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Modern Police Dept. Requires SpecialistsForce of Few “Constables” in 1840 Contrasted with Efficient Organization of 175 Men TodayJUDGE JOSEPH LOCKE HON. PATRICK J. REYNOLDSThe criminal who travels in a high-speed automobile and wields a machine gun with the expertness of a sharpshooter has forced many changes in the conduct of the affairs of the Lowell Police department. From a small group of constables whose chief occupation back in 1840 was to round-up a drunk” or two, the department has evolved into a force of more than 175 well trained men who are at home in speeding radio cruising cars, who can pull a gun as fait as the majority of the gangsters and who know how to use scientific methods to solve the most baffling crimes.One hundred and four years ago the Lowell Police department was organized to cope with the petty crimes which one would find in a town with a population of approximately 15,000 inhabitants. Zach-eur Shedd was appointed city marshal, or head of the constabulary force, at an annual salary of $400. Fifty years later the title of city marshal was changed to that of chief of police, an office now known as superintendent of the Police department, and paying a salary seven times larger than that of a century ago.The lack of pressing business in the good old days is indicated by the fact that the department did not even have a patrol wagon, and a police signal system was unknown. It was not until 1858 that the old watch house in Middle street became too small and the police station was opened at its present quarters in Market street, a $46,000 building erected in 1836 as a public market place and used successively for various purposes, including the housing of militiamen, the Supreme court, the Police court and a fire tower. With the disappearance of the jail in the now North Common village area, cells were installed at the station which also became a lockup for overnight or week-end guests. The lock-up does not serve as a jail, since all offenders are sent to county penal institutions after they appear in District court.Communication MethodsIt is difficult to conceive how the constable informed his superior officer that help was needed back in the 1800’s. Today police operate with radio cars which flash calls for assistance and warnings almost simultaneously with the occurrence of crime. Back in 1836 and for the succeeding years unil 1891, no doubt a runner had to be sent to the station for the “riot squad.” In that year of 1891 a telephone signal system was installed to operate from patrol boxes and is still in use today, as efficient as when it was first installed. Proof of the good work-• manship in the system and its excellent maintenance was found after the flood of 1936, when some of the 76 signal boxes whcih had been buried under flood waters and mud were found to function perfectly upon being tested. The system was considered a wonder of the day, but it was only a forerunner of greater achievements to facilitate speedy police communication, the radio. The first police radio was installed in the spring of 1936 as a one-way communication system and followed two! years later with a two-way communication system operating from a central transmitter at the police station and from individual xansmitters in each of a fleet of lix radio cruising cars. Radio communication is essential for the complete coverage of the city. In 1938 a teletype system connecting the local department with 50 other departments and the state po-Sce was installed at the station.Specialists were unknown in the early years of the city, but with a present population of more than 100,000 inhabitants and a corre-iponding increase in crime, the department has had to train menj lor special purposes. It was thus I hat through the years, the vari- j us squads” such as inspectors, nee and liquor, theatre and traffic, yere created to meet the newer leeds of the population. Today, he department of more than 175 tfficers, lists two-score officers as-ligned to special duties who have received special training for their vork.The most recent Innovation in ihe department occurred during | he past several years, when the i leath toll from automobile acci-1 lents became appalling. With I toe formation of the accident pre- jvention or safety bureau, the toll of fatalities from accidents rapidly decreased until Lowell, at this writing, is leading in safety in the commonwealth, for cities of its size. With great emphasis being given to accident prevention by Superintendent Michael Winn, the police are observing to the letter the saying that police officers are on duty for the protection of life and limb, as well as for the protection of property. Criminal Investigation.Criminal investigation, a rule of thumb in the past, has been developed into one of the leading endeavors of the police, with investigators having followed special courses of the federal and state police, and having at their disposal modem crime detection methods in their own quarters as well as those of the state police.Changes which have come about for the benefit of the members of the department include civil service protection of the superintendent of police as granted in the early 1920’s; civil service protection for all members of the department; and the adoption of the three-platoon system whereby officers work eight hours in one days, instead of 24 hours at the days of old, and also receive a day off in eight and two weeks’ vacation with pay. Protection of the members has also been extended by training all members of the department in the correct use of firearms and in self-defense, as well as instructing them in the American Red Cross first aid course.Superintendent Winn is the 25th leader of the Police department during the 104 years of its exist-ance. The leaders were Zaceheus Shedd, (1836-37, 1840-41, 1848 1850); Henry T. Mowat, (1838)-’ Joseph Butterfield, (1839); Charles J. Adams (1842-47, 1851); George P. Waldron, (1849); James H Carrin, (1851); Edwin L. Shed, (1852-54); Samuel Miller, (1855); William H. Clemence, (1856-57, 1859, 1874-77); Eben H. Rand, (1860-61); Fred Lovejoy, (1862, 1878); Bickford Lang, (1863-71); Charles P. Bowles, (1872-73); Albert Pinder, (1878-80); Edward J. Noyes, (1881-82, 1888-89); Michael E. McDonald, (1883-84); Jacob
Newspaper Details
Lowell Courier-Citizen
Lowell, Massachusetts, US
Thu, Oct 31, 1940
Page 85
Full Page
Clipped by
Pete M.
USA 15 May 2025
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