| History of Concord Police Department (Post 1853) |
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l Pre-1853 l Post-1853 l Chiefs l Officers l Gallery l
The City of Concord Police Department was officially created on
March 10, 1853 by city charter. The original charter placed the duty of
tax collection on the office of the City Marshal. The first three
Marshal's of Concord performed that duty. An amendment to the city charter
officially removed this responsibility in 1859.
The
first police building for Concord was located on the west side of North Main Street
(almost across from Phenix Hall), next to the L.
Downing Carriage Manufacturers, makers of the stagecoaches that opened the west.. In the course of years leading up to1900 the salary of the Marshal
increased from two hundred to twelve hundred dollars per annum.
Up to 1883 the whole police force never numbered more than nine, generally less. In that year, it consisted of the City Marshal, Assistant Marshal, three regular police and night watch. There were eighty special police appointed for the seven wards of the city, including twelve for the railroad.
This arrangement continued till 1889, though the
personnel was somewhat changed, and the number of the police and night watch
had increased by one. A uniformed police squad of fifteen, under the
guidance of a captain, was created. The special police for the wards and
the railroad was continued with the railroad picking up an additional four in
number.
In 1890, the special police of the wards numbered one hundred, while, on the petition of the Concord & Montreal Railroad Company, two hundred policemen were appointed for that corporation, and at its expense. This large, sometimes larger, supply of police was yearly made for the railroad until 1896.
The number of regular police and night watch, including the
captain, rose from four in 1888 to ten in 1892. In 1898 it became nine,
and so remained through 1900.
In January, 1889, Mayor Stillman Humphrey said, "The uniforming of our patrolmen has met with universal approval, and will doubtless be continued. The special squad organized during the past year, which has done escort and other duty in this city and elsewhere, has won the hearty favor of all, at home and abroad, by it's gentlemanly bearing and excellent deportment."
In 1893, the Governor of the state created a board of three appointed commissioners to which was assigned the power of appointing or removing police officers. The commissioners were required to report quarterly to city council and annually to the Governor. During their first year, the commissioners issued a book of rules. The intent of the commission was to remove the police departments from the domain of politics.
In
1899, Concord Mayor Martin took an opposing position and determined that the resident's
of Concord should choose their police officers, and remove them when the
occasion requires. His position was that the department would be more efficient under the
control of the city than under a commission. The Police Commission was
officially abolished in 1909 by a charter change which created, in its place, a
police department subject to the orders of the Mayor. It was reinstated in
1935 for a short period before being permanently abandoned.
In 1890, a modern
two story police station was built on Warren Street. Later a smaller two
story police sub-station was built in Penacook. Today, the old Warren Street
police station is a private restaurant where dinner is still served in the original holding
cells. The station at the north end of the city now houses the Penacook
branch of the public library.
"Police Signal Service" was a desideratum supplied in 1898, when a police telephone line with twelve boxes at convenient points was constructed by the New England Telephone Company. The number of calls that were rung in by police officers during the year 1900 was twenty-nine thousand three hundred, besides a large number of emergency calls.
During the period around 1909, the police equipment consisted of
an ambulance, patrol wagon, light driving wagon, motorcycle, and
horse. The horse was kept in a stable located on what was then Durgin
Lane.
In 1913, City traffic laws were passed. Officer J. Edward Silva became the city's first traffic officer and his post was the intersection of Main and Pleasant Streets.
The use of horse drawn vehicles came to an end in 1914 with the purchase of a second-hand touring car. The first city police cruiser, added in 1924, was a five-passenger Overland touring car.
In 1922, the annual police budget was $49,229 with $10,229 being paid by the Boston & Maine Railroad yard for special police services.
In 1923, the police department reported among its accomplishments having conducted security checks on 907,155 doors over the course of the year.
In 1925, the Gamewell Company installed a new police signal system. An updated police and fire system was later installed in 1949. The police Gamewell system remained functional until system removal in 2002. By the following year, the title had changed from City Marshall to Chief of Police. At that time, the department had 20 full-time regular members.
In
1927, a switch board was installed to process calls.
1939 a two-way police communications system was installed.
In 1940, the department had 27 full-time regular members with a budget of $64,077.
1942, the department, in its war effort, sharply curtailed its cruiser activity due to a shortage of gas and tires. The position of Inspector was created to investigate crimes.
1944, the Concord Police Benevolent
Association Boys' Club
was formed to deter juvenile delinquency. This group would later develop
into and become independent as the Concord Boys and Girls Club now located on
Bradley Street.
1948, a new radio switchboard was installed, as well as a Dictaphone Electronic Belt Recording Device which recorded all radio, telephone, and call box communications. The department budget had increased to $129,997.
1951, the department acquires the Acometer, a device which measured alcohol intoxication.
1952, the department fleet had increased to four police cars, a limousine
ambulance, a combination patrol and emergency wagon, a panel truck, and a three
wheeled motorcycle.
1953, the first female police matron was hired to serve as a meter maid.
In 1954, the department had 43 full-time regular members with a budget of $170,852.
1960s, the police were still responsible for conducting the annual census.
1971, the department had 45 full-time regular members with a budget of $554,074.
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1974, the department hired its first female police officer in a part-time capacity.
1975, the current police station headquarters was opened on 35 Green Street as a two story structure.
1976, the ambulance service was switched to the Fire Department, and a major reorganization of the department was undertaken.
1977, the Police Community Resources Unit was developed and initiated a number of programs designed to strengthen the police-community relationship.
1985, a third story was added onto police headquarters and was occupied early in 1986 by the administrative section of the department.
The 1990's and into the new millennium have continued to bring many changes to our organization. The department has increased to 80 full-time sworn members with an annual operating budget of approximately 6 million dollars. Many new specialties were introduced including such things as School Resource Officers, K-9, and bicycle patrol units.
March 10, 2003 the department celebrated it's 150th birthday as an incorporated city police department. To celebrate the event, the department commissioned a Sesquicentennial Badge that was worn by all sworn personnel during that year.
Department facilities have been refurbished, a modern digitalized communications system was installed, and the equipment currently provided is state of the art. The Concord Police Department remains well prepared to meet the challenges of the future.
The Concord Police Department is an agency
proudly steeped in history and tradition. Visitors will find our station
to be adorned with a variety of historic memorabilia. If you have any
historical artifacts, photographs, or information concerning the Concord Police
Department, the members of our history team encourage you to contact us at (603)
225-8600 or by email.
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Special Thanks to Sandra Lee of the Concord Public Library
for all of her research efforts on behalf of the Concord Police Department.
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