History
An outline of history and significant events within the Metropolitan Police from its founding in 1893 to its eventual consolidation with the Massachusetts State Police in 1992.
1893 The Metropolitan Park Commission is established by the MA Legislature as the first regional parks agency in the United States. Included is a Police division to protect the assets of the agency as well as the public.
1890s
1899 Revere Beach District Station opens. Charles River Speedway (Upper Basin) District Station opens.
1904 Nantasket Beach District Station opens. Riverside District Station opens at Auburndale, MA.
1905 Indian Motorcycles are purchased for patrol.
19xx Using a combination of leased lines from the New England Telephone company and its own construction, the Commission builds and expands its police signal box system throughout all the various districts of the Police Division.
1910 Charles River Lower Basin District Station Opens. The Charles River Speedway District is renamed the Upper Charles River Basin District. The Beaver Brook District is merged into the Upper Basin District and the Stoney Brook District is merged into the Blue Hills District.
These divisions report directly to the secretary of the board, who is also executive officer in consultation
with the chairman and sub-committees of the commission. A police force of one hundred men, including foot, horse and river patrol and detective inspectors, are assigned by the general office to the division superintendents according to necessity. In winter, when strictly police duties are light, they have outdoor work and indoor military drill and emergency instruction.
1912: The Metropolitan Park police superintendent of Boston has introduced a signaling system on the Charles River. Along the most popular stretch of this seventeen-mile riverfront there extends a system of high poles, equipped with a red light on top and a telephone at the bottom. These are connected with a high tower and switchboard. In case of an accident, all the lights flash the code warning. There is an enormous patronage of the river summer and winter. The splendid life-saving equipment — including police trained for this special service, life lines, ladders, and 300 emergency boats — is made vastly more serviceable. Safety First! (American Municipal Progress at p. 144)
1913-1916 Governor calls out the Metropolitan Police to assist with labor strikes at Milford, Lawrence, North Hampton
1919 Metropolitan Park Commission is merged with the Metropolitan Water Board and the Metropolitan Sewer Board to form the Metropolitan District Commission. The Park police are rebranded the Metropolitan District Police.
The Boston Police Strike occurs. The Governor orders the Metropolitan Police to assist with patrol duties in the city of Boston along with the National Guard and the District Police. Several Metropolitan Officers refuse to do strike patrol duty as they are sympathetic with the striking BPD and are dismissed.
1919-1920 The Metropolitan Police, under Civil Service, hire its first military veterans of the Great War (World War I).
The MA Legislature looks at making the Metropolitan Police either part of an expanded statewide police, or to be placed under the new Dept. of Public Safety alongside a uniformed branch of State Police. It is decided that the legislature will create a separate uniformed branch of State Police and the Metropolitan Police will remain with the newly created Metropolitan District Commission.
Revere Beach Riots. On August 8th, 60 sailors are arrested and 6 officers are injured after hundreds of sailors riot to free some fellow sailors who had been arrested for drunk and disorderly conduct on the Blvd. The Revere Station was surrounded and damaged for over three hours. According to the New York Times, Metropolitan Officers were assisted by Fort Banks soldiers and sailors from Charlestown Navy Yard with rifles to put end the rioting.
1922 The MA Legislature allows the MDC to create the office of Supt. of Metropolitan Police.
192x The first female Metropolitan Police Officer is appointed. She goes on duty at Revere Beach.
1930 All MDC Divisions (Parks, Sewer, Water and Police) headquarters are moved to new building at 20 Somerset St., Boston. Police division is located on the 1st floor.
1936 Teletype system installed at MDC HQ. A new radio base station Antenna installed at HQ and testing/planning for the two way radio system starts in April.
1938 The first two way radios are installed in Metropolitan Police Cars.
1940 Old Colony District Station opens. Quabbin District Station opens.
1941 December 7, 1941- The US is attacked by the Empire of Japan and the US enters WWII. MDC Police place details to guard the dams and other critical parts of the MDC Water and Sewer System. MDC Police guard the Assabet Bridge from Dec. 7, 1941 until Nov. 1942.
1946 Civil Defense Unit created
1950
195x 39.58 Low Band Radio system becomes operational
1956 Central Artery and NE Expressway patrols begin
1962 New Fells District Station and Police Academy Opens
1963 New Old Colony District Station Opens
1965 Blue and orange cruiser color scheme introduced
1969 Harvard University Riots
1972 White and green color scheme introduced
39.58 Mhz radio system becomes repeaterized
Charles St. Jail Riots
1973 Chelsea Fire
DC-9 crash at Logan International Airport. MDC Police assist State Police with incident staging and body recovery.
1974 Court mandated school integration and busing begins in the City of Boston
1975 MDC ends Police Ambulette services
1976 Bicentennial on the Charles River Esplanade attracts over 500,000 spectators
1977 Carson Beach South Boston Riot
1978 Blizzard of 1978
197x The MDC removes most of its call boxes.
1982 dark blue uniform shirts introduced
1985
1986 William Bratton is appointed Supt.
Blue, white and silver color scheme introduced.
1987 800Mhz radio system introduced.
1990
1992 July 1, Metropolitan Police along with RMV Police, Capitol Police, Dept. of Public Safety Division of State Police are folded into the new Dept. of State Police.