My blogging here on Tuesday Pause took a momentary hiatus over the November-December holidays, not because I was too busy merry-making, though I did enjoy the holiday season, but due to a letter that had arrived a few weeks earlier calling me to that oft dreaded civic obligation – jury duty.
Ohio’s Summit County Courthouse in winter.
Yes, most working days in November and December, I headed to the Summit County Courthouse, passed through the metal detectors and sat in my assigned seat.
Each day, on my way to and from the parking garage to the courthouse entrance, I passed a small, always unoccupied, glass-enclosed section of the Akron Police Station that was marked with a small sign reading, Akron Police Department Museum. APD is located next door to the courthouse in the Harold K. Stubbs Justice Center, 217 S. High St., Akron (for those unfamiliar with this section downtown Akron) .
As my jury service drew to a close without ever detecting a presence inside the museum, I began to ask around for info on visiting the collection. Thankfully, another curious juror had searched online and shared with me that visits were by appointment only.
So, that became my plan…to set an appointment to visit Akron’s Police Museum at the completion of my jury service.
A visit begins by calling the APD Community Relations Office (330-375-2390) to set a time. Be advised, however, that this information is not easy to figure out as there is currently no link or mention about the museum on APD’s webpage (at least not any that I was able to find).
A google search for the museum turned up a third-party site that included the contact information. According to my guide, the museum is currently promoted by word of mouth only (or passersby, like myself).
When I arrived and checked in at the Community Relations desk on the 4th floor, I was told that Detective James Conley would meet me shortly on the Mezzanine level, at the locked museum door.
Akron Police Museum entrance.
A few exhibits are located just outside the door and as soon as Detective Conley arrived he jumped right into story-telling and explaining the items on display. Detective Conley’s enthusiasm for both police work and the history of the department was immediately evident and played a large role in the overall experience. He is a third-generation police officer and one of many in his family to have served in the APD (grandfather, father, uncles and brothers).
One of the many displays in the museum.
It turns out, he is considered the resident historian, with over 35+ years of police work under his belt. “I’ve been around these stories all my life,” he commented, “I grew up listening to them since boyhood.” While I’m certain other guides are also well-versed, you may consider planning your visit before the summer of 2019 when Detective Conley is likely to retire.
Old-time Remington Rand manual typewriter from former days at APD.
So why visit the Akron Police Museum and what can you expect to see?
I have two answers to this.
I would encourage a visit simply to show interest and support for the men and women of the APD, and perhaps to gain some insight and understanding of those who put on the uniform each day to leave the comfort of their homes and risk their own personal safety to serve and protect our communities. A visit just might communicate that sentiment of appreciation.
But that’s an additional benefit. Visit this museum because there are a number of interesting artifacts to see, history to learn, and compelling stories to hear.
You’ll learn that, in 1899, Akron was the first police department in the world to operate a motorized vehicle (a police wagon). In fact, this bit of history brought the History Channel to the museum to do a story a number of years back, according to Detective Conley.
Reproduction of original photograph of first-ever motorized police vehicle anywhere in the world (1899), right here in Ohio.
While the police wagon was scrapped and sold in 1905, after only six years of use and for a mere $25 (The Police Wagon; Akron Beacon Journal article, June 20, 1999), its original bell (seen in the photo above at the front of the vehicle, just below the headlamp) was removed and can now be seen on display (below) in the Community Relations office on the 4th floor, alongside a wall-size photographic print of the police wagon in its glory days.
Front bell from Akron’s historic electric police wagon mounted on “Ohio” base.
You’ll also hear about the worst riot in Akron’s history – the infamous Riot of 1900. Detective Conley described how a mob of angry residents, in an attempt to get at the suspect in a child assault, raided City Hall and burned down the Akron City Jail. The Akron Beacon Journal article, The Police Wagon, filled in additional details, stating that a smaller band of protesters hijacked the recently introduced electric police wagon for a joy ride before dumping it into the Ohio & Erie Canal (it was pulled out the following day). Detective Conley capped the story by sharing that the riot was the cause of Akron’s first Police Chief, Captain Hughlin Harrison, loosing his post after only three years of service.
You’ll see an eclectic collection of confiscated weapons, many home-made from various odds and ends that are as strange as they are vicious, and learn about the history of call boxes and officer communication systems.
Call box from the first half of 1900s and an old leather police jacket.
Blue painted call box.
Call boxes are not the roadside assistance boxes, which I presumed, that once lined US highways, prior to cell phones, for use by drivers in emergency situations. Rather these call boxes were once posted all along the city streets for officers to call in for back-up or to report on their policing activity since, of course, they didn’t have radios in the early to mid-1900s.
I was intrigued by these advances in communication technology and how each step affected the protocol of patrolling. Officers functioned very differently in the “pre-modern communication” world and, of course, ever-advancing technology continues to impact the effectiveness and safety of policing (think dash and body cams).
There is vintage lie detector and breathalyzer equipment, an old APD Remington Rand manual typewriter, a collection of badges spanning the history of the department, as well as various uniform pieces from the different eras.
The museum collection also presents original clippings and a “Tommy” gun similar to the one confiscated in 1930 when bank robber Charles “Pretty Boy” Floyd was arrested by APD; an exhibit highlighting the Police Gang Unit; confiscated illegal gambling machines and paraphernalia (weighted dice, manipulated video gaming consoles, illegal gaming boards); and the headstone of the founding police chief, Hughlin Harrison, that was dug up when Officer Dye noticed that Captain Harrison’s birthdate was incorrect.
The museum is free and can be visited by appointment, Monday-Friday, between the hours of 8:00- 3:30. Groups of all sizes are welcome as are visits by individuals. School groups, Boy Scout & Girl Scout Troops, as well as senior groups are common visitors to the collection, as are families of officers or other members of law enforcement.
Also, don’t worry about a visit on your own, feeling like your taking up your guide’s time for just one person. Detective Conley was happy to share his time with me and he did not make me feel rushed in any way.
The goal of the museum is to preserve the history of the police department, to honor the men and women who have served, and to provide a place to interact with the community – whether that’s one person at time or in large groups.
Plan to spend about an hour, though that can vary based upon your time and interest level. Bring a coat or sweater if it’s a chilly day as the museum is in an unheated section of the building. Also, realize the exhibits/organziation are not on par with a national museum, but still very worth visiting, particularly since each visit is guided and therefore quite personalized. Most artifacts are donated by retired APD staff or their families and the museum has much more in storage than on display due to lack of space as well as time to curate it.
Be sure to ask to see the wall-size image of the historic police wagon and its bell displayed at the Community Relations Office (4th floor) and consider visiting the officer rosters displayed on the third floor. It is very interesting to see how the police force has grown in size and how photographic/presentation styles have changed over the years.
Eternal flame and Never Forget Memorial on a snowy day, sadly covering the dedication.
Finally, take a few minutes to visit the display cases located just inside the APD main entrance as well as the eternal flame and Never Forget Memorial located at the front steps to the building. Both honor the 26 officers that have lost their lives while serving and protecting the Akron community.
Things to know if you go:
Web: Currently none (word of mouth only) / Akron Police Homepage
Located: Inside the Harold K. Stubbs Justice Center, 217 S. High Street, Akron, OH
Phone: 330-375-2390 (APD Community Relations Office)
Hours: 8:00-3:30, Monday – Friday (by appointment only/closed some holidays)
Suggestions: Not heated, dress appropriately. Ask about the WWII machine gun that was turned in by a local resident but is no longer on display.