Four days after Officer Young was killed, the City Commission voted to include all the black Miami Police officers under Civil Service, which allowed some type of pension benefits for Youngs widow. The Council agreed with him and the complaint was ruled not valid. On July 6, 1954, a six year old girl visiting her grandparents from Baltimore was abducted from her South Bayshore Drive home and killed. (Miami News-4/15/1926), (Here is an exciting story that was found too late to be included in the book. Shortly into his poetry presentation to a small crowd, a Miami City official, Mannie Costa, upset with the profanity laced offerings of Ginsburg, cut the power to the microphone. I had the pleasure of working for this quiet-spoken leader on special projects in the 60's and 70's and had a great admiration for his integrity and dedication. Ingram, 24, was pointed out by citizens as a stranger to the market area. C.E. Sistrunk, Earnest, Sr. (Ed) on beat schedule May 1907. (Story about ducking knives thrown at MPD guys by a crazed person in Liberty City.). (Miami News-5/1/1923). PSTD is prevalent in the police departments of America just as much as in our military. My friend Jim was correct in what he said it was all about me. A Miami Police motor officer was hurt when his police motorcycle went into a ditch while he was escorting a Ku Klux Klan motorcade today. Also that day, it was reported that Officer W.F. A proposal by Chief Quigg to raise the salaries of MPD officers $5 a month on July 1st was forwarded to the city commission. (5/14/1949), Officer Dallas Carroll, previously moved to the Coconut Grove night beat for raiding a gambling joint, was jumped and beaten by three men while walking the Grove beat late one night. He stopped the auto, searched it and found burglary tools in the trunk. Clay, who was standing in front of the fire station. Detective Lieutenant C.O. FOR Doral, FL 33172 Simpson and J.D. Stevens, William Chandler, Ned Russell, J.D. In the 1950's on into the early 60's, the detective bureau had a separate Homicide Unit and Auto Theft Unit. Chief Whitman and Mayor Watson meet to plan adding patrol boats to MPD. (This chapter provides the details of the death of MPD Officer Frank Croff.). In late October of 1896, the Commission voted a salary of $50 monthly for the City Marshall position and noted that he would always be on duty. Appointed in 1911. He was also supplied with ample amounts of iced lemon aid to help him keep his cool while handling this vexing assignment.". In April of 1914, Clarence Daly was hung for the rape of an elderly woman that occurred in June of 1913. (MPD records). In 1928 he was rolled back to the Captain rank when Chief Reeves took over the department. I stood next to Referee Norm Schacter, NFL Security, Miami Fire, a National Guard rep. and the team Captains discussing who would make the enormous decision to evacuate the teams and crowds while millions of fans world-wide watching on TV. Valiton leaned out the car window and fired four shots at Wever, who was rushed to the hospital, dying an hour or so later just as his wife came to his bedside. Crews sitting on MPD motorcycle. Miami-Dade County Facebook - Opens a warning dialog, Miami-Dade County Twitter - Opens a warning dialog, Miami-Dade County Instagram - Opens a warning dialog, Miami-Dade County TV - Opens a warning dialog, Crime Scene Investigative Support Section. The investigation indicated that Nolle was wounded by shots from a 20 gauge shotgun at 9:25PM and his life was saved by ducking just in time, according to Det. Bunch were arresting a masked Royal Castle robber downtown when the suspect pulled a gun on Officer Bunch. He stood there while she adjusted her clothing as if expecting some reward. (Miami News-1/31/1930), 7/22/1931 - Chief Hardy Bryan promotes three officers to the position of Traffic Sergeant. Under his leadership, the position of desk sergeant and the ranks of captain and lieutenant were created. This is the story about a wild Burglary-in-progress by eight burglars that the Miami Police department responded to at that location. P.O. The same evening, MPD Officer William S. Scott was killed by Officer M.C. Elaido Del Valle, a person of interest in the assassination of President Kennedy, was murdered in Miami in February of 1967. Lane ran back through the hotel in an attempt to intercept him. A year later Ken volunteered to return to the Marines to help his buddies out and was killed. Finally, the police and community leaders put a halt to this discriminating practice after a local black dentist, Dr. William Scott, and a local funeral director, purchased their own car and were constantly harassed by the white drivers. The lead investigation was Detective Erv Whitman of the Homicide Unit, assisted by his partner, Det Charles Sapp, under the supervision of Lt. Chester Eldredge and the Detective Chief. The Chief of Police, John Rowland, quit the department the following day and Leslie Quigg was again appointed to the Chief's position. Officer Dale Deskins and former officer David Collier were caught by off-duty security officer Lt. Gil Zamora, in the parking lot of Jai Ali, armed, and dressed and made up like blacks, in what appeared to be a robbery attempt. Jesse Campbell, a probationary Detective, replaces Huttoe as Vice Squad C/O. He provided details to police that convinced them that he was being truthful and his palm print matched. At 5AM, four burglars arrived with three entering the building via the open window. Local stories in the Miami News, many of which involves in-fighting within the department over vice enforcement, made the news in the late 1940s. Our first stop on the afternoon shift was at Jeff's Bar, W. Flagler St and 12th Avenue. Sawyer, Wilkinson, Rose, and Morris; assisted by uniform officers Haddock and Joe Jenkin. They served in WW2 and then had a career at Miami P.D. McCarthy warned citizens to get their cars off the streets before the storm, based on teletypes from Cuba on the ferocity of the winds. var path = 'hr' + 'ef' + '='; Law enforcement in Miami prior to the 1896 incorporation, was provided by the Dade County Sheriff, who was headquartered in the then county seat of Juno, many miles north of the city, headed up at that time by heriff R.J. Chillingsworth, assisted by his Miami deputy, S.S. Puckett. The voters present included 206 white men and 162 black men. Several years ago our Vice President, Harvey Bach, proposed awarding funds toward college scholarships for the children and grandchildren of our Miami Police Veterans Association members. Driggers was not hurt. Forty year old Detective Robert Lee Jester, a 10 year veteran of MPD was shot and killed in downtown Miami on Saturday afternoon, November 18,1933, in a shoot out between two MPD detectives and two bank robbers. Silent Witness. On the same day, MPD officer Ray Brock suffered a sprained angle at the range when he stepped into a hole while target practicing. A crowd of witnesses immediately converged on the police station protesting the officer's action. (This chapter provides the details of Officer Thompsons death.) Purchasers of this publication will not only enjoy our history but will be contributing to the further education of some of our great youth. scholarship fund. Jonathon Martin is Assistant Chief (Interim) of the Avondale Police Department and currently oversees the Patrol Division, which includes all Patrol operations and Special Investigations. Christiano verified the account of what happened and said he didn't know what to do with him as he had only stopped the car to tell the driver his stoplight was not working. Officer ------- ------, a beat officer assigned to this area, was suspected of igniting the fires himself so that he could observe the fires as well as the response by the Fire guys. A local news editorial remarked on what action Curry was taking. The Story. ), (Story about O.J. An auto driven by Thomas McGill struck Brigmans marked police car causing the auto to crash into a utility pole while the officer was hanging on to the open car door that had sprung as a result of the collision. Pomerleau, in effect, took over the police department causing dramatic organizational changes such as eliminating the detective districts, closing down the black precinct, and put the MPD on the road to utilizing computers for crime prevention and other law enforcement purposes. Stathers, then 45, was face down on the lawn, shot in the back of the head. View Map. On each occasion that Quigg announced that Miami was closed to gambling, Huttoe went out and made some raids. He passed away many years ago. He later served three times as Miami PD Chief of Police. He had been a detective in the Miami P.D. (Miami News-1/24/1940). Many residents of the area were asked (and complied) to take a polygraph test. (817 words), (Story of 13 yr old being abducted) body found years later) (303 words), (Story about the assassination of Officer Vic Butler. Exciting day. - Guy Reeves, special agent of the U S Justice Dept to Chief of Detectives. She was Belle Hodge, the younger sister of Elmer Hodge, a MPD officer and later a Constable. McCreary. Funny story). Parker joined with another huge MPD officer handling traffic in the downtown area, Frank Leavitt. Officer LaFleur was killed in a 3 A.M on February 16,1951, during a gun battle with a man who was sleeping in a car at NW 3 Ave and 14 St. The next thing I knew, Sophie walked over to me and Dorothy and said that her new friend wanted to "hire" the three of us (whom he had seen hanging out at the bus stop on numerous occasions and assumed we were hookers).' The reward money was eventually returned to the donors when no arrest was made. At present, the force includes a captain, two sergeants and fourteen policemen, two of whom are plain clothes men." After Garrett's release and return to Texas, he was charged with the attempted murder of his mother and was sentenced to ten years in prison. Chief Whitman resigned three months prior to his elected term expiration. Long before DNA tests and video surveillance, Gonzalez cracked cases the. During that shootout, officers responded and Officer Pistol Pete Logan, on duty in the railroad tower, sounded the alarm while climbing down and chasing the bad guys. News reports rumors that Sgt Sid Broome will have the job soon. A host of these leaders moved on to head other agencies, including Dick Witt being Chief of Hollywood PD and two others, Emory Putman heading up Mt. In the process of bending down, my tailor-made riding britches split at the seam from knee to knee!! The story of one, the beloved Harry Lenchner, now 90, was published in the MPD Vets newsletter recently and is presented in its entirety. During the same period, the ordinary Patrol officer was released from official and unofficial restraints and began to stick their nose into areas of concern previously the sole responsibility of the detective districts. (Jack) Clinton was suspended but then sued to regain his job. Five other men and one woman were not yet in custody. McCreary, who had been both Chief and Safety Director. He was highly praised by his bosses. Hardee, Rufus James - 1876-1969, Appointed 1905 - 1911, Hardee, Frank B. On October 3, 1931, Officer Robert L. (Bob) McCormack, 29, was visiting Miss Dorothy Lager and her family in Miami, and had gone out on the porch to rest before dinner. Twenty-five of those years were in the homicide. It was charged that Det Tom Nazworth, R.L. In 1910, the population of the City of Miami was 5,000 (a 400% increase in one decade). Dora PD. Sadly, just this past year, retired Captain Bob Yee, working as a security and crime prevention officer at a Miami River boat yard in his retirement years, was gunned down in an assassination by a hired hit man and killed. (This chapter provides biographical information on the first Miami Chief of Police.) R.N.Harwood and A.V. (MPD Records, City of Miami publications, Miami Metropolis/News- 7-1917). This organization has truly been the 'blue glue' that has kept us together. Deal with it.). The provision of links to these external sites does not constitute an Commissioner Pete Rozelle at Super Bowl X.) RoyPottroff. The department was then reorganized into four divisions: traffic, detectives, vice squad and motorcycle corps. (1,090 words), (Thirty-seven year old Bill Craig, a 14 year veteran Miami police motorcycle officer was struck by a drunk driver on South Dixie in early morning rush hour traffic on March 19, 1988.He died 3 months later. He has since retired to the quiet hills of South Carolina. In 1962, the City Manager, Mel Reese, hired as Public Safety Director, a retired Marine Colonel, Donald Pomerleau. August of 1913 brought a third Chief of Police to Miami. Branch had previously set off bombs around the city, including one at the home of Miami Herald Editor, Don Shoemaker. June 17th- Chief Reeve orders crackdown on bookies. His remains were buried in Boston, Georgia. Great 1973 story. July 19th -The new 79th Street Causeway opened for traffic. August 28th -The City and County police departments announced a drive to arrest DUI drivers due to the high number of recent DUI fatalities. Officer Stathers murder is still unsolved. In 1935, a group of policeman organized the PBA, the first in Florida, to present a unified forum in civil service and employment matters. He was buried in Flagler Memorial Park, 5301 W. Flagler Street. In September of 1944, the Miami Police Department began hiring black police officers.