The history of the Houston Police

The Houston police department (HPD) has long been the law enforcement

leader in the United States. It is the primary law enforcement department in

Houston (Texas, USA) and some surrounding areas. Read more about the

history of the Houston police from its inception to the twenty-first century at

houston1.one.

The establishment of the HPD

Shortly after Texas earned independence from Mexico in 1836, two New York
City brothers, Augustus C. and John K. Allen, bought land on the banks of the
Buffalo Bayou River. It was here that the city of Houston emerged.

On June 5, 1837, the Texas Congress enacted the Houston City Registration
Act. In the same year, G. W. Holland was elected as the first city constable
(the lowest police rank).

In the years leading up to the Civil War (1861-1865), the city was rarely
patrolled. Following the war, Marshal Isaac C. Lord suggested to the City
Council a set of specific requirements and rules for hiring police officers.

The first workplace fatality and improved working conditions

On April 1, 1910, Houston Police Department Chief William Murphy was shot
and killed by former police officer Earl McFarland. Murphy became the first
Houston officer killed in the line of duty. McFarland claimed self-defense, thus
he was found not guilty of the crime.

In 1910, the department bought its first police car. Police patrolled
automobiles, motorcycles, and even horse-drawn vehicles. In 1915, for the
first time since 1873, the salary of police officers was increased – from 60 to
65 dollars a month. In the same year, the working day was cut from 12 to 8
hours, which marked the emergence of a three-shift system.

By 1921, Houston's population had risen to 177,920, and the city's first traffic
light was installed. It was overseen by as many as 22 officers. In the same
year, the title of police chief was replaced with that of police superintendent,
and the Police Burial Fund was formed.
The first substation
On October 19, 1926, the police opened their first substation, Magnolia Park,
near the ship's canal. It was during the Prohibition, so the substation
employees were primarily engaged in investigating violations of alcohol laws.
In its first year of operation, the facility seized and destroyed around 142
gallons of whiskey and over 9,000 bottles of beer.

In 1927, the first horse-drawn transport unit was created and the first
automatic traffic lights were installed.

(Non) female profession

In 1918, Eva Jane Bacher became the first woman recruited by the Houston
Police Department. In 1921, she became the first female detective in the
Public Moral and Safety police unit. Bacher, along with the other detectives,
was paid $5 more than patrolmen.

In 1929, the position of a female police officer was discontinued because

police chief McPhail believed that "a woman on the police force was
unnecessary." Women were only hired for dispatch, prison guard, and clerical
duties.

Technical innovations
In 1930, two officers were killed in the line of duty during the well-known
robbery of the Touchy Furniture Store. Because the shots fired at the fleeing
suspects did not penetrate their vehicles, the department requested more
powerful revolvers for the officers.

In the same year, the third North Side substation, the Homicide Division, and
the first advanced police school were founded. Two Thompson machine guns
were purchased to apprehend the "desperate criminals." 425 special (reserve)
officers were sworn in. Also, the first "Shadow Box" was installed in the
department, allowing victims to see the prisoners, while prisoners could not
see them.

In 1933, the police and fire departments were briefly merged to form the
Department of Public Safety. In 1934, Chief Payne introduced weekly firearm
inspections for officers. In 1936, HPD became one of the first five U.S. police
departments to receive a license.
Police academy and Police Officers Association
In 1939, the first class of the police academy started in Houston. Classes
lasted five weeks. The first written intelligence exam was passed by 597
applicants. One of the test questions was, "Why do you want to become a
police officer?" Out of 362 applicants who passed the test, 50 were chosen to
study in the first academy.

By 1940, Houston already had 466 officers. In 1945, the Houston Police
Officers Association (HPOA) was formed. Although the association was
created to assist officers, membership was not encouraged for the first two
years. Before 1947, meetings were mainly held in secret.

Expansion
On August 11, 1952, the new police administration and prison facility were
opened. In 1957, Police Chief Carl Shuptrine canceled foot patrols in the city
center. 70 officers were transferred to car patrol. In March 1960, the Houston
Police Department welcomed its first German Shepherd. Officer R. D.
Whitcomb and his dog detected a robber and pursued him four blocks away.
They eventually found the suspect, who was hiding behind a chicken coop.

In the same year, the Central Intelligence Division was established to combat
fraud. In 1966, the first bomb squad was formed. In 1967, the Department's
salary was increased by 22%. Then the Community Relations Division was
formed.

By 1969, the department had expanded to 1,577 secret officers and 223
civilians. Women were allowed to apply for positions as long as they did not
have preschool-aged children. In January 1970, a helicopter patrol division
was founded with three leased helicopters. In addition, the local council
authorized the purchase of 30 bulletproof vests. At the same time, they
developed their first video training program for professional development.

In 1975, the department formed a Special Weapons and Tactical (SWAT)

Squad. Two years later, the Internal Affairs Division (IAD) was formed. The
first case of IAD involved the beating and drowning of 23-year-old Mexican
José "Joe" Campos Torres. José was viciously beaten by several HPD
officers, which led to his death. Police attacked the man after he was arrested
for hooliganism.

High technologies
In 1979, the Houston Police Department became one of five police
departments in the United States that had an automated fingerprint
identification system (AFIS). The database contained not only the fingerprints
of the criminals but also some brief information. The system was capable of
storing around 375,000 prints.

In 1980, a new computer program known as OLO was introduced. This was
an advanced and accessible system for processing offense-related
information.

Further changes
In 1981, the department's new academy opened. At the same time, three

cadet classes of 70 students were held here. In May 1982, the Houston Police

Museum was opened.

In 1982, Lee P. Brown became the first African-American man to be appointed

to the post of Chief of Police. Brown was not only the first African-American to

be appointed as chief of police but also the first to hold a doctorate.

On January 19, 1990, Elizabeth "Betsy" Watson became Houston's first

female police chief. In 1983, the department had 3,464 officers, including 266

women. In 1985, drug tests were administered to police candidates.