-
Night Watch
In 1635 the first form of police were created called the Night Watch. The primary responsibilities were to protect the people from fire, criminals, and animals. -
First Police Department
In 1854, the City of Boston replaced the Night Watch organizations with the Boston Police Department, which consisted of 250 officers. Each officer received payment of $2 per shift, walked his own beat, and was forbidden to hold outside employment. Rather than use the billhook of the old Watch, officers began to carry a 14-inch club. In the proceeding years, the City annexed several neighboring towns and expanded police services to those areas. -
The first Police Car
The first Police Car was used in Akron Ohio in 1899. It was an electrin wagon and could only go 30 miles per hour and needed to be recharged every 30 miles. The vehicle was actually a buggy built by the Collins Buggy Company and designed by city mechanical engineer Frank Loomis. The $2,400 vehicle was equipped with electric lights, gongs and a stretcher. -
First police radio
On April 7th 1928 the first one way radio was implemented in patrol cars. Critical incidences could be transmitted to patrol cars as they happened.
