City of St Louis Metropolitan Police Department
City of Saint Louis Missouri
September 21, 1808
First established recorded patrol in Saint Louis Missouri.
November 9, 1809
A vote by the citizens approved and incorporation of the City of Saint Louis.
February 9, 1811
An ordinance was passed establishing the Protectors of the Peace.
The Town's first police force was established called the Police City Guard.
It was originally four unpaid volunteers, who served on a rotating basis.
Able-bodied men age 18 and older were required to patrol for four months of the year.
This was the only police system for the next 10 years.
Refusal to serve on patrol carried a fine of $1.
1818
First Police City Guard Captain appointed and paid $400 annually,
and police increased to 6 officers.
Two officers were specifically assigned to night patrol.
1826
The Police City Guard expanded by appointing a new captain and 26 new lieutenants.
In addition to patrol duties, patrolmen had to ring the church bells
at 10:00pm during the summer months and 9:00pm during the rest of the year.
1839
The Police City Guard saw more growth with the addition of with 16 more officers .
Part of their duties included announcing "Twelve o'clock and all's well" at midnight.
The Police Guard, functioning to support the night watch, consisted of two officers on the night watch.
One of the two officers being a one-armed man by the name of
Gabes Warner who held the position of Police City Guard Night Chief.
August 7, 1846
The birthdate of the St. Louis Police Department of Police.
The Board of Aldermen passed an ordinance organizing the old City Guard, the City Marshall, Day Police
and the "Keeper of the Calaboose" together into a City Saint Louis Police Department.
The Police Department was reorganized to assign a captain, six lieutenants, and 48 officers to the night watch.
The Police Department had three districts, the First was south, the Second (Central) and the Third was north.
April 5, 1856
A new ordinance, Regulating the Police Department of the City of St. Louis, took effect on the first Monday in June.
It called for 1 chief of police, 2 captains, and 4 assistant captains.
The rank of lieutenant was eliminated and replaced by the rank of sergeant.
The rank of private was also eliminated and replaced by the rank of policeman.
The ordinance authorized 8 sergeants and 120 policemen divided into two divisions, the night guard and the day guard.
The first Chief of Police was Daniel A. Rawlings.
St. Louis city directories before 1856 list his occupation as “wood merchant.”
Rawlings was chief of police until 1861.
March 27, 1861
This is considered the start of the modern Saint Louis Police Metropolitan Department.
The St. Louis Police Department was put under state control by order of the state legislature,
which was largely pro-southern, because the mayor and populous of St. Louis were pro-Union.
Power over the police was placed with a Board of Commissioners appointed by the governor,
which is how it is to this day.
Thus at the same time, James McDonough
became St. Louis' first Police Chief of Police under Missouri State Control.
During his tenure, Chief McDonough, about 44 years of age, held the position
for six months from April 10, 1861 to September 18, 1961,
and was afterward twice reappointed, holding the position
from September 30, 1870 to March 10 1874
and from December 1, 1875 to June 8, 1881.
From 1843 to 1846 he was the Captain of the City Guard.
His connection with the Saint Louis Police Department lasted a period of thirty-eight years.
Interestingly, he neither sought nor expected the position,
but was considered by most to be the best qualified for the job,
as he ran a successful private detective agency.
March 1865
The Star Badge was introduced for patrolman. The other ranks had other badges.
In May 1873 the Sergeants were issued shields or badges based on seniority.
The present Police Badge was adopted in 1923.
1866
Police Department increased to 225 officers.
A new program to combat crime on steamboats was put into action.
Steamboat captains would pay the Department $1/day to have an officer assigned to their boat.
April 9, 1866
Police Department purchased the "Black Maria", a wagon with barred windows, to transport prisoners.
The expansion of St. Louis was making it too difficult for patrolmen to walk their suspects back to jail.
June 1886
Read the history of the Saint Louis Metropolitan Police Pension System and Relief Association
August 1878
Saint Louis Police Officers received one day month off without deduction of pay
and were allowed to wear civilian dress on their day off.
Prior to this date the officers had to wear their police uniform at all times.
March 28, 1901
Saint Louis Police Department Early Black Police Officer History
Early Years
The Police Department Headquarters was located at 220 Chestnut
and in 1872 the Police Department Headquarters was moved and located in the Four Courts Building.
The police building at 220 Chestnut became a sub station for the Second Police District.
The offices of the Chief of Police, Police Commissioners, rooms for the Detectives
and the Central Police District were in the Four Courts Building.
March 15, 1907
The three platoon system was introduced to the Saint Louis Police Department.
1923
The present City of Saint Louis Police Officer's badge was adopted in 1923.
1925
A one year patrolman made $2,160.00 a year.
1940
Saint Louis Police Department Chain of Command
1957
The police department introduced Department Serial Numbers ( DSN ).
A one year police officer made $4,600.00 a year.
March 11, 1960
The department restructured the command structure and reduces the police districts from twelve to nine.
1963
The City of Saint Louis Police Department introduced the forty ( 40 ) hour week.
November 2, 1966
The City of Saint Louis Police Department sponsored the first Detoxification Center.
The Detoxification Center was funded by a $160.000.00 grant from the Federal Government.
Photo
of
Central District and Police Headquarters
208 South Twelfth Street
City of Saint Louis Police Department
Saint Louis Missouri
Central District and Police Headquarters
208 South Twelfth Street
In 1907 the Police Department would move from the Four Courts Building
to a new this new building.
The Police Headquarters would again move in 1927 to the 1200 Clark.
This building became the offices of the City of Saint Louis Board of Election Commissioners.
This building was razed circa 1996 to become later the new Justice Center at 200 South Tucker.
Photo
of
Police Headquarters
1200 Clark
City of Saint Louis Police Department
Saint Louis Missouri
Erected 1927
Photo circa 2008
The City of Saint Louis Police Headquarters
1200 Clark at Tucker
City Saint Louis Police Department established 1861
State of Missouri Revised Statutes concerning the Police Departments in City of Saint Louis
CITY SAINT LOUIS METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPARTMENT ADDRESSES' TIME LINE
|
METROPOLITAN
|
CITY of SAINT LOUIS
|
POLICE DEPARTMENT
|
|
POLICE HEADQUARTERS |
1861 to 1872
|
220 Chestnut
|
|
CENTRAL DISTRICT |
1861 to 1872
|
220 Chestnut ( known as Second District )
|
|
FIRST DISTRICT |
1861 to 1867
|
Fourth and Fifth ( torn down for the new Chouteau Avenue )
|
|
SECOND DISTRICT |
1861 to 1866
|
220 Chestnut ( known as Central District )
|
|
THIRD DISTRICT |
April 1865 to 1876
|
North Seventh and Carr
|
|
FOURTH DISTRICT |
April 1865 to 1867
|
Twelfth and Monroe
|
|
FIFTH DISTRICT |
1867 to 1893
|
Mounted Patrol 2835 Market
|
|
SIXTH DISTRICT |
prior to 1891
|
900 Angelia at North Ninth
|
|
SEVENTH DISTRICT |
1901 to 1962
|
2800 South Grand at Magnolia
|
|
EIGHTH DISTRICT |
1880 to 1936
|
2801 Laclede at Leffingwell and with the address change
|
|
NINTH DISTRICT |
1880 to 1936
|
2600 Dayton at Jefferson
|
|
TENTH DISTRICT |
1880 to 1936
|
4548 Easton same as 1430 Deer same city lot
|
|
ELEVENTH DISTRICT |
July 1905 to 1962
|
14 North Newstead
|
|
TWELFTH DISTRICT |
1908 to 1962
|
1300 North Union
|
|
PATROL SUPPORT
|
Traffic - Prior to 1925
|
208 South Twelfth
|
|
MOUNTED PATROL DISTRICT |
March 13, 1867
|
Police Mounted Patrol Established
|
Photo
of
Police Officer Erma Bergmann
City of Saint Louis Police Officer
Saint Louis Missouri
Police Officer Erma Bergmann
From 1954 to 1981 Erma Bergmann served as a Police Officer on the Saint Louis Police Department
This is the Saint Louis Police Department's own Ball Playing Celebrity
Missouri Sports of Baseball Hall of Fame for 2007
This honor is a fitting tribute to a Ball Player and Police Woman who came by her success in an own way .
Voices of Erma Bergmann
In 1936 there were 22 Police Women on the Saint Louis Police Department,
those Police Women were given badges, but were not issued either guns or uniforms .
In July 26, 1951 the Police Women were given the power of arrest and received full status as police officers .
In 1973 the first woman was promoted to Sergeant .
In 1987 the first woman was promoted to Lieutenant .
In 1993 the first woman was promoted to Captain .
In 2009 the first woman was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel .
Saint Louis Police Department's own Movie Celebrity Patrolman Melburm Stein
Read about
Police Officer Melbum Stein and The Great St Louis Bank Robbery on April 24, 1953
Saint Louis Police Department's own 1920s and 1930s Singing Police Officer Arthur Neely
Read about
Police Officer Arthur Neely or Stage Name Arthur Nealy
Return To
[ Saint Louis Police Veteran's Historical Illustrated Photos Main Page ]