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Beginning on April 22, 1942, Minneapolis Police Detectives attended 10 days of instruction in advanced methods of crime detection.

The course was conducted by FBI agents and it took place at the Bryant Avenue Station. The course was focused on detection during war emergencies, especially in the event of bombing.

Detectives learned how to discern whether a window was broken from the inside or the outside and also how to thwart attempts to collect insurance illegally.

They viewed and received instruction from film footage taken of emergency police work executed in London during bombing raids.

In the photograph above (from L to R), FBI Agent W.M. Sirene is instructing Detectives George Barry and H.W. Holmquist in the finer points of fingerprinting.

Source: Minneapolis Tribune of April 22, 1942

On the evening of March 12, 1942, the Minneapolis Police Department launched a training course for 500 men who were hoping to qualify for membership in the new Auxiliary Police Force.

The Auxiliary Police Force was established to provide aid to the Minneapolis Police Department should bombing or any other war disaster strike Minneapolis.

Training took place at the Marigold Ballroom at 8:00 pm every Thursday evening for 16 successive weeks. The volunteers received 32 hours of instruction in first aid, fire and gas defense, drilling, and general police work. Volunteers had the option of taking additional training which would lead to Red Cross First Aid certification.

They also studied from a 45-page handbook which was issued by the Minnesota Office of Civilian Defense. It was written by Elden Rowe who was at the time the State Crime Bureau Chief.

The first evening of training began with a discussion of general duties led by Police Chief Edward B. Hansen. Following the Chief, Detective Ed Ryan, who was head of the internal protection detail, lectured on sabotage dangers and prevention.

After completing the 16 week course, volunteers were required to pass a final examination before joining the Auxiliary Police Force.

A similar training course for an Auxiliary Fire-Fighting Force was scheduled to begin in early summer.

Source Minneapolis Tribune of March 12, 1942

Photographs Courtesy of Hennepin County Library

In the top photograph, Chief Hansen inspects the line-up of recruits for the Auxiliary Police Force

As shown in the article above from “The Horseless Age”, after having made good use of its first automobile patrol wagon, the Minneapolis Police Department ordered another one.

Additionally, in January of 1911, bids were solicited and were under review for an additional automobile for the department. Among the three models under consideration were:

• A Rambler Model 65 which was a large machine with a 45 horse power, 431 cubic inch four-cylinder engine on a 125-inch wheelbase chassis. The cost of the bid was $3800 (or $103,640 in 2020 dollars).
• A Model Y Stevens-Duryea which was a large machine with a 40 horsepower, six-cylinder engine. The cost of the bid was $4000 (or $109,195 in 2020 dollars).
• A Mitchell Model S which was a large machine with a six-cylinder, 50 horsepower engine and a three-speed gear box. The cost of the bid was $3,700 (or $100,913 in 2020 dollars).

To give some perspective, the average cost of these vehicles was approximately six times the price of a new 1911 Model T Ford. 

Source: Proceedings of the City Council of Minneapolis from January 27, 1911

Excerpt from The Horseless Age, July 1909

Photograph by Unknown, Public Domain

On June 10, 1909, the first automobile patrol wagon was put into service by the Minneapolis Police Department. It had originally been designated for the North Side Station but was used for the Central Station. It cost $2500 ($70,823 in 2020 dollars).

Law required that all automobile patrol wagons be enclosed. The closed body of the automobile patrol wagon was built and placed on a Rambler touring car of 35 horse power.

The automobile patrol wagon was also equipped to be used as an ambulance and, in fact, was always used if the call for an ambulance was coming from some distance away.

From June 10 through December 31, 1909, the automobile patrol wagon travelled a total of 5,144 miles.

The cost of repairs during that period cost $312.88 ($8,838). Gasoline and oil cost $142.97 ($4022 in 2020 dollars). The automobile patrol wagon responded to 2,764 calls. Several times, it travelled more than 70 miles in one day.

We know that the first automobile patrol wagon was chauffeured by Sergeant James McElligot, Patrolmen Charles E. Wolfe and Peter O’Neill, and Detectives Otto Wirtensohn and Oscar Martinson. We are not sure which of these officers are pictured in the photograph above from 1909.

Sources:

Annual Report of the the Various City Officers of the City of Minneapolis for 1909

Minneapolis Tribune of June 11, 1909

Minneapolis Tribune of February 20, 1910

Photograph by Unknown, Public Domain

Here is a rare glimpse of the Minneapolis Police Department Motorcycle Squad escorting Swedish Royalty during their visit to Minneapolis in July of 1938.

In the photograph, Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf and Princess Louise ride in an open car preceded and followed by members of the Motorcycle Squad.

Photograph courtesy of the American Swedish Institute

(The car in the foreground carries a camera crew)

On September 2, 1908, Superintendent of Police Frank T. Corriston submitted his 1909 budget request to the City Council.

Amongst other improvements, he asked for $2000 for an automobile for the Central Station and $3000 for an automobile patrol wagon for the North Side Station.

Chief Corriston’s budget request made it intact through the City Council hearings but not through the subsequent meetings of the Board of Tax Levy which was also known as the “Pruning Committee”.

Chief Corriston’s budget request of $2000 for an automobile for the Central Station was not approved. But he was successful in his bid to obtain an automobile patrol wagon for the North Side Station.

On October 1, 1908, the sum of $2500 was approved for what was to become the first official automobile of the Minneapolis Police Department.

Source: The Minneapolis Tribune of October 1, 1908

Photograph of Chief Corriston, circa 1919, courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society

Photograph of Chief Corriston during his time with the Minnesota 13th Volunteers courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society

On October 13, 1906, Joseph Gardot, the Chef of the Minikahda Club, was robbed and shot while waiting at 29th Street and Excelsior for the St. Louis Park Streetcar. Tragically, Mr. Gardot died of his wounds on October 23.

Directly after the robbery, a city-wide “manhunt” ensued to find the suspect who was later apprehended.

During the pursuit, concerned citizens offered the Minneapolis Police Department the use of their private automobiles to aid in the search.

In the words of the Minneapolis Journal:

***

Autos Prove Their Worth

After the first detail of police had been taken in an auto to the scene of the crime Saturday evening, other machines were engaged. Citizens desiring to aid the police offered their machines for the work, and the best system ever adopted here for forming a cordon and police dragnet was worked out in a few minutes.

Police Superintendent Doyle called the day men to headquarters for extra duty. Some of them went out to search for the bandit, while others remained to be rushed to any place they might be summoned. When a report came in that a suspect was lurking in any neighborhood, no matter how far from the center of the city, the police were on the ground in less than eight minutes and were almost always there in time to get the suspect. With the detective force engaged in the active search and extra patrolmen on duty for emergency work, the police were in a position to take advantage of every opportunity.“

“We are going to continue to hunt bandits with automobiles,” said Police Superintendent Doyle yesterday, and anyone with ordinary intelligence will not attack the police for desiring to get to a scene of crime in five minutes when it would take three times as long to go by any other method.”

The automobile has demonstrated its efficiency for police work during the last week and arrangements are to be made with a nearby garage to take officers to the scene of trouble hereafter.

***

Although the Minneapolis Police Department did not yet have its own automobiles, bit by bit they were building the case for them.

Source: The Minneapolis Journal of October 19, 1906

Photograph of the 1906 Aero Touring Car Manufactured by the Aerocar Company of Detroit, Michigan, from Unknown Source, Public Domain

You may recall the photograph above from our feature on the West Hotel Fire of 1906 last month.

In the photograph is shown the horse-drawn patrol wagons which were in use by our precincts in the early 1900s.

In 1905, there were a number of horses at the First Precinct who were worn out from their years of service and needed to be retired and replaced. At the same time, two new horses were needed at the Central Station.

Across Minneapolis, there was a growing realization that none of the police horse teams on hand had the speed required for good ambulance service. There was also concern that the rough ride these horse-drawn vehicles provided could cause further harm to accident victims.

And then there was something else…

The first automobile patrol wagon had rolled along the streets of Akron, Ohio six years earlier in 1899 causing great excitement across the nation.

The first automobile patrol wagon ran on electricity. Its first operator was Akron Police Officer Louis Mueller, Sr. The patrol wagon could reach a speed of 16 mph and travel 30 miles before its battery needed to be recharged. It was built by Akron city mechanical engineer Frank Loomis. The patrol wagon cost $2400 ($74,543 in 2020 dollars) to build and it was equipped with electric lights, gongs, and a stretcher.

At an exciting meeting of the Minneapolis Council Committee on Police on March 30, 1905, enthusiastic agreement was reached that an automobile patrol wagon would be purchased for the First Precinct if money could be found for it.

As we begin to take a look at the automobiles of the Minneapolis Police Department, we are wondering what your favorite vehicle was? Which did you enjoy driving most? Which vehicle do you wish you could have had the chance to drive? Which was the fastest? Was there a lemon in the bunch?

We invite you to share your thoughts by replying below or by writing to us at info@mplspolicemuseum.org

We would also love to see your photographs!

Thank you!

Source: The Minneapolis Journal of March 30, 1905

Photograph of the West Hotel Fire courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society

Photograph of the Akron Patrol Wagon from Unknown Source, Public Domain

In April of 1901, the formation of the Sixth Precinct was completed and the members of the Mounted Police Squad were announced.

The Mounted Police Squad was comprised of Lietenant Coffin, Sergeants Sheppard and Frane, and Patrolmen E.B. Wetherell, P.C. Kiesner, M.J. Salmon, James Madden, J.F. Cunningham, C.O. Redein, W.H. Jones, C.A. Warner, H.S. Tedman, A. Provost, F.A. Clawson, and M.F. Dugan.

Officers Provost, Clawson, Dugan, Kiesner, and Wetherell came from the First Precinct. Officers Tedman, Salmon, and Madden were brought in from the Second Precinct. Officers Jones and Warner came from the Third Precinct. The Fourth Precinct provided Sergeant Frane and Officer Cunningham and Officer Redein came from the Fifth Precinct.

The members of the Mounted Police Squad received an extra $200 per year above their pay for the feeding, stabling and care of their horses.

It may be a long shot, but if you can match any of the names above to the faces in the photograph, please reach out to us at info@mplspolicemuseum.org

Source: The Minneapolis Journal of April 30, 1901

Photograph courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society

A Blue Mass is a service celebrated annually in the Catholic Church for those employed in the public safety field (i.e. police officers, firefighters, correctional officers, 911 operators and EMS personnel).

The first Blue Mass was celebrated in September of 1934 by Father Thomas Dade of the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

The Blue Mass honors those who have died in the line of duty and those currently serving.

The Blue Mass is an opportunity for the community to show gratitude to first responders and their families.

Photograph courtesy of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Minneapolis