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Man's Best Friend
In March 1960, Officer R.D. Whitcomb and his German Shepherd
became the first members of the K-9 Corps. Officer Whitcomb and his dog picked
up a burglar's scent and followed him for four blocks. They found the suspect
hiding behind a chicken coop.
CID
The Central Intelligence Division was created in 1960 to track "hoodlums."
JFK Recognizes Law Enforcement
In 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a law that designated
May 15 as National Peace Officer's Memorial Day.
Chief Short Serves Long
Mayor Welch appointed Herman B. Short as chief of police in
1964. Chief Short holds the record as the longest-serving chief of police with
tenure of 9 years and 10 months.
The Department Grows Again
In 1966, HPD had 1,337 officers, patrolled 446 square miles
and served a city population of 1,152,000. That same year the department's
first bomb squad was established.
The Highs and Lows of 1967
In 1967, HPD received a 22 percent pay raise spread out of
a 3-year period. That same year the department formed the Community Relations
Division.
Rioting erupted at Texas Southern University in May, 1967. After much gunfire,
the turbulence finally ceased. However, during the course of the riot, HPD
Officer Louis Kuba was killed and 488 students were arrested. It was the newly
formed Community Relations Division that provided a communication by bringing
together small groups of police officers and minority leaders for discussions.
The Community Relations Division has been credited to aiding in the improvement
of the police and minority relations in Houston.
Changing HPD Requirements
By 1969, HPD had grown to 1,577 classified officers and 223
civilian personnel with a budget of $19,400,000. With this growth it was decided
to lower the entrance requirements.
Minimum weight for males was dropped from 150 to 140 pounds. The requirement
that women applicants would not be eligible if they had pre-school aged children
as also changed. Women were now eligible if their children were on year of
age of older. The visual requirements were also reduced.
1969 Pay Scale
In 1969, the monthly pay for police personnel was as follows:
Officer
(4 years) |
$725 |
Sergeant |
$800 |
Detective |
$800 |
Lieutenant |
$875 |
Captains |
$950 |
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