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Princeton
Police Department History |
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Lewis "Lute" Hill
Princeton Police Officer
In The Late 1800's |
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Harrison Hitch
Killed in the line of Duty
May 11, 1913 |
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Princeton Police
Department History |
The first officer of the law in the area that is now known as the City
of Princeton was a constable named William Scales, who was appointed by
the Gibson County Court in 1813.
The first jail in Gibson County was constructed in 1814 by County
Government.
In 1818 Prince Town was incorporated as a town and for the next sixty
years was governed mostly by a board of trustees. It is more than likely
that around this time Prince Town began providing is own police
protection.
Law enforcement in the City of Princeton dates back to the early 1800’s,
back when Princeton was still a town and was still being called Prince
Town. There is very little written history of law enforcement in
Princeton but over the next several months to a year we will see what we
can piece together.
Here what we know so far. Back in 1887 Princeton law enforcement
consisted of one town marshal and one police officer.
For now we have a big gap.
On May 11, 1913, officer Harrison Hitch was shot and killed in the line
of duty while on a family domestic call. Officer Hitch was shot by
Walter Brocail who had returned to town to see his ex-wife and was
trying to persuade her to return home with him. Brocail opened fire on
officer Hitch shortly after the officer entered the house. Brocail
reeled off three shots all hitting their mark before Hitch returned one
shot that hit Brocail in the arm. Brocail’s gun had jammed on the third
shot and he retreated out the back door as officer Hitch stumbled out
the side door of the house and fell to the ground. Officer Hitch had
been fatally wounded with the third shot that passed through both lungs.
There were two witnesses at officer Hitches side when he died with
differing stories. One saying he had ask Harrison are you ok and he said
the officer replied “I’m all in” (a poker term for I’m finished) the
other witness said Hitch never uttered a word and passed away within a
minute. It is more then likely with Officer Hitch being shot through
both lungs he could not have spoken. It is believed that had Brocail’s
gun not jammed he would have killed others in the house including his
ex-wife. After Brocail slipped out the back door he evaded police and an
all out man hunt was on in Southern Indiana for a police killer. “This
story to be continued”
For now we have another big gap.
In 1947 the City Police Department consisted of Chief Roy Burton and
seven officers, one squad car and the only means of communication was by
telephone. The officers dressed in navy-blue suits and white shirts, and
earned $190 a month.
By 1949 a patrolman’s base pay had risen to $205 per month, Stancil
Williams had become police chief, a radio system had been added to the
department to communicate with their one and only squad car and parking
meters had been installed around the square.
By 1960 a master filing system had been developed to maintain police
records and a new transistor radio system was purchased for the
department.
In 1962 police Chief Adron Dillion purchased a second squad car and the
departments first handheld radio was added to the radio system.
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Princeton Police
Department Princeton IN.
Gibson County Indiana |
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