When Abiel Porter Pearson was appointed a special police officer in 1872, he began a tradition of service that has remained steadfast for one hundred and fifty years. Statistically speaking, more than three hundred men and women have served in some capacity as a Wilmington Police Officer. They have patrolled hundreds of thousands of miles on foot, horse drawn carriages, cars, trucks, bicycles and ATVs. These officers have deployed within the town nearly every day since their inception as a single man department a century and a half ago. They have gone beyond service to the town of Wilmington by repeatedly offering mutual aid to surrounding communities and serving in regional and extra-regional deployments. They have responded to prison riots, anti-war protests, sporting victory celebrations and terrorist attacks. They have served in Presidential visitation security details and have even taken part in Presidential Inauguration security details in Washington, DC. Throughout, there have been millions of personal encounters between the public and the department’s officers…most good, some bad, others tragic.
With the conclusion of our sesquicentennial celebration, here is brief look back on the long trip to the present day.
As we retire our commemorative 150th Anniversary badge and patch on December 31, 2022, we are reminded that in 1875 the town paid the W. A. Brooks company $3.00 for it first police badges.
As we enter our third decade in our home, the Wilmington Memorial Public Safety Building, we are reminded that in 1884 the town built a jail, the first purpose-built structure to be used in conjunction with the new police service.
As Chief Joseph Desmond enters his fourth year of service in that position and his thirty-fourth year overall, we are reminded that in 1893 the first chief of police, Charles B. Haley was appointed.
As we enjoy the convenience of the latest mobile devices, we are reminded that in 1904 the public was first able to call the police when a telephone was installed in Chief William Swain’s home.
As officers train several days a year at a state-of-the-art firing range armed with modern Glock police sidearms, we are reminded that in 1908 the town purchased its first pistol, an Iver Johnson Safety Automatic revolver for the department.
As we enter the era of Peace Officer Standards and Training, we are reminded that in 1922 the town adopted the first rules and regulations for the government of the police department.
As a variety of marked and unmarked police vehicles can be seen about town every day, we are reminded that in 1930 the town purchased its first police car, a black Ford Tudor equipped with a siren, spotlight and WPD identification plate.
As we see the Wilmington Fire Department ambulance responding to emergencies around the clock, we are reminded that in 1934 Chief Harry Ainsworth obtained and outfitted a Wilmington Police manned ambulance that served the community as its lone ambulance service for nearly three decades.
As we see school crossing guards assisting children throughout the town, we are reminded that in 1955 and all female force of School Traffic Supervisors was appointed to assist with student and traffic safety issues at each of the town’s schools.
As we have grown to miss the services of retired K9 Officer Eric Palmer and his K9s Kimo and Ridic, we are reminded that it was Eric’s father Jay Palmer and K9 Zip (along with Anthony Langone and K9 Roscoe) that became the department’s first K9 officers in 1964.
As we sometimes take for granted the convenience and ease computers and the internet impart on police work, we are reminded that our first in-house, computerized information management system was introduced in 1987.
As we conclude this year with a roster numbering nearly fifty officers across five different ranks, we are reminded that in 1872 we began with one man.
As we have briefly noted some of our growth, journeys and accomplishments, we can also say that the old adage “the more things change, the more they stay the same” holds true as well. To that point, we offer a few final glimpses of the past and the present.
In a photograph from 1932, Chief Harry Ainsworth stands aside the department’s first police cruiser in what appears to be a publicity shot of sorts. Chief Ainsworth had recently been appointed chief upon the death of Chief Walter Hill in 1930. The department, under his direction, had also just taken up residence at their police station located in the old Wilmington News building at 418 Main Street. The location of the photograph was across the street from the then police station adjacent to George Spanos’ restaurant (the building beside the cruiser). Over Chief Ainsworth’s shoulder, across Main Street is the Economy food market on a parcel of land currently occupied by the Verizon office. This past week, ninety years later, Chief Joseph Desmond returned to that very spot and recreated his predecessor’s shot.
Similarly, in a publicity shot from 1940, the department’s officers gathered with the police cruiser and former special officer Jerome O’Leary (in overcoat) who, in his then capacity as a selectman, acted as a quasi-public safety commissioner. In that shot (from left to right) Chief Harry Ainsworth, Officer Edmund Waters, Sergeant Talbot Sidelinker, Deputy Chief Francis Hoban, Officer Frank Gammons and Selectman O’Leary appear at an unknown location. More than eight decades later this shot was recreated by some of the department’s present-day officers. In the present-day photograph (taken at Rotary Park) Chief Joseph Desmond, Officer Michael Johnson, Sergeant John Delorey, Deputy Chief Brian Pupa and Officer Thomas Lawrenson pose with a cruiser much like their forerunner officers. Of special interest in the recreated depiction is that Officer Lawrenson is Selectmen O’Leary’s great grandson.
Tomorrow we will continue on into our one hundred and fifty first year perpetuating the service of the many previous years but for now, enjoy the final story of our anniversary year