to someone from the media, but after reading your article and reflecting on my 32.5 years as a public servant with the Baltimore Police Department, connecting with the present situations that are occurring, I can only conclude that the powers to be, has finally gotten their wish.

Peter, as the last Operation Lieutenant running The PAL program and in furtherance of my professional career I elected to become a commander as a Deputy Mayor, I have been either directly or indirectly involved in four youth programs that have met some form of demised because of politics within the City of Baltimore.

First was the Boys Club, then The Explorer Program, followed by the Walbrook Academy, now the P.A.L.  Each program fostered a partnership between cops and kids, it was an investment being made in our youth and the feature of our city. I challenge anyone who has been involved with any of the youth programs to state differently.

For example, let's look at the Northeast District. But first let look back to the inner parts of the city where thousands of residents were displaced, like the construction of a highway to nowhere, built from Pulaski Street to M L K Blvd. so that workers at SS building could get into the city faster and get out at the end of the tour of duty quickly, then there was the implosion of the High Rises all of those residents were displaced throughout the city some into areas we officers used to call "Country Club Districts."

But as the displacement occurred so did the crime, crimes such as vandalism and graffiti, were all too common in areas once consider crime free, compared to some districts where a part one crime was expected at least one per day if not one per shift per sector.

The Goodnow area of the Northeast soon fell victim of the vandalism and graffiti followed by street robbers, gang and drug activities. The Goodnow PAL center which started off being a 7-Eleven closed not too long after opening, because of the crime in and around the store. Mrs. Army Mock, Sgt. R. Gibbson, Officers Lorie & Creg dedications and support from the community soon turned that area around from one of Blight to being one of the premier centers in the city. Thanks to the partnership between Mrs. Mock, Police Commissioner Thomas Frazier, Officer Lorie, and Officer Craig.

But who really benefited from what when on at the center? first were the kids from the community, then the community, its citizens, and the city benefited from the partnership that had been fostered between kids and cops. Well, O'Malley finally got his wish. Hermann, I pray that the youth of the city become enlighten as to the overall goals of the political official who are eliminating avenues for kids to avoid at-risk behavior and that voters see that as programs are being eliminated for the youth that there are more detention facilities being build and slated to be built. One can only conclude that the youth of the city are being targeted. I am thankful for having touched thousand of lives positively in one way or another over the 32 1/2 years of service within the Police department.

In Memory of Police Officer Troy Lewis Jr. who was a true and dedicated PAL officer died March 28, 2009. 

Retired
Ob-X-50

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Baltimore Police Honor Retiree
Sgt. James Dixon a Former Member of Montford Marines
Receives Congressional Gold Medal


BALTIMORE —A 33-year veteran of the Baltimore City Police Department brought home the highest civilian honor that can be awarded to an individual -- the Congressional Gold Medal. Sgt. James Dixon was a member of the Montford Marines, the first African-Americans in the U.S. Marine Corps. Between 1942 and 1949, about 20,000 black Marines were trained at Montford Point, N.C. In June, they were honored with the Congressional Gold Medal. On Tuesday, Dixon, who is now retired, was one of those honored. He brought his medal to the Baltimore City Police Department. "I wanted to say thank you for all you've done for the city of Baltimore and the United States of America," BCPD Acting Commissioner Anthony Barksdale said. Dixon's friends and fellow officers were also there to say thank you. "I really just love the guy. He was so intelligent, told great stories. He was just a tremendous police officer, a tremendous sergeant. Everybody loved him," retired BCPD Sgt. Alan Yeater said. "Sgt. Dixon was like a father-figure to us. It was a home away from home at the Western Police Boys Club," friend Terry Hall said. "He just treated everybody so well. He made you want to come to work. He didn't want to leave. He hated to take a day off," said retired BCPD Lt. Fred Roussey said. "He was just a terrific supervisor, a terrific man." Dixon served with the BCPD from 1954 to 1987, and he's seen a lot of changes over the years. "It's been an honor being in the Corps. It's been an honor being in the Police Department. I did 33 years in this Police Department. Trials and tribulations we've been through, but we've succeeded, and I see the results of our work," Dixon said. Do you know a local policeman, firefighter or military member that's being honored?

  Colts Baltimore Police Boys Club 1960 72

Baltimore Police honor sergeant who served amid segregation

Dixon remembered as a trailblazer for blacks in the police force

July 17, 2012, |By Nick Cafferky, The Baltimore Sun

James Dixon joined the Baltimore Police Department in 1954 as a black officer in an era of widespread racial prejudice. Police posts were segregated and blacks were not allowed in patrol cars

On Tuesday, a quarter-century after he retired as a sergeant, Dixon returned to the department for a ceremony to honor his service and thank him for his role in helping the department through a time of social change. Dixon, 77, was given a BPD hat and coffee mug.

"I think today was really good for him because I don't think he realized how far the Police Department has come," said Derrick Dixon, James' son. "So for him to come out here and see a lot of Afro-American officers and commissioners, I think it blew his mind.

"I think now he realizes a lot of the things he did for the Police Department and a lot of first-time things he did for blacks and realizes what it led to," Derrick Dixon said.

The segregation in the police wasn't anything new for James Dixon, after his service in the military.

He was one of the hundreds of Marines from Montford Point, an all-black boot camp in North Carolina, to receive a Congressional Gold Medal last month.

"This was something I never expected, although the Tuskegee Airmen got theirs, so we shouldn't have been very far behind them," James Dixon said. "This is something I will cherish for the few days I have left in my life. But this is something I'm going to have framed and hung on the wall."

Dixon served in the Marines from 1944 until 1946, but his placement there was itself a stroke of luck. Drafted by the Navy, Dixon was willing to go to prison rather than join a unit where he was forced to serve food or swab decks like other blacks who were in the Navy during that era.

"I [said] that if I was put in the Navy, I was going AWOL because I wasn't going to serve any food or scrub any decks," Dixon said, teary-eyed. "Had I been put in the Navy, I would be in jail now. I'm not a servant."

Much has changed since then, but the department has not forgotten Dixon's contributions, said Acting Commissioner Anthony E. Barksdale.

"He's stood strong through all of it. And look at him. Still shining; still standing strong," said Barksdale. "He's giving me advice and telling me stories that are making me happy that I'm wearing the same uniform that he used to wear."

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Old Southwestern District Police Station

Since the doors opened at the former Southwestern District Police Station house on July 17, 1884, the square brick building at Pratt and Calhoun Streets has served the city in many different ways. When construction on the new building began in the fall of 1883, the Baltimore Sun claimed the new Southwestern district police station would "surpass in size, elegance and completely of arrangement any police building now in the city, and, indeed, it will have few equals in the country."

Builders Philip Walsh & Son and architect Frank E. Davis completed the three-story building with room for 47 officers. The men had been reassigned from the southern and eastern districts to serve under of veteran police officer Captain Daniel Lepson who led the brand-new district.

In the summer of 1944, Baltimore's first police boys' club moved into the upper floors, serving around 120 boys from 8 to 18 years old every day during the first few weeks after they opened. With donations from a local social club, the officers converted the station's third floor gymnasium into a  "big clubroom," described by the Sun as, "filled with tousle-haired boys noisily pushing at billiard balls, fashioning B-17's out of wood, nailing magazine racks together and eying each other craftily over checker games." The city started four boys' clubs in the 1940s, with a segregated facility for black children at the Northwestern District Police Station on Gold Street.

Both the officers and the Boys' Club departed in 1958 when the Southwestern District Police Station relocated to a modern, air-conditioned facility at Fonthill and Hurley Avenues. Following close on their tails, however, were the men and dogs of the department's K-9 Corps who moved their official headquarters from the Northern District station to Pratt Street.

Unfortunately, by the late 1970s, the building fell vacant. The Maryland Department of Social Services renovated the former police station in the early 1980s. When they left, the building fell vacant again. Today, the structure is deteriorating and remains at risk until a new use for this often reinvented building can be found. 

Original found here

 

Colts Baltimore Police Boys Club 1961 72

Bring back police-sponsored boys clubs

July 11, 2013

When my brother, Frank, and I were growing up in Baltimore City on South Calhoun Street we were both charter members of the Southwestern Police Boys Club on the third floor of the police station at Pratt and Calhoun streets. The club was run by full-time policemen and had an indoor basketball court, boxing ring, pool tables, ping-pong tables, a woodworking shop, a Boy Scout troop, and a TV room. I believe it was open six days a week and closed at about 9 p.m. In the summer, we would go away to Camp Ritchie for one or two weeks. I believe the cost was about $6 per week. We also had baseball teams and football teams.

As I look back on those happy times spent with my friends at the Boys Club and the devotion those policemen gave to helping us boys, I feel that that experience was a major factor in our growing up the process. I wouldn't trade it for anything. Back then, my brother and a friend of his got interested in ham radio and crystal sets while participating at the Boys Club. He eventually became an electrical engineer and a valuable employee at Bell Labs. He is now 81 years old and lives in Massachusetts. I loved to play pool and ping-pong and leaned toward the business side and became a Certified Public Accountant. I am 77 years old and live in Nottingham.

It baffles me as to why we don't have similar clubs to help the youngsters today. When we came home from school, we headed right for the Boys Club until supper time. Our parents knew where we were and that we were in good hands. I realize these are different times in which we live but the basic principles are still there. With a few adjustments, we could do it again. Our father was a retired police sergeant in Baltimore City, and I want to thank the policemen who devoted their time and talent in molding us kids during the early years of our youth. We respected them and they were our friends. I hope this might encourage officials in Baltimore and Baltimore County to rethink the idea of closing the Police Boys Clubs. They did and do make a difference.

Bob Witt, Nottingham

Colts Baltimore Police Boys Club 1955 72

 

 

 

Devider color with motto 

Please contact Det. Ret. Kenny Driscoll if you have any pictures of you or your family members and wish them remembered here on this tribute site to Honor the fine men and women who have served with Honor and Distinction at the Baltimore Police Department.

Anyone with information, photographs, memorabilia, or other "Baltimore City Police" items can contact Ret. Det. Kenny Driscoll at  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. follow us on Twitter @BaltoPoliceHist or like us on Facebook or mail pics to 8138 Dundalk Ave. Baltimore Md. 21222


Copyright © 2002 Baltimore City Police History - Ret Det Kenny Driscoll

The Civil War's First Dead

Friday, 31 January 2020 03:00 Written by

The Civil War's First Dead
civil war

With 12 Baltimoreans Killed In The Bloody Pratt Street Riot

The most significant action of the Civil War may have occurred in Baltimore on 19 April 1861 during the Pratt Street Riots, which directly caused 17 known deaths and at least 50 injuries and seven recorded arrests, which are now known as the first deaths of the Civil War. Many believe this attack on the union army was at least in part allowed by the Mayor and Police Commissioner at the time, as they were confederate or southern sympathizers one or both being part of the Know Nothing a political party in the US, prominent from 1853 to 1856, that was antagonistic toward Roman Catholics and recent immigrants and whose members preserved its secrecy by denying its existence.
Most of the fighting took place along President Street from near the Harbor North to Pratt Street along Pratt St., West to Light Street the violent action lasted from about 11 AM to 12:45 PM and mostly involved 220 New England Militiamen, some of whom carried and fired muskets, and a mob of Baltimore civilians including a New Maryland Militiamen out of uniform that was variously reported to number anywhere between 250 and 10,000 (more on those number in this report) and which fired a few pistols but fought mainly by grappling, and or hurling paving stones.
Of the 600 or so officers and men of the 6th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, a volunteer militia, who passed from the President Street Station to Camden Station in route to Washington, four were killed and about 35 wounded. The dead soldiers all of enlisted rank, are Addison O Whitney, Luther C Ladd, Charles A Taylor, and Sumner H Needham. The last named died with little resistance in Baltimore Hospital about a week after the riots and during a 19th Century style operation on his fractured skull.
Of the 10,000 unarmed Pennsylvania Militiamen and the 100 additional members of the six Massachusetts including the Regiment Band who arrived at the same time none made it through the mob around President Street Station on this journey but only one died of injuries sustained here. He was George Leisenring, who also succumbed about a week later, after he returned to Philadelphia.
Many Baltimoreans were wounded, and 12 were killed – James Carr, William R. Clark, Robert W. Davis, Sebastian Gill, Patrick Griffiths, John McCann, John McMahon, Francis Maloney, William Maloney, Philip S. Miles, Michael Murphy, and William Reid.
At the time and off and on ever since leading Baltimoreans were and have been the most outraged by the death of Mr. Davis a 36-year-old Drygoods Merchant and Semi-innocent bystander he may have cheered for the Confederacy but he did not join the fighting, and was shot by someone on the 6th Massachusetts trained shortly after it left Camden Station. He cried, “I am killed!” as he fell and the next day a Baltimore coroner’s jury decided that he had been ruthlessly murdered. By one of the military Mr. Davis’s funeral was elaborate but his murder, if that term is strictly accurate was never named, charged, or prosecuted.
Two of the dead civilians Patrick Griffiths and William Reid were described as boys (which at the time might have meant that they were black, adult males white or black with low wage jobs, or that they may have been very young, probably poor white males). Patrick Griffith was employed on an Oyster’s Sloop that was tied up near Pratt and Light Street. William Reid was employed by a Pratt Street establishment described only as of “The Greenhouse” and was shot through the bowels while looking on from the business door.
The ages addressed occupation specifically circumstances of death and last rites of the other Baltimore casualties have apparently never been recorded although those who fell in the Pratt Street riots turned out to be the first fatality victims of a hostile action in the Civil War (no one was killed during reaction which had ended four days earlier at Fort Sumter South Carolina)
The most thorough contemporary accounts of the riots in Baltimore newspapers state that the police arrested “great numbers” afterward. Only seven were apparently ever named anywhere though – Mark Hagan and Andrew Eisenbreeht, charged with “assaulting an officer with the brick” Richard Brown and Patrick Collins “throwing bricks creating a riot” William Reid “severely injuring a man with a brick” J Friedenwald, “assaulting an unknown man” and Lawrence T Erwin, “throwing a brick on Pratt Street” these seven constituted a nether Civil War first
The troops from Massachusetts and Pennsylvania were responding to Abraham Lincoln’s April 15 call for volunteers, and many Baltimoreans in slave-holding Maryland interpreted that to be an effort to recruit an army to invade such succeeding “sister states” as Virginia. A Confederate Army recruitment office flourished at Marsh Market: a pro-secession mob of about 800 had roamed Charles Street on the night of April 18, and more than one Negro had recently been flogged for daring to cheer the Republican President in public.
So the Baltimoreans in the Pratt Street riots were as much pro-Southern as they were simply pro Maryland or simply outraged by the alleged violation of State sovereignty by another State’s Militia (An idea suggested in “ Maryland! My Maryland!” the official state song that was inspired by and written shortly after the riots by writer Randall, a native Baltimorean English teacher then in New Orleans).!
And so the seven Baltimoreans arrested turned out to be the first Civil War partisans of either side who suffered official legal action for their pains. Of them boldly Lawrence T Erwin was convicted and “held for sentence” so far as contemporary accounts, histories and memories reveal. His sentence, if any, is also unrecorded.
One history of Baltimore Police Department explains that “it was useless to arrest men when not an officer could be spared to put them in jail.” It seemed too, that although the department had been reorganized about a year earlier under Marshal George P. Kane to rid it of corrupt “Know Nothing” political elements, it had no patrol wagons in 1861, and since the main body of police detailed to maintain order during the militia’s passage was either a half mile away at Camden Station or in route to the scene of the fighting door and most of the writing, it is perhaps remarkable that as many as seven arrests were made.
Why the main body of police was at the end of the troops projected route, instead of at its beginning, is still something of a mystery. The record collection of the riots that was published 19 years after the events by George William Brown, who was mayor in 1861, lays part of the blame on the management of the P.W. & B. be railroad the company failure to answer marshal Kane’s repeated telegrams that ask how many troops were in route to the Pres. Street location and when: so by 1030 on the morning of April 19, the police could do nothing better than send their main body – “a strong force” – the Camden Station.
Such action was proper, one infers from Mayor Brown’s account, even though a large crowd had assembled at both stations as early as 9 AM and even though the secessionist flag – a circle of white stars on a field of blue – was displayed by the throng and Pres. Street station. Passers to arrive from the North won the P.W. & B than customarily stayed one the cars and Pres. Street station if they were bound for Washington, and the cars were hauled one by one and by four force teams, to Camden station, where the passengers got off and boarded Baltimore and Ohio trains to continue to national capital. “As the change of cars occurred at this point,” a Police Department history published in 1888 remarks, “it was here that the attack was feared.”
But why at Camden station, to which the troops would have been pulled more than a mile through angry spectators who it already been hurrahing Jefferson Davis. President of the new Confederacy, and cheering president Lincoln for an hour and a half?
Only the day before, a lesser riot (resulting in no deaths) began near the Bolton station one another troop of Pennsylvania Militia (the first defenders) D trained in North Baltimore and was stoned by a mob as it marched south to board a train for Washington. The police applied more and less effective protection for the first defenders while they were of foot in Baltimore on April 18. Why then did marshal Kane apparently reverses strategy on April 19 and decide that the six Massachusetts et al would be safe while on the cars as they were pulled from Pres. Street station to Camden station?
Mayor Brown later decided (in his memoirs of the riot, published in 1887) to the six Massachusetts et al would have been more imposing, therefore safer, if they had marched as a body of 1700 men from one station to the other. Just such an order for marching through Baltimore was apparently prepared by the sixth Massachusetts commander, Col. Edward F Jones, but it was abandoned “someone had plundered” Mayor Brown concluded hinting strongly that some PW and be executives had.
The logic of hindsight suggests that the main body of police should have met the train at Pres. Street station and that adequate details of officers should have escorted each horse-drawn cart of soldiers to Camden station. As it happened the first nine cars of 35 car troop train hauled Col. Jones and seven of his 11 Massachusetts companies of Pres. Street, across Pratt Street and down Howard Street to Camden station with little, if any police escort – and still they made the trip without serious mishap. The crowd hissed but threw stones at only the last car, and Mayor Brown, who by this time had arrived to Camden station from his law office, thought that maybe the nine cars were the lot.
The 10th car was halted at the Pratt Street bridge over Jones falls by a wagon load of sand that the mob dumped in its path, some anchors (perhaps eight that Negro seamen from nearby ships drew across the tracks, and a motley barricade of lumber and paving stones that were handy because the street was by chance under repair at that point.
The 10th car returned to Pres. Street station, where the mob had swelled to about 2000 and where some police arrived (from outlying districts, apparently not from the main body at Camden station) as the 220 or so soldiers D trained and lined up in single file. Their effort to March to Camden station in this unlikely formation was blocked by a knot of men flying the “Succession Flag” so they were formed into double file, about faced, an marched in the opposite direction, (i.e. retreat) conceivably inspired to dive into the harbor and swim West at the Light Street. The mob having savagely choked a union sympathizer, who tried to tear down the “Succession Flag”, circled the soldiers and halted the de facto retreat. The troopers then fell in by platoons, for abreast, and with police help, wedged a path north on President Street. The gang with the “Succession Flag” would march ahead of them and savagely beat two or more union sympathizers who tried to tear down the banner, then ran along the militia ranks. Part of the crowd behind the six Massachusetts columns then began to throw stones, one of which felled a trooper named William patch, who was then beaten with his own musket.
The four companies – C, D, I and L – then began either “to run” or March “at double quick,” presumably one orders from one or all of their captains, who were named Follansbee, Hart, Pickering and Dike. Two more soldiers were knocked down at Pres. and styles streets – possibly by a flatiron or one of the “queer missiles” (meaning chamber pots) that were thrown by Baltimore women in the mob, according to the 1936 reminiscence of Aaron J Fletcher the last survivor of the Civil War six Massachusetts.
Mr. Fletcher is the only direct account that even suggests that any women were involved in the riots. (A romantic story, written in 1865, alleges that a Baltimore prostitute named in Manley saved the six Massachusetts Regiment band by guiding them away from Pres. Street station by back alleys – but most accounts state that the police protected the musicians) at about the time the troops turned the corner into Pratt Street, at any rate, someone fired the first shot.
E. W. Beatty, of Baltimore fired that shot from the crowd, according to the opinion that seemed to be based on the opinions of Confederate officers with whom a he later served before he was killed in action. One of the six Massachusetts soldiers fired that first shot, according to contemporary newspaper accounts that attributed the information to a policeman identified only as “number 71” by that time Mayor Brown had heard that the mob had poured up Pratt Street and had hastened to the bridge. Where he met the new and wonders and joined them in their March at the head of the column as far back toward Camden station as light Street.
Mayor Brown’s account states that he slowed the soldiers pace (they also had to pick their way through the half hazards barricade at the bridge) the Capt. Follansbee said: “We have been attacked without provocations” and that he Mayor Brown replied “you must defend yourselves.”
The troopers of home about 60 carried muskets, then began to fire in earnest – in volleys, according to the newspaper; over their shoulders and helter-skelter, according to Mayor Brown; definitely not in volleys, according to Karen Fletcher’s recollection (although he was with Company E, which passed safely through in one of the nine cars) the first Baltimorean hit (in the groin) was supposed to be Francis X Ward.
A Unionist newspaper in Washington quoted Col. Jones and the next day as saying that Mayor Brown had seized a musket and shot a man during the march. Mr. Brown wrote later that a boy he had handed him a smoking musket which a soldier had dropped and that he had immediately handed it to a policeman.
The Mayor must have found that the Pratt Street riots generally embarrassing. Then 48 years old he had been elected in October, 1860, on the reform ticket dedicated to absolving Baltimore of its nickname “Mobtown” and he helped put down the bank of Maryland riots in 1835. He believed in freeing the slaves gradually, but felt that slavery was allowed by the Constitution and that the South should be allowed to succeed in peace.
He was some early arrested by the federal military in September 1861 and prisons until November 1862 from 1872 until the year before his death 1890 he served as chief judge of the supreme bench of Baltimore city. He was defeated in a campaign for mayor in 1885.
When Mayor Brown left the Massachusetts infantrymen, near Pratt and light Street, most of the casualties had fallen, the fighting having been heaviest near South Street. The Baltimore dead and wounded were mostly bystanders, according to most Baltimore accounts, because the running soldiers allegedly fired to the front and sides and not at the hostile mob behind them which may have been as small as 250 men, according to the “Tercentenary History of Maryland”
A historian who took notable exception to the bystander only version was J Thomas Clark, author of the “Chronicles of Baltimore” which describes an “amends concourse of people” that to a man threw paving stones at the troopers from in front of them.
Before the column reached Charles Street, marshal Kane and about 40 police finally arrived from Camden station and through a cordon around the soldiers. “Halt men or I’ll shoot!” The Marshall is supposed to have cried as he and his men brandished revolvers. The mob halted.
That even marshal Kane telegraphed friends to recruit Virginia rifleman to defend Baltimore further from invasion by union militia. In June, after general Benjamin Butler “occupied” Baltimore with other Massachusetts troops, the police Marshall was also arrested and imprisoned. Released in 1862, he went to Richmond apparently by informal agreement, and apparently served in the Confederacy during the war. He died at the age of 58 and 1878, seven months after he was elected Baltimore’s Mayor.
The six Massachusetts had left Baltimore by 1 PM on April 19, 1861 – short of its dead and some of its wounded, who were cared for in Baltimore hospitals and temporarily buried and Greenmount Cemetery and its regimental bands men who along with 1000 unarmed Pennsylvania volunteers were more effectively protected by the police from two attacks at Pres. Street station by mobs which may have increased to 10,000 persons according to Mr. Scarf’s Chronicle.
The Pratt Street riots occurred on the anniversary of the revolutionary war battle of Lexington, a coincidence which both northern and southern propagandists made a lot of, notably the former the civic leaders of Baltimore called halfheartedly for law and order in speeches in Monument Square when the same afternoon, ordered railroad bridges burned North the city and persuaded Pres. Lincoln to route further worsened the defenders through Annapolis.
Much of the city might protest that its sovereignty had been violated, the riots appeared to the North to be a pro-Confederate outrage, and it is not difficult to understand why the federal government soon decided to clamp down on the city.
The six Massachusetts was in Baltimore three more times during the war. It survivors were felt it here on several occasions afterwards. Its reception on April 19, 1861 caused far-reaching repercussions, though including the ironic turnabout in Baltimore which saw Unionist mobs roughing up success in this one the streets as soon after the riots as May 1861.
Note; Marshal George P Kane was Baltimore’s police Commissioner at the time called Marshal – Mayor George W Brown was the city’s mayor at the time
A map shows the route followed by the Massachusetts infantrymen on their march from Pres. Street station to Camden station
The three contemporary drawings produced above show the six Massachusetts fighting its way along Pratt Street against the mob of April 19, 1861. The middle sketch is from Harper’s weekly the other two are from Frank Leslie’s pictorial history of the war.
The attack on the six Massachusetts was drawn by Albert Faulk Baltimore artist perhaps a witness

 Devider color with motto 

Please contact Det. Ret. Kenny Driscoll if you have any pictures of you or your family members and wish them remembered here on this tribute site to Honor the fine men and women who have served with Honor and Distinction at the Baltimore Police Department.

Anyone with information, photographs, memorabilia, or other "Baltimore City Police" items can contact Ret. Det. Kenny Driscoll at   This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it." follow us on Twitter @BaltoPoliceHist or like us on Facebook or mail pics to 8138 Dundalk Ave. Baltimore Md. 21222

 Copyright © 2002 Baltimore City Police History - Ret Det Kenny Driscoll

Detective Julius Neveker

Thursday, 30 January 2020 13:29 Written by

 

EVER EVER EVER Motto Divder

Detective Julius Neveker

Jules NevCourtesy Walt Neveker
Jules Nev 2Courtesy Walt Neveker
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Earning his badge of service

February 07, 2004

City police detective ends 50 years on force

February 07, 2004|By Jamie Stiehm | Jamie Stiehm,SUN STAFF

On a wintry January day in 1954, an 18-year-old from South Baltimore started his first day on the job as a telephone clerk in the city's Southern Police District. In those days, that was the place where kids who wanted to be police officers grew into the job.

Over the next 50 years, Julius O. Neveker Sr. saw a bit of everything when it came to the seamy sides of the city. He saw bloody stabbing scenes. He saw the damage done during the street riots of 1968. He saw commissioners and mayors come and go. And, on one memorable night some 30 years ago, while he was a member of the city vice squad, he helped round up more than 100 female impersonators on prostitution charges.

"The good old days are gone forever," Neveker, the longest-serving officer on the city police force, said wryly yesterday at a retirement celebration attended by many dignitaries, including Baltimore police Commissioner Kevin P. Clark. "What can I say?"

His friends came out in force to say goodbye yesterday at police headquarters on East Fayette Street, and laughter filled the auditorium as 150 officers enjoyed the 68-year-old detective's trademark memories and salty humor.

Matt Jablow, the city police spokesman, said yesterday that Neveker might be a record-holder beyond Baltimore. "It is believed 50 years is a record for the longest time anyone has served continuously in a police agency," he said. "We're checking the Guinness Book of World Records."

Neveker's last post was keeping watch inside City Hall.

When Neveker was promoted to patrolman at 21, the Southern High School graduate felt home free. Clad in a pinstripe suit yesterday, Neveker waved a newspaper clipping from 1957 about himself as a telephone clerk. The article noted, "His most cherished ambition is to don the blue as a regular member of the force."

During his early patrol days, Neveker walked and covered familiar turf, the South Baltimore streets he knew from boyhood.

"In South Baltimore, the men were men and the women knew it," he said half-jokingly. "People in the neighborhood knew you. I miss some of the old-timers."

Neveker, known as Jules, clearly hails from the city's old school himself, by the way he says "po-lice," stressing the first syllable.

He and his wife Nancy have lived in Eldersburg in Carroll County for many years, but his Baltimore street syntax has not worn off.

Other tours of duty included the Southwestern District, the Criminal Investigation Division, the auto theft and vice squad divisions.

One night while working on the vice squad, Neveker recalled, he and others arrested 119 "female impersonators," as he put it, near Pennsylvania Avenue to face a judge in District Court the next morning.

When he worked downtown, Neveker became known as the "Fish Man" throughout police headquarters because he always stopped at Baltimore's fresh-fish market by the waterfront and brought seafood to colleagues who placed orders.

"Word got around that I had fish in my briefcase," Neveker said. In the late 1960s or early 1970s, that practice temporarily came to a stop when a colonel told him he shouldn't transport fish in his squad car. When the colonel found he was delivering fish to the commissioner, the ruling was reversed.

Not intimidated by authority in a rigidly rank-conscious organization of 3,300 uniformed officers, Neveker delighted in telling small tales of defiance yesterday.

When a colonel caught him dozing at his desk, he rebounded by telling him he was praying. As he told it, he added with comedic timing: "I was praying that you wouldn't catch me sleeping."

On another occasion, when his boss wouldn't give him a day off, he appealed to the boss' wife.

Nancy Neveker said even when her husband was sick with a temperature of 103 or 104 degrees, she could not stop him from going to work. "It was my life," Neveker told the audience of officers. "Every one of you is my brother and sister."



TO BE CONTINUED...

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 NOTICE

How to Dispose of Old Police Items


If you come into possession of Police items from an Estate or Death of a Police Officer Family Member and do not know how to properly dispose of these items please contact: Retired Detective Ken Driscoll - Please dispose of POLICE Items: Badges, Guns, Uniforms, Documents, PROPERLY so they won’t be used IMPROPERLY. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 
Please contact Det. Ret. Kenny Driscoll if you have any pictures of you or your family members and wish them remembered here on this tribute site to Honor the fine men and women who have served with Honor and Distinction at the Baltimore Police Department. 

Anyone with information, photographs, memorabilia, or other "Baltimore City Police" items can contact Ret. Det. Kenny Driscoll at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. follow us on Twitter @BaltoPoliceHist or like us on Facebook or mail pics to 8138 Dundalk Ave. Baltimore Md. 21222


Copyright © 2002 Baltimore City Police History - Ret Det Kenny Driscoll



Baltimore Blue Bloods

Thursday, 30 January 2020 05:15 Written by

 

Baltimore Blue Bloods

The Families within our Family

This page is dedicated to the Fathers and Sons, Brothers and Sisters, Husbands, Wives; Aunts, Uncles, and Nieces and Nephews, any relatives in and of the Baltimore Police Department, it will take time to build this list, and eventually we will have to alphabetize the list, but for now, it is too few to really begin putting in any order.

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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 

A


William Ackiss (Husband)
Deana Ackiss (Wife)


Sgt. William George Adams Jr. (Grandfather)

P/O Raymond C Eibner (Uncle)
P/O Louis H Eibner (Great Uncle)
P/O Lynne Eibner Brown (Cousin)
P/O Todd W Eibner


Ernie Anderson (Husband)

Dawn Anderson (Wife)


Sgt. Tobias Airey 1851

Cpt. Charles LeBon 1817 to 1837
P/O Earl LeBon


A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 

B


Lt. Brennen (father)
P/O Barbara Brennen (daughter)


Sgt. Edwin B. Bullock (Great Grandfather)
Lt. Edmund Bossle (Great Grandson)


Joe Breitenbach (Brother)
Tim Breitenbach (Brothers)


Det Danny Boone (Father)
P/O Dante Boone (Son)


Capt. Elmer Bowen (father)

Lieut. William Bowen (son)
Officer Jack Heaps (uncle)
Officer Melvin Rose (brother-in-law)
Officer Charles Nethken (cousin)


Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III
P/O Charles Bealefeld
P/O Barney Bealefeld
P/O John B. Bealefeld
P/O Frederick Henry Bealefeld Sr


Col. Joseph Bolesta (Brother)

Bruce Bolesta (Brother)
William Bolesta


P/O Paul Boone (Joe's Uncle)

P/O Donald Burns  (Joe's Cousin)
Lt Joe Peters (Husband)
Det Janice Peters (Wife)

P/O John Edward Swift (Joe's Great Grandfather)
P/O Adam Smith (Janice's Great Grandfather)


Robert L. Brown Sr. (Father)

Robert L. Brown Jr. (Son)
Melissa Edick ( Daughter)


P/O Lynne Eibner Brown (Cousin)
P/O Raymond C Eibner (Uncle)
P/O Louis H Eibner (Great Uncle)
P/O Todd W Eibner (nephew)
Sgt. William George Adams Jr. (Grandfather)

Dr. Frank Barranco (cousin)
Col. Tim Longo (uncle)
Det. Steve Longo (nephew)
Ofc. Joseph Longo (cousin)


A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

C


Sgt Augustus Chaillou
Sgt Louis Chaillou  (Brother of Sgt Augustus)
Lt Charles Thompson (gg-grandson of Sgt Louis)


Roger Carrol

Sandy Carrol


Sergeant Carroll (Father)

Colonel Joseph Carroll (Son)
Sergeant Frederick W. Carroll


Dan Calhoun (Husband)
Cathy Calhoun (Wife)


Morgan Clasing - Daughter
Kathleen Ryan Clasing - Mother
Bernard Clasing, Jr. - Dad
Mark Clasing - Uncle
David Clasing - Uncle
Steven Fischer - Cousin/Father
Melissa Fischer -Cousin/Daughter


P/A David Cheuvront
Sgt. Bill Cheuvront
P/O Dawn Cheuvront


Major William Colburn (Father)

Lieutenant William Colburn (Son)


Gary Cichowicz (brother)

Mike Cichowicz (brother)
Albert Markiewitz (uncle)
Robert Clifford Sgt. (great uncle)


Nick Constantine

Gene Constantine


P/O Dianna L. Ckyyou (sister)
P/O Joseph B. Johnson (brother)


A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

D



Officer Mike Driscoll (Uncle to Kenny Driscoll - 2nd Uncle to Jamie Driscoll)
Det Kenny Driscoll (Nephew to Mike Driscoll, and Leo Smith – Cousin to Gary Smith, Father to Jamie Driscoll)
Det Leo Smith (Father to Gary, Uncle to Kenny Driscoll - 2nd Uncle to Jamie Driscoll)
Officer Gary Smith (Son to Leo Smith, Cousin to Kenny Driscoll - 2nd Cousin to Jamie Driscoll)
Cadet Jamie Driscoll (Daughter to Kenny Driscoll, 2nd Niece to Mike Driscoll and Leo Smith - 2nd Cousin to Gary Smith)


Sgt Charles R. Daugherty
Sgt Donald F. Daugherty
P/O Robert L Daugherty

Kenny Dickstein  (Father)
Ryan Dickstein   (Son)

P/O Patrick Deachilla (Son)  
P/O William "Bill" Martin (Father)

Det. Shirley Disney
Det. Marty Disney

Edward Dunn (Father)
Michael Dunn (Son)
Paul Dunn, (Son)


Capt. John Dunn (Grandfather to Dick Ellwood JR. & John Ellwood)

Lt. Ed Dunn (Uncle to Dick Ellwood & John Ellwood)
P/O Dick Ellwood Sr. (Father to Dick Ellwood Jr. & John Ellwood)
Sgt. John Ellwood (Brother of Dick Ellwood Sr. - Son/Dick Ellwood Jr.)
Sgt. Dick Ellwood Jr.(son of Dick Ellwood Sr./brother to John Ellwood)
Det. David Ellwood (son of Dick Ellwood Jr.)


Major Robert Distefano (Brother)
P/O John Distefano (Brother)


P/O Frank DeManss

Lt. Jerry DeManss
Sgt Louis DeManss


Dep Com Errol Dutton
Major Diane Dutton (sister)


P/O Edward Dunn (Father)

Sgt. Michael Dunn (Son)
P/O Paul Dunn (Son)


Roderick Dotson Sr

Roderick Dotson Jr

 

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

E

 


P/O Raymond C Eibner (Uncle)
P/O Louis H Eibner (Great Uncle)
P/O Lynne Eibner Brown (Cousin)
P/O Todd W Eibner
Sgt. William George Adams Jr. (Grandfather)


Robert Ewing (Brother)
Patrick Ewing (Brother)
Robert Ewing (Cousin)


Melissa Edick ( Daughter)
Robert L. Brown Sr. (Father)
Robert L. Brown Jr.(Son)

LT Errol Etting, Sr (Retired)

P/O Errol Etting, Jr (Son)

P/O Jamison Etting (Nephew)

P/O Dick Ellwood Sr. (Father to Dick Ellwood Jr. & John Ellwood)
Sgt. John Ellwood (Brother of Dick Ellwood Sr. - Son/Dick Ellwood Jr.)
Sgt. Dick Ellwood Jr.(son of Dick Ellwood Sr./brother to John Ellwood)
Det. David Ellwood (son of Dick Ellwood Jr.)
Capt. John Dunn (Grandfather to Dick Ellwood JR. & John Ellwood)
Lt. Ed Dunn (Uncle to Dick Ellwood & John Ellwood)


A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
  

F



Sgt Wm. Forrest
Capt. William J. Forrest


P/O Toni Furlong
P/O Bill Furlong
P/O Rob Furlong Jr


Sgt. Kirk Fleet (Brother)
P/O Karen Fleet (Sister)


William Feeley (Mark's Cousin, Howard, and Charles' Nephew)
Mark Lindsay (William's Cousin)
Howard Lindsay (Mark's Father)
Charles Lindsay (Mark's Uncle, and Howard's Brother)
James Stein (Mark's Uncle, and Howard's brother-in-law)


Steven Fischer - Cousin/Father
Melissa Fischer -Cousin/Daughter

Morgan Clasing - Daughter
Kathleen Ryan Clasing - Mother
Bernard Clasing, Jr. - Dad
Mark Clasing - Uncle
David Clasing - Uncle

 

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 

G


Col. Joeseph “Carl” Gutberlet
Det. Laurie Zuromski (Guterlet) 3rd wife
Sgt. Donna Gutberlet 2nd wife


Lt. Frank Grunder (father)
Sgt. Frank Grunder (son)

John Groncki (brother)
Det Robert Groncki (brother)

 

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 

H



Charles Heiderman P/O (Great Grandfather)
Walter Heiderman P/O (Grand Father)
John Heiderman P/O (Grandson / Great-Grandson / Cousin) 
Fred Heiderman Lt. (Cousin)


Major Sidney R. Hyatt (father)
Lieutenant Colonel Melissa R. Hyatt (daughter)


Gary Hoover (brother)
Louis Hoover (brother)


Drew Hall (Husband)
Eileen Hall (Wife)
Sgt. Norman Jacobs (father)


Officer Jack Heaps (uncle)
Capt. Elmer Bowen (father)
Lieut. William Bowen (son)
Officer Melvin Rose (brother-in-law)
Officer Charles Nethken (cousin)


A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 

I



Thomas Irwin (Great, Great Great Uncle)
Robert L. Irwin (Uncle)
Kathy Irwin (Niece)


A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 

J


Sgt. Walter Johnson (Uncle)
Det. Ray Johnson (Nephew)


P/O Joseph B. Johnson (brother)
P/O Dianna L. Ckyyou (sister)


Sgt. Norman Jacobs (father)
Drew Hall (Husband)
Eileen Hall (Wife)

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 

K


Sgt. Chris Kirhagis
P/O Adam Kirhagis

John Keil (Step-father),
Autumn L. Gibert-Macareno (Step-daughter)

P/O Harry Koffenberger (Father)
Maj. Harry Koffenberger, Jr. (Son) 

Sgt. Stephen Kolackovsky (Brother)
P/O Dean Kolackovsky (Brother)

Lt. William Ireton Kearney
P/O Frank Ignatius Kearney (Father)
Lt. Charles Edward Kearney (Brother)
P/O Andrew Joseph Kearney (Great Great Uncle)

Lt. Det. Louis Phillip Kotmair, (Grandfather) HQ 
P/O Joseph Casper Kotmair. (His brother) Northern 
P/O John Baptist Kotmair (His other brother) Mounted 
P/O Frank Kotmair, (his other brother) Northwestern and
P/O John Baptist Kotmair, Jr. (his grandson) Southern District

The Kincaid family has a long history of law enforcement with the Baltimore City Police Dept. and the City of Baltimore.


Robert F. Kincaid - Was a Hostler with the Baltimore City Police Dept. (Husband to Dorothy, father to William F. Kincaid, Donald L. Kincaid Sr., Kenneth K. Kincaid, Grandfather to James, Jack, William Jr. and Donald Jr. Great Grandfather to David Jr.) 

Dorothy Kincaid - Was a School Crossing Guard (wife to Robert F. Kincaid, mother to William F Kincaid, Donald L. Kincaid Sr., and Kenneth K. Kincaid, Grandmother to James, Jack, William Jr., and Donald Jr., Great Grandmother to David Jr.) 

William F. Kincaid - ( son of Robert and Dorothy, brother to Donald Sr and Kenneth Kincaid, father to William F. Kincaid Jr, Uncle to James, Jack and Donald Kincaid and Great uncle to David R. Kincaid ) 

Donald L. Kincaid Sr. - ( son of Robert and Dorothy, brother to William and Kenny Kincaid, father to Donald L Kincaid Jr., Uncle to James and Jack Kincaid and grandfather to David R Kincaid Jr. 

Kenneth K. Kincaid - ( son of Robert and Dorothy, brother to William and Kenny Kincaid, father to Donald L Kincaid Jr., Uncle to James and Jack Kincaid and Great Uncle to David R Kincaid Jr.) 

James L. Kincaid - ( Grandson to Robert and Dorothy, Nephew to William, Donald Sr and Kenneth, Cousin to Jack, William Jr and Donald Jr, 2nd Cousin to David Jr. )  

Jack W. Kincaid - (Grandson to Robert and Dorothy, Nephew to William, Donald Sr and Kenneth, Cousin to James, William Jr and Donald Jr, 2nd Cousin to David Jr. ) 

William Kincaid Jr. - (Grandson to Robert and Dorothy, Son of William, Nephew to Donald Sr and Kenneth, Cousin to James. Jack and Donald Jr, 2nd Cousin to David Jr. ) 

Donald L. Kincaid Jr. - ( Grandson to Robert and Dorothy, Son of Donald L. Kincaid Sr., Nephew of William and Kenneth, Cousin to James, Jack, William Jr and Uncle to David Jr. ) 

David R. Kincaid Jr. - ( Great Grandson to Robert and Dorothy, Grandson to Donald L. Kincaid Sr., Nephew to Donald L. Kincaid Jr., Great Nephew to William and Kenneth and 2nd cousin to James, Jack and William Jr. )


 
 

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 

L



P/O Bernie Lowery
P/O BJ Lowery – son

Det. Vincent M. Lash. G545 SES (twin)
Det. Michael V. Lash G544 sex offense unit. (Twin)


George Washington Lamar
Thomas C. Wade Sr
Thomas C. Wade Jr
Joe Wade
Timmy Wade

Col. Tim Longo (uncle)
Det. Steve Longo (nephew)
Ofc. Joseph Longo (cousin)
Dr. Frank Barranco (cousin)

Det./Sgt. Steve Lehmann (Great Grandson)
Sgt. James McCloskey (Great Grandfather)


Dan Lioi (father)

Sergeant Lioi (son)


Robert Lewandowski (brother)
John Lewandowski (brother)


Det Mark Lindsay 
Officer Howard Lindsay (Father)
Officer Charles Lindsay (Uncle)
Officer James Stein (Uncle)
Officer William Feeley (cousin)


Lt Raymond Landsman-Father
Lt Jerry Landsman-Son
Sgt Jay Landsman-Son
P/o Jack Landsman-Son
Maj Regis Raffensberger-Son-in-law

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 

M


Sgt James Magness. (Husband)
Deputy Major Barbara Magness (Wife)
Crystal Sheffield (Sister)


Deputy Commissioner Melvin McQuay  (father)
P/O Charles McQuay (son)
P/O Carolyn McQuay (Chuck's wife)


P/O Peggy Mullen
P/O Jim "Moon" Mullen

Albert Markiewitz (uncle)
Gary Cichowicz (brother)
Mike Cichowicz (brother)
Robert Clifford Sgt. (great uncle)

P/O Howard L. Mills (Grandfather)
Sgt. Donald Voss (Grandson)
P/O Edwin Duke (Brother-in-law)


Dep Com Ron Mullen
Col. Patricia Mullen

P/O William "Bill" Martin (Father)
P/O Patrick Deachilla (Son) 


P/O John Mckinley (Father)
P/O John Mckinley (Son)
P/O Deborah Mckinley (Daughter)
P/O James Mckinley (Grandson)


P/O Jacob Mainster (3rd great grandfather)
Sgt. Thomas Wahlen (Father)
P/O Brian Wahlen (Son)


Captain Dennis P Mello (Grandfather)
P/O Mello (Granddaughter)


Officer David Mills
Officer Maxine Mills


Casper (Joe) Miller
David Miller
Thomas Miller


Edward Mendez Jr (Husband)
Terry Watkins Mendez (Wife)
 

Sgt. James McCloskey (Great Grandfather)
Det./Sgt. Steve Lehmann (Great Grandson)


P/O Raymond Graf (Great Great Grandfather) 
Sgt Ed Mattson (Great Great Grandson)

 

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 

N



Bunny Nevins
Richard Nevins


P/O Charles T. Neill (father)
P/O Bruce C. Neill (son)


Officer Charles Nethken (cousin)
Capt. Elmer Bowen (father)
Lieut. William Bowen (son)
Officer Jack Heaps (uncle)
Officer Melvin Rose (brother-in-law)


Sgt. Patrick Newman (Father)
Colonel Joesph Newman (Son)


Officer Bernard Newberger (Husband)

Officer Lola Newberger (Wife)


A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 

O

 

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 

P


Det Cecil Patterson Jr (father)
Det Gilbert Wankmiller (uncle)
P/O Jack L. Patterson (son)


Col Margaret W. Patten
Sgt Bruce Patten


LT. Col Kathleen Patek
Sgt Patek

Lieutenant Kenny Peach
Captain John Peach

Lt Joe Peters (Husband)
Det Janice Peters (Wife)
P/O Paul Boone (Joe's Uncle)
P/O Donald Burns  (Joe's Cousin)
P/O John Edward Swift (Joe's Great Grandfather)
P/O Adam Smith (Janice's Great Grandfather)

P/O Anthony James Panowitz (Father)
P/O Edward A Panowitz, Sr (Son)
P/O Edward A James Panowitz Jr. aka Skip (Grandson)
P/O Edmund Panowicz (Nephew)
P/O Gregory Panowicz (Nephew – Brother of Edmund)
P/O Raphael Panowicz (Nephew – Brother of Edmund)
Sergeant  Walter James Panowicz (Nephew – Brother of Edmund)

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 

Q

 

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 

R

Lt Juan Rodriguez (Husband)
Linda  Rodriguez (Wife)
Major Antonio Rodriguez (Lt Juan Rodriguez's brother)
P/O Kristopher Rodriguez (Maj Antonio Rodriguez’s son)
P/O Louie Renteria (Lt Juan Rodriguez's Son)

P/O David Reitz (husband)
P/O Suzan Reitz (wife)


Lt. Col David Reitz

P/O Susan Reitz


Fred Roussey
Vince Roussey
Fred Jr. Roussey
Jamie Roussey


Officer Charles Nethken (cousin)
Capt. Elmer Bowen (father)
Lieut. William Bowen (son)
Officer Jack Heaps (uncle)
Officer Melvin Rose (brother-in-law)


Maj Regis Raffensberger-Son-in-law
Lt Raymond Landsman-Father
Lt Jerry Landsman-Son
Sgt Jay Landsman-Son
P/o Jack Landsman-Son

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 

S



P/O Les Stickles Sr. (Father)
Lt. Les Stickles Jr. (Son)


Brian Schwaab (brother)

Doug Schwaab (brother)

Patrick Sellers (brother)
John Sellers (brother)




P/O Paul W. Sharpley,Sr. ( Father )
P/O Robert G. Sharpley ( Son )
 

Ralph Stansbury (Grandfather)
Sergeant Howard Stansbury Sr. (Father)
Detective Howard Stansbury Jr. (Grandson/son)


Det Leo Smith (Father to Gary, Uncle to Kenny Driscoll)
Officer Gary Smith (Son to Leo Smith Cousin to Kenny Driscoll)
Officer Mike Driscoll (Uncle to Kenny Driscoll)
Det Kenny Driscoll (Nephew to Mike Driscoll, and Leo Smith – Cousin to Gary Smith father to Jamie)
Cadet Jamie Driscoll (Daughter to Kenny Driscoll, Niece to Mike Driscoll and Leo Smith)


Alan E. Small Agent (Father)
Timothy M. Small Officer (Son)


P/O John Edward Swift (Joe's Great Grandfather)

P/O Adam Smith (Janice's Great Grandfather)
P/O Paul Boone (Joe's Uncle)
P/O Donald Burns  (Joe's Cousin)
Lt Joe Peters (Husband)
Det Janice Peters (Wife)


Tom Shillenn
Kevin Shillenn
Darryl Shillenn


Crystal Sheffield (Sister)
Sgt James Magness. (Husband)
Deputy Major Barbara Magness (Wife)


James Stein (Marks Uncle, Howard's Brother-in-law)
Mark Lindsay (James’ Nephew)
Howard Lindsay (Mark's Father)
Charles Lindsay (Mark's Uncle, and Howard's Brother)
William Feeley (Mark's Cousin, Howard, and Charles' Nephew)

Edward Stefankiewicz P/O  (Father) Here
Andy Stefankiewicz P/O (Son) 

John Sharp (Cousin)
Sgt. Chris Grant  (Cousin)


Barbara Schlereth  (Mother)
Rick Schlereth (Son)

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 

T


P/O Richard Thompson Sr. (Father)
P/O RichardThompson Jr. (Son)


Col. Leon Tomlin (Father)

Det. Sgt. Mark Tomlin (son)
Det. Nick Tomlin (son)


Joanne Tutor (Wife)

George Tutor (Husband)


Lt Charles Thompson (GG-Grandson of Sgt Louis)
Sgt Augustus Chaillou
Sgt Louis Chaillou  (Brother of Sgt Augustus)


A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 

U


A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
 

V

 
Lt. JoAnn Oliphant Voelker
P/O Everett Voelker


Sgt. Donald Voss (Great-Grandson)
P/O Edwin Duke (Brother-in-law)
P/O Howard L. Mills (Great-Grandfather)




Det Glenn Valis ( Father -Retired )
P/O Corey A. Valis (Active - son)

P/O Christopher G. Valis ( Active - son )

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 

W


Sgt. Edward Thomas Weitzel (Father)
P/O Robert D Weitzel (Son)

August T. Waldsachs (Brother) 
Joseph C. Waldsachs (Brother)

Thomas C. Wade Sr
Thomas C. Wade Jr
Joe Wade
Timmy Wade
George Washington Lamar


Sgt. Thomas Wahlen (Father)
P/O Brian Wahlen (Son)
P/O Jacob Mainster (3rd great grandfather)


Det Gilbert Wankmiller (uncle)

Det Cecil Patterson Jr (father)
P/O Jack L. Patterson (son)

 

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 

X

 

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 

Y



P/O Robert Yamin (Uncle)
Detective Sergeant L.Gary Yamin (Nephew)


A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 

Z


Det. Laurie Zuromski (Guterlet) 3rd wife
Col. Joeseph “Carl” Gutberlet
Sgt. Donna Gutberlet 2nd wife



Balt Blue Bloods Motto 72

Devider color with motto

Please contact Det. Ret. Kenny Driscoll if you have any pictures of you or your family members and wish them remembered here on this tribute site to Honor the fine men and women who have served with Honor and Distinction at the Baltimore Police Department.

Anyone with information, photographs, memorabilia, or other "Baltimore City Police" items can contact Ret. Det. Kenny Driscoll at  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. follow us on Twitter @BaltoPoliceHist or like us on Facebook or mail pics to 8138 Dundalk Ave. Baltimore Md. 21222

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Vice Squad

Sunday, 26 January 2020 09:24 Written by

Baltimore City Police Vice Squad

5 July, 1938

LAWSON PLANS SPECIAL SQUAD TO BATTLE VICE
Newspaper reports of the Times; 5 July, 1938

Lawson will name his new group this week to attack prostitution, and gambling

20 members of forceful face medical tests on fitness for duty

A special cleanup squad of police whose sole duty will be to ferret out vice and gambling in all forms will be appointed this week by police Commissioner William P Lawson.

The Commissioner announced this yesterday [4 July, 1938], and at the same time disclosed that about 20 members of the department will appear shortly before medical examiners to determine their fitness to continue on duty.

The Commissioner statement came 24 hours after Jay. Bernard Wells, states attorney, had made public a report showing that vice is widespread in this city, and which indicated a close association between vice activities and some members of the Police Department.

There was no definite evidence of police protection of vice was obtained, however, by the investigators who compiled the report for the American social hygiene Association. Copies of the report, which was made for a citizen committee headed by Dr. J. M. T. Finney, Senior, were given to Commissioner Lawson and Mr. Wells on Friday.

Dr. Finney last night said he was delighted to hear that Commissioner Lawson had decided to set up a cleanup squad

“But the citizens committee are not reformers.” Dr. Finney said

“They are an interested group of citizens trying to cooperate with the police to make Baltimore a better place to live in. We are not after anybody’s scalp. A report was made in that report was submitted to the proper authorities.”

Commissioner Lawson declined to say how large the new cleanup squad would be or how it would be recruited. He explained it would be under his direct supervision, and that the personnel would include some of the most efficient men in the department. The squad, he added, would be on duty 24 hours a day.

Moreover, Commissioner Lawson insisted that the medical examinations should not be interrupted as a general shakeup in the department. Such examinations, he said, are held, periodically. Any vacancies caused by those examinations must be filled, he added, and this may cause some changes in assignments.

Commissioner Lawson disclosed that he is carefully studying the report submitted by the Finney committee. Although the copy of the report released by Mr. Wells abbreviated names and locations, the copies given to Mr. Wells, and Commissioner Lawson were accompanied by a key.

This key gave the full names of nightclub, tavern, grill and saloon proprietors investigated; the names of their employees; what the employees earn in salaries and commissions; what many waitresses earn by “sitting” and soliciting; the names of prostitutes, their ages, addresses and other details about them, including places a visit; taxicab drivers names, Numbers and their interests in certain parts of the vice racket; perverts and where they practice; the names and addresses of hotels and apartments were prostitutes and perverts live or went temporary quarters, and many other details.

Commissioner Lawson’s announcement was a surprise to executive officers of the police department. No mention of the creation of such a squad, it was said, was made by the Commissioner when he conferenced yesterday morning with the inspectors and captains at police headquarters.

The move has been urged lately on several occasions by representatives of the criminal justice commission and others.

Devider

THE VICE REPORT

Jul 5, 1938

Newspaper reports of the Times; Jul 5, 1938;

Judging by the published summary of the vice report prepared at the behest of a committee of citizens, the most disturbing feature of the whole business is the hint, repeated constantly, that open prostitution is possible in Baltimore because the police themselves “protect” it.

Prostitution is an evil that has existed in all communities. No effort to eradicate it has ever been successful. None of the laws passed against it, some harsh and inhumane, some wiser and more intelligently framed, has ever more than temporarily driven it to cover. In all probability, the most that can be hoped for is to keep it in reasonable bounds and to prevent it from flaunting itself to the shame of honest men and women.

But even this most modest result cannot be attained if there is any sort of alliance between prostitution and its beneficiaries on one hand and the police force on the other. That such alliance do tend to grow up we know by recent experience. That the existence of the alliance breaks down the morale of the force is self-evident. That a lowered morale in the force, is in invitation to gangsters, and racketeers, to practice their trade is proved by recent outbreak in Baltimore of bombings and other violent crimes.

Baltimore’s problem at the present time arises out of the fact that it’s police force is headed by a man is clearly unfit for his job. An invasive, ambiguous man, willing to leave the public in general doubt as to his connection with the whiskey business, cannot by any means persuade either the people of the city or the policeman serving under him that he knows how to attack his problem and how to solve it.

For this particular point of view, the vice report may serve a good purpose. Mr. Wells, the State’s Attorney, who made the decision which resulted in the publication of the report, will doubtless lay its findings before the grand jury. Indeed, considering its implication, he could hardly do less. If Commissioner Lawson himself cannot see how important it is for Baltimore city to have the police commissioner who has the confidence of the police and of the community, then perhaps the jury, using this report as a basis, may be able to make the point clearer to him.

One thing is certain; the people of Baltimore will not long indoor a condition which is so ominous as to have brought some of our reputable citizens to believe that the police force, far from being engaged in an active war against vice and crime, is actually in partnership with these evils.

Devider

NEW VICE SQUAD ACTS SWIFTLY; MAKES 2 RAIDS

Jul 6, 1938

Newspaper reports of the Times; Jul 6, 1938; pg. 20

Itzel strikes 12 hours after appointment and Arrests Three Grand Jury here’s Finney, who had a group sponsoring inquiry the Police Department and the grand jury yesterday swung action on the recently revised vice report.

Less than 12 hours after Commissioner William Lawson, had named the new vice squad the squad made two raids and three arrests.

Capt. Joseph H. Itzel, temporarily detached from command of the central district, sent his hand-picked squad of seven men to do places during the evening, and disorderly house charges resulted in each instance.

The Grand Jury, in the meantime, interrupted its inquiry into the Whitelock Street bombing case the year Dr. Finney, Senior, chairman of the citizens committee responsible for the vice investigation.

Caring to bulky envelopes, Dr. Finney went before the jury and emerge 15 minutes later without the papers. One package was said to contain an all-important “key” to the names of persons figuring in the vice report.

The cases of law violations described by investigators for the American social hygiene society, which conducted the vice survey, identified persons only by initials, and it is said that their true identity is contained in this “key.”

The vice situation was called to the attention of the jury by Jay. Bernard Wells, states attorney. After Dr. Finney had been before the body, Mr. Wells carried into the chamber a copy of the report.

In the first grade last night missed Jeanette Allen, 37 was taken in the custody in a house in the first block of E. Biddle St. Patrolman and Owen Smallwood gained admission to the apartment and shortly advised the woman she was under arrest.

Then, he said, she resisted him and called a large dog. After a scuffle with both the woman and the dog, Smallwood reported, he admitted to the other policeman.

The dog also was taken to the central police station.

In the second grade, patrolman Henry Seybold, a rookie policeman, went to the second floor of the house in the 800 block of Utah Street and told the woman she was under arrest and admitted the other patrolman.

Miss Louise B. Cole, 34, and Wilbert Smith, 65, were docketed at the police station on charges of conducting a disorderly house.

The bombing inquiry was resumed last night, at the first night session of the grand jury since the 1937 investigation into vice conditions, Julius [blanky] Fink is held in $10,000 bail on charges arising from the bombing.

The jurors met at 6:30 PM and interrogated about a dozen witnesses in the bombing case until a few minutes before 11 o’clock.

It was reported last night that routine matters would be discussed before the last of the witnesses in the bombing case was heard today. There was little likelihood, it was said, that the jurors would call witnesses in connection with the vice report, although it was thought that they would continue their joint study of it for part of the day.

Mr. Lawson’s actions in naming a vice squad to work out of his office coincided with his decision to call before the board of police physicians and surgeons 17 policemen who are over the age of 70.

The officers will be examined for their fitness to continue on active duty. The move was said at police headquarters to be the first of several contemplated by the Commissioner, all looking toward the greater efficiency of the department.

In Capt. Itzel’s absence the central district will be commanded by three lieutenants, James Kane, Michael McKew, and Albert Hanssen.

Capt. Itzel revealed yesterday that he might enlist the aid of the public service commission and the liquor license board in his activities, the first to revoke licenses of taxicab drivers involved in vice and the second to do the same in the case of tavern owners.

The liquor license board will meet at 11 AM today, it was learned last night, for a thorough discussion of the entire tavern situation.

Dr. John J. McGinity, chairman, and his colleagues, Louise well field and Harry Lay Duer, will study a report on the raid conducted Saturday night by central district police, it was said.

Devider

VICE -SQUAD HISTORY

Jul 6, 1938

Newspaper reports of the Times; Jul 6, 1938

Baltimore is to have a vice squad a certain number of policemen will be told off to check up on reports about prostitution and gambling, keep the Commissioner informed as to the activities of those engaged in these pursuits and, when possible, to make court cases against them.

The project has an engaging sound, and, if it were new and untried, it might be possible to await the outcome was some hope. But the vice squad idea is not new. As a matter of fact the appointment of such a squad is almost a regular step in police departments in the process of demoralization.

The used to have a vice squad in Chicago in the days of big rackets. Public opinion finally forced its abandonment. They had a vice squad in New York for years. What investigation finally showed was that the vice squad was an integral part of the vice racket. The police were working not for the public for the racketeers. Like the pimps and procurers, they were supposed to track down the lived off the women of the streets. Lucky Luciano, the head of the vice ring in New York, never showed up in the record as a cool or callous or sadistic as some of the policemen on the vice squad.

The reason for this development is not hard to seek. Your ordinary policeman is very much like your ordinary citizen in other walks of life. He knows that vice prostitution exists and he has little hope that they can ever be eradicated. His duty as an officer of the law makes it a comment upon him, however, to see that they are kept in balance, and usually, when the morale of the Police Department is good, he is willing to do is bit toward that end. On the whole, he would rather be catching burglars were tripping up pickpockets. The idea of spending his life spying on starlet women is repulsive to him. Given his choice he would almost certainly decline the assignment.

But in police departments, as in other departments of life, some men do enjoy pursuing women, and all too often these men, because of the reluctance of their betters, tend to get the vice squad appointments. That is what happened in Chicago; it is what happened in New York.

It may be that Baltimore is going to be luckier than these cities. It may be that the original squad will do its distasteful work that it will never be possible to level against it the charge that it is persecuting its victims and getting some sort of perverse pleasure out of hounding them about when they don’t pay up. But that outcome is not likely. In all probability but we are seeing is the usual recourse of a politically minded police Commissioner anxious to silence a public outcry.

The vice squad idea is an exploded idea. A way to get good policing, which means not only keeping vice within bounds but also the suppression of rackets and the prevention of major crimes - is to raise the morale of the whole department. Men who take pride in their work and who have a wholesome respect for their commander the new vice squad’s to do their work for them.

Devider

Tavern Blast Feared Sign of Racket Raid

Jun 14, 1938

Newspaper reports of the TimesJun 14, 1938; pg. 22

Bombing is regarded as effort to extract tribute from operator

Magistrate old suspect on the urgent plea by officers

Bob terrorism, similar to that used by big-time racketeers in other cities, apparently as invaded Baltimore, it was feared last night by police.

One of the strongest theories on which police were working yesterday was that at least one of the two bombs which exploded over the weekend was heavy property damage into widely separate sections of the city was used in an effort to force a tavern keeper to pay tribute.

Such a method was well known in the pre-repeal days of Chicago were business firms, reluctant to pay slices of profits to gangsters, were bombed into submission. Such a method, with accompanying gunplay, was well known in New York and was the main strong-armed persuasion used in the Rackets exposed by the present district attorney, Thomas Dewey

That such methods would be attempted in this city has been predicted several times by those conversant with criminal trends. Just how deep the racketeer intrusion has penetrated in the city, the police don’t know, but they are inclined to view the present situation with concern.

There have been other bombings in Baltimore-six since 1907. No one ever was convicted for placing them. Of the six, two bombs were aimed at the homes of incumbent Mayor’s Broening, in 1927, and Jackson two years ago in 1936. Another bomb exploded at the city’s sewage pumping station at East Falls and Eastern Avenues. The remaining bombing cases apparently were the result of individual hatred. No reasons ever were assigned to the bombings of the mayors homes.

More Than Revenge

In each of the previous instances to early Sunday morning, there was nothing to lead police to attribute the bombings to organize crime. The bombing of the Whitelock Street and Druid Hill Avenue tavern, on the other hand, had earmarks of more than individual revenge.

After hearing yesterday afternoon in the Northern Police Court, Julius Fink, 42, of the 400 block of Andrus Street, was held by magistrate Harry Allers, for a further hearing Thursday morning on a charge of “assault with intent to murder one William Adams, by placing a bomb on premises at 2340 Druid Hill Avenue…”

Police were so much concerned about the bombing that they asked for an extension of time in which to follow up several angles. Think was held at the northern police station instead of being sent to City Jail, as is the usual practice in similar cases. Police would not comment on rumors that there was fear of possible attack if the prisoner were sent to jail.

Testimony Meager

Testimony giving at the here was so meager that magistrate Allers had to request additional information. Detective Lieut. William Feehly, one of the police assigned to the case, inform the magistrate that the case might be injured if extensive testimony were given.

Counsel for Fink C. Morton Goldstein. Associate judge of the people’s court and all associate of Harry O. Levin, chairman of the state tax commission, told the magistrate that his client would deny any connection with the bombing. Lieut. Feehly informed the magistrate that there was a possibility of connection between the Tavern bombing and the one in the 300 block of wood your street. Magistrate Allers was asked, despite the reluctance of the police to testify, to hold Fink.

“We have reason to believe that the same people did both jobs and we need a postponement of the case in order to further investigate the job on wood your street.” Lieut. Feehly said. “This man’s freedom will jeopardize our investigation, we believe.”

Held At Police Station

Magistrate Allers then ordered Fink held, not jail, but in northern district police station.

Meanwhile, city officials entered the probe, at least by recognizing its importance. Mayor Jackson conferred with Commissioner Lawson. One result was an order by the Commissioner that every available man be placed on the case under supervision of chief inspector Stephen G. Nelson.

J. Bernard Wells states attorney, as far as any official action was concerned left the matter in the hands of the police.

Fink was arrested by Sgt. Wilbur Martindale and patrolman Edgar F. Wilson as a result of what they called a “lucky break.” A short time before the Tavern bombing, the two were cruising in that vicinity when they saw an automobile, without lights, pulled away from the curb and drive past the Boulevard stop sign.

Actions Recalled

The officers gave Chase, caught the car and gave the driver traffic ticket. It was not long before the bomb exploded. After the explosion, the officers recalled the action of the driver and went to his home. They said the driver was Fink.

Damage done by the Tavern bomb was much more extensive than that wrought on Woodyear street. In the latter section, numerous windows were shattered, metal slugs were driven through shutters, ceilings, and floors, but the effect was scattered along both sides of the street and was spread over a wide area.

The Tavern, [Druid Hill Ave. and Whitelock St.] however, took the brunt of the second bombing. Placed by a side door, the bomb tore it from its hinges and shattered the sill, the brick frame, and the stone doorstep. The interior of the Tavern was also extensively damaged by flying the breeze and metal slugs.

EMERSON CAPTAIN BYRNE LIEUTPhoto courtesy Patrick J Byrne

Captain Alexander Emerson welcomes Lieutenant Joseph J. Byrne to the Vice Unit
He was promoted 6 Sept, 1951 to be the field commander and to lead gambling raids
 
Stripper Ad a
Photo courtesy Detective Melvin Howell
1 black devider 800 8 72
 

CALLED RUN-OF-THE-MINE

Strip-Tease Act Lands Dancer In Police Court

December 1952

It was just a "run-of-the-mine strip-tease act," according to Defense Attorney Joseph F. DiDomenico.

But to a policewoman and four policemen it was something more than that--enough, in fact, to justify a charge of presenting an indecent show against Mrs. Carmen Benton, thirty-three, Mrs. Benton, who lives in the 700 block Reservoir street, was arraigned Wednesday before Magistrate William F. Laukaitis in Central Police Court. She let Attorney DiDomenico do the talking for her.THE VARIOUS policemen did some talking too. Patrolman George Fink of the police vice squad testified that Policewoman Miss Betty Riha and Patrolman Kenneth Runge dropped in at a cabaret In the 600 block East Baltimore street Tuesday night and were much intrigued by a dance presented by Mrs. Benton. They were so interested, in fact, that after seeing only part of the show they phoned for Patrolmen Fink, John Livesey and Melvin Howell to join them. The three vice squad men lost no time in hurrying over from headquarters.AFTER THE dance, Mrs. Benton was arrested, and Mrs. Catherine Darrell, forty-six, one of the proprietors of the club, also was charged with permitting an indecent show to be presented. There was some testimony about a brassiere Mrs. Benton wore or didn't wear, but Defense Attorney DiDomenico denied it had been removed. Magistrate Laukaitis postponed the case until Saturday morning to permit the defendants to produce witnesses who would say Mrs. Benton's dance wasn't indecent----that it was just of run-of- the-mine strip act, as Mr. DiDomenico.

Devider

VICE SQUAD RAID TRAPS NINE IN NET

4 Charged With Gambling, 5 With Disorderly Conduct

1950's

Nine men were arrested yesterday morning in a vice squad raid in the 600 block West North Avenue. Police, led by Lieutenant Joseph Byrne, took them to the Northern station where four were charged with gambling and the others were charged with disorderly conduct. Gambling charges were placed against Isadore Miller, of the 5400 block Price Avenue; Jack P. Rosen, of the 4200 block Graceland Avenue; Charles F. Vopalecky, of the 1200 block West North Avenue, and Isadore Abrams, of the 600 blocks West North Avenue. Police Ask Postponement Charged with disorderly conduct were Frank G. Gaston, of the 1800 block Eutaw place; Emanuel Smith, of the 2400 Block Linden Avenue; Joseph Lewis, of the 2000 Block Bolton street; Henry Schwartz, of the 2900 Block Freeway, and Louis Jonas, of the 600 block West North Avenue. Police asked for a postponement of the hearing because they wanted some of the paraphernalia seized in the raid examined at the Crime Laboratory.

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3 ARE ARRESTED IN BOOKIE RAID

Vice Squad Team Breaks Up Operation At Tavern

1950's

An eleven-man team broke up a bookmaking operation yesterday afternoon at a tavern in the 1200 block William street and arrested the tavern owner, a bartender and, a third man. Sergeant Arthur McGee said it was a “right good-sized operation." Paraphernalia seized as evidence included a list of bets tossed from a second-story window. Some of the bets ran as high as $80, Sergeant McGee reported. The vice squad had had the place under surveillance several days. When Patrolman Philip Farace reported he had seen bets placed and heard talk of horses as he mingled with patrons at the bar, Sergeant William Hogan obtained a search warrant. Raid .time was 3:50 P.M. Three vice squad members, Sergeant Hyman Goldstein and Patrolmen George Fink and John Huemmer, took stations at the three entrances to the building. Patrolmen Robert Byrne, Charles Richter, and Edgar Kirby entered and posed as customers. Five minutes later Lieutenant Joseph Byrne, Sergeant McGee, 'Sergeant Hogan, Patrolman Farace and Patrolman Melvin Howell walked in, went to the back of the tavern and, with a crowbar, forced a door leading upstairs. They got no answer when they banged on a second-floor door, and Sergeant Hogan sprung the lock with a firm kick. Inside they saw a man run to a window and throw a wad of paper through it. Outside, Sergeant Goldstein picked the paper up. From the desk at which the man had been sitting by a telephone, Sergeant McGee recovered a payoff sheet, a scratch sheet, and other bookmaking paraphernalia. Charged with bookmaking after the raid were Anthony Lindung, 43, owner of the tavern, who was arrested at his home; Edward Reitz, 50, of the 800 block Woodward Street, and Charles L. Eid, 44, bartender, of the 5700 Block Second Avenue. Each was released in $2,500 bail pending a hearing this morning in Southern Police Court.

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Photo courtesy Detective Melvin Howell

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 capone mug shot E

Al Scarface Capone's visit to Baltimore

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POLICE INFORMATION

Copies of: Your Baltimore Police Department Class Photo, Pictures of our Officers, Vehicles, Equipment, Newspaper Articles relating to our department and or officers, Old Departmental Newsletters, Lookouts, Wanted Posters, and or Brochures. Information on Deceased Officers and anything that may help Preserve the History and Proud Traditions of this agency. Please contact Retired Detective Kenny Driscoll. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

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NOTICE

How to Dispose of Old Police Items

 If you come into possession of Police items from an Estate or Death of a Police Officer Family Member and do not know how to properly dispose of these items please contact: Retired Detective Ken Driscoll - Please dispose of POLICE Items: Badges, Guns, Uniforms, Documents, PROPERLY so they won’t be used IMPROPERLY. 

Please contact Det. Ret. Kenny Driscoll if you have any pictures of you or your family members and wish them remembered here on this tribute site to Honor the fine men and women who have served with Honor and Distinction at the Baltimore Police Department.

Anyone with information, photographs, memorabilia, or other "Baltimore City Police" items can contact Ret. Det. Kenny Driscoll at  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. follow us on Twitter @BaltoPoliceHist or like us on Facebook or mail pics to 8138 Dundalk Ave. Baltimore Md. 21222

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