ILION POLICE
VILLAGE OF ILION
HERKIMER COUNTY, N.Y.
The following is taken from "Ilion 1852-1952." We thank the Mayor and
other officials of Ilion for granting us permission to provide this
information to our visitors.
POLICE
As the little village of 1850 grew, its citizens became increasingly
aware of the necessity of protecting their welfare by proper police
measures. This is evidenced by frequent changes in village ordinances and
by-laws. Most of the provisions seem antiquated to us in 1952 such as
the sale of fresh meat in the streets in quantities less than a
carcass, the destruction of dogs found unmuzzled during "dog days", and a
provision to keep cattle off the streets. A forerunner of modern traffic
regulations may well have been the law that "no person shall suffer any
carriage, wagon, cart, sleigh, or sled without horses to stand in any
lane or street for more than one hour without written permission under
penalty of $1.00 for each offense." Fire prevention was enacted through
such ordinances as "pipes of Franklin or any other stoves are to be
conducted into brick chimneys" and "no lighted candles are to be used in
stables unless secured in a lantern." In 1889 the Chief of Police
became the first uniformed policeman. The village purchased an overcoat for
the Chief in 1895 at a cost not to exceed $24. He was required to turn
it in at the end of his term for the use of the next chief. The first
police station was a wooden building on Otsego Street used until the
City Hall on Union Street was built. One of the duties of the policeman,
after the position of lamplighter was abolished, was to turn off the
street lights at 1 A. M. Another requirement was made for the wearing of
rubber heels, the better to detect lawbreakers, no doubt. Since there
were no telephones at this time, anyone desiring police service for any
reason was obliged to call at headquarters. A wheelbarrow was always
kept there as an aid in removing inebriates to the "lockup". Drunkeness
and burglaries were common offenses in the 70's, 80's and 90's to judge
by indignation expressed in newspapers. While Ilion was a temperance
town in the 70's and liquor was sold only for medicinal pruposes,
violation of the excise law caused the village authorities considerable time
and effort. In 1909 a police signal system was installed and in use.
The prison inspector commission at Albany issued orders in 1916 to
remodel and enlarge the jail quarters. In consequence one new cell for
women, isolated from the other cells, and a number of new cots for lodgers
were installed. An interesting ordinance adopted in 1919 was that
First Street to Morgan be a one way Street, traffic moving west with
parking on one side of the street. A motorcycle officer was appointed to be
properly uniformed in gray with brass buttons and badge (1920). About
1928 an ordinance gave the police power to regulate street parking. A
prowl car with a short wave radio, tear gas guns, a new finger print
outfit, police telephone call boxes, warning signs and flood lights were
purchased in 1934.
Extensive training classes, under the supervision of the police judge
and village attorney were attended in 1951 by members of the department on their off-duty hours.
THE VOLUNTEER POLICE
The Volunteer Police was formed 3 days after Pearl Harbor as the
result of an appeal made by Police Chief Jesse Babcock. 83 men volunteered.
Police training and instruction in first aid were shortly followed by
duty during blackouts. guard work, handling traffic at fires, etc. At
the end of the war it was decided, by a suggestion of Mayor Oliver
Coleman, that the unit continue its services to Ilion, which it has
commendably performed in its 10 yer history. Similar units in the Mohawk
Valley have been instructed by this group and aid rendered them on special
occasions. There are, at present, 6 captains and a deputy chief under
the supervision of the Chief of Police, and 21 patrolmen, all fully
uniformed and equipped, of which 17 are original members. Four men assist
the handling of traffic at specific times each day.
 11/22/02 Ilion Police Department: link off site
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