Cincinnati Police Department History – 1925 to 1949

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The Greater Cincinnati Police Museum

“Preserving the History of Law Enforcement in the Greater Cincinnati Area”

Cincinnati Police Department History – 1925 to 1949

1926	1-Jan	–	City Manager control over police per City Charter; placed with all other executive branches of municipal services	–
1927	–	–	Districts reduced from 10 to 7 and majors assigned as superintendents of each.	–
1927	–	–	Teletype system of inter-communication installed	–
1927	–	–	Traffic Control assigned to Superintendent of Traffic, taken from patrol	–
1928	–	–	Bureau of Records established with a new system that was basis for the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) which was used in Cincinnati until 1997 and still used in a vast majority of cities.	–
1928	–	–	Patrol Cars: Coupes introduced	–
1928	–	–	Patrol Cars: Motor patrol replaced foot patrol in outlying districts, completely motorizing the department	–
1928	–	–	Traffic signal lights installed downtown and patrolmen who had directed traffic with hands and whistles given newly established small beats in the congested area	–
1928	–	–	Uniforms: Present style of uniforms adopted along with .38 caliber revolver	–
1929	–	–	Salary for officers start at $1500 and go up to $1860 after four years. Officer purchased own replacement uniforms and revolver. No pay for overtime, working seven days a week with two days off each month and 15 days of vacation annually.	–
1929	–	–	School of Instruction for new men lasted 60 days and included First Aid.	–
1930	–	–	City population – 451,160	–
1930	1-Mar	–	District 7 opened at 813 Beecher Street	–
1930	–	–	Complement – 662	–
1930	–	–	Director of Safety restored and the police force becomes a division	–
1930	–	–	Police power conferred on Fireman, making them a valuable auxiliary.	–
1930	–	–	Temporary details at schools	–
1930	–	–	University of Cincinnati electrical engineering student retained to design, construct, and install a radio system	–
1930	–	–	Women’s Detention moved from top floor to bottom floor of City Hall	–
1931	–	–	Arrests for Prohibition number 2322	–
1931	16-Jun	–	Dispatch: Radios installed in 51 patrol cars using composite receivers and copper screen antennas installed under the canvas car top	–
1931	16-Jun	–	Dispatch: Station X, 1 sergeant and a radio operator, housed at Central Station in City Hall, and transmitter (500W at 1706KHz AM), repair facility, and “T” antenna at the old Water Works pumping station in Eden Park, call letters WKDU	–
1931	–	–	City Retirement System established, replacing the Police Relief Fund for Police Employees	–
1932	–	–	Dispatch: Radio System enhanced to transmit to Hamilton, Butler, Warren, Clermont, Kenton (KY), and Campbell (KY) Counties’ sheriffs	–
1932	Mar	–	Police Library opened in basement of City Hall	–
1933	–	–	Safety Patrol organized citywide	–
1934	–	–	Police Crime Laboratory established at Pathological Building of Cincinnati General Hospital, equipped with ballistic, X-ray, polygraph, photographic, and other equipment and a microscopes.	–
1934	–	–	Traffic Accident Investigation Squad established	–
1935	–	Weatherly, Col. Eugene T.	Chief (24th), to 1951, 15 years, 1 month	–
1935	–	–	Police Credit Union, one of the first in the country for police, established	–
1936	1-Jan	–	Central Station re-established at City Hall to centralize command and control of Division	–
1936	–	–	Complement – 633	–
1936	–	–	Identification System by marks and scars established	–
1936	–	–	Traffic Accident Investigation Squad equipped with cameras, measuring tape, road flares, first aid kits, etc.	–
1936	–	–	Target Range built at Bald Knob	–
1937	–	–	Annual Medal Shoot for members initiated	–
1937	22-Sep	–	Hamilton County Police Association formed	–
1937	–	–	Complement – 714	–
1937	–	–	Ohio River crested at 80 feet, 28 feet above flood stage, and 24 square miles of Cincinnati were under water.	–
1937	–	–	Police Recruit classification established	–
1937	–	–	Target Range built at Bald Knob	–
1938	–	–	“Memo” system adopted	–
1938	–	–	Citation book adopted and warning tags established for non serious offenses	–
1938	–	–	Loud Speaker car purchased	–
1938	–	–	Patrol Cars: Sirens and special speedometers installed in 21 vehicles	–
1938	–	–	Police Wrecker purchased	–
1938	–	–	Teletype system replaced, ready for interstate communication, installed by Bell Telephone Company	–
1938	–	–	Uniform policy included white shirts for all and allowed for not wearing coats in extremely hot weather. Winter overcoat with combination lapel/collar approved	–
1939	–	–	City Safety Lane for compulsory inspection of motor vehicles opened	–
1939	–	–	Police Traffic Safety School started to provide education for adult automobile drivers. The requests for enrolment far exceeded the facilities.	–
1939	–	–	Patrol Cars: Blow out proof tires installed on cars intended for chasing speeders	–
1939	–	–	Handcuff belts purchased	–
1939	–	–	Motorcycles: Four three-wheeled motorcycles purchased for downtown parking enforcement.	–
1939	–	–	Calls for Service: 1,811.256	–
1939	–	–	Complement — 732, 2.2 per 1000 residents, 30% smaller than comparable cities, 57% with more than ten years tenure, 1 Chief, 1 Assistant Chief (Lt. Col.), 9 majors, 5 captains, 32 lieutenants, 36 sergeants, 2 detective sergeants, 48 detectives, 567 patrol	–
1939	–	Ott, Ptln Fred, District 7	Annual Shoots Competition won by Patrolman Ott with 264 of 300. Average score 30 points higher than in 1938.	–
1939	–	–	Cincinnati Police Memorial Athletic Association established with 525 members to raise funds for indisposed members and annual memorial services for departed members	–
1939	–	–	Boy’s Club sought out by division in attempt to answer juvenile delinquency with a building in the West End where the boys may fill their leisure time with varied activities including art, music, games, gymnasium, athletics, handicraft, motion pictures, e	–
1940	–	–	Battley single-fingerprint file installed as integral part of Identification Bureau, supplementing the Henry System of ten-print classification	–
1940	–	–	Blockade Plan established, with Cincinnati Police Station X at its center, whereby at a broadcast of an alarm, each member unit sends men to cover a predetermined escape of fleeing criminals.	–
1940	–	–	City population – 455,610	–
1940	–	–	Complement – 732	–
1941	–	–	Camera: Century police camera purchased for Identification Bureau	–
1941	9-May	–	Fraternal Order of Police, Queen City Lodge #69 established	–
1941	–	–	Dispatch: Consultant retained to design a new police dispatch center in he Communications Building (1430 Martin Drive) and install 40 police and 10 fire division two-way radios in vehicles	–
1941	–	–	Division of Communications established in Department of Safety	–
1941	–	–	Electrically cooled drinking fountains installed in every patrol station	–
1941	–	–	Parking Meters installed	–
1941	–	–	Police Relief Fund reestablished, by court order, and police officers are forbidden to remain in the City Retirement System.	–
1941	–	–	Speed Check, using start and end painted lines 113 feet apart and a stop watch, provided mathematical certainty of speeds	–
1942	15-Feb	–	Dispatch: 2-way radio system established, RCA 10M 1000/500W AM phone transmitter and three 500W 3-channel CW transmitters and 200 ft. tower antenna operating as 5/8 wave vertical radiator. Mobile units were 20W RCA AM units operating at 30.58MHz.	–
1942	–	–	Public Address Car purchased – “Safety Car” with loud speaker mounted atop a standard sedan	–
1942	–	–	Sidearms: Revolver, issued to police recruits as an important measure in attracting men to join the force	–
1942	–	–	Uniforms: Winter and Summer uniforms issued to recruits	–
1942	–	–	Urinalysis used in cases of drivers or accident victims suspected under the influence of alcohol	–
1943	–	–	140 stars in Cincinnati Police service flag by year’s end?	–
1943	1-Aug	–	Juvenile Crime Prevention Bureau established	–
1943	–	–	Iodine fuming chamber installed at Bureau of Identification for raising latent fingerprints on paper surfaces	–
1943	–	–	National Traffic Safety Contest: Cincinnati awarded First Place and Runner Up Award in Ohio Traffic Safety Contest	–
1943	–	–	Speed Graphic camera and accessories purchased to facilitate photographing fingerprints at crime scenes.	–
1944	–	–	159 stars in Cincinnati Police service flag by year’s end.	–
1944	–	–	Auxiliary Police Corps established to augment the force during W.W.II manpower shortages	–
1944	–	–	Dispatch: Radio System enhanced to a 35MHz base station and 10 FM mobile units installed, later 35 FM mobile units	–
1944	–	–	Traffic signal lights studied and it was found that the amber light between lights changing from red to green were causing accidents. Recommended the amber by bypassed in this sequence.	–
1945	–	–	Crime Laboratory moved from District Three station house to newly remodeled rooms at City Hall	–
1945	1-Dec	Basham, Wanda; Degenhardt, Elizabeth; Rankin, Lucy; and Weiler, Ruth	Policewomen: First policewoman hired, along with Elizabeth (Pack) Degenhardt, Wanda Basham, and Lucy Rankin, for service in Youth Aid Bureau.	–
1945	–	–	Keeler Polygraph purchased for Police Crime Laboratory	–
1945	–	–	Race Relations Detail established as permanent investigative unit to handle clashes or incidents involving racial, national, and religious group differences.	–
1946	–	–	Court time, two hours for every case attended on off time, and time for some holidays approved for police officers	–
1946	–	–	Juvenile Crime Prevention Bureau changed to Youth Aid Bureau	–
1946	–	–	Police Swing Band established with five instrument and a vocalist or appearances at safety programs and gatherings of teen-age groups.	–
1946	–	–	Target Range in Lockland purchased	–
1947	–	–	Missing Persons Unit established within Youth Aid Bureau	–
1948	–	–	District 6 opened at Delta Avenue and Columbia Parkway, moving out of Eastern Avenue station house	–
1948	May	–	Felon Registration began	–
1948	–	–	School Crossing Guard (adults) Program established	–
1949	–	–	Dispatch: Radio System enhanced to high band FM system, base frequency 156.45MHz, mobile units 156.09MHz. Three base stations operated simultaneously; 1706 AM, 35MHz, and 156.45MHz, until all units converted to the latter	–
1949	–	–	Tattoo File started in Bureau of Identification	–

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