S.B. Police Potpourri

(click image to enlarge)

Officer Carl Newman and Sam Kelley working as extras at Flying A Studio, Mission and State Streets in the 1915 picture, "Diamond In The Sky" with Charlett Burton and Jack Richardson.

1915: Santa Barbara Police head the Independence Day parade on State St. marching South from Anapamu St. U S Post Office, now the Art Museum, to the right of the picture, basket grocery in the opposite corner, San Marcos Building to the left of the picture which later was knocked in the 1925 earthquake. Church in the background 1300 State St. Granada Theater was not yet built.

November 13, 1919: Detective William Marquatte, shown center, after a struggle shot and killed Clarence Wallace alias H. P. Daly. The altercation took place on the steps of the U S Post Office at State and Anapamu streets. Wallace was wanted in Baltimore Maryland for murder and safe blowing.

June 29, 1925.  Officer Gilbert Holiday on duty at State and Mason streets after the earthquake knocked down the California Hotel.

Santa Barbara County Jail- Western wall thrown down by earth shock and part of the second-story floor turned into an inclined plane. Of the twenty prisoners, some of whom shouted for help, three were removed to Ventura Count Jail, two were dismissed, and 11 released on parole. The remaining four were trustees.

1925: The Santa Barbara Police lead the Independence Day parade on State street.

August 20, 1929.  Deputy Sheriffs were in a gun battle in Montecito with three bandits and called for help from the SBPD.  Santa Barbara Police officers Joe Achen, J.J. O'Brian, Chas Carter and Lieut. A.J. Hone spotted the bandits car at Mission St. and Modoc Rd. The bandits opened fire on the officers. The car was chased north on Modoc to Hollister exchanging shots all the while, the bandits were overtaken in the 4700 Block of Hollister Ave. A close up gun battle took place and one of the bandits Joseph Berry was shot and killed. Suspect John Griffin wounded and Ralph Kemp arrested. The fatal shot was fired by Officer Chas Carter who had been employed only 5 days by the department at the time. The SBPD had only one patrol car in August of 1929.

1930: End of the slot machines in Santa Barbara. Officer Bob Kinzy looks on while two city mechanics destroy the machines with sledge hammers.

The first police school of the college level type held and completed  In the police locker and assembly room in 1934.  Seated in front: Commissioners G. Drake, E. Palmer.  Rear in half circle: Chief J. Butts Mayor H. Neilson, Professor Jackey, L. Redford, USC Professor Fergus C. Wessa, T. H. Keating, A. Taylor, Det.W.J. Garrity, Det. J.J.O'Brian, Sgt. A.C. Delere.

January 14, 1934: Scene of accident at Micheltorena street and the railroad tracks. Picture was taken looking east on Micheltorena. Officer C Toupin in upper picture. Lower picture of the Ford Model T that was driven by Joseph Chudley 76 years of age, His wife Minnie Chudley was killed when the car was struck by a train.

July 1936: Santa Barbara Police Officers preparing to dump confiscated illegal guns and weapons into the ocean.  Left to right: Officers Tom Keating, William Hill, J.N.Weaver, Ove Westergard, Mel Stowell, W.T. Andrews, Chief Garrity, G.J.Davis.

June 15 1937: Cammillo Francheschi Finzi was killed in this accident at Arrellaga and Garden streets. He was the grandson of the Francheschi that Franseschi Park was named. The picture was taken looking north on Garden from Arrellaga. The old streetcar tracks are visible in the road. Officer McMullen left Officer Cooley on right with foot on fender.

Top: Santa Barbara Police 1st Boy Scout troop,#13 ,1938 at Camp Drake. 

Bottom: Scout committee members John Sesma, J.M.Murphey, A.C. Deleree, with Boy Scout B.Nei1.

1939.  Palomar Apartment fire. The Uniformed officer in the Photo is John Murphy.

A Large amount of property damage and lost boats were caused by a strong winter storm.

1946: Could this be our first SWAT team? Left to right: Officers A.C. Goux with 37mm grenade launcher, M.B. Stroud with Thompson submachine gun , G.B.Truax with shotgun, N.Fryer and Chas Hanna with "Tommy guns" sight their weapons in the City Hall Police Parking lot.

1948: Traffic accident at Chapala and Anapamu streets. Golden State Dairy truck and Hazelwood Transfer trucks collided. The Hotel deFrance in the background was later destroyed by fire. Policeman by tow truck is R.W. Cooley and J.M. Murphey.

1955: Scene of police shooting of armed robbery suspect James W. Allen, September 2, 1955.   Allen was wanted for the armed robberies of five local Santa Barbara stores.

1964: The Santa Barbara Police Department Pistol Team wins the state wide practical pistol matches championship for 1964 held in Stockton, Ca. From left to right: Officers Lewis Venegas, Dick Richmond, Frank Broadarick and William Powell.

1973 SBPD Combat Pistol Team at the 1^st International Police Combat Shoot, held in Las Vegas, Nevada, in 1973. The team competed against Departments from all over the US and the World. Pictured left to right : Dick Richmond, Brian Abbot, Delano "Skip" Bond, Seab "Butch" Findely, and Leonard Peck, Jr.

1975: Shown here is the team of Santa Barbara Police Officers that captured the 1975 Santa Barbara Softball Club League Championship.

Officer Steve Collins is shown performing what used to be a yearly Christmas tradition. Offficers would assist a child in turning on the Tree lights which used to be at the N.W. corner of Chapala and Carillo streets.

Santa Barbara Police Officer Helton sorts and examines explosives cache which was recovered from possible terrorists in the foothills of Santa Barbara.

Scene shows the Stonehenge Jewelry store, which was, bombed in the early 70’s.  The bomb was placed outside the store in the entrance.  The bomb was so powerfull that wooden planks from the store were stuck onto the parking lot wall across the street . Fortunately the bomb went off in the evening with few people around and no one was injured.

Officer Dick Richmond and Lt. George Evans work Christmas 1974 at the PD Dispatch center.

Sept 1981: Santa Barbara Police Officers support mutual aid to San Luis Obispo Law Enforcement at the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Reactor Protest.

1983:  Santa Barbara Police Department’s first K9 Team. Officer Rick Flynn left and Officer Kim Fryslie, right, with their German Shepherds. The K9’s have been made possible due to the generosity of concerned citizens that have donated the funds to purchase and support the care of the K9.s.

Left to Right:  Reserve Sgt. Frank Markovich, Capt. Kirby Duncan, Lt. Bart Shrum, Sgt. Charlie Baker, Gil Zuniga, Sgt. J. Johnson, Reserve Lt. Peter Wilson, John Dutcher, Skip Bond.