Boston Police Department
()
About this ebook
Donna M. Wells
Donna M. Wells established the Boston Police Departments Record Center and Archives in 1997 and serves as the department's records manager and archivist. She has a master's degree in library and information science. Prior to joining the Boston Police Department, Wells worked for the Pinkerton detective agency at the 1980 Winter Olympics, and as an operative for a private investigations firm. Paul F. Evans was appointed a Boston patrolman on December 30, 1970, and has served as police commissioner since 1994. The author will donate a portion of the royalties from the sale of this book to the Boston Police Relief Association.
Related to Boston Police Department
Related ebooks
Boston Police: Behind the Badge Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Boston Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCharlestown Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Historical Cities-Boston, Massachusetts Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHaunted Crown Point, Indiana Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWicked Lexington, Kentucky Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Wicked Watertown: History You Weren't Supposed to Know Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWicked Spokane Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEast Boston Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBoston's South End Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSomerville Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Boston's North End Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Hidden History of Boston Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5South of Boston: Tales from the Coastal Communities of Massachusetts Bay Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Chelmsford Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWhen Boston Rode the El Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Boston's Orange Line Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBoston in Motion Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBoston Miscellany: An Essential History of the Hub Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCambridge Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Wicked Hartford Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGhosts of Alexandria Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHaunted Bowdoin College Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSouth Boston Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBoston's Immigrants: 1840-1925 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRoxbury Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRobert Love's Warnings: Searching for Strangers in Colonial Boston Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsUppermost Canada: The Western District and the Detroit Frontier, 1800-1850 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Sons of Italy in Massachusetts Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Kray Madness: The shocking truth about Reg and Ron from the East End gangster they almost destroyed Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Politics For You
The January 6th Report Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Prince Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Daily Stoic: A Daily Journal On Meditation, Stoicism, Wisdom and Philosophy to Improve Your Life Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Capitalism and Freedom Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Elite Capture: How the Powerful Took Over Identity Politics (And Everything Else) Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The U.S. Constitution with The Declaration of Independence and The Articles of Confederation Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Real Anthony Fauci: Bill Gates, Big Pharma, and the Global War on Democracy and Public Health Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Republic by Plato Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Parasitic Mind: How Infectious Ideas Are Killing Common Sense Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race: The Sunday Times Bestseller Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Great Reset: And the War for the World Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Speechless: Controlling Words, Controlling Minds Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Killing the SS: The Hunt for the Worst War Criminals in History Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This Is How They Tell Me the World Ends: The Cyberweapons Arms Race Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Girl with Seven Names: A North Korean Defector’s Story Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Ship of Fools: How a Selfish Ruling Class Is Bringing America to the Brink of Revolution Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5No Place to Hide: Edward Snowden, the NSA, and the U.S. Surveillance State Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Gulag Archipelago [Volume 1]: An Experiment in Literary Investigation Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Cult of Trump: A Leading Cult Expert Explains How the President Uses Mind Control Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Fear: Trump in the White House Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Hide an Empire: A History of the Greater United States Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Son of Hamas: A Gripping Account of Terror, Betrayal, Political Intrigue, and Unthinkable Choices Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Get Trump: The Threat to Civil Liberties, Due Process, and Our Constitutional Rule of Law Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Ever Wonder Why?: and Other Controversial Essays Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Madness of Crowds: Gender, Race and Identity Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5On Palestine Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for Boston Police Department
0 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
Boston Police Department - Donna M. Wells
2003
INTRODUCTION
The nation’s oldest police department, the Boston Police Department, celebrates its formal 150th anniversary in 2004, but the department traces its origins to the establishment of the Night Watch with an officer and six men in 1631. That organization functioned more along the lines of a military guard, but by 1635, the Night Watch consisted of property-owning male citizens over the age of 16 who were required to take the duty by turn. They were unpaid until 1703, when the pay was set at 35 shillings a month.
In 1749, written rules were first drafted for the government of the Watch. In 1796, the Watch was reorganized and the watchmen carried a badge of office, a hook with a bill, and the rattle, a noise-making devise used for calling for assistance.
On December 12, 1825, Watchman Jonathan Houghton became the first Boston law-enforcement officer killed in the line of duty. He was killed on State Street by John Halloran, who was hung for the crime in March 1826. Watchman Houghton’s name, along with that of David Estes, who was killed in 1848, was recently sponsored by the department for inclusion on the National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington, D.C., and the inclusion was approved in 2002.
In 1838, the Day Police was organized, having no connection with the Night Watch. It operated under the city marshal, and six officers were appointed. In 1846, the force was reorganized, with 22 officers on the day shift and 8 night officers.
In 1852, the office of city marshal was abolished, and the office of chief of police was created. Francis Tukey, who had been the marshal, was appointed the first chief of police.
In 1853, the Harbor Police was created in response to the increase in robberies of occupied vessels in the waters of Boston Harbor. The policemen were furnished with rowboats and armed with Colt revolvers. This was the first unit furnished with firearms.
In May 1854, the Boston Night Watch and Day Police were disbanded, and the Boston Police Department came into being. Robert Taylor was appointed chief of police. On the very first evening of the reorganization, the entire force was called out to suppress the riot caused by the arrest of the fugitive slave Anthony Burns. The old hook and bill, which had been in use for 154 years, was replaced by a 14-inch club. The central office was located in the old courthouse in Court Square. There were eight station houses, located at the following locations: the old Hancock School at 209 Hanover Street in the North End; 21 Court Square at Williams Court; Leverett Street in the West End; the rear of Boylston Market at the Washington Street and Boylston Street intersection; Canton Street Place in the South End; 194 West Broadway in South Boston; Paris Street in East Boston; and Lincoln’s Wharf (the Harbor Police).
In 1858, Boston officers put on uniforms for the first time. The chief wore a blue dress coat with tails, black pants, a buff merino vest, and a black top hat with a gold star in a rosette on the hat. The deputy chief wore a blue frock coat, blue or black pants, a light buff vest, and a black top hat with a gold star or enameled leather. Captains wore blue dress coats with tails, buff marseilles vests, black pants, and black top hats. Lieutenants and patrolmen wore double-breasted, dark-blue frock coats, dark-blue pants, and black silk, satin, or cotton vests, depending on the season. Lieutenants wore black top hats, and patrolmen wore black billed caps.
Barney McGinniskin was the first Irishman appointed to the force c. 1862. He was assigned to Division 4, but Marshal Tukey refused to assign him street duty. McGinniskin worked inside the station for about three years before Tukey fired him.
In 1863, the officers were supplied with 24-inch clubs. At this time, the officers did not officially carry firearms.
In 1865, upon the completion of the new city hall, the central office moved there from the old courthouse in Court Square.
In 1871, the central office was connected to all the station houses by telegraph. Prior to this, the only communication method was by messenger.
At approximately 7:30 p.m. on November 9, 1872, the Great Boston Fire started. It was reportedly discovered by a Patrolman Page