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476. Pensacola Police Are Modernized 1909 Part III

Updated: Mar 21, 2022

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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