HomeMy WebLinkAboutHistory of the Bozeman Police Dept_Chapter 131
r~
~_
1
u'
~~
Chapter 13
A Page Fram By
The
Norris
The Norris Scrapbook Patriarch,
L. Merlin Norris
Volume x August 1984, Number
6
BOZEMAN POLICE DEPARTMENT
Dear Children:
The fact that I don't remember too much about the Bozeman Police
Department should be good news. My acquaintance with the police of
my boyhood was all on the positive side. But a few facts I do remember
and I want to share them with you. The years were about 1915 to 192b.
I can't remember that any of the police officers ever wore uniforms. Each
wore a large star on his shirt/jacket but this was his only identification with
his job. We did have one detective on the force, I believe, and he
carried his badge in his pocket.
The first Chief of Police I can remember was called "Big Jack." I do not
remember ever having heard his last name, but I presume that he did
have one. As the name suggests, he was a big man. Big Jack did not
have many police officers on his staff. There was only one on duty at
' night. Bozeman in those days had a population of about 5,000. When I
was a teenager, Big Jack resigned and a man by the name of Erastus
' Williams assumed that position for awhile. Seems like he was related to
my Aunt Ella King by marriage. Aunt Ella was the mother of Harold King
and you all know him.
74
1
7
n
1
u
n
As long as I can remember there was a large red bulb that hung away up
high in the middle of the intersection of Tracy Avenue and Main Street. It
was controlled by a switch on the switchboard of the telephone
company which was located on the west side of North Tracy Avenue,
one half block from Main Street. After dark when anyone wanted a
policeman, he or she would pick up the receiver of the telephone and
tell the operator where a policeman was needed. The operator would
turn on the red light. The night policeman would see the light and call
the operator from the nearest available phone. Then he would hurry to
the scene where he was needed - on foot.
I remember at one time our town was bothered by a 'Tom the Peeper."
Someone would peek into windows at night when the shades were not
pulled down or not clear down. When seen, the police would be called.
But without a car, Tom the Peeper would be a long way from the scene
by the time the policeman would arrive on foot. I can't remember any
automobile being assigned to the Police Department during my growing
up years.
The Police Department was in the City Hall which was located on East
Main Street and South Rouse Avenue. It was on the southwest corner of
the intersection. The entrance to the Police Department was actually on
South Rouse Avenue. I don't recall that I ever visited inside the City jail,
but I understand that it was very small. I do know the offices were quite
small, but in those days a Police Department was not as busy as it is
today.
None of us had any fear of the police in those early days. A policeman
was our friend. So we were taught in school and in the home and we all
lived with this belief. I personally knew the night policeman for he was a
member of our church. His name was Anderson and he had a family of
five or six children. Wallace Anderson was about my age and we were in
Sunday School and Christian Endeavor together. One of his sisters was a
good friend of my sister, Lucille.
Many people called Mr. Anderson "Andy." But not any ofi us children. We
all had better respect for our elders in those days and we all called him
Mr. Anderson. He was a large man, but I've seen him move with
considerable speed when he received a call to some outlying area of
75
fl
0
1
n
0
u
town at night. It was several miles from the lower part of town near the
railway deport to Montana State College on a slope at the other
extreme.
A regular duty of the night officer was to check all of the doors and
windows of the stores in business area, not once, but several times during
the long night hours. If he found a door or a window open or unlocked,
he would get in touch with the storekeeper. I was surprised in 1983 to see
a policeman in Belfast, Main, going up and down the main street, then
the alley, checking doors and windows, just like Mr. Anderson did in
Bozeman back in the early 19Q0's. I had not seen this done for many,
many years.
1"he last time I visited Bozeman I discovered a new City Hall and a new,
greatly enlarged Police Department. I also noted police cars, all of the
latest design and with all of the modem police accessories and aids. It
was easy to spot an officer because they all wore snappy uniforms and
they looked like policemen. I hope the teachers are still teaching their
students that a policeman is a friend of all and that he has a job to help
maintain law and order in a community so that all can live together in
peace and harmony.
lovingly yours,
Dad
76