History | Chief Timeline | Indepth History Website

Department History 1861 - 1961

The following section on the first 100 years of New Haven Police Department history, from organization in 1861 to the centennial in 1961, has been summarized from the special edition of the department's annual report from 1961. Many thanks to Sgt. Anthony Griego, (Ret.). The New Haven Police Department was not organized until 1861, but protective service has existed in the City of New Haven since the founding of "Quinnipiac Colony" in 1638. The Original Night Watch Shortly after the colony was established, the town fathers ordered: ...that a constant and strict watch shall be kept in this plantation from the first of March to the last of October every year ordinarily, leaving extraordinary cases, either of mildness or of sharpness of weather or time of danger, to the governor and magistrates, who may remit or continue the watch longer, or increase and order them as seasons and occasions may require. Captain Nathan Turner, "a Massachusetts soldier who fought in the Pequot War," was given the responsibility of organizing the first watch.  He was also empowered to compel every male member of the settlement, from 16 to 60 years of age, to serve his turn as watchman. Each day, at sundown drum beats summoned the watch to the "court of guarde" on the central green.  The watch, comprised of a master and six watchmen, remained on duty until daybreak.  These men patrolled in turn throughout the town and the suburbs, protecting the lives and property of the sleeping settlers.  Their duties were carefully and explicitly defined by the magistrates: The master of the watch is to set the watch an hour after sunset, dividing the night into three watches, sending forth two and two together to walk their turns, as well without the town as within the town and the suburbs also, to bring to the court of guard any person or persons whom they shall find disorderly or in a suspicious manner within doors or without, whether English or Indians, or any other stranger whatsoever, and keep them there safe until morning and then bring them before one of the magistrates.  If the watchmen in any part of their watch see any apparent common danger, which they cannot otherwise prevent or stop, then they are to make an alarm by discharging their two guns which are to be answered by him that stands at the door to keep sentinel, and that also seconded by beating of the drum.... The master of the watch is also to see that none of the watchmen sleep at all, and that none of their guns remain uncharged till the watch break up, and also that no man lay aside his arms while the watch continued. Thus was the budding city protected, within and without, from all kinds of disorderly manifestations, whether the result of youthful folly or downright wickedness, if such could exist in those godly days. The original watch continued for many years, but not without difficulty.  Arthur V. Philip, who compiled and published a history of the department in 1906 tells us that: Shortly, the planters found the watch system irksome.  They did not take kindly to the tour of night duty and those residing some distance from town did not care to leave their own homes unprotected while they patrolled the town. On February 10, 1784, New Haven was incorporated as a city.  By that time, the population of the community had increased to almost 8,000 but the old watch system continued as before.  Slight changes were made from time to time rising out of a growing dissatisfaction with the system, but it was not until November 21, 1819 that the Common Council first considered a resolution favoring the organization of a permanent night watch. The Permanent Night Watch The Common council enacted an ordinance on January 13, 1820, establishing such a watch.  The population of New Haven, had, by this time, grown to 8,327.  The ordinance provided for "...the appointment of seven discreet citizens to act as superintendents of the watch and not to exceed fifty citizens to act as watchmen..."  The watch was on duty from (;00 at night until daybreak - that period of day when "...every law abiding citizen was supposed to be wrapped in slumber..."  It seems that law enforcement took a holiday every Sunday.  As one historian put it: "The Sabbath was kept holy, even by watch, who abstained from watching." Between November 1 and April 1, the superintendents received $1.50 per night and the watchmen were paid $1.00.  "For the remainder of the year twenty-five cents was deducted from all, presumably because the weather was less trying and severe."  One can get a fair idea of how much a dollar was worth in those days, when he realizes hat the large sum of six cents would purchase a 28 ounce loaf of bread. In a book titled History of the Department of Police Service of New Haven, Connecticut, reference is made to the enactment of certain regulations shortly after the permanent night watch was established: The regulations required that each member of the watch should carry a staff at least three feet in length.  This was the only thing which was to distinguish him from any ordinary citizen at that time.  A little later, it was decided that the watchmen should have a silver star as a badge of office. By 1852, the population of the city was already near the 25,000 mark.  Up to that time, the police patrolled only at night.  A brief entry in the History of the Department of Police Service of New Haven, Connecticut, 1906, reveals that: In 1852 the city advanced to the dignity of possessing a solitary day policeman in the person of William J. Smith.  Smith was regarded as a reckless extravagance and on August 16, 1854, he was discharged... The source quoted fails to disclose when daytime protection was resumed, or when 24 hour police service began in New Haven.  According to J. Birney Tuttle the day patrol was resumed prior to 1861, when the police department was finally organized.

In May, 1861, an act was passed by the Connecticut General Assembly, authorizing the City of new Haven to organize a police department.  In August of that year the New Haven Police Department was established. The enabling act called for a six-man Board of Police Commissioner, the Mayor to serve as General Chairman and a member ex-officio, a chief of police, one captain, one lieutenant, fourteen patrolmen and fifteen supernumeraries or "supers' as they were then called.  Each man was allowed one day a month for recreation and their annual salaries ranged from $550.00 for the patrolmen to $850.00 for the chief. Within one month of it's organization, the department adopted a uniform consisting of blue coats and "trousers," a newly-designed shield and cap, "bell-crowned and of imposing size."

A new shield was adopted by the department in 1870 - one that was to be worn proudly by New Haven's finest well into the 20th century.  The star shield of the night watch and the badge of 1861 both bore the city's coat of arms - an insignia picturing a vessel under sail.  The new shield was much plainer in design.  It bore the simple inscription "New Haven Police" and an identifying number. Ground was broken in 1873 at what is now 165 Court Street for the construction of a municipal building which was completed the next year.  The Police Department was on the first floor, the City Court on the second, and the third floor was occupied by the Fire Chief and the Board of Health.  This building stands today - a link between the past and the present - and it still stands today, a link between the past and the present. The Patrol Wagon The "Black Maria", a horse-drawn prisoner conveyance and patrol wagon, rumbled on the scene in 1873.  At this period, telephonic communication had not yet come into use in the department; the patrol wagon, therefore, had only limited usefulness.

The population of the city had been growing steadily, and by 1882, reached a figure of 67,482.  The personnel strength of the department rose to 90 men that same year.  A great deal of territorial expansion had also taken place since 1861, and a demand for greater police protection developed on the outskirts of the city.  Many of the patrol beats were located beyond the range of effective communication with the one central headquarters.  Transportation was slow and difficult.  Both of these conditions posed a serious problem to the department. In an effort to remedy this condition, the city fathers took a significant step in 1882.  They decided to adopt a novel communications system, the Gamewell Telephone and Telegraph System.  Ten signal boxes were purchased and installed in strategic locations and immediately went into operation.  As a result, a foot patrolman could instantly call headquarters whenever he needed assistance.  These signal boxes were to become familiar landmarks to generations of New Haveners.  The system  satisfied a second need - it enabled citizens to communicate instantly with headquarters.  Formerly, one who desired to lodge a complaint or summon assistance was forced to search for an officer or walk the long distance to headquarters. This revolutionary innovation, coupled with that of the patrol wagon, made it possible for headquarters to respond selectively to the needs of the patrolman in the field.

Further Progress: Photography and Mounted Policemen Further progress came in 1885, when the department adopted the practice of photographing all persons arrested for dangerous offenses.  A description of the person arrested and the offense with which they were charged was inscribed on the back of each photograph. On May 1st, 1886, a police officer was assigned to patrol East Rock park on horseback.  The department had never utilized mounted patrol anywhere in the city prior to that time.  Subsequently, three more mounted police were assigned to outlying districts. Mounted patrol circa 1910. Detective Division Shortly  after the department was organized in 1861, it had become apparent that the investigation of major crimes required a great deal of time and concentration.  There was need for a group of police officers free to move at will throughout the city without the patrol obligations that would tend to conflict with and hamper the business at hand.  In 1870, therefore, the department decided to make criminal investigation a form of special duty.  Uniformed officers were ordered into plain clothes and assigned to detective duty.  Released from all patrol obligations, these officers were able to devote full time to the investigation of major crimes.  The criminal work of the department was done in this way until 1896.   In 1896, the Detective Division with three permanent men was officially established. Bicycle Patrol By 1899, the strength of the department had increased to 176 officers.  That year, for the first time in the history of the department, a solitary police officer was assigned to bicycle patrol.  Apparently, he proved quite effective in his work, because the chief of police requested three more bicycles the following year. Bicycle patrol in Fort Hale Park, 1907. Canine Patrol In 1910, Chief Cowles introduced another innovation.  That year, the department started using police dogs for patrol work.  The department continued it's use of patrol dogs for ten years, and it appears, with good results.  However, each dog did his best work with only one officer - his master.  As a result, the dog's master was destined to remain on continuous night duty (the patrol time when canines were utilized).  This method of patrol was stopped in 1920, the police dogs were honorably discharged and the department has never used them since. The Motorcycle The decade from 1910 to 1920 witnessed the advent of the motorcycle, now a familiar piece of police equipment.  In 1913, the department purchased six motorcycles which were immediately put to patrol use.  The bicycle patrol was maintained, however, until 1925. (Note - motorcycle patrol did return to New Haven in 1945, and continues to this day.) Motorcycle patrol on Green, 1913. Radio Patrol Cars By 1931, the size of the department had increased to 434.  Patrol cars were already in use at this time, but short-wave radio communications was not introduced until May 25, 1935.  The first installation provided one-way communication only, from the dispatcher to the car operator.  Subsequently, the three-way system was adopted, allowing cross-communications from dispatcher to car, from car to dispatcher and from car to car.  The short-wave radio proved to be one of the most important developments in local law enforcement.  It not only increased the general efficiency of the department, but, together with improved transportation, made precinct stations virtually obsolete.  Consequently, Precinct Two on Chapel Street and Precinct Four on Dixwell Avenue were closed on December 31, 1940. Training Program, Youth Division and Vice Squad The decade from 1940 to 1950 brought other notable advances.  The first formal training program was held in 19443.  The program was continued on an irregular basis until 1951 when the Training Division was established.  Responding to the growing problem of misbehavior and crime among juveniles, a special unit to deal with youthful offenders was created in 1946.  Similarly, the shocking nationwide conditions exposed by the investigations of the Kefauver Committee in 1951 revealed the need for a special unit to concentrate on the problems posed by organized vice.  As a result, the Special Service Division was established and has since supplemented the Detective Division in the suppression of vice activity. The Police Academy In November, 1954, a new police building was dedicated at 710 Sherman Parkway on an attractive site possessing ample space for outdoor facilities and further expansion.  This building, at the time, housed both a precinct station and a police academy.  The academy had two spacious classrooms, indoor and outdoor firearms ranges and other facilities, as well as a garage for the servicing of police vehicles.  Since 1943, when formal training was first offered to the personnel of the department, the training program has improved to the point where it is now regarded as a national model for police education (click for more information of the Division of Training and Education). 1961 - NHPD 100th Anniversary In 1961, 443 men and women provided the finest in professional police service to the 150,000 residents of New Haven.   Thirty-four radio cars maintained constant patrols along 240 miles of city streets, with 18 motorcycles helping to enforce the motor vehicle laws and relieve traffic congestion.  The department's motor fleet traveled 1,800,000 miles that year - a distance equal to 70 trips around the earth; 17,529 arrests were made and the department recovered lost and stolen property valued at $283,781.