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Perry’s State Patrol Marks 35 Years ServiceThirty-five years ago this month a Georgia State Patrol was established in Perry. Since that time the post has moved twice and expanded in numbers of troopers and in equipment to meet the challenge of traffic in six counties, including that on Interstate 75.Eight men occupied the first State Patrol barracks in Peiry on Sept. 9, 1937, in the former B. C. Holtzclaw home on Swift Street now occupied by the offices of Dr. A. G. Hendnck. Among the eight were men of all walks of life including a groceryman, two former Army men, one insurance agent, and a dairy farmer. Only one, Bass Farr, had police experience.Those first eight patrolmen included Sgt. R. E. Wood, Cpl. J. W. White, and Troopers W. L. Brown,J.T. Burton, R.L. Crawford, B. R. Farr, H. B. Henderson, and Slayton Toler.There were only 80 state patrolmen in the entire state at that time in ten districts. Perry was the headquarters of District 7.One of the first patrolmen, R. L. Crawford, recalled on the 25th anniversary of Post 15 that the state would only pay $25 a month for barracks, so the late Pitt M. Beckham would contract the businessmen in town each month to raise the difference between that and actual rental cost. Rumor has it that only one man ever refused to contribute to the fund.In 1941 a new State Patrol barracks was built in downtown Perry on U.S. Highway 41 with the aid of the county commissioners.Meet some star-studded models GMC builds for your needs!That building is now occupied by the offices of the Houston County Agricultural Extension Service.In 1946 Sgt. Giles Webb, now head of the Georgia Police Academy in Atlanta, was placed in charge of the Perry post.The barracks presently occupied by the State Patrol post here beside Interstate 75 just off the Marshallville Road was built in 1964. The old barracks had been expanded twice and still inadequate for the post’s needs.In 1962 the post had a total of 18 men, including 14 uniform men, 3 radio operators and one license examiner.Now, ten years later with 1-75 traffic to cover as well as regular coverage of its six-county area including Houston, Bleckley, Pulaski, Peach, Bibb and Macon counties, Sgt. Johnny E. Moreland’s post here has 19 men. There are 13 uniform men, four radio operatorsPAGE 12-A, PERRY, GEORGIA, THURSDAY, SEPT. 21,1972Perry’s Modern State Patrol PostIntroducing Theand two license examiners. What the post lacks in numbers is compensated for in part by the quality of the men, their training and sophisticated equipment.Only two of the present Perry patrolmen were here when the post celebrated its 25th anniversary in 1962, and at that time both were troopers. One was Sgt. Moreland, commander of the post for most of the pastr decade, and Cpl. John W. Wright.Others stationed here include Cpl. W. D. Blackstock and Troopers W. I. Blount, G. F. Boutwell, W. E. Cawthon, R. L. Coker, J. M. Goswick, R. I. Hardin, J. L Lancaster, C. W. Sheffield, J.B. Smith and J.G. Taylor.Radio operators are R. M. (Bobby) Burns, Senior Operator, and Jack Bower, T. A. Evans and C. L. Nutt.
Newspaper Details
Perry Houston Home Journal
Perry, Georgia, US
Thu, Sep 21, 1972
Page 24
Full Page
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USA 29 Sep 2024
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