History of our Department

Outset

Although Parkersburg has maintained organized law enforcement ever since the city was incorporated, the municipal police department did not become designated as such until an act was passed August 26, 1873, which authorized city council to appoint policemen.

At that time a town sergeant was head of the law enforcement agency in Parkersburg, and he remained head of the newly created police department until several years later, when an ordinance provided for the appointment of a chief of police.

Prior to 1873, Parkersburg was protected by law enforcement agencies known variously as town marshals, town sergeants and town guards. The legislative act passed January 22, 1820, which granted a charter to the city of Parkersburg, designated that "the collector or town marshal shall be the conservator of peace within the limits of the corporation in like manner as constables are and for services as such, shall be entitled to the same fees as constables in like cases."

Early Development

Old council journals and municipal codes revealed that this form of law enforcement evidently existed in Parkersburg until an act was passed July 24, 1857, which provided for the appointment of a town sergeant. Another act passed two years later, on March 11, 1859, provided for the appointment of a town guard consisting of ten persons by the president of the municipal board of trustees.

The guards, when employed on active duty, received one dollar a day for their services, and the town sergeant headed the department. The same act provided for special duties of the sergeant "on the Sabbath", when he was to preserve order in conformity with the religious observance of the occasion.

On August 26, 1873, another act was passed authorizing the mayor of the city and council members to appoint policemen for the creation of a police department. The town sergeant was designated as head of the department, but a decade later additional provisions were made for the appointment of chiefs of police.

A previous act of March 17, 1860, which changed the form of municipal government from a board of trustees to a town council, retained the sergeant but provided for the appointment of "such deputies as necessary". The act did not state whether these deputies replaced the town guards which were named the previous year.

In 1889, the year the Sentinel was established as a daily newspaper, J. R. Mehen was serving as town sergeant in Parkersburg. He was just completing a two-year appointment, which became effective in April 1887, and he was replaced that year by H. L. Dils, who also served a two-year period and is considered the first actual chief of police. Mehen was then named to a special office known as city detective, which he filled until 1891, when the office was abolished, and he was returned to the police captaincy in place of Dils.

Police who served under Chief Dils from 1889 to 1891 were J. A. Muncey, James McNulty, A. C. Taylor, T. C. Rexroad and Robert Dyke, with former Chief Mehen as special detective. When Mehen returned to the captaincy in 1891, he appointed as his patrolmen James Conners, Thomas Burns, Henry Trissler, Thomas Hendershot and Harrison Dye.

Original Police Cruisers

Prior to 1895, police had no vehicular equipment and brought their prisoners to jail "on foot" or in cabs. But on September 24, of that year, council enacted an ordinance providing for the purchase of light horse-drawn patrol wagons.

It was not until 1913, when the first mobilized piece of equipment was purchased for the police department - a Kissel Kar patrol wagon which was used for a number of years. Later, individual automobiles were bought for the department, but it was not until 1929, under former Chief Watson, that a cruiser car patrol system was installed. The old patrol wagon also used as a city ambulance, had been abandoned before the cruiser car system was inaugurated.

The First Headquarters

Before the construction of City Hall in 1895, the police department was housed in a building on Third Street between Ann and Juliana, and for a number of years immediately preceding the erection of the City Building, the police occupied a suite of rooms over the Wood County Bank. Although the cornerstone for the City Building was laid in 1895, it was not until three years later that the handsome stone structure was completed.

In December of 1979, after 81 years, the police department moved from the old stone structure at 5th & Market Street and currently occupies the entire third floor of the Parkersburg Municipal Building, as well as satellite offices for various special units.

The department also operates three substations within the city. They are located at 1954 ½ Princeton Street, Charles and Latrobe Street at the Good Shepherd Church, and the Dudley Avenue Medical Center in the 2900 block of Dudley Avenue.

The agency employs over 100 people for positions such as police officer, administrative assistants, secretaries, telecommunicators, juvenile specialists, crossing guards, and forensic photographer.

The department supports many specialized units including the Special Investigation Unit (SIU), Crisis Negotiation Team, Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT), Child Abuse Task Force and Crash Team.

In 1982, the department began the Home Fleet Program. Each officer was issued his or her own cruiser to take home and drive while off duty. Officers have specific guidelines to follow, and all officers are considered on duty while in the police cruiser. They are expected to handle serious calls they come upon and may be assigned calls if the on-duty shift becomes busy. In essence, the patrol force is increased at any given time by the presence of off-duty officers. The program has been such a success that, today, all the surrounding jurisdictions have gone to similar programs.

Policing in the 21st Century

As the Parkersburg Police Department progresses into the 21st century, it is constantly adapting to the changing needs of the citizens of Parkersburg.

The department's motto "to protect and to serve" is demonstrated in its efforts to move closer to adopting the concept of Community Oriented Policing (C.O.P.) The C.O.P. philosophy brings the department and the citizens closer by working together to solve problems in the community.

As we have seen all too clearly, this new century will be one requiring knowledge, skill and commitment from those in public safety.

The citizens of Parkersburg can be assured that the men and women of the Parkersburg Police Department will seize every opportunity to afford the people of Parkersburg a safer place to live.