1980 - 2000

 Photo courtesy Lieut. Robert Wilson

Photo courtesy Officer Kenneth M. Schiminger

Officer Frederick I. Schiminger 

Officer Robert Ross ( Barney Fife) 
 Cross Street footman

Photo courtesy Agent Robert Jud

Police Commissioner Frank J. Bataglia (center) Officer Mike Arminger (left) who passed away LOD and Detective Robert Jud (right)

Officer Steve Histon 1980's

Photo courtesy Sgt. Nick Nixon

Photo courtesy Agent Robert Jud

College recognition ceremony August 14, 1981

From left to right Sergeant Alan Woods ( Legal Advisor's Office), Agent John Betso (Western District), Lieutenant Joseph Chrisiansen (Northwest District), Agent Tom Douglas (Traffic), Agent Robert Jud (IID),Agent Larry Hornstein (Tactical), Criminalist Bob Sroka 

 (Laboratory Division)

COURTESY MAJOR ROBERT DiSTEFANO

Colonel Dick Francis

March 3, 1982

Courtesy Joe Wiczulis

In 1982 Officer Marion Wiczulis, Traffic Enforcement, works an unmarked cruiser. The Traffic car was the only one to have white wall tires and red lights, which were approved by Colonel Dick Francis at the time.

Courtesy Joe Wiczulis

Photo courtesy Deputy Commissioner William Rochford

Police Union Meeting 1983

Deputy Commissioner William Rochford, seated at the first chair left side.

Photo courtesy Officer Don DeWar

Officer Don DeWar after graduation with his Mom & Dad

Don joined the department after 4 years in the Military but left the department after one year to continue his college education which he had begun while serving in the department and graduated with a degree in Criminal Justice. He reentered the US Army Reserve and retired after almost 37 years. He ran in 2006 for Baltimore City Council 1^st District and lost by a very slim margin and hopes to run again. A real success story for one of our very own.

Officer Juan Rodriguez early 1980's Dogde Aspen 

Photo courtesy Lt. Robert Wilson

1983 - Lt. Wilson  Snow Storm in Baltimore followed by looting and activation of National Guard

Photo courtesy Det. Lou Trimper

Det. Lou Trimper with Govenor William Donald Schaefer July 11, 1993

Officer W.Hackley photo

Photo Courtesy Sgt. William Gordon

Kevin Lenahan, Bill Gordon, Tim Longo

(Below) Jeff Rosen, Tim Longo, Bill Gordon

Photo Courtesy Sgt. William Gordon

Photo Courtesy Sgt. William Gordon

Marty Beauchamp, Bill & Barb Gordon

1995

Photo Courtesy Sgt. William Gordon

Sergeant William Gordon in the lobby museum of the Headquarters Building

(Below) Sergeant William Gordon in Washington DC durring Police Week 1998

Photo Courtesy Sgt. William Gordon

Photo Courtesy Sgt. William Gordon

Baltimore Police Deputy Commissioner

Mike Zotos is pictured in the center 

Courtesy Officer Paul Williams

Officer Paul Williams receiving his Certificate of

Retirement, along with his beautiful wife Mary,

Colonel Leon Tomlin and Lt. Tim Longo. October 21,1996

COURTESY MAJOR ROBERT DiSTEFANO

Civil War Wedding

This maybe an 1860’s wedding party but look closely at the girl in the white dress and the guy standing next to her with the white beard.. The Bride is Teddi Bittenger, supervisor of the B of I unit and the Groom is Major Robert DiStefano.

The wedding party:

Seated in front row, L to R: #1 Blue Dress - Sharon Woolridge, wife

of Al; #2 Red Dress - Sheila Crochetti, wife of Rus; #3 Teal Dress -

Pat Ortega, wife of Julio; # 4 Floral Skirt, white blouse, Imogene

Yaste, wife of Pastor Yaste.

Standing, L to R: # 1 Al Woolridge, retired as a Sergeant to supervise the

Printrak System; #2 Freda Waters Birchett, supervisor of the mainframe

computer for the BPD, wife of Officer Tom Birchett and dear friend of Teddi and Maid of Honor. #3 Officer Tom Birchett, a dear friend and Best Man

#4 Rus Crochetti, a civilian BCPD supervisor; #5 Teddi; #6 Major Robert DiStefano; #7 BPD Detective Julio Ortega; # 8 Major DiStefano’s son's and then girlfriend, "Star", Pastor Dixon Yaste, he and his dear wife are both departed.

COURTESY MAJOR ROBERT DiSTEFANO

Mr. & Mrs. Robert DiStefano

April 20. 1996

COURTESY MAJOR ROBERT DiSTEFANO

Major DiStefano was married in the Old South Mountain Inn in

Boonsboro, it served as a field hospital during the battle of South Mountain, just before the Battle of Sharpsburg, or Antietam.  Major DiStefano is the gentleman with the white beard, and his best man Officer Tom Birchett is second from the left, all except the man in red are BCPD cops.  The minister is wearing the red of a Confederate Lieutenant of Artillery, he is also wearing the collar insignia of a chaplain, they served double duty in the Confederate Army.  Behind them, across the road, is the Dahlgren Chapel, Dahlgren was an admiral in the Union Navy during the Civil War, and he invented the Dahlgren Gun, and was named: "The Father of Naval Ordnance."   Major DiStefano is dressed in an authentic reproduction uniform of Confederate General James "Old Pete" Longstreet.

Left to Right : Sergeant Al Woolridge, Officer Tom Birchett, Russ Crochetti, Major Robert DiStefano, Officer Julio Ortega, Pastor Yaste

COURTESY MAJOR ROBERT DiSTEFANO

Major Robert and Teddi DiStefano, Lieutenant William and Betty Stone.

Lt. Stone was dressed as Matthew Brady for the occasion!

COURTESY MAJOR ROBERT DiSTEFANO

Officer John DiStefano

Officer W.Hackley photo

Honor Guard in Washington D.C. for POLICE WEEK1998

Police Officer Ron Starr, member of the Baltimore Police Honor Guard,
Posing with the restored 1968 Chevrolet Police Car
During a ceremony at the Baltimore Police Memorial June 2004

Detective Jeff Hidy: ‘God’s in the miracle business’

Jeff Hidy, a detective with the Baltimore City Police Department headquarters security, has battled three different cancers in the last year and a half. “I’m here because I’ve laid things in the Lord’s hands,” Hidy said .

BALTIMORE - Detective Jeff Hidy breathes deeply from the one and one-third lungs he has remaining and declares this “a blessed day.” He utters the phrase at every opportunity from a mouth that never loses its delighted grin. Blessed day, indeed. For Hidy, every day on earth feels like a bonus.

The lung cancer? “It’s like I had a cold,” he says.

The brain tumor they found 30 days later? “Big as a fist,” he says. “Want to see the scar?”

The pain in his leg that turned out, six months ago, to be bone cancer?

“I wouldn’t worry about it,” the first doctor told him.

By this time, owing to history, Hidy had learned a certain cautionary skepticism. He’d worry, all right. Two years ago, when he had a soft, annoying cough that wouldn’t go away, the doctor told him, “Jeff, I guarantee you don’t have lung cancer.”

“Just the same,” said Hidy, “I’d like to get a chest X-ray.”

The X-rays said the doctor was wrong.

“It doesn’t look good,” the doctor said.

“Trust in God; he’ll take care of it,” Hidy said.

A month later, when he was getting chemotherapy for the lung, he told a doctor, “I feel a little spacey. Something’s not right. The cancer couldn’t be in my brain, too, could it?”

“No,” said this doctor. “But why don’t we get an MRI, just to make sure?”

They operated on Hidy’s brain the next day and removed a tumor the size of a small fist.

“See the scar?” says Hidy. He takes off his uniform cap and displays an 18-inch scar quite visible amid a recovering sprinkle of hair.

“Spot balding,” Hidy says. “My wife calls me Spalding. Like the tennis ball, yeah.”

A 15-year veteran of the Baltimore City Police Department who lives with his wife, Karen, in Middle River, Hidy utters every syllable with sheer joy. He beat the lung cancer, and he beat the brain tumor, and he’ll beat the bone cancer, too, he says.

“A blessed day,” he declares again. “All credit to the Lord. He just keeps carrying me. Satan gave me the tumors, but the Lord carries me through. Plus, I give some credit to the doctors, too.”

He is an upbeat man in a profession that can play decidedly downbeat. The cops see the worst of human nature, and deal with it. Sometimes, it’s all about approach.

“I’ve always been blessed,” Hidy, 50, was saying the other day. He sat in the lobby of police headquarters, near the base of the Jones Falls Expressway, and greeted almost all police employees walking past by their first names.

“In 10 years on the street,” he said, “I never had to shoot at anyone, never had to use my nightstick, never even used Mace. My partner used to say, ‘If Jeff locks somebody up, there shouldn’t even be a trial.’ I treated people the way I’d want them to treat my mother. And I got respect 95 percent of the time.”

Then there was that other 5 percent.

“Well, one time a woman came at me with a knife,” Hidy remembers. “I was responding to a domestic call. She came down the stairs at me with a steak knife. She could have hurt me. I didn’t want to shoot her. She just needed to be calmed down, and I just talked calmly and said I’d try to help her. I was really happy that I could.

“See, every threat level’s different. Anyone’s a liar who says they’re not scared out there. But, as a police [officer], you work your way through your fears. One time this girl hit me with a flashlight. It was Christmas. She was scared, and she went right into a corner and huddled in fear.

“I told her, ‘Listen, my Christmas present to you is, I’m not going to arrest you. But I want you to go to a hospital for help.’ And we got her treatment. That was a blessed day, a very blessed day.”

The phrase tumbles out of him reflexively. He is a deeply religious man at a highly vulnerable time of his life, and this is his comfort.

“I tell people,” he says, “ ‘If the Lord could look out for a bonehead like me, imagine what he’ll do for you.’ I tell this to people all the time. Don’t be scared.”

It is a fact that not everyone who prays gets healed. Hidy’s a man of faith, but he’s not blind.

“But God’s in the miracle business,” he says.

Hidy feels he’s been the recipient of two miracles so far: in his lung and his brain. Now, on his off days from work, he’s getting chemotherapy for the bone cancer. The smile never leaves his face, nor the phrase from his lips: a blessed day, he says.

It’s a blessing just to be around such optimism, and such a man.

COURTESY BOB SMITH BPD PHOTO SUPERVISOR

*BALTIMORE POLICE MOUNTED UNIT*

Courtesy Major Robert DiStefano

Colonel Dick Francis, Major Gill Karner, Captain Robert DiStefano

Officer Vince Cole

COMMAND STAFF 1990's

.

SERGEANT ROBERT "Bob" FISHER

1985 Assigned to Tactical Section 

CAPTAIN GARY D"ADDARIO

Captain Garry D'Addario 

Photo courtesy Lieut. Robert Oros

Photo courtesy Lieut. Robert Oros

Courtesy Det Ken Driscoll

Sgt. Sonny Dickson

Photo courtesy Lieut. Doug Baumgarten

Officer Doug Baumgarten  1989

Photo courtesy Lt. Juan Rodriquez & Sgt. Linda Rodriquez

Juan Rodriguez and Linda Rodriquez
The first husband and wife promoted to the Rank of Sergeant on the same day
in the history of the Baltimore City Police Department. June 8, 1994.

(below) Their certificates of promotion to Sergeant

Photo courtesy Officer Bill Edgar

Officer Bill Edgar with the Baltimore Raven's Cheerleaders

Photo courtesy Officer Bill Edgar

Officer Bill Edgar with the Super Bowl Trophy

Photo courtesy Officer Bill Edgar

Officer Bill Edgar with Mick Jagger

Photo courtesy Officer Bill Edgar

Officer Bill Edgar with Hulk Hogan and  Randy Savage

Photo courtesy Officer Bill Edgar

Officer Bill Edgar with President George W. Bush

Photo courtesy Officer Bill Edgar

Officer Bill Edgar with Jay Leno

Photo courtesy Officer Bill Edgar

Officer Bill Edgar & Chris Rock

Officer Larry Fasano and Officer John Doesburgh

Officer W.Hackley photo

 Sergeant Fred Roussey (now Lieutenant) and his wife Charlene with Police Commissioner Edward Norris, at the wreath laying National Law Enforcement Officer's Memorial, Washington, DC.

Lost their son "Jamie" LODD March 8, 2000

  

Officer Alan Keitz

Officer Edward Doyle-Gillespie

Courtesy Officer James McCartin

Officer James McCartin

Courtesy Officer James McCartin

 Officer James McCartin

Courtesy Officer James McCartin

Courtesy Officer James McCartin

Officer James McCartin with the Emerald Society's van

Officer Larry Fasano

Lieutenant Johnny Paradise

Lieutenant J. Russell

Served 1979-2005

Officer Roan Everett

 

 

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

 

1960 - 1980

 
Photo Courtesy Lt. William Bowen

Officer William Bowen

1960

OFFICERS CONDUCTING AN INVESTIGATION 1960'S

Photo courtesy Det. Charlie Smoot

Officer Lawrence Barry seen here in a departmental ID card shot was in the Baltimore Park Police and when that agency merged with the Baltimore City Police around 1961 he joined the Baltimore Police Department and retired in the 1970's. Officer Lawrence Barry was an uncle of Detective Charlie Smoot Below Officer Lawrence Barry is seen wearing a vintage uniform complete with the old "bobby" type hats, 3 rd. issued badge.

COURTESY MAJOR ROBERT DiSTEFANO

Officer Robert DiStefano as the young grunt in 1962

Photo courtesy Officer William Hough

Officer William Hough is seen here with cut on his face and a bloody uniform shirt after being the victim of an assult on a police officer. 

Sgt Charlie Barclay
circa 196o 

 

AS 600-PAGE SURVEY RAPS CITY POLICE

RICHARD H LEVINE
The Sun (1837-1987); Jan 10, 1966;
pg. A1

Organized crime, place our terms of widespread
Police recruit standards down low…… page A9
By Richard Levine

The Baltimore Police Department has been closely examined and found to be seriously inadequate by the nation’s leading consulting firm specializing in police administration.

The 600 page report issued last night focuses severe criticism at the quality of leadership and management in the police department.

It points up many areas of critical deficiencies and levels both broad and detailed attacks on almost all aspects of police service, all phases of police administration and all divisions, bureaus, squads and specialized functions.

Reorganization Asked
It recommends an immediate, total reorganization of the department and immediate attention to some essential policing responsibilities that are most severely crippled by bad management practices.

It asserts that despite contrary opinion of the public, Baltimore is saddled with place and organization crimes of major proportions.

The report is the result of a $52,000 March to October study conducted by the field service division of the international Association of Chiefs of police.

Besides the dissection of the department problems, the report contains detailed recommendations for improvements.

Two Principal Concerns
The report bears down particularly hard on the top principal concerns of the Police Department – crime control and traffic control.

It engages in widespread faultfinding in both areas. The consultants recommend that the police department remain a state agency and that the governor retain its statutory power to appoint the Commissioner and his power to remove him from office misconduct for incompetency. Other major recommendations are these:

1. The organization of the department according to functions with clear lines of authority and responsibility. Include is the elimination of the rank of inspector and chief inspector.
2. The inauguration of an accurate, complete crime records system revision of beat patterns
3. A total revision of the beat pattern to equal the workloads of men in patrol.
4. The proper development of the planning and research division with a crime analyst unit and expanded use of data processing.
5. The creation of a criminal investigation division for expert handling of all felonies and major vice cases from evidence gathering to preparation for trial.
6. The implementation of the internal investigation unit – now only on paper – as the commissioners watchdog on the department, responsible for intelligent information on misconduct, corruption, abuse of authority and the activities of organized crime figures.

Urges Formal Procedures
7. The establishment of formal disciplinary procedures and a disciplinary board for the prompt proper handling of charges brought against officers from within the department or civilians.

8. A formal system for airing grievances of uniformed and civilian employees of the department with the right to make formal grievances guaranteed by state law.
9. Higher education, physical mental and medical standards for applicants to the force.
10. A revision of the standard for rating candidates for promotion.
11. The restriction of promotion to the top five candidates on a merit rating list.
12. A serious police community effort to reduce the high automobile accident injury and fatality rate in the city with a special pedestrian safety program.
13. Elimination of the present law which restricts candidates for the position of Commissioner to residents or businessmen in the city.
14. A general increase in salaries and benefits including any bays, holidays, overtime pay, insurance benefits and uniform supplies.
15. The construction of a new department headquarters building: the immediate elimination of northern district with its patrolling divided between Northwest and Northeastern: the abandonment of the northern district headquarters building as soon as the police Academy can be moved to a newly constructed department headquarters building: the eventual abolishment of the southern district and a abandonment of its headquarters building.

It also calls for a realistic attitude toward problem of vice and crime and a harder attack on these conditions and on the block as a source of “moral blight.”

Two subjects that have drawn much public interest recently are handled by recommendations that the Police Department relieve itself of responsibility for them.

The consultants believe that all towing matters, removal of illegally parked vehicles as well as vehicles and accidents, should be turned over to private contractors.

Sanitary Inspection
And it recommends that the city assume the task of sanitary inspections.

The consultants call for the abolishment of the auto theft squad, the pickpocket, hotel and V. I. P. Squad, the riot squad, the mounted sections horses, and the transfer of their functions elsewhere.

There are thousands of specific suggestions directed toward every subject from the meter maid’s manner to the length of the Espantoon.

Even as it urges an immediate program of reform, the report points out that the consultants while engaged in the study, were met with the kind of obstinate resistance that prevented improvements and progress in the department in the past.

“These recommendations will be of little value unless the administrative climate of the Police Department is changed,” the reporter says.

“Superior officers must accept the fact that the department needs improvement and must recognize their responsibilities and lifting the department from its content with the status quo and traditional concepts, to those of the modern, progressive and efficient department the community deserves.”

First Study in 25 Years
the report points out that this is the first comprehensive survey of the department in 25 years, that the reorganization plan suggest that in the previous report was never adopted and that they did department’s structure is virtually unchanged from that which existed in 1940. The report warns:

“It is to be hoped to that history does not repeat itself: restructuring the Baltimore Police Department is sound in importance only to improving the competence of its management.”

The consultants ordered the following guide to their own approach to the survey: “of this report is critical in nature, because in an effort of this type, the most intensive examinations are naturally made into existing weaknesses.

“Intentions of this criticism is that it be constructive: that it assists in improving the organization, personnel and practices of the Baltimore Police Department so that the people will receive effective police services consistent with democratic ideas.

“It should be remembered that the survey is directed toward all police activity and is not just a narrow search for faults. Thus it is consistent with the standards of objectivity.”

The criticism is of two types: that directed toward practices and policies that are not as effective as they should be, and exposure of major flaws that are so basic as to cripple the department. As late as this fall, the department walked on the implementation of two aspects of report that were considered to be important enough for immediate action.

The police Association consultant said that the recommendations on record management were presented in preliminary form to Commissioner Bernard J Schmidt and his inspector on September 21, 1965.

Final Report Presented
Several meetings were held to discuss the recommendations, the consultant said, and a final report was presented to the department on 20 October to enable the Department to inaugurate new reporting procedures by the start of the calendar year.

“Despite this, to date the department has taken no action whatsoever in preparation for a change in the present reporting procedures.”

“A second matter indicated similar dilatory handling.” Says the report.

On September 29, the report says, the police Commissioner was given to plans prepared by the I. A. C. P. For the establishment of an internal complaint investigation procedure.

These plans were made after conference had taken place with major McKeldin and Gov. Tawes. There were later conferences.

A Capt. was promoted to inspector, the report says, “reportedly to command the proposed new unit. The plans, however, has still not been implemented.”

What is required in Baltimore the report states, is “inspired, imaginative and indefatigable leadership in the police department and cooperation and support from the community and the state.

However, the consultant was described present leadership in a department in the following statements:

“Management competency is questionable.”

“Management sidesteps responsibilities.”

“Management fails to take strong stands, fails to plan for the future needs and fails to recognize the reality of poor procedures.”

“Supervision Misdirected”
“There is misdirection of the first line supervision – the practices of advancing or promoting personnel are antiquated and restrictive.”

“The system of evaluating personnel performance has been perverted.

“But management, even though cognizant of and dissatisfied with the use of the system, has failed to take meaningful corrective action.”

The report makes clear that under the present organizational structure the department’s chief inspector, George J. Murphy, is a “strong assistant Commissioner” who assumes and in ordinate share of the actual command and, therefore of the responsibility of the department.

Source of Difficulties
The report, where ever its intention turns, looks back at “management” and “the supervisors” to find the source of the difficulties. For instance: “demands for a civilian review board to oversee the conduct of force are not usually heard in those communities where the police agency operates an effective disciplinary program of its own.”

This statement is in a discussion of the internal investigation division IID. The unit that Commissioner Smit found an inspector for but, according to the report, has failed to organize.

The I. A. C. P. Went against its own previous position and recommending that the police department remain under state control.

Transfer Idea Discussed

In lengthy discussion of this topic of the consultants conclude that “competent police management can do an outstanding job under the present set-up.”

Primary reason for making a change, the report says, would be to avoid political control and interference, to satisfy desire for home rule or to escape financial burden imposed by the state.

The consultants found none of these factors present in Baltimore.

There is no popular moved to transfer control, they said, and in referendum the citizens of Baltimore have previously rejected taking control.

Legislation last year gave the city control of the police budget. Purchasing and disbursements. Moves that gave the city virtual financial control of the department, they continued.

As for Political Interference:

“External control of the department does not appear to be a major problem… Indeed, the present political climate in the city might prove such a move(transfer to city control) to be harmful.”

Further on:

“we have seen little evidence of machine politics in the operation of the Baltimore Police Department, although there are rather well – circulated rumors concerning the influence of certain promotions. Many of the derogatory facts of unwholesome political control are conspicuously absent in the city of Baltimore.

The I. A. C. P. Experts, probably too many people surprise, did not recommend any increase in the number of patrolman needed for crime patrol.

Repeatedly, however, the consultants complained that that the departments in accurate crime stats hamper attempts to determine such things as actual workloads, the level of crime or whether crime is increasing or decreasing.

However, by utilizing a short time, temporary, control system enough information was gathered to allow a new mapping of the beats to equalize the workload for patrolman.

The suggested shifts actually resulted in a surplus of 136 positions over actual minimum needs. At the same time, the report said, the police coverage and quality of protection would be improved.

Other Cities Compared

In terms of money and men, the report says the Baltimore compares favorably with other major cities in the nation.

The Police Department gets $27 million annually which represents 14% of the receipts from general property taxation – a per capita cost of $24.30.

Comparative cost figure for other cities are: Chicago $25.69: Washington $32.49: Los Angeles $22.41: Detroit $21.82: St. Louis $21.81: Philadelphia $21.25: Milwaukee $19.59: Cleveland $18.62 and Houston $11.74.

In terms of police and please per inhabitant, Baltimore ranks higher than any city in that group with an exception of Washington in terms of police employees per square mile Baltimore ranks fourth.

The consultant said that a further significant comparison was with the city’s Los Angeles and Milwaukee “regarded by some as among the best police departments in the country.”

The I. A. C. P. Found the Baltimore spends more and has a higher proportion of police employees than either of those cities.

The picture of what the city gives the department is far brighter, however, then what is returned.

Because of the garbled records the department’s performance in criminal convictions could not be computed. The report said, it did conclude, however, that only a relatively small percentage of persons who committed major crimes in the city are ever found guilty of the original charge.

On Traffic Control

As for traffic control, this second major area of responsibility “provides some insight on the departments of efficiency.”

The report contains this summary statement” “the traffic performance record of Baltimore Police Department is below recommended national standards in the categories of training, hit and run convictions, overall enforcement, selective enforcement, enforcement by nine full-time traffic officers, pedestrian enforcement and enforcement of drinking driving laws. The overall 1964 traffic performance of the department was evaluated at 32% of the recommended performance 100% level”

The I. A. C. P. Recommend restructuring the department into three functional bureaus – administrative, operations and services – each headed by a deputy Commissioner.

Under them would be other functionally organize units headed by men with new ranks – three chiefs, 12 directors and three deputy chiefs – all above the rank of Capt.

That use would head the division’s largest in personnel and authority – patrol, traffic and the new criminal investigation division.

All the way down to the organizational chart, services would be combined with like services.

Because of the intense difficulties in traffic control the I. A. C. P. Recommends the formation of a special community committee to strike at this problem with the new traffic division.

Equally disturbed to the consultants was the departments approach to criminal investigations.

The report speaks of lack of understanding of the investigation process in modern policing and the confusion among units as to the responsibility for investigations.

Furthermore, follow-up investigations, the consultants found were draining a great amount of time from preventative crime patrolling and taking sergeants away from their primary responsibilities of supervision.

The separate investigation unit would take over follow-up work in felonies and vice, thus adding professionalism to the task of freeing the patrol for its specialty.

“Not Satisfactory”
As for the present patrol assignments, the report turned them “Not satisfactory.”

It points, for example to the workload of the radio car 504 which was found to be the only 38% of that of a radio car 102.

The department was found to be guilty of other had patrol practices. Men are divided nearly equally among the three shifts each 24 hours even though the work load and crying frequently is not equally distributed.

A study showed that the greatest amount of work occurred during the 4 PM to midnight shift but that the largest proportion of patrolman were assigned to day shift.

In figures the 4 PM to midnight shift had 40% more work than a day shift and 17% fewer men.

Different Workloads
Similar inadequacies were found from district to district.

The one man patrol cars, the two men radio cars and foot patrolmen were found to be carrying workloads which were disproportionate to their total manpower strength.

Foot beats were found to be unrealistically large in many cases. Despite these illogical assignments the drain effectiveness the consultants found further that “a high proportion” of available manpower was assigned to a host of miscellaneous duties, and this “in the face of claimed that shortages of manpower to fill foot post.”

The discontinuance of the northern and southern police district, the consultant said, would further increase patrol efficiencies and free extra men for the streets by eliminating duplication of non-patrol assignments.

“The presence of the district station is in itself no deterrent to crime” a very small percentage of all police services originate with a complaints appearance at a station,” the report says.

Not only did the consultants find men enough to patrol Baltimore’s streets, they also found there were enough patrol sergeants to do adequate supervision. Outside of the patrol, supervisory ratios provided another kind of problem.

For instance it was found that there were twice as many detective Sgt. is needed The supervision of the 154 detective patrolman. The report recommends cutting the complement of 49 sergeants in half.

Beside the detectives, the homicide Bureau, Hotel squad, narcotics squad and states attorney unit was found to be “top-heavy with supervisors.”

And yet with all these supervisors, lack of supervision was an important complaint of the report.

The problem, “questionable selection process; failure to use a supervisory probationary period; failure to provide adequate supervisory training: excessive familiarity with subordinates and lack of bearing” and several other reasons.

Along with the lack of supervision, the consultants found a lack of effective control from the Commissioner which they particularly blame on the organizational structure and partially one lack of staff supervision.

The consultant said the apparent intent of the organization scheme is to give the Commissioner administrative functions and the chief inspection operational functions.

The report says this system makes the chief inspector “a strong assistant Commissioner” and quotes a textbook on this situation: “at best a single assistant chief accomplices tasks that are properly the duties of an executive officer or adjutant: the worst he isolates the chief of the department and takes over policy decisions without which the department head cannot be chief in fact and becomes sort of a “grandvizer” to which all ranks must bow in order to have their request granted.”

Responsibilities Shared
The survey team labeled the Baltimore system as “defective” because responsibilities from management are not clearly fixed but are shared.

“The final result is that the Commissioner is held responsible in practice by the governor and by the public for all the activities of the department, but is insulated and prevented from being an executive in fact.”

Because of the lack of staff inspections, the report said, Commissioner Smit must accept reports on performance of duty from those who are personally charged with the responsibility for the duty.

There is no way for the Commissioner to ensure that the line commanders are properly performing their duties.

The report says that the most singular recent example of what this lack of real information can lead to was the commissioners lack of knowledge of the faulty crime reporting procedures until outside sources disclose them publicly with the resultant wave of unfavorable publicity.

“Even an outsider unschooled in police work could detect something was wrong with the crime reporting and were courting as practiced by the Baltimore Police Department.”

The imperfect recording of crime incidents, the report says, was not the fault of the investigating officers and sergeants, lieutenants, captains and top administrators were aware of the practices and permitted them.

On December, 1964 after the police crime records were publicly questioned, a thick report was transmitted to governor Tawes by the Police Department in which nearly every officer above the rank of Lieut. claim that there was no evidence to indicate that they complete recording was not being practiced.

Very Little Praise
In a mass of criticism, very little praise comes forth.

The consultants do command the public relations efforts of Capt. Norman J. Schleigh, head of the police training academy, any attempts made by Thomas J. Miller, former personnel director, in areas of improving the process of selecting officer candidates and in trying to activate formal grievance procedures.

Among the miscellaneous services that receive strong criticism is the medical division and the police positions.

The consultants claim that physicians exercise more control over a high sickness rate in the department, an average of more than 12 days a man every year for the past two decades.

The consultant said that a combined sickness and injury rate of eight days or more a year as an average for the department should prompt the administration of the department to either improve control over misuse of sick leave or else and prove a genuinely poor health record.

In Baltimore’s case both approaches must be used, said the report.

Reducing the sick leave to a tolerable average of eight days a year would be the equivalent of a gain of 90 men on the force, the consultants figured.

Would Replace Doctors
“If physicians on the staff are not sympathetic to more stringent control procedures, they should be replaced with doctors who are willing to assert their responsibility and authority, “said the report. The positions were also said to have no well-developed medical standards for recruits and for accepting candidates of questionable physical fitness.

There are a number of miscellaneous criticisms of major importance in many areas.

The consultant thought the K-9 Corps was poorly assigned and wasting time patrolling hospitals.

A spot check revealed that citizens call for help were more probably answered on the regular administration telephone lines than through the emergency numbers.

Sgt Charlie Barclay circa 196o

WHAT ARE POLICEMAN MADE OF?

Don’t credit me with the mongrel prose: it has many parents-at least 420,000 of them: Policemen.

A Policeman is a composite of what all men are, mingling of a saint and sinner, dust and deity.
Gulled statistics wave the fan over the stinkers, underscore instances of dishonesty and brutality because they are “new”. What they really mean is that they are exceptional, unusual, not commonplace.
Buried under the frost is the fact: Less than one-half of one percent of policemen misfit the uniform. That’s a better average than you’d find among clergy!
What is a policeman made of? He, of all men, is once the most needed and the most unwanted. He’s a strangely nameless creature who is “sir” to his face and “fuzz” to his back
He must be such a diplomat that he can settle differences between individuals so that each will think he won.
But…If the policeman is neat, he’s conceited; if he’s careless, he’s a bum. If he’s pleasant, he’s flirting;if not, he’s a grouch.
He must make an instant decision which would require months for a lawyer to make.
But…If he hurries, he’s careless; if he’s deliberate, he’s lazy. He must be first to an accident and infallible with his diagnosis. He must be able to start breathing, stop bleeding, tie splints and, above all, be sure the victim goes home without a limp. Or expect to be sued.
The police officer must know every gun, draw on the run, and hit where it doesn’t hurt.He must be able to whip two men twice his size and half his age without damaging his uniform and without being “brutal”. If you hit him, he’s a coward. If he hits you, he’s a bully.
A policeman must know everything-and not tell. He must know where all the sin is and not partake.
A policeman must, from a single strand of hair, be able to describe the crime, the weapon and the criminal- and tell you where the criminal is hiding.
But…If he catches the criminal, he’s lucky; if he doesn’t, he’s a dunce. If he gets promoted, he has political pull; if he doesn’t, he’s a dullard. The policeman must chase a bum lead to a dead-end, stake out ten nights to tag one witness who saw it happen-but refused to remember.
The policeman must be a minister, a social worker, a diplomat, a tough guy and a gentleman.
And, of course, he’d have to be genius….For he will have to feed a family on a policeman’s salary.

By:  Paul Harvey

Photo courtesy Officer William Hough

GRADUATION CERTIFICATE WILLIAM J. HOUGH
         January 14, 1964
Officer William Hough seen below on foot patrol

Photo courtesy Officer William Hough

Photo courtesy Sgt. George T. Owens

Officer George T. Owens's seen here at the Civic Center (the patrolman on the right hand side in the jacket) working crowd control when the Beatles came to Baltimore.  September 13, 1964

Photo courtesy Sgt. George T. Owens

Officer George T. Owens seen here patrolling his post. 1964

Photo courtesy Sgt. George T. Owens

Officer Joseph B. Huffman 1965

Photo Courtesy James Redding

Lieutenant Clyde Redding (far right) BCPD Officer of the Year 1966

along with the BCFD officer of the year 1966

Courtesy Wally Brenton
He served in the Southeast District 1967-1973

Photo courtesy Officer Bill Hough

 Baltimore Police Officers and their wives listen to Govenor Marvin Mandel who promised raises and told them to just have patience

 

 Honor Guard 1968

Photo courtesy Rhonda Owens

Officer Wiley Melvin Owens Jr.

Badge #2928

Later promoted to Detective and assigned ISD

Passed away December 1, 1973

He was an honest, dedicated, faithful member of the force who served the community valiantly.

 Officer Wiley Owens Jr. was offered a $100.00 bribe to change his testimony in a drunk driver case by defense attorney Jackson Dulaney Pennington ,but Officer Owens maintained his integrity and promptly reported the incident. November 13, 1969

 Photo courtesy Rhonda Owens

 Sergeant Francis Max Gutierrez

 

COURTESY JOSEPH GUITERREZ

COURTESY MAJOR ROBERT DiSTEFANO

COURTESY JOSEPH GUITERREZ

Sergeant Gutierrez receiving his certificate of promotion to Sergeant from Police Commissioner Donald D. Pomerleau 12/26/1968

Courtesy Det. Mark Lindsay
Blast from the past: Officer Howard "Bud" Lindsay Officer John Scales and Bob Fisher

Courtesy Det. Mark Lindsay
Ellis "Ditty" Baldwin

Notice the word "City" isn't on the truck! City, wasn't removed from "Baltimore City Police" until the mid, to late 70's as the Mayor at the time was transitioning Baltimore into a Tourist town, Building the Inner Harbor, and wanted to remove the tough sound of City from Baltimore, but that all came much later than this truck. This was a sign of thngs to come.

Courtesy Det. Mark Lindsay
The "Command Chair" at 1050 S. Broadway. Notice the mirror and fish eye mounted on the window frame. Very useful to detect sneaking bad guys, and duty officers.- When the uniform cap was worn on the truck, it was wise to remove the inside wire in the top portion, (Known by some as the stylish "50 Mission Crush" of the hat) Otherwise, the wind would blow it off and out of the truck), Mine (Michael Roselle) was run over by some wise guy in a Buick. The guy was last seen driving east on Fayette from Central laughing.

Courtesy Det. Mark Lindsay
John Scales and Bud Lindsay with a recovered possible 81mm mortar round or a 122mm rd.

Courtesy Det.Mark Lindsay

Courtesy Det. Mark Lindsay

Photo courtesy Officer William hough

Front cover of the 1969 departmental phone book

Original Certificate of Retirement

John N. McCormick

25 years of dedicated service

1943-1969

Flag draped casket of Officer Donald Sager

April 24, 1970

Shriner's circus detail 1970's

with one of the circus performers

The following several pictures are at the Baltimore City Fair in the late 1970's

MORE POLICE TRAINING SET

KIRK SCHARFENBERG

The Sun (1837-1989); Jun 25, 1968; pg. C8

MORE POLICE TRAINING SET

Schooling of All Recruits

In State to Rise 50%

Ocean City, June 24-The executive secretary of the Maryland Police Training Commission said today that by this fall the length of the mandatory training period for recruits on police forces around the State will be increased by 50 per cent.

Robert L. Van Wagoner told members of the Maryland Municipal League, meeting at the Commander Hotel here that the planned increase in, hours of training from 160 to 240 will make the Maryland program among the most thorough in the country.

He also told the group that, within a year, officers entering training schools run by his commission will have to pass intelligence and stability tests.

Determining Tests

Mr. Van Wagoner said the commission is now working with the University of Maryland to determine what specific tests will be used.

State law, he said, requires all men recruited by police forces throughout the State since June 1, 1967, to pass a training course approved by the commission.

The course must be completed within a year of the officer's appointment to the police force.

Mr. Van Wagoner said he is "reasonably certain" that there have been violations of the law "though ignorance." But, he added, a new State program, providing $21,000,0110 to local police departments and requiring compliance with the commission's standards, should aid in enforcement of the requirements.

Has Not Used Power

He noted that the commission, composed of leading law enforcement officials in the' State, the attorney general and the president of the University of Maryland, has not yet exercised its authority to set standards for veteran police officers.

He termed this the most difficult aspect of the commission's 1 work, but said that the standards will be set.

Mr. Van Wagoner added, "the large portion of police officers 1 in the Slate have never had an ounce of training and have never shot a gun, except on July 4th.

"Ninety-five percent of the police officers want this training,” he said, estimating that the initial course for veteran officers would probably last a week.

Small Communities

Ile noted that the increased standards for admission to the training schools, which already require a high school education and good character references, may work a hardship on small communities which have difficulty paying their police forces even now.

He suggested, therefore, that these communities use the State money they receive to improve their police salaries to hire qualified men

"It's no good to have equipment if you don't have the qualified men to operate it," he said.

Photo courtesy Det. Charlie Smoot


Photo courtesy Det. Charlie Smoot

 Officer Lawrence Barry ( white shirt) is seen here attending a retirement party.

Officer Vernon G. Barclay

Officer Charles Thompson (left)

Officer Clyde Redding (right)

Photo courtesy Officer Bill Hough

Sergeant John Jackman escorts a prisoner from a disturbance at western High School

Photo courtesy Officer Bill Hough

Photo courtesy Officer Bill Hough

Officer John Grosskopf "Hero" saved several children from drowning 

Photo courtesy Officer Bill Hough

Black Panther raid 1700 blk. N. Aisquith St.

April 30, 1970

Photo Courtesy Lieut. William Bowen

Lieutenant William Bowen

1972

Courtesy of Officer Dick Busch

Courtesy of Officer Dick Busch

Courtesy of Officer Dick Busch

Sergeant Robert Wilson working Druid Hill Park 1970's in a Dodge Aspen

Photo courtesy Lieut. Robert Wilson

Photo courtesy Lieut. Robert Wilson

LAWS & LIBERTY

The Sun (1837-1989); Sep 8, 1974; pg. AA29

LAWS & LIBERTY

The increasing pressure of traffic particularly in the downtown sections of our great Babylon’s and Gomorrah, has at least one laudable effect: it makes the police happy. Naturally pedantic, and trained, the pedagogues, in the doctrine that all human beings are precisely alike and maybe handle stalks of weed, BB shot Hall at the stockyard, they delight in the opportunity to make and enforce ever more complex and nonconsensual regulations.

The other day I read in the Sunpaper that so many motorists were herded for trial in a traffic court that it took three judges to dispose of them... Obviously, the police, like Judge Elbert H. Gary, have no need to wait for heaven; they enjoyed here and now. What could be more charmingly to their taste than a body of laws which fills two courtrooms suffocation every day, and keeps three judges leaping and tugging back fire engine hoses the situation is made the more intoxicating by the Attacked that 9/10 of the criminals or persons who would not otherwise fall into the toils – the traffic regulation tap whole new categories of victims...

The United railways [which ran the public transportation system] has ably seconded the police in this gradual disciplining and regimentation of the people of Baltimore... Today riding on the cars of uniting railways is indistinguishable from running a gantlet. The passenger is no longer a customer, nor even an individual; he is simply an anonymous unit in an endless chain – a sort of sausage fed into an insatiable and impersonal maw. His desires are no more regarded than if he were a corpse. The instant he steps of a board a car the cogs and levers of the machine grip him, and thereafter until he escapes, he is a sleeve. He must deposit his fair at a certain time and place; he must move as ordered; if he happens to be smoking he is in for a sharp reprimand. All his old rights now reduce themselves to one: he may get off if he doesn’t like it, and be damned... Meanwhile, the company hires in psychology at $50,000 a year and expense to improve its public relations – that is, to diminish the climber that goes on against it all the time. No wonder there is a climber. Don’t the halls in the slaughterhouse wheel?

The Evening Sun March 23, 1925

it takes a very powerful effort of the will and imagination for any reflective man, in these last days of the Republic, to be proud that he is an American; those who seem to be the proudest of it, indeed are precisely the worst cads and ignoramuses on view. But all the while it remains relatively easy to be proud of being a Marylander, for here in this little state, stuck forlornly between the serfs of the North and the slaves of the South, there remains in active being a great deal of the genuine liberty of the braver and more expansive day, and what is better still, there is not slightest sign that in so far as the people of this state can control the matter, it is distinguishing. Period.

Maryland is one of the few free states left in the American Commonwealth – almost, indeed, the only state remaining in which the guarantees of the Bill of Rights has served the roguery of legislators and imbecility of judges...

This respect for human rights – this quick resentment of every appearance of official bullying – remains alive in Maryland because of the survival of an older tradition of freedom. But perhaps that tradition itself survives because of something that is too often forgotten, to wit, that in Maryland the jury in a criminal case is a judge of the law as well as the facts. It would be difficult to overestimate the importance of this constitutional safeguard. On the one hand, it instantly draws teeth of the foolish and oppressive laws… And all the other hand, it makes it almost impossible for the police to make law on their own book, and railroad innocent men to prison, as has happened so often in California and other Western states, and of late even in New England…

Liberty is a great deal less esteemed in America that used to be; the other day the American ambassador to Rome was deriding it as archaic. But here in Maryland it is still respected, and that single fact is worth more than all the sugar refineries, Tanneries, guano factories and other such great dunes that go-getters will bring to the state between this day in the day of judgment.

The Evening Sun, July 31, 1923

This is one of the few American states which, in the state courts, constitutional guarantees of the citizen are jealously guarded. Unlike New York, Pennsylvania, and most of the Western states, we have no laws limiting the free play of opinion; and Marylander is at liberty to set forth his honest sentiments, in private or in public, without interference by the police no so-called soapbox or, however extravagant and idiotic, has ever been sent to prison in Maryland.

The Evening Sun, September 22, 1924

Eugene Grannan, who died a week ago, was one of the town characters of Baltimore at the end of the last century, antique His peculiar color and charm to the end… He was… A man almost ideally fitted for his job [of police magistrate]. For years a professional detective, working for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, he knew familiarly most of the petticoats working in these parts. More common a new policeman, and could read their peculiarity innocent minds. Yet more, he was a man combined great shrewdness and an expansive sentimentality in a way that is very rare to this world. Finally, he had a vast untapped for lawyers, and scarcely less for the law…

Grannan first came into public notice by a devastating attack upon the old system of intrigue which for years had made criminal justice a mockery in Baltimore. He was then sitting at the Western police station on Pine Street, and his bailiwick included the nearby red light district. The girls in that district were frequently in conflict with the police, and so most of them got themselves protectors of political influence – naturally enough, a worthless and the last class of men. Sometimes these protectors will get drunk and beat the girls. The police would then lock them up to prevent murders, but in the morning they were commonly turned loose without punishment.

But soon after Grannan went up on the bench such as scoundrel appeared before him, and, in violation of the immemorial practice, he called for the witnesses and proceeded to trial. The evidence was plain enough. The fellow had got drunk and given his girl a beat. He now stood before the bar with Democratic ward leader of that vicinity on one side of him, and the group of gaudy brethren of his craft on the other. He plainly expected the usual humane treatment. Disdaining a jury trial, he elected to be tried by Grannan. Grannan found him guilty and sentenced him to two years in the house of corrections…

This episode made Grannan a town celebrity, and the notion got around that he was a crusader against politicians, and eager to get all of them into prison. He was, of course, nothing of the sort. On the contrary, he knew very well that politicians serve a very useful purpose, especially of the more petty varieties, and he made constant use of them in his work...

His attitude toward policeman was much the same. He knew that 9/10 of them was simpleminded honest men, but he also knew how much professional prejudice: their thoughts… He was thus very suspicious of constabulary testimony, and seldom accepted it unless it was supported by disinterested witnesses…

The life of such a man, it seems to me, is immensely valuable to the community he lives in, and he ought to be remembered. There was nothing brilliant about Grannan… But he had qualities that were of high social work and excellence, and chance threw him into a position where they could be utilized effectively and made to yield permanent benefits. He founded a whole school of police magistrates, obviously better than the old school… And his influence, I believe, as it towered to this day.

What made him attractive personally was his pawky and sardonic humor. He greatly enjoyed his work, despite the foul smells of his court and the daily contact with wretchedness in all its form, and always kept it on a level of amiable tolerance. Time and time again I have seen him dissipate misery with a jocosity. He loved to scare minor offenders horribly, and then turn them loose. Once an old German was before him, Charles was quarreling with his wife of 40 years. Both parties will repentant and ashamed. Grannan solemnly tried the old man, sentenced and 25 years in the penitentiary, and then, after the cops had revived him since him is way, his wife on his arm. He ordered the case to them from the books and asked the reporters not to mention it…

The only time I ever saw him show anger on the bench was one in E. Baltimore St. missionary came before him, charging an ancient Russian Jew with assault. The missionary, it appeared, had dragged the Jews grandson into his gospel all, and tried to convert him to Methodism. Grannan, usually very dignified on the fence, lost his temper and gave the missionary a dreadful cursing. Then he turned to the Jew. “I am glad you feed him,” he said, “but don’t do it again. The law is an ass, but it has two years. The next time he tackles your grandson, bring him here.”

The Evening Sun, September 6, 1926

Baltimore City initiates a Gun Buy Program August 1974

Major John Kollmann stands amid some of the 1,000 guns that the City bought at $50.00 each from City residents, no questions asked, as an incentive to rid the City of guns. 


COURTESY SERGEANT BERNIE WEHAGE

Officer Warren Todd Central District R/C 102 on a business check at Harley's,
Liberty & Fayette Sts.

BALTIMORE POLICE STRIKE 1974

A dark time in the history of the Baltimore Police Department.

The first police strike in a major City since 1912.

A Civil War, BPD Officers vs. BPD Officers.

The strike became a part of our history and for all law enforcement.
It was not a proud moment for the Baltimore Police Department.

Many BPD officers were in a state of conflict, do the Right thing or fight
for a cause they truly believed in. No one won in this conflict.

Scars were left and will be a long time healing.

They will, indeed, heal. May this never happen again in our history.
May our ranks stay united as a brotherhood.
Officers working together for the benefit of all.

Officer Paul Bach standing next to a 1974 Plymouth in the SED parking lot

Officer William Hackley(L) and Officer Joe Snyder NWD detailed to the Afram Festival

1977

Officers in UNITY  1978

Courtesy Lt.Tom Douglas
Commissioner Donald D. Pomerleau appoints Officer Tom Douglas to Police Agent June 15, 1977

(Below) Commissioner Pomerleau with Newly appointed Agent Tom Douglas with his parents Sue and Doug proudly looking on.

Courtesy Lt.Tom Douglas


COURTESY OFFICER JOE WICZULIS

Photograph of Colonel “Dick” Francis that was given to Officer Marion Wiczulis for Good Luck (above)

COURTESY OFFICER JOE WICZULIS

During the Custom Motorcycle Show held March 1977, at the Timonium Fair Grounds, Officer Marion S. Wiczulis of the Enforcement Section of the Traffic Division and his fiancée,Paula, devoted his spare time to display one of the Department's motorcycles and also helped promote motorcycle safety in conjunction with members of the Baltimore County Police Department.

Major Patricia Mullen, Sergeant Mercedes Rankin, Carol Channing 1978

THE BALTIMORE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S GANGBUSTERS

June 1975

Front Row: Robert Ackerman, SWD; Raymond Gillespie, WD; Richard Boronyak, NWD; Thomas Heathcoate, IID; William Hausner, NED; Michael Andrew, SWD; Martin Hanna, SWD; Leonard Willis, CID; Second Row: Robert Dapp, NED; Anthony Collini, ND; Lawrence Banks, Youth; Gary Childs, CID; Anthony Rinaldi, CD; Clayton Wright, SED; James Griffin, WD; Charles Cichon, NED; Back Row: Colonel Wilbur C. Miller; George Seltzer, WD; William Arnett, Youth; Daniel Markowski, CD; Donald Farley, Youth; Joseph Powell, CID; Robert Thomas, Tac.; Fred Oster, Youth; James Gilbert, CID; Police Commissioner Donald D. Pomerleau.

BALTIMORE POLICE NEWSLETTER

Detective Julius Neveker

December 1978

President Jimmy Carter, Major Regis Rafensberger,
Major Ron Mullen, Commissioner Bishop Robinson 1979

MOTOR POOL OFFICE

Photo courtesy Lieut. Robert Oros

Photo courtesy Officer Brian Beauchamp

 Brian W. Beauchamp graduated academy class 70-2 on July 2, 1970, and was assigned to the Northern District, where he remained until he left the department July 11, 1973, and moved to Michigan for family reasons. He started with the Shiawassee County Sheriff's Department in Corunna, MI and retired as a DET/SGT in December 1997Photo courtesy Officer Brian Beauchamp

Photo courtesy Brian Beauchamp

Life after the BPD

Courtesy Officer John Brazil

 

Courtesy Officer John Brazil

Photo courtesy Gary Provenzano

Departmental Accident Shop# 9031

Photo Courtesy Sgt. William Gordon

Sergeant William Staley & Al Bowling celebrating the Sergeant's Birthday (Below) Sergeant Staley enjoys a piece of Birthday Cake 1976

Photo Courtesy Sgt. William Gordon

Photo courtesy: Mary Beth (Peach) Wasmer

 Officer Kenneth S. Peach receiving his Sergeant promotion certificate from Police Commissioner Pomerleau

 

 Photo courtesy: Mary Beth (Peach) Wasmer

Sergeant Kenneth Peach hard at work

Photo courtesy: Mary Beth (Peach) Wasmer

Sergeant Peach stops a moment for this photograph

Photo courtesy: Mary Beth (Peach) Wasmer

Sergeant Peach diligently working on a report for the Police Commissioner

Photo courtesy: Mary Beth (Peach) Wasmer

Sergeant Peach and his wife after receiving his promotion to Lieutenant

Photo courtesy: Mary Beth (Peach) Wasmer

Photo courtesy: Mary Beth (Peach) Wasmer
Lieutenant Kenneth Peach in the Armory Unit

This shot of Lieutenant Peach is probably the most memorable photograph of him etched into everyone's mind. Every visit to the Armory Unit you would find him at his desk thinking and working on some project or working on a gun.  He put dedication and pride into his job.

He retired from the department and then passed away very suddenly on February 11, 2007 suffering from cancer. His service to the department is immeasurable and it Honored the Department.

Photo Courtesy Sgt. William Gordon
Officer William Gordon 1977

Photo courtesy Lt. Robert Wilson
Commissioner Donald D. Pomerleau promoting Sergeant Robert Wilson to
the rank of Lieutenant on December 21, 1978. Lt. Wilson with
his wife Lynn and daughters Jessica and Betty Lynn are proud of their dad.

 

Bobby Ackison
Photo courtesy Lieut. Robert Oros

 

Photo courtesy Lieut. Robert Oros

Photo courtesy Lieut. Robert Oros

Photo courtesy Lieut. Robert Oros

Officer Al Diggs, Don Hoppe, Bob Gains

Courtesy Lt. Tom Douglas

Photo courtesy Christina Bohli, John Drexel's daughter

Deputy Commissioner Harwood Burritt presents Lt. John Drexel a retirement plaque for his 23 years of service.
(Below) Retiring Lieutenant John Drexel stands at the podium with his wife Faye at his retirement party June 1975

Photo courtesy Christina Bohli, John Drexel's daughter


Photo courtesy Christina Bohli, John Drexel's daughter

Captain R.L.Connely giving Lt. John Drexel his retirement certificate


Photo courtesy Christina Bohli, John Drexel's daughter

Lt. John Drexel being congratulated on his retirement while his daughter Christina looks on

The first row, left to right: Inspector Clarence Kelly, General George Gelston, Inspector George Deuchler. Deputy Commissioner Ralph Murdy.

Second row, left to right: Colonel Richard "Dickie" Taylor, Colonel "Box" Harris. Deputy Commissioner Wade Poole. Inspector Frank J. Battaglia, Inspector Thomas "Tom" Keyes, Captain G. Gordon Gang. Third row left to right: First position unknown to me. Inspector

Frank Deems. Third position unknown to me. Last rows sort of combine. The man with the glasses, peeking out above Box Harris, is Inspector Clarence German. The gentleman in the suit, directly behind Wade Poole I believe is Captain Anthony Nelligan of the Crime Lab. The man directly behind Frank Battaglia is Inspector August Gribbin.

Officer Zawadski, Officer Pat Kirby, Officer K. Council

Photo courtesy Lieut. Robert Oros

Photo courtesy Lieut. Robert Oros

Sergeant George Freeman

 COURTESY JOSEPH GUITERREZ

COURTESY JOSEPH GUITERREZ

Sergeant Gutierrez receiving his certificate of promotion to Lieutenant from Police Commissioner Frank J. Battaglia 12/18/1974

COURTESY JOSEPH GUITERREZ

COURTESY MAJOR ROBERT DiSTEFANO

COURTESY MAJOR ROBERT DiSTEFANO

 Colonel Donald "Skippy" Shanahan

COURTESY MAJOR ROBERT DiSTEFANO

Pension party for Officer McKenzie and Lt. Lorenz.  

Captain George Klanders, Deputy Commissioner Battaglia, and Captain John Barnold

 COURTESY MAJOR ROBERT DiSTEFANO

 

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 Handcuffs Restraints

W.S. Darley Receipt courtesy Ray Wheatley
1944 Receipt for a set of Peerless Handcuffs

Catching criminals is only half the battle, restraining them can be several more battles throughout the course of effectively prosecuting them. Police have the odd job of fighting a man but only to a point which is necessary, the man he fights is trying to kill him, but the officer is only allowed to fight to a point which necessary to effect the arrest, after which he must, switch roles, offer first aid for injuries, then restrain and protect. Often a suspect is wanted by the public, so officers have to get the suspect safely before the courts. Many don’t realize jails and prisons are made as much to protect the prisoner from society and them to protect society from that prisoner. It used to be that jails were for punishment, a sort of adult timeout… then they became all about educating a man, teaching him the wrongs of his former self. They hope he will come out a better man. To get to that place and along the way we had restraints. This is a brief history of those restraints. 

Baltimore Smith and Wesson Model 90 Handcuffs

Here's a close-up of the marking 

Why Do we Cuff all Prisoners Today
In Part Because of Cases Like this

On 19 Nov 1928 Captain John Carey night commander of police, received word that a man answering the description of a man wanted in New York for armed Robberies and the shooting of a New York City Police officer was in a Baltimore Street hotel. Three detectives were detailed to go to the location and bring the suspect in; Captain Carey told them to bring the suspect to police headquarters for questioning. The detectives tried up the location and found the person that was being reported but felt he was not the suspect wanted, by NYPD. Captain Carey said he told the three officers sent earlier of the dangers of this suspect, and let them know he was a dangerous and desperate character. While the Detectives didn’t think the guy they received a tip on was their suspect they still brought him in for questioning where they cleared him and released him shortly after.

Later the same morning Detective Sergeant Frederick W. Carroll received a phoned in a tip of a suspect at a downtown hotel, he didn’t have any info on the suspect, what he was wanted for, or even that three Detectives had already gone out on this call. All he had was that police were there earlier looking for a suspect, and that the suspect was there now. Detective Sergeant Carroll then left the station to investigate this complaint; he didn’t know it was guys out of his own unit/division that went. We don’t know who phoned in the tip, it may have been the person police brought in, and then released, or a hotel employee; we’ll never know. Likewise, we’ll never know why, Detective Sergeant Carroll didn’t look into it any further, or take back-up. He just took the name the caller gave him, grabbed a set of keys, and went alone… While at the hotel he located the suspect and arrested him. The two proceeded from the hotel to as far as Fayette Street, and Fallsway when the suspect pulled a pistol and demanded that Detective Sergeant Carroll put his hands up. Detective Sergeant Elmer O’Grady and Detective Joseph Carroll, who was looking out a window of the police building, ran out to assist Detective Sergeant Carroll, only to be met by the gunman’s fire. Detective Sergeant Carroll died a few minutes after being taken to the hospital. Oh, Grady and Joseph Carroll were reported as doing well. 

Several things that should be known about the Baltimore Police 1928
1^st - We didn’t cuff people in public
2^nd - We didn’t search people in public, nor did we stand by and watch as other searched people in public. To that Commissioner Charles D. Gaither read the following from the rule book to the media:

“Members of the force shall not search, or act as a witness to the searching of any person in any place other than the station house, or headquarters unless such search is made for dangerous or deadly weapons suspected to be upon the person of the prisoner.”

In this case Det. Sgt. F Carroll had no info on the suspect and was within the rules of the Baltimore Police Department. It is because of cases like this, that we have the rules we have today, cases like this that let us handcuff people that are only suspected of a crime. And cases like this that let us search incident to arrest. This happened in 1928, things were so different, without radios on every shoulder, or hip like today, information wasn’t as freely distributed as it is today.

As his brothers and sisters of the Baltimore Police Department we will not let him be forgotten, His service Honored the City of Baltimore, and the Baltimore Police Department may he rest in peace, and may God bless him. 

The suspect in this case also died of his injuries, but not before admitting to police that he was the suspect wanted in New York for robberies and Shootings, of two police officers in the NYPD

A Brief History of Handcuffs

since being used, in one form or another for centuries, they have had a variety of names. Manacles, Nippers, Thumb-cuffs, Grips, Hooks, Claws, Dowlers, Shackles, Handcuffs, often shortened to “Cuffs” are just a few of the names used. As for styles… we have the Iron claw originally put out by Argus, later sold under the name Pee Jay, then there is the Pistol Grip, A Policeman’s Hook, Harvey Chain Grip, a simple leather strap with a wooden turned handled used like a leash, to hogtie, the suspect twisting his/her arm behind their back and transport (normally walk them to a call box to wait for a wagon, or before that to walk them to the station. Over the years, there have been many styles of these mechanisms used primarily as restraints. What other uses than restraints, you wonder. Well, entertainment Houdini? His use of handcuffs was to escape from – not be restrained by - handcuffs, while he mesmerized crowds of spectators. And, in France in the 1950’s, the single locking La Pegy handcuff was thought to be a fashion statement. France fashion, Go figure! And let’s not forget those that used them as a sexual implement, (Ok let’s forget them… ) so much for fashion and style and such; let’s get down to the real deal/appeal about handcuffs.

From convicts to captives, to conjurers, to perverts, handcuffs have been used to detain, constrain, and entertain since they have been recorded in history.

The poet Publius Vergilius Maro, known in English as Virgil, recounts the legend of the

fitting of the first handcuffs on the mythical god Proteus. Possessing the gift of prophecy

but not the gift of giving, Proteus selfishly kept his knowledge to himself. Aristaeus knew

that the only thing that would compel Proteus to share his knowledge was to bind him

and not let go. This binding or cuffing is the first recorded (though mythical) use of what

we now call handcuffs.

But, there is more to the story of handcuffs. In the 4th century B.C., Carthaginians lugged

chariots full of handcuffs with them in their anticipation of conquering the Greeks.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, the words swivel manacle, and shackbold were used to

describe handcuffs. The word eventually evolved from the Anglo-Saxon “hand cop”,

meaning that which “cops” or “catches”, to the version of the word we use today –

handcuff.

Because the use of and need for restraining people developed before working metals were discovered, the first handcuffs were actually made from strips of animal hide, rope

made from reeds and vines was the updated method and material employed to confine

other human beings and prevent escape. As time progressed, so did human beings’ ability to make stronger, reusable hand cops/cuffs. This ability to make stronger handcuffs was introduced, along with the invention of locks, in the Bronze Age. During the Iron Age, a more sophisticated workmanship was forged. However, most handcuffs were ‘one size fits all’ and caused more pain for the bigger boned detainee and potential freedom for the small-wristed prisoner. They were simple metal rings that locked in place with no room for adjustment to the size of the captive’s wrists. That is until 1862 when there were major changes to handcuffs when inventor W.V. Adams patented a design for handcuffs that had adjustable ratchets. In 1865, John Tower, who

started one of the most successful American handcuff companies, used Adams’ design to

manufacturer handcuffs up until WWII. Now, there are literally hundreds of types of handcuffs. Some bought for collecting only, and some made to accommodate law enforcers in their need for swift and secure handling of disorderly crowds and individuals. For the swift securing of the unruly, Plasti-Cuffs are often used; they are flexible restraints that resemble the plastic ties used to secure cable lines in the field these are known as “Flex-cuffs”. With Universal Precautions the outlook of the day, Plasti-Cuffs help prevent the spread of disease, as they are disposable. They are also cheaper than the traditional metal restraints used by law enforcement, as well as easier to carry. (I should say they are said to be easier to carry, these used to be quite cumbersome, on raids guys would put a rack of these on their belt keeper and go in looking like a lineman.

So, the handcuff has evolved from myth to leather, to twine, to metal mechanism most popular throughout recent history back to a disposable one time use flexible, “Flex-cuffs”. All the while preserving the original uses – to constrain, detain and even entertain.

References –

Handcuffs.org

Yahoo.com

The rest is history.com -Article by J. Parker Adair

Handcuffs by Inspector Maurice Moser.

Styles

Handcuffs which were worn during trials by the accused in the assassination of President Lincoln.

There are three main types of contemporary metal handcuffs: chain (cuffs are held together by a short chain), hinged (since hinged handcuffs permit less movement than a chain-cuff, they are generally considered to be more secure), and rigid solid bar handcuffs. While bulkier to carry, rigid handcuffs permit several variations in cuffing. Hiatts Speed-cuffs are rigid handcuffs used by most police forces in the United Kingdom. Both rigid and hinged cuffs can be used one-handed to apply pain-compliance/control techniques that are not workable with the chain type of cuff. Various accessories are available to improve the security or increase the rigidity of handcuffs, including boxes that fit over the chain or hinge and can themselves be locked with a padlock.

In 1933 the Royal Canadian Mounted Police used a type called "Mitten Handcuffs" to prevent criminals from being able to grab an object like the officer's gun. While used by some in law enforcement it was never popular.

Handcuffs may be manufactured from various metals, including carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminum, or from synthetic polymers.

Sometimes two pairs of handcuffs are needed to restrain a person with an exceptionally large waistline because the hands cannot be brought close enough together; in this case, one cuff on one pair of handcuffs is handcuffed to one of the cuffs on the other pair, and then the remaining open handcuff on each pair is applied to the person's wrists. Oversized handcuffs are available from a number of manufacturers.

The National Museum of Australia has a number of handcuffs in its collection dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These include 'T'-type 'Come Along', 'D'-type and 'Figure-8' handcuffs.

Double Locks

Handcuffs with double locks have a detente which when engaged stops the cuff from ratcheting tighter to prevent the wearer from tightening them. Tightening could be intentional or by struggling; if tightened, the handcuffs may cause nerve damage or loss of circulation. Also, some wearers could tighten the cuffs to attempt an escape by having the officer loosen the cuffs and attempting to escape while the cuffs are loose. Double locks also make picking the locks more difficult.

There exist three kinds of double locks as described in a Smith & Wesson brochure:

Lever lock: Movement of a lever on the cuff causes the detente to move into a position that locks the bolt. No tool is required to double lock this type of cuff.

Push pin lock: A small peg on the key is inserted end-wise into a hole to engage the detente.

Slot lock: These also are actuated with a peg, but in this case, it is inserted into a slot and moved sideways to engage the detente.

Double locks are generally disengaged by inserting the key and rotating it in the opposite direction from that used to unlock the cuff.

Plastic handcuffs

Plastic restraints, known as wrist ties, riot cuffs, plasti-cuffs, flex-cuffs, flex-cuffs, tri-fold cuffs, zap straps, zip-cuffs, or zip-strips, are lightweight, disposable plastic strips resembling electrical cable ties. They can be carried in large quantities by soldiers and police and are therefore well-suited for situations where many may be needed, such as during large-scale protests and riots. In recent years, airlines have begun to carry plastic handcuffs as a way to restrain disruptive passengers. Disposable restraints could be considered to be cost-inefficient; they cannot be loosened and must be cut off to permit a restrained subject to be fingerprinted, or to attend to bodily functions. It is not unheard of for a single subject to receiving five or more sets of disposable restraints in his or her first few hours in custody. However, aforementioned usage means that cheap handcuffs are available in situations where steel ones would normally lay unused for long times. Recent products have been introduced that serve to address this concern, including disposable plastic restraints that can be opened or loosened with a key; more expensive than conventional plastic restraints, they can only be used a very limited number of times, and are not as strong as conventional disposable restraints, let alone modern metal handcuffs. In addition, plastic restraints are believed by many to be more likely to inflict nerve or soft-tissue damage to the wearer than metal handcuffs.

Leg-cuffs (leg-irons)

Standard type leg-cuffs (leg-irons) made in Taiwan

On occasions when a suspect exhibits extremely aggressive behavior, leg irons may be used as well; sometimes the chain connecting the leg irons to one another is looped around the chain of the handcuffs, and then the leg irons are applied, resulting in the person being "hog-tied". In a few rare cases, hog-tied persons lying on their stomachs have died from positional asphyxia, making the practice highly controversial, and leading to its being severely restricted, or even completely banned, in many localities.

Universal handcuff key

Keys

Most modern handcuffs in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and Latin America can be opened with the same standard universal handcuff key. This allows for easier transport of prisoners and keeps one out of trouble if one loses one's keys. However, there are handcuff makers who use keys based on different standards. Maximum security handcuffs require special keys. Handcuff keys usually do not work with thumb cuffs. The Cuff Lock handcuff key padlock uses this same standard key.

In addition to the Universal handcuff key, a few modified designs exist, including a key that has been molded to fit behind an officer's badge (colloquially known as "The New York Tuning Fork" (U.S Patent 607,305).

Hand Positioning

Old Handcuffs

In the past, police officers typically handcuffed an arrested person with his or her hands in front, but since approximately the mid-1960s behind-the-back handcuffing has been the standard. The vast majority of police academies in the United States today also teach their recruits to apply handcuffs so that the palms of the suspect's hands face outward after the handcuffs are applied. The Jacksonville, Florida Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, and others are notable exceptions, as they favor palms-together handcuffing. This helps prevent radial neuropathy or handcuff neuropathy during extended periods of restraint. Suspects are handcuffed with the keyholes facing up (away from the hands) to make it difficult to open them even with a key or improvised lock-pick.

Hinged handcuffs applied behind the back, with palms facing outwards.

Because a person's hands are used in breaking falls, being handcuffed introduces a significant risk of injury if the prisoner trips or stumbles, in addition to injuries sustained from overly tight handcuffs causing Handcuff Neuropathy. Police officers having custody of the person need to be ready to catch a stumbling prisoner.

As soon as restraints go on, the officer has full liability. The risk of the prisoner losing balance is higher if the hands are handcuffed behind the back than if they are handcuffed in front; however, the risk of using fisted hands together as a weapon increases with hands in front.

Some prisoners being transported from custody to outside locations, for appearances at court, to medical facilities, etc., will wear handcuffs augmented with a belly chain. In this type of arrangement a metal, leather, or canvas belt is attached to the waist, sometimes with a locking mechanism. The handcuffs are secured to the belly chain and the prisoner's hands are kept at waist level. This allows a relative degree of comfort for the prisoner during prolonged internment in the securing device while providing a greater degree of restriction to movement than simply placing the handcuffs on the wrists in the front.

Miscellaneous

Display of old handcuffs, Tatton Park Flower Show, 2010

In Japan, if someone is photographed or filmed while handcuffed, their hands have to be pixelated if it is used on TV or in the newspapers. This is because Kazuyoshi Miura who had been arrested brought a successful case to court arguing that being pictured in handcuffs implied guilt, and had prejudiced the trial. Similarly, in Hong Kong, people being arrested and led away in handcuffs are usually given the chance by the policemen to have their heads covered by a black cloth bag.

Police handcuffs are sometimes used in sexual bondage and BDSM activities. This is potentially unsafe, because they were not designed for this purpose, and their use can result in nerve injury (Handcuff Neuropathy) or other tissue damage. Bondage cuffs were designed specifically for this application. They were designed using the same model of soft restraints used on psychiatric patients because they can be worn for long periods of time. Many such models can be fastened shut with padlocks.

Legcuffs
Leg cuffs in use

Leg cuffs, shackles, footcuffs, fetters or leg irons are a kind of physical restraint used on the feet or ankles to allow walking but prevent running and kicking. They made the leg irons restrict running and kicking so that the prisoners could not fight back. The term "fetter" shares a root with the word "foot".

With respect to humans, typically only prisoners, bondage fetishists, and African American slaves while enslaved wore shackles. Leg shackles are used for chain gangs to keep them together. 

Chain Gang Street Sweepers, 1909

A shackled animal is typically either a dangerous animal or one prone to escape. Metaphorically, a fetter may be anything that restricts or restrains in any way, hence the word "unfettered".

History

Cup lock shackle with no built-in lock

The earliest fetters found in archaeological excavations date from the prehistoric age and are mostly of the puzzle lock type. Fetters are also referenced in ancient times in the Bible.

In the Scriptures the Hebrew word necho′sheth, usually meaning “copper,” is frequently translated “fetters of copper” or “copper fetters,” because fetters were often made of copper or bronze, although wood and iron were also employed. (2Sa 3:34; 2Ki 25:7) In the British Museum, there is a pair of bronze fetters from Nineveh (the capital city of ancient Assyria) in the form of a bar with a ring at each end.

Roman times already see a variety of restraint types. Some early versions of cup lock shackles can already be found. These were widely used in medieval times but their use declined when mass production made the manufacture of locks built into restraints affordable.

Simple fetter types continue to be used like puzzle lock shackles as the typical slave iron or irons riveted shut for prisoners being transported to overseas prison camps.

Standard type leg irons made in Taiwan

The first built-in locks often were of a simple screw-type but soon developed into the "Darby" type. In Europe, these continued to be used into the middle of the 20th century, whereas in the US from the late 19th century onward many new designs were invented and produced before handcuffs and leg irons of the Peerless type became the standard several decades ago.

Controversial use

Heavy leg irons from China, including a metal plate to protect the keyhole from collecting dust or being tampered with

In comparison to handcuffs, the wearing of leg irons may be found less restrictive. Thus the prison authorities in several countries deem their long-term use acceptable. In order to avoid condoning this disputed practice the countries of the European Union have banned exporting leg irons into non-EU countries. The countries that continue to make prisoners wear fetters long term now tend to resort to manufacturing their own restraints.

Thumbcuffs

A Model Wearing both Thumbcuffs and Handcuffs

Thumbcuffs Worn as Toecuffs

Thumbcuffs are a metal restraining device that locks thumbs in proximity to each other.

Thumbcuffs were originally intended for use by detectives, narcotics officers and off-duty policemen, their size allowing them to be carried in the pocket. Most are rigid devices, while some used in Asian countries are chain-linked, like miniature handcuffs.

Thumbcuffs are rarely used due to an increased possibility of injury, most commonly by tight cuffs blocking blood circulation. Handcuffs are usually used instead.

Thumbcuffs may also be used as improvised toecuffs by locking the big toes in proximity to each other.

Thumbcuffs with double locks have a lock spring which when engaged, usually using the top of the key, stops the thumb cuff from ratcheting tighter and prevents the subject from tightening them, possibly causing injury. Double locks also make picking the locks more difficult.

Plastic handcuffs

Policeman Carrying Plastic Handcuffs

 

 

Leather Nipper/Come Along

Baltimore Police Department
242 W. 29th St., Baltimore, MD.
Emergencies: 9-1-1  Non-emergencies: 410-396-2037
BALTIMORE POLICE Web Site: http://www.baltimorepolice.org 

Again please contact Ret. Det. Kenny Driscoll if you have pictures of you, your family, or other members of the Baltimore Police Department and wish to see them remembered here on this tribute site. We are anxious to honor the fine men and women who have served this fine police department. Ret. Det. Kenny Driscoll can be reached at  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - Like us on Facebook, or contact us for a mailing address 

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

Baltimore's was organized on May 29, 1914, consisting of 5 members of the department.
From L-R: Patrolman Schleigh, Bateman, Pepersack, Vocke, Louis. Patrolman George J. Louis would rise through the ranks of Sergeant, Lieutenant to become the commander of the unit. 

The Baltimore Police Department's Motor's Unit was formed on 29 May 1914 with 5 Indian twin cylinder motorcycles. Their main duty was to chase down speeding horse-drawn vehicles but that quickly changed with the growing number of automobiles.  The unit has been in continuous operation since 1914.  In the beginning, they worked out of the Districts but in the 1930's they were reassigned to the newly formed Traffic Division, and were designated as the Traffic Enforcement Section, Motorcycle Unit (the division also had a parking control unit, a foot traffic unit that directed traffic downtown, and an accident investigation unit).  The number of officers has risen and fallen several times due to finances, or safety issues but is alive and well today.  The recently appointed commissioner is from California and he is a supporter of s.  Harley Davidson is the only brand used today and has been since 1920 when a Harley shop opened in Baltimore.  The department used Cushmans, and small Hondas but these were used for foot beat officers to get to their posts.

Designed by Ret Det Kenny Driscoll for use in Celebrating
The 100th Anniversary of BPD's Motor Unit

Pedro Vargas

Courtesy McKinley Smith
December 2018

Courtesy McKinley Smith
December 2018 

Courtesy McKinley Smith
December 2018

Designed by Ret Det Kenny Driscoll for use in Celebrating
The 100th Anniversary of BPD's Motor Unit
As you can see Ken made an "Open Winged" and a "Closed Winged" version 

P/O Thomas Gay Sr.

The patch seen most often worn by members of the "Motors Unit" depicting a "Wheel" with an "Arrow" and "Wings", has long been said to stand for the riders as being "Straight as an Arrow" and  "Free as a Bird"

Courtesy JoAnn Oliphant Voelker
1972 Motors Unit

Left to Right. Sgt. Unk. - Officer Ronald Neff - Officer Charles Richter - Unkown Officer - Officer James Pate - Officer Arthur "Otts" Bailey - Unknown officer - Officer Richard Bernhart - Officer Robert Gay - Sgt. Michael Timchula.

Courtesy Cliff Keerans

Courtesy Cliff Keerans
P/O Ernie Keerans was better known as "Grey Hairs."

Courtesy Cliff Keerans 

Courtesy Cliff Keerans 

Courtesy Bill Bowen
Elmer Bowen and Unknown Partner 1940's

Courtesy John Heiderman

Pennewell 1958

 

This is not a Baltimore Motorcycle and Sidecar
It is, however, a 1919 Indian with Sidecar
Police Issue of the type, we would have Used

Motor Police Named
20 March 1919 [Thursday]

24 Will Compose New Division for Patrolling Annex

System Effective Today
Plan to Put Young Men in Charge of Machine Necessitate Many Transfers

Twenty-four motorcycle patrolmen, composing the new motor division for policing the Annex. were named to the Police Board yesterday by Marshall Carter upon the recommendation of Deputy Marshal House and at the same time, a score of transfers of patrolman from their old districts to the Annex was officially made by the board. The transferred became necessary to execute the plans of the Police Board and placing young, efficient men in charge of the motorcycles equipped with sidecars.

The last vestige of former county policing will disappear today [Thursday - 20 Mar 1919} when the three-shift system of duty will extend to the entire “territory of the Annex. A number of city sergeants have been assigned to Annex bailiwicks. The sergeants named for this work include Thomas J. Ferris, Eastern District: George W. Vance, Northwestern District, and Frank Gatch, Northeastern District.

“We have arranged to place 60 men in the Annexed territory,” said Marshall Carter last night, “and the new system will go into effect tomorrow. [Friday, 21 March 1919] everything is in readiness, the motorcycles have been received and the men have been broken in sufficiently to warrant the installation of the system planned several weeks ago. There will be 24 motorcycle patrolman who will patrol fix posts located in the Northwestern, Northern and Northeastern suburbs of the city, and the hours of duty have been mapped out in a manner which will give the maximum amount of protection with a force of men one-half in number required for the policing of such a widespread territory. Within a week or two, the department will be in a position to open the outer early sections to telephone communication at certain booths. The telephone number of the booth nearest the resident of a given post will be placed in the possession of every resident in, and the hours agreed upon are such that to patrolman will be on duty on one post continually for 24 hours of the day.”

The assignments to the Annex are as follows

Northwestern – Sgt. Vance and Motorcycle Patrolman Clarence Lawman, John E. Schueler, Martin Ruppert, Frank E. Herryman, Edward C. Shellito and Harry G Griese. Patrolman Kleeman will continue foot duty at West Arlington.

Northeastern – Sgt. Gatch and Motorcycle Patrolman George Busick, John Duff, Henry Nuth, trolls a. Muth, Harry L. Baker, and Claude Twigg.

Northern – August H. Bierman, Chas W. Moore and Charles M. Smith with Mounted Men Patrolman Joseph A. Buroch, Henry C. Moore, Gustav A. Romoser and John E. Porter. Patrolman Jehu Rutledge will continue his duty at Roland Park.

Southern – Sgt. Helmer, Motorcycle Patrolman W. C. Lederer, James D. Harris, Frank Lovett, George T. Cook and seven patrolmen.

Southwestern – Sgt. Bealefeld and Motorcycle Patrolman Joseph C. Schaefer and George L. Marburger. Patrolman Moeller and McConkey will continue his foot duties

Eastern – Sergeants Ferris, Hesse and Feehley, Motorcycle Patrolman Thomas P. Arthur and George Pilsch and fifteen patrolmen.

Motors Sketch

Jan 12, 1921

Motorcycle Side - Cars New Crime Deterrent

The Sun (1837-1989); pg. 16

Motorcycle Side-Cars New Crime Deterrent Latest Police Vehicles to Have Hand and Foot Cuffs Attached To Secure Prisoners.

A measure intended as a deterrent to crime waves is about to be adopted by the Baltimore police department – in the form of a motorcycle side-car.

In New York, they recently equipped the police department with side-car motorcycles, and more than 20 sergeants have applied for retirement. The sidecars were provided for the sergeants to ride in. In Baltimore, the sidecars are for criminals.

To make the deterrent stronger, the Baltimore sidecars are to be equipped with handcuffs and foot cuffs [leg-irons]. They have the effect of locking the criminal securely to the side-car.

Not only will a criminal be unable to escape while going around a curve at 70 miles an hour, but he will not be jarred loose by collisions with stone walls, telephone poles, storefronts or furniture van. In the case of an accident, the motorcycle rider may leap and possibly save himself, but the criminal will, in every case, go down with his side-car.

In all, 136 of these side-car motorcycles are expected in Baltimore within the next week or two. They will be distributed among the six police districts recently increased in size by annexation.

Baltimore Sun Paper pic - Photographer Carl Harris
Cycling Blue-Jacket

The police department is trying out three new Honda cycles for use in the city parks and high traffic areas. It plans to buy 22 of the two-wheelers if they are found suitable for the job. The cycles, which cost $350 each, are intended to beef up patrols in the parks and can travel just about anywhere a man can walk you. Seated on the bike is Officer Thomas Keavney Central Operations unit 1973

 

  

Baltimore City Police Officer on one of the first motorcycles used in Baltimore.

 Patrolman George J. Louis is operating the bike on the far left

Motor-Cycle Police Equipped With Automatic Speed Witness

11 April 1928

Old newspaper Stories of the Times - Apr 11, 1928; pg. 3

When you hear the sharp blast of the policeman’s whistle and you pull to the side of the road after slowing down from the 35 or 40 miles an hour you were driving, do not prepare that familiar old refrain, “officer I was only going 12 or 15 miles.”

This old, old story, which is falling on the ears of traffic patrolman since the birth of the “horseless carriage” and speed laws, will avail to motorists nothing as far as Baltimore’s traffic police are concerned.

New speedometer used

They are prepared to “storm and was figures, which everyone says, never lie. The way in which they will do it will be through a newly perfected speedometer, with which the majority of the traffic division’s motorcycles have been equipped.

It is a simple device, much like any other speedometer, except that pressure of a little button stops it from registering and retains on the dial the rate of speed at which the machine was going.

Thus, the motorcycle patrolman paces of the motorists until he goes faster than the law permits, pushes the button on the Speedometer and when he pulls up he has something tangible to put before him, or her, as the case may be.

Explains “Automatic Witness.”

Capt. Hamilton R Atkinson, of the traffic division, explains the new “automatic witness” yesterday and the use to which it is being put by his men.

“We have found it of great benefit so far,” he said, “as it gives the policeman something concrete to which to base his charge of speeding.”

The state police will make trial tests of the new devices for speedometers, E. Austin Baughman, Commissioner of motor vehicles, announces

  The unit continues to grow in size as the department realizes the motor officers are becoming a valuable asset. c. 1920's.

 

Photo courtesy Lt. Janet Ensor, Baltimore Co. Police

 Lieutenant George J. Louis, Commander of the Department's 

Photo courtesy Raymond K. Miles Jr.

 Officer Raymond K. Miles, pictured above and below, served in the motorcycle unit for three years 1932-1935

 

Photo courtesy Raymond K. Miles Jr.

  Photo courtesy Raymond K. Miles Jr.

Officer Joseph Ireton Rial patrolled the streets of Baltimore City for most of his career on a motorcycle.

  Motorcycle Division, 7:30 am. Section, in front of the Headquarters Building October 24, 1940

1950's

 
Photo courtesy of Nancy Crane-Bentz Officer Eugene Crane on the left escorting movie star Molly Goldberg with another officer (name unknown) and Molly's husband while on a visit to Baltimore.

  Photo courtesy of Nancy Crane-Bentz  Baltimore Police Presidential detail being greeted by President John F. Kennedy during the 1960's  Officer Eugene Crane is positioned the 5th officer from the left

 Officer William Weiss and Gene Autry

1952

 Officer Sinnott

  

 1960's three-wheeler used in traffic enforcement in the downtown area

 

 Sergeant Richard D. Taylor

 Photo courtesy Officer Lawrence Merrifield
Officer Lawrence  Merrifield  1964

 Officer Charles Alfinito

 BPD Motor Officer 1977

 Motorcycle license plates used during the 1960’s

 

"Motorcops" 1975 at the opening of the Jones Falls y Lt.Tom Douglas

 Sergeant Tom Douglas at the Statehouse with the Governor 

 
Photo courtesy Officer Scott Thomas

   

Lieutenant Anthony Brown

 

Photo courtesy Officer John Emrick
Pictured from left to right are Officer Andy Girodano of TES, Officer Bob Frisch of TES and Officer Tony Petralia

Photo courtesy Officer Milton Krysztofiak
A few of the motormen after completing an escort of Vice President Al Gore at Fort McHenry. The Officers from left to right are, Officer Milton Krysztofiak, shaking Al Gore's hand, Officer Gary Green,  Officer Tony Brown, and Sgt. Tom Joyce

Photo courtesy Officer Milton Krysztofiak

Reba McEntire, reigning Queen of country music, was escorted by a few of Baltimore’s finest motor officers after an appearance at the Baltimore Arena. The photo was taken at BWI outside Reba's private jet. From left to right, Officer Dave Jones, Officer Milton Krysztofiak, Reba McEntire, Officer Mike Brandt and Officer Tom Joyce.

 Below photo taken at the University of Maryland Baltimore County at the awards ceremony for Special Olympics. Baltimore City Police motor officers were invited to give out the medals. From Left to right, Officer Michael Brandt, Officer Milton Krysztofiak, Officer Dave Jones, Sergeant Tom Joyce, and Off. Bill Edgar. 

 Photo courtesy Officer Milton Krysztofiak

Above photograph was taken at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County at the awards ceremony for Special Olympics. Baltimore City Police motor officers were invited to give out the medals.

Officer Michael Brandt, Officer Milton Krysztofiak, Officer Dave Jones, Sergeant Tom Joyce and Officer Bill Edgar. 

Courtesy Sergeant John Sharp

 Sergeant John Sharp by the Inner Harbor on one of the old side shifter bikes, around 1988. 

 TES (Motors) won the Mid-Atlantic Motorcycle Rodeo, first place team

 Commissioner Edward Tilghman holding the trophy on the left and Officer Hallet Davenport on the right. Officer Scott Thomas and Officer Norman Stamp is next to the Commissioner, Sergeant Tom Joyce next to Officer Davenport, Officer Debbie Fox, and Mike Dehaven,

 Back row: Officer Claud Thornton, Officer Bobbie Joe Dorton, Sergeant Sharp behind the trophy, and Officer Bill Council is behind Sergeant Joyce.

 Sergeant John Sharp with new Police Bike on Opening Day for the new stadium, April 1992.

 Officer Milton Krysztofiak taking Pope John Paul II’s hand just before kissing his ring. This Photo was taken in 1995 outside of St. Mary's Seminary just before he got on the helicopter to fly to the airport. Maryland State Police Major Johnny Hughes looks on.

 The above photograph was taken at The Basilica on Charles St. three motor officers standing next to the pope mobile. The Officers are from left to right, Officer Lonnie Ludtke, Officer Milton Krysztofiak and Officer Gary Green

 Lieutenant Gutberlet (Colonel) with the Pope mobile

Lt. Carl Guiberlet holding the SUPER BOWL TROPHY

 2004 Harley Davidson Motorcycle on Baltimore's Federal Hill overlooking Baltimore's Inner Harbor.

 L/R Ofc. Brian Weber, Sgt. David Munyan, Ofc. Eric Dawson, Ofc. Bravett Bull & Ofc. Bryan Curran

Photo Courtesy Sergeant David Munyan

 2004 BPD Harley Davidson on Federal Hill overlooking Baltimore’s Harbor Place

Photo Courtesy Sergeant David Munyan

 

Photo Courtesy Sergeant David Munyan

 Photo Courtesy Sergeant David Munyan 
 Sergeant David Munyan and his daughter Delaney

 Officer Bob Brown in the blue T-shirt looks on

 A Promotion at the Lexington Market around 2000 entitled "Lunch With the Elephants, showing the motor men joking around with the clowns

 Baltimore Police Department's new fleet of MOTORS 2004

 Parade in downtown Baltimore

Officer Tim Hughes

 Officer Tim Hughes

Below are some gloves used by our Motors unit recovered out of the old Headquarters building during the move back between the early 70’s and mid 80’s – One pair has the Officers name inside.

 Sidecar link

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.

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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1940 - 1960

  

 
COURTESY OFFICER JAMES McCARTIN
Officer John Smith Southern District

COURTESY OFFICER JAMES McCARTIN

Officer Barton Rictor and Officer Sherman Riggin

 

1945
The above suspect James Smiley (15 Years Old) was arrested and held in Baltimore
He is wanted in Michigan for the Murder of his Foster-Mother Mrs. Edna Smiley
She adopted him as a child, they recently argued and he killed her with a .22 Cal. Rifle

Baltimore Police

Don New Chapeau

It may not have been designed by Schiaparelli, but Patrolman Paul E. Harman of the Central District Police Station likes his new chapeau. The dark blue octagonal cap which Patrolman Harman and all-district men on the Baltimore Police force donned at 4 pm on 7 Oct 1944, that replaces the oval-topped cap which has been the style here for a little more than 30 years. “all the men like’em” Patrolman Harman, a native Baltimorean who lives at 3212 Matson street, said, “They’re neater, lighter and they won’t blow off as easily as the old ones.” “Besides, my wife likes mine. She says it’s more becoming, and brother, that’s good enough for me. That a woman ought to know about hat’s she buys enough!” NOTE: In 1886 they went from the "Derby type hat" to the Bobby/Helmet cap, wearing a black bobby/helmet in the winter, and a grey/silver bobby/helmet in the summer. The Bobby/Helmet was worn for approx 28 years from 1886 until 1914, when they switched to the cap just before the above (current cap) it looked similar to today's cap; but was round/oval, that cap was worn from 1914 until 1944 (7 Oct 44) when they switched to the 8 point cap... the current cap of today has been worn since 1944.

 

19 April 1950 Dukeland Wilkins Ave

Officer Richard Klima, Northwest District, July 4, 1940

 Sergeant Examination September 28, 1940

 Officer George Waldhauser, Officer R.J. Matter, Officer H.C. Beyer, Officer A.J. Schoenhoff, Officer Walter Kuzmaul, Officer Joseph Rehak, Officer John Thierauf

 
 Photo courtesy Officer Melvin Howell

Courtesy Bernie Wehage

Officer Melvin Howell

Photo courtesy Office Melvin Howell

  

 

 JULY 6, 1955 

 Officer John Bazil

Officer John Brazil's display of his dad's police equipment. 

Sergeant Milton Kniese making a phone call to his station from the call box located at Morton and Oliver Sts., around 1957 

 

Courtesy Bernie Wehage

  

 

 Photo Courtesy James Redding

Officer Clyde Redding escorting a prisoner

Officer John W. Franks, Northern District

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

 Photo courtesy Bill Manzke
Patrolman George W. Myers 1920's on an Indian Police Motorcycle ready to patrol the streets of Baltimore

Badge Number 96 Dies at Age 84 after Nearly 50 Years of Service
7 May 1840  -  1 June 1924

Baltimore Police Uniforms

Information, from Retired Lt. Jerry DeManss - From author H.L Mencken's book "Happy Days" Mr. Menchen describes the Police as "Cops." In his West Baltimore neighborhood's Hollins St. address as their having what he referred to as "being heavy on their feet, and hence easy to outrun. They wore thick and uncomfortable uniforms, in the Summer as well as they did during the Winter months. Squeaky shoes with soles as solid as slabs of oak, and domed helmets that always fell off when they attempted to run, scattering lead pencils, peanuts, red bandana handkerchiefs and chewing tobacco, a few cigars, oranges, and bananas. The police officer in pursuit of a young man had to hold on to his helmet with one hand, and clutch his revolver with the other, lest it go off in the holster flopping from his stern and end up with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the leg. Any of the young men, including Barrell Fairbanks, could beat the police in a fair race. The only juvenile collared by stratagem was always dirty and was captured then given the switch before releasing him to his mother. 

 21 July 1921

Contrast In Uniforms

The Evening Sun prints today the first of a series of photos showing the type of uniform worn by police in other cities, as contrasted with the uniforms of the Baltimore police. The Baltimore Officer all through the hot summer must wear a coat and he must keep the top button fastened. He stands or walks in the sun a good bit, and before he is in duty many hours he is too uncomfortable to do his best work. The lower picture shows the summer uniform od  Philadelphia policeman. He wears no coat and doesn't suffer from heat as much as do the Baltimore officers. The Philadelphia Officer's costume combines comfort with dignity.

 28 July 1921

Contrast In Uniforms

With a temperature of 93 at noon today Baltimore City Policemen are sweltering in their uniforms. In contrast, the State Police, doing the same general sort of duty, are comparatively comfortable. The difference is due to a blouse, or coat, worn by the city police. When the hot spell came recently Captain Williams, of the State police, issue an order for the men to discard their coats and wear only their uniform shirts. The men generally welcomed the order. Baltimore policemen also, at least those who have been asked about it, would welcome a similar order. The blouses worn by the city policemen are much like the old navy officers' blouses, that were discarded during the war. Because they were so uncomfortable the officers couldn't work. The Evening Sun recently printed a photograph showing the summer uniform of a Philadelphia policeman. It is similar to the Maryland State Police uniform.

Photo courtesy Bill Manzke
Patrolman George W. Myers 1920's

Officer Walter H. Heiderman with his daughter Marie 1923

Patrolman Cooney(L) Patrolman Raymond Miles, Sr.(R)  1926

Patrolman Franz(L) and Patrolman Flanigan(R)  1926

Patrolman Franz(L) and Patrolman Jackson(R)  1926

Patrolman Hoff (L)  and Patrolman Tarbutton (R)  1926

Patrolman Maloney (L) Patrolman Ray Miles (Center) Patrolman Jackson  1926

Officer McGraff (L) and Patrolman Lynch (R)  1926

Patrolman Tarbutton, Hoff, Miles, Flanigan, un-named Officer  1926

Patrolman William E. Taylor

Frank J. Vavra, (1872-1932) Pictured above after joining the Baltimore Police Department around 1907.

John R. Stein has seen above as a new Baltimore City Patrolman in 1907, in the 1920's he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant and in the 1930's he was again promoted to the rank of Lieutenant as he is seen below. Lieutenant John R. Stein served the citizens of Baltimore and the Police Department valiantly until his death on August 11, 1939, at the age of 60.

Lieutenant John R. Stein

Officer John Neussinger

Patrolman John Bianca, Badge 33

Baltimore City Police "Look Out" dated:

Magistrate Edward Dougherty and Lieutenant Thomas Arthur

Sergeant William Clayton, Lieutenant Granville Bozman, Sergeant Joseph Zaruba, Officer Thomas Roche

Officer William McDonogh

May 22, 1939COURTESY OFFICER JAMES McCARTIN

In 1939 this squad car being operated by Officer William Pillsbury and Officer Wade Adams were involved in an accident at Eager and Calvert streets.

COURTESY OFFICER JAMES McCARTIN

BALTIMORE POLICE ESPANTOON

June 3, 1939

COURTESY OFFICER JAMES McCARTIN

COURTESY OFFICER JAMES McCARTIN

 

Patrolman John Schaffeld

SHOOTING YOUTH SHOT BY POLICEMAN GETS BLOOD TRANSFUSION

Rookie Officer Grabs, Suspect

August 21, 1939, a small boy was found wandering on the street by Radio Car #3, manned by Officer Joseph Lewinsky and Officer William McCarthy and he was taken to the Western District Station. Officer George Sanders tries to obtain information from the youth to be able to return him to his parents

In 1939 Officer Charles W. Jones leads Albert Beverati & Joan Garrett across the street September 7, 1939

September 21, 1939, Lieutenant Robert Bradley, Officer Albert Kendrick, Sergeant Donald Madigan, Lieutenant Allen Crone, were involved in a fierce gun battle while attempting to arrest robbery suspects.

COURTESY OFFICER JAMES McCARTIN

 

 

  1800 - 1900

We can’t all be heroes; Somebody has to sit on the curb and clap while they go by!

 

 

J. Thomas Arthur was born on 4 April 1840 in County Clare, Ireland. He was in Baltimore by 1864 (above)
Officer Arthur served in Baltimore City's Police Department at the Central Station.
In the photo, Officer Arthur is the older gent seated on the right side of the picture. (below)
The photo of the Central Police Department was taken about 1890. Notice the details, brass lamps and sconces, polished furniture with turned legs ... there's even a telephone on the desktop at the left.

 

Another Reorganization of the Department
History Baltimore Police Department
1774 – 1907

This measure was made an act on February 2, 1860 provided that while the city Council of Baltimore might pass ordinances for preserving order, securing property and persons from violence, danger and destruction, and for promoting the great interest and insuring the good government of the city, it could pass no ordinances which would in any manner obstruct hinder or interfere with the board of police commissioners or any officer under them. All of the Mayor’s powers, conferred by preceding legislation, were repealed. Four members of the board of police commissioners were authorized to be appointed, and the mayor was to be ex officio member of the board.

The first Commissioners appointed under the new act were Messrs. Charles Howard, William H. Getchell, Charles D. Hinks and John W. Davis, two of whom were to serve for two years and two for four years, the duration of their office to be decided by drawing lots.

The duties of the board of commissioners were, in general, “to be at all times, day and night, within the boundaries of the city of Baltimore, as well on water as on land, to preserve the public peace, prevent crime and arrest offenders, protect the rights of persons and property, guard the public health, preserve order at elections and at all public meetings and places and on all public occasions, prevent and remove nuisances in all streets, highways, waters and other places; provide a proper police force at all fires for the protection of the firemen and property; protect strangers, emigrants and travelers at steamboat landings and railway stations; see that all laws relating to elections, the observance of Sunday, and regarding pawnbrokers, gambling, intemperance, lotteries, policy, vagrants, disorderly persons, slaves and free Negroes, and all the public health ordinances were enforced, and also all the ordinances of the Mayor and city Council, provided these be not inconsistent with the provisions of the act or any law of the state which may be made enforceable by a police force.”

The newly created board of police commissioners were authorized to “appoint, equip and arm a permanent police force, the number, exclusive of officers to be 350.” They were also empowered to reduce or increase this force, but could not increase it to more than 450.

No individual could be employed as a policeman who had been convicted of a crime or against whom any indictment was pending for an offense, the penalty for which was imprisonment in the penitentiary.

Policemen were appointed for five years and could only be removed for just cause and after a hearing before the board of commissioners.

In 1862 the military signified its willingness to turn over the Police Department to the civil authorities, from whom they had torn it. The Legislature was at that time in sympathy with the Federal Government. The former police law of 1860 was repealed, but its provisions were practically re-enacted with the difference that the number of Police Commissioners was fixed at two. John Lee Chapman, Mayor of Baltimore, was made an ex-officio member of the Board and Messrs. Samuel Hindes and Nicholas L. Wood were appointed Commissioners. This Board of Commissioners qualified on March 6, 1862, and the oath of fealty to the government was required of them and their subordinates. On March 10 the Board entered upon its duties. The force was entirely reorganized and W. A. Van Nostrand was appointed Marshal. Marshal Van Nostrand went into office when Baltimore was probably one of the most troublous cities in the North. Sectional feeling ran high and there were constant conflicts of opinions between Northern and Southern partisans. The Deputy Marshal was William H. Lyons. Marshal Van Nostrand, besides having charge of the Baltimore Police Department, was United States Provost Marshal of West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. During the greater part of Marshal Van Nostrand's incumbency barricades were established throughout the city, through which no one was allowed to pass after nightfall without a pass. The military and police acted in concert, and while martial law was threatened on a number of occasions, it was never declared, and the courts and magistrates exercised their regular official functions. On March 17, 1864, Marshal Van Nostrand was succeeded in office by Thomas A. Carmichael, and John S. Manly was appointed Deputy Marshal. Marshal Carmichael served until 1867, when a new Board of Commissioners was appointed. Commissioners Nicholas L. Wood and Samuel Hindes continued in office until 1866, when they were removed and Messrs. William T. Valiant and James Young were appointed Commissioners. Messrs. Hindes and Wood refused to deliver to the new Commissioners the police establishment and continued for some time to exercise control over the Police Department. The new Commissioners established their headquarters at another point and began preparing to exercise their official functions. Measures were taken against them in the Criminal Court and they were arrested on the charge of conspiring to obtain possession of the Department. The Commissioners refused to give bail and were imprisoned in the City Jail. They were released by Judge Barton and a few days later took possession of their office and entered upon the performance of their duties. Marshal Carmichael surrendered his command and Commissioners Valiant and Young immediately appointed Col. John T. Farlow Marshal of Police. Capt. John T. Gray, of the Central District, was appointed Deputy Marshal. Marshal Farlow was appointed on April 22, 1867, and served until April 17, 1870, when he resigned. On March 15, 1867, the new Board of the Police Department was organized under the State law. Messrs. Lefevre Jarrett, James E. Carr and William H. B. Fusselbaugh were elected Commissioners by the Legislature. Commissioner Lefevre Jarrett died on February 25, 1870, and the Legislature, then in session, elected Mr. John W. Davis to fill Mr. Jarrett's unexpired first term. Mr. Thomas W. Morse was elected to fill Mr. Jarrett's unexpired second term, and on March 15, 1871, he took his seat, succeeding Mr. Davis. Mr. Morse served four years. In April, 1867, Marshal Farlow retired and Deputy Marshal John T. Gray succeeded him. Capt. Jacob Frey, of the Southern District, was promoted to the office of Deputy Marshal. In 1872 the State Legislature made several important changes in the police law, particularly in regard to the terms of service of the Commissioners. Under the new law Mr. John Milroy and Col. Harry Gilmor were appointed members of the Board. The Board at that time consisted of Colonel Gilmor and Commissioners James E. Carr and Milroy. In 1877 Mr. Milroy retired and Gen. James R. Herbert was elected to succeed him. The riots of 1877 were a setback, in a police and business way, to Baltimore, then rapidly becoming in the matter of good order and commercial prosperity the leading city of the South. The history of the trouble between the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and its employees has been written fully by historians more competent to deal with this subject, so we will confine ourselves to trying to tell how the members of the Baltimore Police Department distinguished themselves during the stirring days of July, 1877, and will be as brief as possible, considering the importance of the subject. On July 16, 1877, the strike was declared at Cumberland. By noon it had reached Martinsburg, W. Va., and the militia were called out. The police, anticipating trouble, had prepared for it. On the day following the excitement began. A freight train of eighteen loaded cars bound for Locust Point was partially wrecked by means of a misplaced switch near the foot of Leadenhall Street, Spring Gardens. That night the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad employes held a meeting and decided to support the strikers. At 3 o'clock on the afternoon of the Friday following Governor Carroll held a consultation with the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad officials and an order was issued for the First Brigade, M. N. G., to repair to Cumberland. At 5.45 o'clock that evening the military call, "1 - 5 - 1,” was sounded by the City Hall and fire bells. The people knew what the call meant, and in a short time the streets around the armories were filled with crowds of strike sympathizers. In front of the Sixth Regiment Armory, Fayette and Front Streets, a large crowd had gathered. The officers of the regiment saw the menacing concourse and sent word to Police Headquarters asking that policemen be sent to protect them along the line of march to Camden Station. Their request was promptly responded to. At 7 o'clock P. M. a brick was thrown through one of the windows of the armory. Four policemen, Officers Whiteley, Jamison, Oliver and Roberts, were stationed at the door of the armory, and when the rioters charged the doors the faithful policemen manfully repulsed them. By 8.15 o'clock the crowd became more menacing. The militia had orders to march to Camden Station and prepared for trouble. The first attempt of the soldiery to leave the building was received with such an outburst of groans, hisses and stones that they retired. The next time they came out they had orders to fire if molested. The first company fired high, but the attack became so serious that the following companies aimed their weapons at the crowd and discharged them. From then until Camden Station was reached the firing was general; a dozen people were killed and scores wounded. Soon after the regiment reached the building the station was set on fire. Firemen appeared to extinguish it, but were set upon by the rioters and would have been not the police rushed to their rescue and beaten back the crowd. The soldiers appeared to incense the mob, while the police awed it. A scanty handful, compared to the throngs that surrounded them driven from the scene had they charged and charged again to protect the armed soldiers from injury. On Saturday crowds again collected around the station, and a fire alarm so excited the rioters that they rushed toward the lines formed by the police. Deputy Marshal Jacob Frey called to his comparatively few men to "stand steady" and gave the command "Draw your revolvers." Several shots were fired from the crowd and four policemen fell wounded. At this the Deputy Marshal gave the order, "Fire, and aim low." The command was obeyed, and as the policemen fired they rushed forward and each officer seized a prisoner. In all fifty arrests were made, eight men were killed and a number wounded. At 11 P. M. of the same date there was another outbreak and more arrests were made. The next morning (Sunday) the mob again collected around the station, but the surrounding streets were cleared by the police. When the riot had assumed such threatening proportions that the police and local militia were unable to cope with it United States troops from New York and other points were hurried to Baltimore and two war vessels, with decks cleared and ready for action, anchored in the Patapsco. The Board of Police Commissioners swore in several hundred special officers, among whom were Baltimore's most prominent citizens. Messrs. C. Morton Stewart, Alex-

The first powered boat in the Baltimore Police Harbor Patrol came in 1891 – and was The Lannan, followed in 1928 – by The George G. Henry, then in 1940 – came The Charles D. Gaither, and then in
1946 – came the The Beverly Ober.

THE HARBOR POLICE
History Baltimore Police Department
1774 – 1907
pages 144-146

Nearly everyone who patronizes the summer excursion boats and the score of passenger boats that enter and leave Baltimore harbor is familiar with the sight of a trim looking little dark-hulled steamer that makes her way in and out of the tangle of shipping, skirting around wharves, running into tortuous docks, darting around the ships and steamships that lie at anchor at the wharves or in the regular anchorages. Sometimes at night the passengers on incoming and outgoing steamers catch a glimpse of a dark hull close aboard them and then a glare from a searchlight is sent across their decks and searches the wharves that line both sides of the river front. The little steamer is the harbor police cruiser "Lannan," named in honor of former Deputy Marshal John Lannan, deceased, who had charge of her construction. The Lannan was built in 1891 by James Clark & Co., from plans kindly loaned the Department by the United States Government. The harbor patrol boat was completed on August 10, 1891, and after a very successful trial trip was accepted and immediately put into commission. The steamer is sixty feet long overall and has thirteen feet beam. She draws about six feet of water and has seventy-five indicated horse power.

Prior to the launching of the Lannan the harbor was patrolled by policemen in rowboats, but, as it can be very readily understood, this plan proved utterly inadequate to the police needs of nearly ten miles of water front. Since the time she was launched the Lannan has been continuously in service, save when she was on the ways for necessary repairs. In touring the harbor the Lannan averages nearly fifty miles per day, and as she has been almost steadily on the move since the day she was launched, she has, on a conservative estimate, traveled about 127,750 miles, a distance nearly six times the circumference of the globe. Prior to the launching of the Lannan the vessels in the harbor and the warehouses along and around the wharves were nightly attacked by thieves who operated from the river. Frequently the captains of small vessels would go ashore to return and find that their craft had been stripped of everything movable, including cordage and sails. The commissioning of the police cruiser practically put an end to this extensive thievery, and the fact that she was equipped with a powerful searchlight and could train it over and under piers and on the decks of suspicious craft acted as a check to river pirates and criminals who lurked and operated along the water-front. Shortly after she was built the Lannan was equipped with a fire-fighting plant, and the latter has been used to great effect in fighting fires in the warehouses and along the wharves where the steamer has her regular patrol.

The Lannan is also used for the recovery of the bodies of persons who are drowned in the harbor, and frequently she is called upon to go to distant points in the Chesapeake on the same mission. Her crew is trained in the expert use of the grappling irons and hooks with which the bodies of drowned men and women are fished from the river bed, and the deck of the little steamer has carried many a pitiful canvas covered burden, the earthly remains of some unfortunate who accidentally fell into the water or purposely sought death and oblivion in the murky waters of the harbor.

In the summer of 1906 the Board of Police Commissioners purchased a gasoline launch to act as an auxiliary to the Lannan. This boat was rebuilt and remodeled recently and was launched on May 4, 1907, when she was christened the Farnan, in honor of Marshal Thomas F. Farnan, who on April 30, 1907, completed forty years' continuous service as a member of the Baltimore Police Department. During the warm months the Farnan will patrol the harbor instead of the Lannan, which will be kept at the Harbor Police Headquarters, Philpot and Thames streets. Thus the Department will have two thoroughly able boats at its command should an emergency occur where the services of both the Lannan and the Farnan might be called upon. The members of the Harbor Police Force, who are commanded by Lieutenants Albert L. League and Edward J. Carey, are: Patrolmen John B. Dorsey, Milton Harrington and John J. Ryan. Thomas E. Perry is chief engineer and Charles H. Aborn, assistant engineer. Richard Murphy
is fireman and Richard Stanton, assistant fireman.

In the last report of the harbor police service made to the Maryland General Assembly of 1905 it was shown that during the year 1904 property valued at $13,257.46 was saved and recovered by the harbor police and during the year 1905 the property saved and recovered amounted to $7,616.41. From this a small idea can be gained of the work accomplished by the police who guard the harbor and the docks, warehouses and business concerns that hem it.

 

Excerpts from - Proceeding of City Council 11 Dec 1856

(During this December 11th session in 1856) Mr. Boyd moved to strike out all of the section providing for arming the police with revolvers and other suitable weapons AND placing muskets at the station-houses. Mr. Boyd said the cost of arming the police with revolvers would alone amount to $516l; that there were men in the police not fitted to trust with arms, and if the amendment was not adopted he feared he should be compelled to vote it was necessary to arm the police, as long as rowdies were armed with revolvers and other weapons. In New York and Philadelphia where there is a penalty for carrying concealed weapons, the police are armed by the city authorities. The muskets at the stations houses were to be kept there under the charge of the Mayor, to be used only in case of riot, where such arms were necessary to compete with armed mobs Mr. Boyd replied that only a few weeks since one of the police had drawn his revolver at Carroll Hall on one of the night police - He reiterated that there were men not fit to be trusted with such arms. The time was when twenty-six men kept this city quiet and in good order without being armed. As to giving the police muskets, we might as well have a standing army. If muskets are necessary at any time, the military are always ready to obey any call of the Mayor. Mr. Pinkney again urged that it was necessary to arm the police - you must arm them to have any effect at all. If the military were called out at the present state of feeling in the public mind, instead of preventing, or suppressing riot, it would lead to one of the bloodiest riots on record. Mr. Howard opposed the amendment - he believed that it was necessary to arm the police in order to protect the citizens - to put down the riots that had so often of late violated the law and shot down peaceable persons. We may have seen outrages heretofore, but we have not seen orderly citizens shot down at their own doors - men driven from the polls when only seeking their right of exercising the elective franchise – polls obstructed and men leading on armed mobs with apparent impunity - Mr. Boyd was willing to judge the present by the past - If we are to have no better men on the police than for time past, he was not willing to place arms in their hands. If the police are armed, no man is safe in this community. The question being taken on Mr. Boyd's proposed amendment, it was rejected by yeas 3, (Messrs. Boyd, Tidy, and Carroll,) and nays 16. Mr. Nalls moved to strike out that portion of the ordinance placing muskets at the station houses rejected by yeas 6, (Messr Daiger, Boyd, Green, Tidy, Carroll and Nalls,) and nays 13. Section 8 was reconsidered, on motion of Mr. Handy, who moved to amend it by making the police officers to be confirmed by the City Council, as other city officers are; which was adopted with but one dissenting voice.

In short, Mr. Boyd’s amendments were struck, and the bill allowing the city to arm police was passed.

During the times the city was nearly taken over by several gangs involved in politics, they would travel the various wards making it nearly impossible for honest voters to vote. As such elections were not fair, the same people won every time. I wouldn't be surprised to hear Mr. Boyd was benefiting more by having the Know Nothings, Plug Ugglies, Bloody Tubs, Etc. ruling the city with an unarmed, or under armed police force, at the time police carried their own weapons, usually single shot pistols, or some other small pocket pistol, ill-equipped to fight these gangs. We lost several officers at the times. Still arming police, wasn't as much to help, or protect the police, so much as it was to allow politicians to receive fair votes. It may also be worth reminding readers of the Know-Nothing Riot of 1856, in which some of the worst rioting of the Know-Nothing era in the United States, occurred in Baltimore. It was the fall of 1856, street tensions had escalated sharply over the preceding six-dozen years as neighborhood gangs, most of them operating out of local firehouses, became increasingly involved in party politics. Know-Nothing candidate Thomas Swann was elected Mayor of Baltimore in 1856 amidst violence and a heavily disputed ballot. Police Commissioner Kane was also involved in this, and in fact testified in open court for the defense in a trial against a Know Nothing that was charged with killing one of Kane’s Officers, Kane was more dedicated to his party than he was his own men. Based on what these gangs were doing, it is obvious what some politicians wouldn’t want to fight it. The point being, City Council may not have as interested in protecting their police, i.e. Officer Safety, or even Public Safety, as much as they were in getting voters to the polls. This is supported by the line in the above artcle in which Mr. Howard who was opposed the amendment said, "He believed that it was necessary to arm the police in order to protect the citizens, to put down the riots that had so often of late violated the law and shot down peaceable persons". He added, "We may have seen outrages heretofore, but we have not seen orderly citizens shot down at their own doors" Finishing off with, "Men driven from the polls when only seeking their right of exercising the elective franchise – polls obstructed and men leading on armed mobs with apparent impunity." This leads me to beleive, or at least has to make me concider much of the motive arming police, was to help getting voters to the poles, I don't have proof, and in a million years could never find such evidence, but I offer the suggestion, with the information, and hope you see what I see.

 

 3  Aug, 1875

The Use of Firearms by the Police  The shooting of a colored man Daniel Brown on Friday night by policeman McDonald, apart from the merits of the particular case, which will be the subject of judicial investigation, is calculated to direct public attention to the general question of the right of police officers to use deadly weapons in the discharge of their duty. The contingencies which require the use of such weapons are happily in this community of where an exceptional occurrence. It is only out of abundant caution that the police are required to be armed at all, or with any other weapon than the ordinary policeman’s club. The club itself all to be, and ordinarily is, but the staff and wand of office – this symbol of authority to was even the disorderly and lawless are compelled to pay obedience. It is upon this respect for law which is excited by the mere display of the external symbols of law that the preservation of society ordinarily rests. It is the badge and uniform other policeman, rather than his muscles or truncheon, which command respect and compel obedience. It is only, as we have said, in exceptional cases and in comparatively rare cases that the assertion of the authority with which he is clothed by law, and which usually makes itself felt and obeyed by moral sanction, requires for its enforcement the aid of blue force, and, above all, of deadly weapons. The law not only denies to the citizen, but punishes him in the use of concealed weapons, such as the pistol and the knife. The law arms its officers with pistols, not that they may use them rationally or indiscriminately, but in order that in extreme, but possible cases, they may not be deprived of the means of necessary self-defense, and the law may not be trampled upon or outraged in their person. In the case that happened on Friday night we, of course, desire to express no opinion as to the extent of the provocation which the officer may have had to use his club, or whether he will be justified in resorting to the pistol. These are questions for a jury here after to consider and determine. As to the rules was all to govern policeman in such cases, or finding themselves similarly situated to Officer McDonald, there can be no question. In the first place, the police force is no place for passionate or excitable men, who are able to easily lose temper, still less to the easily alarmed, and led to believe their lives in danger when no danger really exists at all. The policeman in all cases, and above all other men, all to be cool and collected, capable of the highest self-control, and not liable to lose either his temper or his head. In the next place, before using his authority, it behooves the policeman always to consider what are the limits of his authority, and what is the Association for its exercise. An attempt to commit a murder, or burglary even, presents a totally different case for violation of a city ordinance. A policeman may be justified in shooting a murderer taken red-handed in the act, or who resists and defies arrest, no policeman would be justified in killing a citizen who refused to have his sidewalk cleared of ice, or to exhibit a license for a “cakewalk” or a “pay party.” Again, all citizens of whatever color or degree, rich and poor, white and black, have the same and equal rights of personal immunity and protection before the law. Consequently the case of officer McDonald must be judged in all respects precisely as if the person whom he shot had been a white man, and with reference solely to the circumstance under which he acted, and in which, if at all, his justification must be found. At the most, it appears, a violation of the city ordinance might have been committed by the Keller people, who’s noisy and unseasonably revels officer McDonald undertook to regulate. Conceding that the case was one which not only justified, but called for the interruption of the police, the question will still remain – was McDonald justified in the use of either club or pistol? Mere impudence would not justify the use of the former, and unless his life were in danger, or he really, and with probable cause, believed it to be in danger, there was no justification for the use of the latter. These, however, are questions for the jury. What concerns the community is what the police, as well as all others, should be taught to feel that human life is a sacred thing, that the life of a citizen, be he black or white, is not to be lightly taken or sacrifice, and the circumstances are few and rare indeed in which a policeman will be tolerated in the use of a death – dealing weapon, for which circumstances, and such only, such weapon is confided to his hands. Too many cases have happened lately – fewer, perhaps, in Baltimore in proportion than elsewhere – of the brutal and lawless use by the police of the powers with which they are clothed. That, however, does not excuse the happening of a single case to the contrary. It is no comfort to the widow and children of a man killed by a police officer, if killed without justification, to be told that such cases rarely happen, and that it is only now and then that a man is shot or club to death by a policeman in mere cruelty or wantonness. We repeat, that we have no desire to prejudge the case of also McDonald, and in view of the good character which his supervisors and Associates on the force seemed to establish for him, it is but right that there should be an entire suspension of the public judgment in his behalf until a competent tribunal shall have passed upon the question of his guilt or innocence. Still, it may be permitted to observe that, if not criminal, he was undoubtedly hasty, and that the arms entrusted to the police are intended to be given to brave, cool and intelligent men only, to be used solely for the purposes of necessary self-defense, or equally necessary enforcement of the law.

 Dec 14, 1885

Police and Their Uniform 
Reported for the Baltimore Sun
The Sun (1837-1987); pg. 5

Dissatisfaction with the Objection to the 
New System of Work and Barracks Life

[Reported for the Baltimore Sun.]

The new police system is still meeting with vigorous criticism. The patrolman are, as a general thing, greatly disqualified, and some of them say that they can see no good thing in it. The men say that they cannot get their meals regularly, and that this interferes with their doing Effective duty. As regards the sleeping comforts, the men say that it is impossible to get a good sleep at the station. The beds are close together and a lot of the men are huddled in, and the idea that these apartments are as pleasant as their homes is all a mistake. The reserve men say that when at the station they cannot get a good sleep because they are all the time anxious about being called. They do not know what moment the Fire Bell might sound, and then they must be up and awake. One of the practical illustrations of the hardships entitled by the new system is afforded by the burning of a shed in the yard of the number 125 Westville St. at 830 o’clock. By which $15 damage was done. The alarm of course called out the reserve squad of the Northwestern police station: they had been indoors for about an hour and a half only.

A policeman who is served many years on the force, said that the new system was too young to be judged. So far, though, it seems to be a failure, as far as the men are concerned. The Captains and Lieutenants did not feel the change to the full extent that the patrolman do. They are the men who have to bear the brunt of the battle. For a long number of years the force of Baltimore worked under the day and night system. The men grew up with that system and naturally dislike to change it. The average policeman, after he gets through the days work, goes home, and after eating the evening meal. Chats with his family and then jumps into bed. This constitutes his happiness. The night watchman employees the time of rest in about the same manner. Now comes a system that breaks all this up. The men are deprived of the long accustomed habit of domestic pleasures. They have not so many hours now to spend at home. When they would be at home they are cooped up in the station houses. Of course men do not like this. Then under the new system the men are liable to become careless. Under the old system the same policeman worked a certain beat for years. He’d grown up to know the people who lived on that beat. A new their characteristics and habits, and could thereby more intelligently perform his duty. He also knew every nook corner of his beat, and was well acquainted with the dangerous and secluded portions of it. He knew where to look for trouble and knew how to meet it. Then he was jealous to leave his beat in good condition, because if there was any trouble on it, the officer who relieved him would report it, and if he was responsible he could not shirk the penalty. Under the new system different men patrol the same beat. Being one only six hours of the time a man has not the opportunity to judge the people on it. If when an officer is about to leave his beat and give place to his relief something should occur that needed following up, he would say, “well, I don’t care: if I’m Reported I can say it was all right when I left it: let the other fellow look after it.” Being somebody different man on the same post, the indifferent officer will find it easy to escape detection. The new system does not give the same protection to the people as did the old system. All the time one fourth of the entire force is in the station house. Under the old system a part of them at least were on the street doing duty. There will probably never occur any catastrophes so dreaded as to need the presence of at least 100 policeman at one time. The good order of Baltimore is to well assured to purpose that any crisis will arise to meet with one fourth of the police force will be needed. There is too much soldier business about the new system. It was said that the New York policeman, when they worked the old-fashioned system of day and night squads and wore the uniform on all occasions, were the best in the country. Then a change was made, and now the word “finest” when applied to them is understood as a burlesque. Baltimore has always had reason to feel proud of its police force under the old system. It remains to be seen whether or not Change will merit the same feeling. A gentleman who has long watched the progress of the Police Department of Baltimore city said yesterday that for a number of years the police force of Baltimore has enjoyed a reputation for efficiency that made it the pride of all who take an interest in the welfare of the city. No word of praise were to laudatory for the force, and it was only spoken of in words of commendation. Not only in the city of Baltimore where the praises of the department sounded, but all over the country could be heard expressions of confidence. So closely had the force been watching that it was an admitted fact that Baltimore had the best police force in the United States. There being this universal praise bestowed upon the force, and light of the present changes, it was but natural and just to take a glance backward and examine the rules and regulations that governed the department during these years in which it made the record which challenged the admiration of the whole country. For a long number of years the police force of Baltimore city worked in succession known as day and night squads. The men were required at all times and under all circumstances to wear their uniform dress. It is no matter of conjecture that for a long period of time those charged with them management and control of the police force had in contemplation the idea of changing the working hours of the force. This idea was prompted not by a desire to render the force more efficient, but simply to secure to the men some measure of relief from their ardous duties. To jealousy fostered and carefully studied, it was never found expedient to change the old system. The advocates of the new system now in operation make a double claim. First, that the men are greatly relieved and rendered more efficient: and second, that the city itself is more securely protected. That the men are relieved is an open question, and cannot be justly answered until the system has at fair and impartial trial. That the city is given a more ample protection is in absurdity. Under the old system there is no doubt but that men worked too long on a stretch. But after work they had an uninterrupted. Of at least 12 hours to which to preserve for the next. The work. Under the new system, the men, it is true, only do six hours consecutive work in patrol duty. They then either go home or do reserve duty at the station. The periods of rest under the new system are more frequent, but are not as long. True it is, too, that the periods of patrol duty world around more rapidly. The privilege granted the men to wear plain dress while not on duty is certainly a drawback to the efficiency of the force. That it should be voluntary tendered as the men by the police commissioners is a matter of surprise. If, after a request from the men, the police commissioners should have granted the wearing of plain dress when not on duty, the case would not be so surprising. But being bestowed as a gratuity, it is a little strange. No citizen who is acquainted with the history of the late flight in the General Assembly of Maryland over the bill to make it a law that the patrolman should be allowed to wear plain dress when not on duty and fail to see that there has been a radical change in less than two years. Even after the lawmakers power of Marilyn had declared that the policeman of Baltimore city should be allowed to wear plain dress when not on duty, the board of police commissioners, the Marshal of police and the Deputy Marshal all combined to secure the veto of Gov. McLane. After strenuous efforts the bill was vetoed. There is no question but that the uniform protects the police force. While it is true that there are many men on the force who would not take advantage of plain dress to violate any rule of the department, still there are great many the wood. Indeed there are some very efficient men on the force who owe their efficiency to the uniform. While having no desire to violate any rule of the department still in plain dress they would be drawn near and dear to temptation. And at last in an unguarded moment would fail or fall. The men used to argue that with the uniform one they could not walk the streets with their wives and daughters without attracting attention. But the people know the policeman were compelled to wear the uniform, and of late years policeman were not subjected to much annoyance on this account. Under the new system is he annoyance will be increased. The public, knowing that the policeman have the privilege to wear plain dress when not on duty, will share and gaze at them every time a female is seen walking with a on uniformed officer, whether it be his wife or not. There is no question that the uniform made the men more careful. They knew the people watch closely that uniform – saw where went, and made the wearer more careful about his habits. If the new system does relieve the men, then it is a great blessing. That it does cannot now be declared. That the new system will give greater protection to the people of Baltimore is scarcely tenable.

Marshall Frey in speaking of the new system last night said that under his working each man did an equal share of duty. After careful study the schedule of hours for patrol the reserve duty and hours at home have been prepared so that each man was put on equal 40. Under this system the day on which a man does the greatest amount of patrol duty is followed by a day on which he is required to do the least amount of patrol duty. The day that a man does 13 hours patrol duty is followed by one on which he does only 6 hours patrolled duty. In doing this 13 hours patrol duty a man has three turns in which to do it. 24 hours in which a man has no time at all home except in which to get his meals is followed by 24 hours in which he has 18 hours at home, in turns of six and 12 hours. The new system also does away with the short system that was worked in midwinter. Under the short system the city was policed as follows: during the day by 127 men; during the early part of the night, from 6 PM until 1:30 AM by 210 men; during the latter part of the night, from 1:30 AM until 7 AM at 149 men. Under the new system there are 244 men on the street all night. From 1:30 AM until 7 AM the city needs the greatest police protection. Generally speaking the city during those hours are sleep. The citizens are in bed, and life and property is in the hands of the police. These are the hours in which the robbers and thieves are abroad. The short system does not give ample protection with 149 men. The new system places 244 men on the streets during these hours, or an increase of 95 men. During the early part of the night under the short system there were 210 men on the streets under the new system there 244 or an increase of 34 men. Leaving out short system, however, the new system does not have as many men on the street as the old. Under the old system there were 163 day men on duty and 312 night men. This shows a decrease of 41 men in the day force and 60 men and the night force under the new system. That the new system changes the habits of the men there is no doubt and until they become acquainted with the system and a custom to its requirements they will naturally be displeased

 

 

1900 - 1920

 

The Last Marshal of Baltimore