Portal:Houston/Selected article/November 2007

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The History of the Houston Police Department began with the founding of the City of Houston, while the department's beginning was humble, it grew more advanced as technology became available and was able to handle the various challenges that would plague various cities as well as some of the more unique aspects of our geography.

The first constable of the then recently incorporated City of Houston was elected in 1837, making him the city’s first law enforcement officer. The police force itself was not established until 1841 by Houston’s first marshal, Daniel Busley.

There was little patrolling of the city during the next 20 years. It was up to the individual businessmen to hire guards to protect their establishments. In 1866, Marshal Isaac C. Lord began to establish HPD as a proper police force by setting hiring rules, regulations, and requirements in hiring practices for recruits. The new policies were reviwed by the city council and were added to the City Charter (Art 308-344). Isaac C. Lord lobbied and succeeded in adopting the dress uniform which states, “The dress of the members of the police force shall be navy blue, indigo die and all wool.” (Art 333, 1866)

In 1873, during Reconstruction, R. Van Patton was appointed City Marshal. It was during his tenure that the force hired its first black officers. The officer compliment at this time was 12, with ab even number of black and white officers. The second-in-command Deputy Marshal was the first black officer to hold that position among those hired. During this year, the “Manual of the Houston Police Force” was written and the salary was set at $60 a month where it would stay until 1915.

1894 was the year where the department hired its first two police detectives and purchased a patrol wagon. The term “Wagon call” is still used to this day when it is required to transport prisoners.