Park Police
The Metropolitan Park Commission Police (1893-1919):
THE CREATION AND NEED FOR DIVISIONS WITHIN THE METROPOLITAN DISTRICT:
As the reservations and parkways of the Metropolitan Park System are located in various widely separated portions of the District, it has been found that convenience and economy make it best to group such of them as are within reasonable distance of each other into divisions under a superintendent in charge of each. The divisions are as follows: Blue Hills, Middlesex Fells, Charles River Upper, Charles River Basin, Revere Beach, Nantasket Beach and Beaver Brook. The necessities of superintendence and administration for each division have also been
so definitely determined as to warrant the permanent location of headquarters buildings for office, police and work uses; the preparation of a plan for these buildings and their relation to each other, which may be carried out gradually and so made to serve future as well as present necessities.
By the year 1900, the force has grown to about 43 Officers. According to the Park Commission's 1900 Report: " The gradual development of the reservations and parkways, and the consequent increased use of them by the public,
continues to add to the details of administration and the cost of maintenance. The permanent force, however, has
not been materially increased in the past year. The system of administration remains the same as heretofore, and the endeavor has been to keep it on the same simple lines.
Each reservation is in charge of a local superintendent. He is required to live in a house on the reservation,
provided for him, and is directly responsible to the Secretary for the care and policing of the reservation and
such parkways and undeveloped lands as may be assigned to his supervision. In the larger wooded reservations and
parkways a permanent force of laborers of one to two foremen and three to fifteen laborers is maintained. With this
force the superintendent is expected to keep roads and paths in repair, maintain a fire guard when needed, carry on a certain amount of forestry work, and generally to do such work as the regular care of the reservations and parkways
requires. In case of exceptional work the force is increased temporarily, to be reduced as soon as the particular job is completed. In the two small reservations laborers are not required except for temporary work. At Revere Beach a
considerable number of people are employed in the summer months at the bath-house and in the care of the roadway and beach. The police force of each reservation is in charge of the Superintendent, who in the large reservations has the aid of a Sergeant of Police. The total number of police now employed by the Commission is 43. Members of the
force, where possible, are assigned houses on the reserervation, so as to be at hand in case of need. During the
summer months a certain number of temporary or call men are employed as required, and transferred between the reservations, so as to place the men where most needed. The discipline of the force is excellent, and has been commended quite generally by the public.
Along Revere Beach circa 1900. (Photo source: Internet.)
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Revere Beach became one of the most popular and visited reservations. It was noted in the 1901 Metropolitan Park Commission Report:"On pleasant Saturdays, Sundays and holidays an extra number of police have been required, — not for the repression of disorder, but for the safe guidance and handling of the enormous crowds of people. In August the people doing business in the buildings facing on the beach arranged for a " carnival week," and were permitted,
under careful restrictions, to use portions of the beach for athletic sports and popular amusements, such as balloon
ascensions and diving horses. The mass of people on several occasions filled not only the sidewalks, promenade and ridge of the beach, but occupied the driveway as well, so that it became necessary to rope oif the street and require carriages and wheelmen for a time to use Ocean Avenue in the rear of the reservation. "
THE METROPOLITAN FORCE IN 1903:
The 1903 Park Commissioners said the following about the Police Division: "The care of the thirteen reservations and ten parkways is divided among seven superintendents, who report directly to the Secretary as the executive officer of the Commission. Each superintendent also has charge of the policing of the reservations and parkways under his care. The police force consists at present of 4 sergeants, 35 regular and 30 reserve officers. The regular officers have permanent employment, and the reserves are used principally during the summer months. The police are chosen from the list furnished by the Civil Service Commission, and regular appointments are generally made from the reserve list. It is a condition of the employment of the police that they shall be ready and willing to do such work as is required of them when their services are not needed as police. As a result, much valuable work is done by the police force during the winter months, when the reservations are less visited by the public. A small number of laborers is kept in all of the large reservations, which is added to as occasion requires.
"A word should be added in regard to the police. The gradual improvement of the reservations and construction
of parkways and the consequent increase of public use has made it necessary to provide from time to time additional
police protection, until the total number of regular and reserve police is now 69. The Commission does not gauge the
value of park policing by the number of arrests made, but by the standard of order maintained in the portions of the
district for which it is responsible. The police are instructed that it is a part of their duty, in addition to maintaining
order, to do what they properly may to add to the comfort and pleasure of the public by whom and for whom
the parks and parkways have been made. Although the public use of the parks has been greater during the past few
years, the number of arrests has not materially increased, (1903 Park Commission Report at Page 25).
THE UPPER CHARLES AND RIVERSIDE DISTRICT:
The use of the upper [Charles] river for boating continues to increase. There are at least three thousand canoes in regular touse in this section of the river during the season. The river has been patrolled in boats, as before. Eighty cases of upsets from boats have been reported. Thirty-six of these were actual rescues from the water by the police. The others have been brought into the office, or have come in themselves for assistance after getting ashore. Last winter, a young woman was drowned at Waltham while skating. One drowning accident also occurred during the summer from the upsetting of a canoe. The three other occupants of the canoe were rescued by the officer on patrol. (Park Commission Report at Page 29).
<Metropolitan Park Commission Policeman, date and location unknown. (Photo source: Internet.)
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< Officers of the Riverside District in Auburndale (Newton), MA in the 1900's. (Photo source: David Benoit.)
The Riverside District of the Charles River provided some unique challenges for the new Commission and its police officers. "The limited space and the conditions attending boating made it possible for a few disorderly or thoughtless persons to create annoyance to a large number of people. Adequate policing was desired, but, for effective work, it was necessary to create a police authority on the river not limited to local jurisdiction, as the town lines in most cases coincided with the centre of the stream. The Legislature of last winter made a small appropriation
for the policing of this part of the river by the [Metropolitan]park police, and at the same time empowered the Commission to make rules and regulations governing the public use of the river. Headquarters were established in a
building near Weston Bridge at Auburndale, and a Sergeant and squad of police detailed for this duty. With the use of a naphtha launch and several small boats the river was patrolled from May 25 until September 30. The appearance
of police seemed to have caused the immediate cessation of disorderly conduct. The police, however, found excellent opportunities for usefulness in rescuing persons from overturned boats and canoes. Nineteen persons were rescued during the summer. Four persons were drowned from capsizing canoes. This large number of accidents attracted public attention and created some discussion as to methods of prevention. No feasible way of protecting the public in this regard seems possible beyond warning the inexperienced. The keepers of boat liveries are desirous of co-operating in this matter, The Commission first assigned Officers to patrol the Riverside area in 1901. During that first summer 19 people were rescued from drowning and good order was maintained. The permanent Riverside Boathouse and Police Station did not open until 1904. (Mertropolitan Park Commission Report 1901.)
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< A squad of Mets at a labor strike in Western MA in 1916. (Photo source: Internet.)
THE CHARLES RIVER LOWER BASIN:
1911 Park Commission Report cited: " The administration and care of the Basin divides itself into three departments: that of operating the lock, under direction of the Engineer of the Board; that of policing; and that of caring for the roadways and the grounds. The policing and caring for grounds departments have been placed under supervision of the senior Superintendent in employ of the Board, who has been assigned to this part of the work in addition to that which he performs in charge of the Revere Beach Division. Administration quarters provided in the lock-house for police and general supervision are insufficient, and the only rooms occupied there are already required for use by the operating forces for the lock itself. Permanent police and labor headquarters will therefore have to be provided as soon as possible near the stable and boat house. The police service consists of a water police for the waters and ice of the Basin, and a land patrol upon the roadway and park spaces of the Dam and Embankment. (Page 10)
police quarters have been established at the lower lock house on the Dam, but a more suitable building is needed as
soon as it can be provided. Two small patrol boats and one larger, suitable for colder weather, have been built, and are in use. Two sentry-boxes have been placed on the Embankment for the shelter of officers in extreme weather. Additional life-saving apparatus, including boats hung on davits, have been placed along the river wall. Plans for a police signal system have been prepared.
Hopedale, MA Strike Duty
< Metropolitan Police Bicycle patrol on the Fellsway in Medford in the 1900's. (Photo source: David Benoit.)
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<A Met Park Policeman stands on the walkway in front of the State Bath House at Nantasket Beach in the 1900's (Photo source: Internet)
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<This photo postcard from the 1900's depicts a practice drill for water rescues on the Charles River in Newton, MA with Metropolitan Police Officers. (Photo source: Internet.)
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1905 AND THE FIRST MOTORCYCLE PATROLMEN:
Very serious problems in the administration and care of the roadways have been presented as to their use by
automobiles. The restraint of reckless drivers, who do not understand that the roads of the park system, being provided for pleasure driving, ought not to be used by any one class of drivers in a manner which will cause danger or nervous worry to others, has required the making of rules to restrict speed, and has required at times the arrest or summons to court of those who violate the rules. This course has occasionally caused annoyance to people whose acts were perhaps not evidence of their intentions, and has caused some regrettable misunderstandings. It was very satisfactory to find during the past summer that a police officer mounted on a motor-cycle could restrain most of the reckless driving. The Commission, therefore, gladly revised its rules, and made them as liberal as even the counsel of the Massachusetts Automobile Association felt justified in recommending. The result has proved generally satisfactory, and since the change was made there have been few violations of the new rules and consequently few arrests.
The police force consists of 7 sergeants, 2 inspectors and 79 patrolmen. The police are assigned and transferred in the divisions according to the requirements in each from time to time ; and in seasons when police work does not necessitate the use of the entire force, a portion of the men are required to assist in suitable work in the reservations. (Id at Page 20.)
(PARK REPORT 1906 at PAGE 12)
The Riverside District Station also housed an emergency room for the treatment and recovery of those who were rescued from the waters of the River. In the 1906 Commission report it was noted: "There has been no drowning accident during the year. The total number of accident cases treated at the emergency room and by the officers was 178, of which 170 represent cases of ycapsizing from canoes, falling into the water from the banks or floats and breaking through the ice. There have been 43 actual rescues from drowning by the police officers, who deserve credit for the courageous and judicious manner in which they performed their duties. "
< Met Park Police rates of pay for Revere Beach and Lower Basin Districts 1914.
. POLICE.
The policing of the reservations and parkways under the control of the Board has grown to occupy so large a place in
the work of administration, and is so important to the public, that some mention of it may well be made in this report.
The police force is responsible for the protection of the public in reservations which total in area nearly 15 square miles, and contain over 65 miles of carriage and automobile roads and many miles of secluded paths much frequented by the public. The force also patrols nearly 30 miles of parkways and other roads much used by automobiles and for pleasure travel in general. The territory, for the policing of which the force is responsible, varies much both in natural features and in pub lic use, from crowded reservations like Revere and Nantasket,
located in the midst of populous neighborhoods, to the solitudes of reservations like Blue Hills and Middlesex Fells, comparatively remote from habitation and the protection of local police. There are also rivers to police, notably the Charles River and the Charles River Basin, involving their own peculiar problems. The river banks alone total over 56 miles in length. This police work is performed by a nominal force of 4 lieutenants, 12 sergeants and 135 regular patrolmen. The real effective strength of the force, however, is much less, since each member has an equivalent of one day off duty in every fifteen, and also a vacation of two weeks each year. Sick leave and the time in the winter required to be given to drill and first-aid lectures and station duty make a still further reduction in the effective strength of the force, so that it is hardly equivalent to 120 men available for patrol duty. This is a moderate sized force considering the area of the reservations, the length of the roads and parkways, the vast number using the reservations, the beaches in particular, the diversified uses of the system, and the fact that the component parts of
the system are scattered in so large an area and population as is comprised in the Metropolitan Parks District. It would be much easier to police one compact reservation of an equal area than the existing reservations, widely separated as most of them are from each other. The changes in the seasons naturally bring about a change
in the use of the reservations. In warm weather the majority of the public seek the beaches. In colder weather the public tend more to visit the woods reservations and the rivers. This change in use requires an occasional reassignment of the police among the seven divisions into which the reservations and parkways are grouped, to meet new conditions. This is illustrated by the following assignments, made for the summer season of 1914 and the winter season of 1914 and 1915: — The varied facilities for recreation which the reservations afford the public require the force as a whole to be somewhat versatile in accomplishments. All who are fitted are taught to ride horses and motorcycles. Certain sections must be patrolled in boats in summer and on skates in winter. Every officer is
expected to know how to swim. In the Riverside section of Charles River alone this last year 41 persons were pulled out of the river by members of the force. On the Charles River Basin 8 would-be suicides and 4 other persons were rescued from drowning. This is aside from a large number of persons, overturned in shells or canoes, who were given assistance. In this connection it is sad to note that the police patrol on the Charles River Basin, as an incident to its work of policing the Basin, recovered 15 dead bodies from the water during the year. At Revere Beach alone 364 lost children were found and returned to their parents or guardians. The total number of lost children cared for by the police throughout the divisions during the year was 446. The total number of arrests or complaints in court made by the police force was 1,469. These cases were as follows: drunkenness, 698; violation of automobile speed limit rule, 227; violation of other rules, 188; violation of automobile laws, 116; violation of town ordinances limiting speed
of automobiles, 43; assault and battery, 43; larceny and attempt at larceny, 28; breaking and entering, 11; gaming, 11; indecent exposure, 9; miscellaneous offences, 95.
At the request of His Excellency the Governor a squad, consisting of 1 lieutenant, 1 sergeant and 12 patrolmen, was sent to Northampton, August 25, to assist the local authorities in maintaining order during the strike of street car men at that time. The expenses of this detail were paid by the city of Northampton. This squad remained on duty two days, at the end of which time it returned to duty in the Metropolitan Parks District, its services being no longer required in Northampton.
FORMATION OF THE MET PARK COMM POLICE:
The parkways and reservations are combined, for purposes of administration, into seven groups, each group being in charge of a superintendent, who is also an officer of the Metropolitan Park police. The main groups and their subdivisions, with the number of officials and employees in each.
THE EFFECTS UPON THE METROPOLITAN POLICE DURING WWI:
Conditions arising out of the shadow of war in Europe and our country's participation in it have very naturally limited the extent and scope of the work of this Board during the past year and confined it in large measure to the care of the property already acquired and to protecting it and facilitating its use by the public. At all points the effect of enlistments and changes in the personnel of the office and the working forces, and the increased
cost and scarcity of materials, have been felt. The service flag of the Board bears seventy-seven stars to indicate
the number of enlistments from its forces, and besides these there have been many others attracted by better remuneration or opportunities to other employments. Yet, on the whole, the year has been one of satisfactory results, and it is a pleasure to acknowledge the generally helpful spirit of co-operation of those remaining to carry on the work under adverse conditions. The police force was seriously affected by enlistment and other changes, and by difficulty in filling vacant places. It is a further cause of congratulation that the Army and Navy authorities have lent sympathetic assistance to this branch of the service both by requiring an observance by those in the service of civil laws and rules and regulations, and by detailing military police and provost guards for duty at Revere and Nan-
tasket beaches and at Charles River Basin whenever circumstances made the policing somewhat greater than the depleted Metropolitan Park Police Force could provide with a reasonable margin of safety. The best of spirit has generally prevailed between the several co-operating forces.
The outside divisions have been: Beaver Brook, Blue Hills, Stony Brook, Middlesex Fells, Revere Beach, Charles River — Speedway and Riverside Sections — and Nantasket Beach.
Charles River Division, since the building of the dam, has been 1920.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 48. 17 divided into Charles River Upper Division and Charles River Lower Division. Beaver Brook has been added to Charles River Upper Division. Stony Brook has been added to Blue Hills Division. As acquirements and construction have increased, they have been assigned for care and administration to one or another of these several divisions. The superintendents
of the divisions, as they now stand, are: Blue Hills Division, B. J. Costello; Middlesex Fells Division, Albert N.
Habberley; Charles River Upper Division, John L. Gilman; Charles River Division, Lower Basin, Herbert W. West; Revere Beach Division, Herbert W. West; Nantasket Beach Division, Elmer E. Bickford. Beaver Brook was under Robert Elder, now retired, as superintendent, until Oct. 1, 1916. Stony Brook was under Charles P. Price until he became superintendent of Middlesex Fells, and under Albert N. Habberley until he was transferred to Charles River, Riverside Section, from which he was transferred to Middlesex Fells to succeed Mr. Price, resigned.
Charles River, including the Speedway, has been in charge of John L. Gilman since 1900. Revere Beach has been
in charge of Herbert W. West since its acquirement, May 1, 1896. Middlesex Fells was in charge of Charles P. Price from July, 1896, to April, 1908, and since then in charge of Albert N. Habberley. Nantasket was in charge of John L. Gilman one season, of Moody Leighton until his death, June 4, 1910, and since then in charge of Elmer E. Bickford. Blue Hills was in charge of Frank Dings until his death, April 15, 1905, and since then in charge of B. J. Costello.
The police, appointed from the civil service list by direct examination and selection of the entire Board, have been under a subcommittee of the Board. In recent years, Superintendent West has been acting superintendent of police. The superintendents of the several reservations are appointed members of the police force with the rank of captain.
Source: 1917 Metropolitan Park Commission Report.)
BECOMING A METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION POLICEMAN:
The Metropolitan Park Police were called upon by His Excellency the Governor to assist the State and local police during a strike at Hopedale and Milford in the spring of 1913. As in the previous year at Lawrence, the squad which was sent first was changed from time to time, so as to lessen the burden upon men of absence from home. In general, it may be said that the men rendered this service in a way which earned and received the thanks of the local authorities and of all who observed them. Such calls for service outside the District are, however, a serious interference with the regular winter drills and emergency instruction, which have proved to be a necessary part of the training which has made the Metropolitan Park Police efficient. The Board seriously regrets such interference with the regular work, and ventures to express the hope that some plan will be devised which will make it unnecessary in future years to call for assistance in outside police work. In the same spirit of desire for the good of the police force, and to make its service in the care of the public in the Metropolitan Park System efficient and suited for its need, the Board deems it proper to record its emphatic opinion that legislation providing for returning to the force men who have been tried by the Board and found guilty of offences warranting their discharge, and legislation giving a right of review by appeal to the District Courts of the Commonwealth, is unwise. The present high standard of the force is due primarily to the care with which the men are selected, and secondly to the fairness with which they are treated
in the service and are tried and judged when they commit offences against the discipline of the force. All men certified as eligible for appointment, after th'eir certification for appointment by the Civil Service Board, are given an opportunity to appear before the entire Metropolitan Park Commission and to be examined orally as to their general fitness and purpose, and to be told just what is expected of them, and in turn to ask questions and make any statements which they may desire to make. They are then marked separately, and after all who have appeared have been heard, the ones who have received the highest marks of a majority of the Board are appointed. After they have entered the service, their promotion is based on the record of this service. If charges at any time are made against them,
either by citizens or by their superior officers, these charges are heard by the Board after notice and with opportunity to be represented by counsel, and all the testimony is taken down stenographically and given fair consideration, and a decision reached by the entire Board. The chances of error are small, and all extenuating circumstances are taken into account before a finding is made. On the other hand, it seems to the Board very necessary to fair dealing and efficiency of the force in providing for public safety and protection that the decision in such cases should be made by those having a full understanding of the necessities of the public service which the police are expected to render, and that this understanding can be had only by those who are charged with responsibility for maintaining the efficiency of this public service and protection. . All of which is respectfully submitted.
DECEMBER, 1913.
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1913 YEAR END STATISTICS OF THE POLICE DIVISION:
There were special events, such as regattas and swimming races, on twenty-one days at Charles River Basin
between May 12 and November 12. There were 303 single concerts given at different points in the reservations during the year. There were 183,037 bathers at the Revere Beach Bathhouse; 37,360 at Nahant Beach Bath-house; and 64,500 at Nantasket Beach Bath-house. There were 759 emergency cases treated in the police station emergency rooms, and 1,419 arrests or complaints presented in court by the police during the year. The travel on the parkways was greater during 1913 than in 1912. No census was taken, but a census taken at certain points in 1912 indicated on Sunday, October 13, 4,118 vehicles using Blue Hills Parkway at Mattapan Bridge; 3,227 using Middlesex
Fells Parkway at Wellington Bridge; 3,194 using Revere Beach Parkway at Malden River Bridge; and 2,813 using Lynn- way at Saugus River Bridge; and 1,264 using Lynn Shore Driveway. These figures indicate some of the many responsibilities of the Board and its forces, and especially indicate the great variety of activities and the constant care for public safety and convenience which must be exercised. They also in a measure indicate that the Metropolitan Park System provides not only pleasure resorts but also serves a much wider range of uses, which, being provided for by this Board, result in a saving to the several municipalities which would otherwise have to incur the expense of providing for this public service. And they certainly emphasize the fact that the work of the Board is a very practical and constant one, and not merely, as is sometimes thought and stated in public, that of providing for
the pleasure of the community.
Many accidents have been averted and lives saved by the police patrol, which is maintained both upon land and water at this Reservation, but it seems necessary to suggest that the Board is not responsible for, and has no control over, the location and establishment of boat houses or the rental of boats, and no means of identifying boats, and that more complete regulation of boating and registration of boats using the Basin and Charles River is desirable. (PARK REPORT AT PAGE 19.)
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The caption depicts Metropolitan Park Police Squad at Boston, MA. (Photo source: Internet.)
1919: A MERGER OF THE PARK POLICE IS DISCUSSED AND THE PARK COMMISSION SPEAKS OUT....
Gov. Coolidge oversaw the consolidation of many executive offices of the state government into larger agencies with more responsabilities. This was in reaction to the financial constraints upon the Commonwealth at the time. The Commissioners stated: "Within the past few years consideration has been given by the Legislature to suggestions for an enlarged State Constabulary or Police, and incident to this consideration there have been suggestions that the Metropolitan Park Police should be made auxiliary to, or subject to call for service by, the State Police. This Board has uniformly and consistently objected to these suggestions, not from any disinclination to render assistance whenever requested by the Governor, as of one distinct force to another in case of special and serious emergency,. but from the very firm belief that the necessity of public protection and the nature and necessity of the public protection in the use of the Metropolitan parks and reservations require that the force used by the Metropolitan Park Commission should be trained directly by this Board specifically for the work to be performed, and in all but special emergencies engaged solely in its performance. It is deemed essential that the park police should at all times have in mind the thought and habits which will give confidence to the public to look to them for protection, assistance and information in the use of the reservations and parkways as places of safe and rational recreation, and the experience and observation of the Board lead them to believe very firmly that this requires a different training and influence from that which is deemed essential in the training of the usual police force for the detection and following up of crime and violence, and dealing with the vicious of many elements of a city population. It is sincerely hoped that this distinction may be recognized and that no further thought will be given to diverting the Metropolitan Park Police to a divided authority and training except when required by the Governor.
All of which is respectfully submitted.
In 1919 the Massachusetts State Legislature consolidated three separate unifunctional state level agencies serving the Boston metropolitan area; The Metropolitan Park Commission, The Metropolitan Water Works and the Metropolitan Sewer Commission combined to form the Metropolitan District Commission. As a result, the Metropolitan Park Police were renamed the Metropolitan District Police.
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