Paying Homage to the lowly beat cop

[waelkhntr]

To the men and women that went to work each day to protect and assist anyone and everyone in their response area.
Even in to the mid-20th century a lot of these people had to supply some or all of their own gear, including side arm, holster etc. They were paid a relatively low wage with minimal benefits. Yet they worked shift after shift sometime for decades, most of these officers were never involved in a national news headline shootout, or arrested an FBI’s Most wanted. Some were involved in shootings that received little or no attention outside of their own town. They were involved in arresting and dealing with the local bad guys and problems.
This revolver, badge, holster, etc. bears witness of one of these unsung heroes from the mid to late 40s to mid to late 50s.
Most have been forgotten to time. As is the case with this Deputy Sheriff. His sheriff’s office recently celebrated its 175th anniversary but the records and history of his career are not readily available.
Remember the ones that came before us.

Terry
PS
I do not personally know this man or any of his family. This “homage” is not intended to be a complete history of long forgotten LEO, Just, a light hearted acknowledgment of those that came before us.
TC

 

[22hipower]

Nice display, and homage well paid. I like that Clark County badge, used to live across the river back when the area was a little less liberal.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

 

[quinn]

Excellent post! I truely appreciate this kind of gun, especially if it was made by S&W. What can you tell us about this officer?

I have a King County, WA, sheriff's department HD issued during the dock woker strike of the 1930s, but I do no know which deputy it was issued to.

 

[waelkhntr]

Excellent post! I truely appreciate this kind of gun, especially if it was made by S&W. What can you tell us about this officer?

Quinn,
I really don't know much more than you about this guy. I have his birth and death information but very little about his service history. I attended the 175th anniversary celebration and spoke to anyone and everyone who was willing to talk about it. It seems that they didn't maintain much of a history of their department. What records they do have are not readily available. The DeFacto historian said that he would do some snooping around as time allowed.
I'm a retired firefighter have lived here nearly 70 years and all the cops I started with are long retired too.

 

[Muley Gil]

"Even in to the mid-20th century a lot of these people had to supply some or all of their own gear, including side arm, holster etc. They were paid a relatively low wage with minimal benefits."

This applied to a bunch of us badge-toters until the END of the 20th Century!!!

 

[waelkhntr]

This applied to a bunch of us badge-toters until the END of the 20th Century!!!

Thats why I took the path that I took, more time off, better pay, better bennies, and people have at fire engines with all five fingers.

 

[Muley Gil]

This applied to a bunch of us badge-toters until the END of the 20th Century!!!

Thats why I took the path that I took, more time off, better pay, better bennies, and people have at fire engines with all five fingers.

Most firefighters that I have known wanted nothing to do with bad folks with guns. Most cops I have known didn't want to go into burning buildings.

To each his own, I reckon.

 

[quinn]

Quinn,
I really don't know much more than you about this guy. I have his birth and death information but very little about his service history. I attended the 175th anniversary celebration and spoke to anyone and everyone who was willing to talk about it. It seems that they didn't maintain much of a history of their department. What records they do have are not readily available. The DeFacto historian said that he would do some snooping around as time allowed.
I'm a retired firefighter have lived here nearly 70 years and all the cops I started with are long retired too.

Terry: If you post your guy's name and DPB,etc. there are some folks here with subscriptions to Newspaers.com and Ancestry who might dig up some stuff...

 

[waelkhntr]

As a paramedic and firefighter, I didn't like dealing with drunks, and OD's that wanted to fight or the suicidals that had nothing to lose, Cops/Deputies have bailed me out of more than a few tight spots.
Hence my Homage to you all.

 

[AJ]

My Son-In-Law was a "Road Deputy Sheriff" (read "Beat Cop") for over 20 years. He carried a Beretta 92 for most of that time. When they changed to Glocks, they had the opportunity to purchase their sidearms. I bought his for him. That is my way of saying Thanks for a thankless job well done.

 

[A10]

Most firefighters that I have known wanted nothing to do with bad folks with guns. Most cops I have known didn't want to go into burning buildings.

To each his own, I reckon.

It has long been know that firefighters love to squirt water on things. And us lowly cops were happy to flag traffic around them....

 

[AJ]

Most firefighters that I have known wanted nothing to do with bad folks with guns. Most cops I have known didn't want to go into burning buildings.

To each his own, I reckon.

As a paramedic and firefighter, I didn't like dealing with drunks, and OD's that wanted to fight or the suicidals that had nothing to lose, Cops/Deputies have bailed me out of more than a few tight spots.
Hence my Homage to you all.

It has long been know that firefighters love to squirt water on things. And us lowly cops were happy to flag traffic around them....

My Son-In-Law was an oddity then. Not only was he a Deputy sheriff, he was a Volunteer Fireman. He did that for several years until they did away with them and went to paid firemen.

 

[Baxter6551]

I too am grateful to my predecessors on a department approaching its 110th birthday. I started in 1978 after getting out of the Army. I attended the police academy part time at night unpaid for 6 months and then was sworn in part time. We paid for and provided all our own uniforms and equipment /.38 revolver. The only thing issued was a badge/ hat piece and 18 rounds of .38 ammo. If you got hired full time they issued uniforms. The pay was $6.00 an hour. If you wanted full time you kept testing yearly until you moved high enough on the list to get hired. I saw a lot of changes before I retired in 2000 and really there has been an amazing amount of change compared to today in a short amount of time. We were not allowed to revert to part time when we retired - they had done away with part time but have recently resurrected it.

 

[Rodan]

This applied to a bunch of us badge-toters until the END of the 20th Century!!!

When I started in the mid-1990s, the only gear I was issued was a badge and a portable radio. At the time, a Deputy with two kids and a stay-at-home wife qualified for food stamps in AZ.

Our Sheriff's Office celebrated it's 150th in 2015, and while a number of major historical events are known, the day to day history is quickly lost in the hustle of everyday work. One of my greatest regrets is not taking more pictures over my career.

 

[A10]

My Son-In-Law was an oddity then. Not only was he a Deputy sheriff, he was a Volunteer Fireman. He did that for several years until they did away with them and went to paid firemen.

Dad was a volunteer fireman as well, and loved that part of his life. As with your son-in-law those positions went away. I have nothing but respect for firefighters.

 

[Muley Gil]

I too am grateful to my predecessors on a department approaching its 100th birthday. I started in 1978 after getting out of the Army. I attended the police academy part time at night unpaid for 6 months and then was sworn in part time. We paid for and provided all our own uniforms and equipment /.38 revolver. The only thing issued was a badge/ hat piece and 18 rounds of .38 ammo. If you got hired full time they issued uniforms. The pay was $6.00 an hour. If you wanted full time you kept testing yearly until you moved high enough on the list to get hired. I saw a lot of changes before I retired in 2000 and really there has been an amazing amount of change compared to today in a short amount of time. We were not allowed to revert to part time when we retired - they had done away with part time but have recently resurrected it.

You was making big money.

I started at a small sheriff's office in 1976 at about $3.90 an hour.

 

[CMudrock]

While 20 years old, & healing from a shattered hip joint - I took a job with the St Louis County police department - As an Arrest & Wanted Clerk. A very nice, but quiet, former detective - had a desk in that office. I admired his Nickle Plated S&W K frame 38 spl with a 6 in barrel, he would take off his vintage shoulder rig & lock it in his Desk Drawer. Although he was very reserved, He did eventually show me his sidearm. It had a great feel & rounded grips. I never forgot it. Other officers said he had been a very fine detective & a veteran of many gun fights.. I liked him.
Fast Forward about 50 years - I found this Nickle Plated S&W .38 spl. 1902 service model, at my local pawnshop in North Georgia for a low price. It shows a bit more surface wear than my friends - but mechanically fine condition - with buttery smooth action, & is surprisingly accurate. I am so glad to have it.
IMO S&W produced the BEST USA Revolvers.