History of the Freeport Police Department
Freeport, N.Y.
[1892 to 1967]
Freeport Village was incorporated in 1892, with a population of 1,821. The first Village President was Carman Cornelius. The Police Department was Carman Cornelius. The Police Department was established the same year, with one (1) Policeman called “Village Officer.”
There were four applicants for this position. The Village Board appointed John J. Dunbar, as Freeport’s first Police Officer. He was allowed ten percent all license fees collected and was appointed a Captain of the Police in 1907.
In 1894 two additional men were appointed Police Constables – Nicholas Blake to patrol the South part of Freeport and Wright Robbins the North portion.
With a force of three Members a Court was needed. The Freeport Police Court was established in 1894. The first Judge was Frank Jay Bedell.
By 1901 the force was increased to five Members and in 1902 Henry E. Rider was appointed Captain of Police in 1907.
In 1911 the force consisted of Capt. J. Dunbar, in charge of the Department, Elmer E. Raynor, Freeport’s first Police Lieutenant (father of our present Sergeant Claude E. Raynor) and thirteen Patrolmen. Previous to this they were called either Village Officers or Constable[s]. Lt. Raynor’s salary was $840.00 per year. The Patrolmen received thirty cents (30¢) per hour for actual duty performed.
The Police Department was re-organized, January 1, 1921 under a new section of the Village Law, with John Hartmann, Sr. Chief; William S. Merrill, Elmer E. Raynor and Peter Elar, Lieutenants; Clarence M. Van Riper, Detective; Adam Yulch, Sergeant and eleven Patrolman, besides many Special Policemen. Later Adam Yulch left the Freeport Police Dept. and joined the Nassau County Police Department, where he established the world’s first “Laundry Mark Identification Bureau.” His system is now extensively used throughout the world.
Today we have one of the largest Village Police Departments on Long Island. One (1) Chief; one (1) Captain; Five (5) Lieutenants; Five (5) Sergeants; forty (40) Patrolmen assigned to Post; four (4) Canine K-9 Handlers; two (2) Detectives and two (2) Signal Monitors, total strength sixty (60). Our Clerical force consists of five female Clerks or Stenographers. We have twenty-seven (27) Special Police and two-hundred-and-fifty (250) Civil Defense Auxiliary Police.
Auto traffic didn’t amount to much [too] much in the old days, but in 1906-1907 residents complained that horses were running wild near Grand Avenue, Graffing Place and Columbus Avenue. Cows were causing damage in the vicinity of Randall Avenue and Wallace Street, while sheep were at large on Pine Street at Madison Avenue. We can imagine speakers discussing “animal delinquency” at the time, and up to about 1930 all Policemen received instructions on how to stop a run-a-way horse.
From 1901 to 1916 transportation was provided by a horse drawn vehicle and bicycles were used for Patron Duty. Three old timers that rode bicycles on patrol are still in the department – they are – Chief Elar; Captain Dixon and Lt. Knipe. These three Officers have a combined total of over one hundred and twenty years (120) in the Police Department.
The First automobile used by the Department was in 1921 – by 1931 it had grown to – two (2) Patrol Cars; two (2) Motorcycles and one (1) Prisoner’s Van. Our present vehicle strength consists of seven (7) Patrol Cars; one (1) Radar Car; two (2) Canine (K-9) Cars; one (1) Detective Car; one (1) Prisoner’s Van; three (3) Motorcycles and two (2) three wheel cycles. All of our Patrol Cars are equipped with Flares, Blankets, First Aid Kits, Resuscitators, Fire Extinguishers and many other articles used in emergencies.
All of our Vehicles are equipped with three way radios, we also maintain two large Walkee Talkie Radios and are in the process of equipping our Foot Patrolmen with the latest type of portable radio [transceivers]. Our call letters are KEB 641 and we transmit on frequency of 155.37 MG.
We are one of the few Police Departments that can boast of a complete Firearms Range, Revolver Indoor Range and a Rife and Revolver Outdoor Range. This Range is owned and operated by the Freeport Police Benevolent Association at no cost to the Taxpayers of the Village. All Members must qualify three times each year. This range is considered one of the best in the East.
The first Police Station was on Railroad Avenue. [In] 1913, Police Headquarters moved to 40 South Grove Street leased from John J. Randall at $30.00 per month for use after the Railroad Avenue lease expired.
Our next Headquarters was in the Village Hall on West Merrick Road, then on Church Street, north of Merrick Road. The present Police Station (Municipal Building) was dedicated in 1928 and the Department started to operate from there in 1929. Now we occupy the entire South Wing of the Building, which consists of Chief’s Office, Captain’s Office, Officer’s Room, Patrolmen’s Report Room, Squad Room, Muster Room, Detectives Room, Meeting Room, Canine Room, Store Rooms, four (4) Male and two (2) Female Cells and one (1) large Detention Cell.
Trophies won by our Revolver Teams cover the entire west wall in the Muster Room.
Freeport maintains its own Detective Division to assist the Nassau County Detective Division in local investigations.
Freeport is the only Police Department on Long Island that has a Canine (K-9) Corps which consists of four (4) German Shepherd Dogs and (4) Patrolmen, Canine Handlers. They are part of the patrol force. Occasionally we use four or five mounted Patrolmen on horses for Parade purposes.
Freeport was the first Police Department in New York State to adopt a red light circuit to alert Policemen on patrol that they are needed. This system was later copied by the New York City Police Department and many other Departments throughout New York State.
Since 1892 the following men have commanded the Freeport Police Department: - Captain Rider; Captain Dunbar; Captain Hanse; Captain Jefferson; Chief Hartmann; Captain Dixon and Chief Elar.
The Police Department maintains constant patrol on one hundred and ten miles (110) of streets and highways and thirty (30) miles of waterways and protects over 40,000 people with a Police Force of sixty (60) Members.
Our Department is in its 72nd year. It has always had capable administrators, good Officers and an efficient Patrol Force whose foremost thoughts have always been to prevent crime and give to all Residents and Transients a sense of security which they so rightfully deserve whether they be Pedestrians, in a Vehicle or in their home.
ESD 1964
[Additional Photographs]
