By Mike Simmons
The beginning of the year 1935 brought with it some major changes to the Pensacola Police Department under the direction of Chief of Police William O’Connell. The January 4, 1935 edition of the Pensacola News Journal reported that, for the first time, the police department came under the direction of a Director of Public Safety. Eugene Forsythe, a former FBI agent, was chosen for the position.
A new city ordinance required all drivers of automobiles to be licensed, and passing a test was required for issuing a license. Also, enforcement of traffic laws was tightened. Additional motorcycles and a new patrol car were added to the fleet to help with the new enforcement. Improvements were made to the old patrol wagon.
The police station, located at 407 S. Jefferson Street, was also updated. The jail portion was painted for the first time since the building opened in 1909, a new heater was installed (no longer depended on fireplaces). The U.S. Navy installed an office in the police station to be used by the Shore Patrol.
For the officers, a recreation room was built and outfitted on the second floor of the police station. Included were games and a radio. In addition, all officers were outfitted with new uniforms.
Director Forsythe also announced the opening of a police school, to “increase the officers’ knowledge of technical information in carrying out his official duties.” As of the News Journal’s report, ten officers had completed ten lessons each and were preparing for an exam. Instruction in the use of firearms was being taught by members of the military stationed onboard the Pensacola Naval Air Station. The training was conducted at Warrington.
The identification department (later renamed the Crime Scene Section) with new fingerprinting equipment. F. S. Bobe, the identification director, began fingerprinting members of the public who wished for their prints to be taken.
The decision was made to file reports from now on. A filing system was set up in the Desk Sergeant’s Office that kept track of all persons who had been charged with anything from minor traffic offenses to murders. The officers could also identify 2nd and 3rd offenders.
School Zones in the city were properly marked with signs for the first time. Boy Scouts were used as patrol boys to assist people across the street.
Instead of calling in on the call boxes every hour, officers called every 15 or 30 minutes. The following year – 1936 – in-car radios were installed in every Pensacola Police Car, but the officers working on foot patrol still had to use the old boxes.
These changes brought about Director Forsythe excitedly calling the Pensacola Police Department, “the most efficient police force in the south. That is our goal.”
