On May 17, 1909, telephones were first installed in the police station followed by call boxes positioned at street corners around the city. From these call boxes, officers could call the police station to maintain and coordinate their activities. It became department policy for officers to "phone in" periodically and check for calls on their beat. However, if there was an emergency, the desk sergeant rang the city bell to alert all officers within range of its sound. For instance, if the officer was working Beat 3, the desk sergeant would ring the bell three times to tell him to call the station. For an officer to make a call on a police box he was given the following directions:
“Open the outside and inside door of the box. Strike six blows with your finger on the gutta percha in the lower corner of the box. Then push in the gutta percha pin in the upper corner of the box, count to fifty (50) and then pull the lever.” (A “gutta” is something with a drop like shape)
The boxes were located strategically around the city so that there was always one close by if needed. The following are some of the locations although many of them changed over the next few years:
Box # Box Location
12 PensacolaWharf
13 Government and Palafox
14 Government and Baylen
15 Baylen and Zarragossa
16 Government and “C”
17 Government and Devilliers
18 Garden and Devilliers
21 Tarragona and Zarragossa
23 Government and Florida Blanca
24 Romana and Tarragona
25 Intendencia and Cevallos
27 Intendencia and 10th Avenue
28 L&N Railroad Wharf
31 Barcelona and Gregory
35 Wright and Devilliers
36 LaRua and Reus
37 Spring and Gadsden
38 Jackson and Palafox
39 LaRua and “C”
41 Palafox and Desoto
42 Tarragona and Chase
45 Cevallos and Wright
46 Gregory and 10th Avenue
47 Tarragona and Wright
48 Gadsden and Alcaniz
49 Gadsden and Cevallos
51 L&N Freight Depot
52 L&N Roundhouse and Shops
53 Desoto and Alcaniz
54 Muscogee Wharf
Shortly thereafter, the call box system was used against one of their own off duty officers rather than a desperado. On June 10, 1909 Officer Joseph G. Hilliard, a former carpenter and carriage blacksmith with James M. Hilliard, was off duty and decided to have a drink at "The Alligator," a ruffian type bar located at Wright and Tarragona streets. Officer Hilliard stayed awhile drinking at the bar and when he finally got up from his chair his pistol fell out of his pocket and onto the floor. Seeing his intoxicated condition, he was asked to leave by the bar employees, who later complained about him to the department. In the meantime, Hilliard proceeded to another bar at the corner of Tarragona and Garden streets and began cursing and acting disorderly toward a man named Joe Morris. The police were called to the bar by the owner using one of the newly installed call boxes. Officer William M. Malone of 1313 West Jackson Street responded to the call but when he arrived, he refused to arrest one of his fellow officers. The behavior and actions of both officers brought them both a reprimand.
In October 21, 1909, Frank Dent Sanders (1867-1925) took over as Chief of police from Charles Frederick Schad (1874-1944) who left the force in good standing and reputation. In 1944, Schad went to New Orleans for an operation but unfortunately, he developed pneumonia soon afterwards and died. His body was returned to Pensacola and buried in St. John’s Cemetery.
Upon taking over his new responsibilities Chief Sanders immediately realized that the twelve-hour shift, which had the officers working from 6:00 to 6:00, was too long and was therefore reducing the efficiency of his staff. In response he instituted a standard eight-hour shift with three shifts per twenty-four-hour period. Ironically, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office returned to the longer shift in the year 2002.
Just the year before on September 22, 1889 Officer James W. R. Gordon was shot to death at the southwest corner of Palafox and Zarragossa streets by a suspect he had arrested the previous day. Officers responded quickly to the whistles heard across the town but by the time they reached his side it was too late.
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