PAX Centurion - March / April 2015

Page 18 • PAX CENTURION • March/April 2015 617-989-BPPA (2772) flashlight, leading to the capture of two assailants who had just shot and killed someone? Who cheered his colleague, officer Ryan Lenane, who continued pursuing a known gang member after being shot in the arm? It all began when Lenane approached two suspects sitting in a car, just the way Moynihan approached a car last Friday night. This is what these men do, and they do it for us, monitoring gangs, confronting barbarians, removing guns from the streets, consciously placing themselves in the line of fire, and for what? To be blas- phemed by self-styled activists and clueless critics who have turned cop-bashing into a cottage industry? But John Moynihan knew that before he started his tour last Friday. Jean-Louis, Smigielski, Lenane and their co-laborers in theYouth Violence Strike Force all knew that, too, on those days they reported for duty not knowing it would be a day they looked death in the face. Cops don’t have to do what these men did to establish their brav- ery. They establish it simply by going to work as a Boston police of- ficer, knowing their badge is a target for evil, knowing the risks and accepting them in our behalf. Like John Moynihan, they are indeed Boston’s finest. May God protect them all. (Reprinted courtesy of the BostonHerald,Monday,March 30, 2015) Only fools don’t appreciate how police protect us… From Fools on page 17 The History of Boston Police District Seven – 1854 I n 1762, the Town of Boston appointed Four Watchmen. In 1823, a City Marshall was appointed and made Chief of theWatchmen. In 1854, On May 26, Division Seven of the Boston Police Department was established in East Boston. It consisted of four Patrolmen and a Captain, who were Captain William Prescott, Patrolmen Buxton, Main, Scott, and Seaver. On September 26, 1854, Captain John L. Philbrick became Captain succeeding CaptainWill Prescott. Division Seven polices all the territory of East Boston, Consisting of about 977 acres, thirty-five and one-half miles of streets, places, lanes, alleys, and wharves. The patrolmen in 1854 were dressed in black beaver hats, long black coats and carried a long cane, with a large curve at the end of it to put out the gaslights on patrol at day break. The first lock-up or police station was a part of a fire engine house located on Paris Street just above the Junction of Meridian Street, Near Maverick Square. This lock-up or police station stood until May of 1859 at which time a new police station was built and occupied a site directly opposite the present station. The building with the land it sat upon cost the city $17,313.07. It cost $2,479.65 in 1874 for furnishings. With the establishment of the Municipal Court of East Boston District, violations of the law were brought before the court for the first time in East Boston. Its chief executive officer is a Commis- sioner of the Police. Other superior officers were a Superintendent of Police and many deputies. The force was divided into division over which a captain and two lieutenants with four sergeants that were in charge of. The number of patrolmen to each division was augmented as time and need present- ed themselves. East Boston may well be proud of its reposed in them. In times past they have met many trying problems and worked them out to the satisfaction of the community. On October 18, 1857 the first Boston Police Officer was Killed in the Line of duty P.O. Ezekiel W. Hodsdon was killed on the Corner of Havre and Maverick Street. It is said that during the Policeman’s strike of 1919 there was less disturbance in East Boston than in any part of the city of Boston. In 1913, the present building was erected in which were housed the East Boston District Court and the Police Station. A third story was added to the top of the police station in 1930. The tremendous growth of the Police Station Seven can be gathered from its personnel and equipment. Captain Archibald F. Campbell, Lieutenants William J. Hyland and Andrew J. Hurley. Sergeants Thomas M. Tieran, August H. Barthels, Grenville B. Spinney, William J. Cripps, Frank E. Gilman, HenryW. Laskey, and John S. Hunter. Special Officers Six. Patrolmen Ninety-two divided into three platoons, twenty-three of whom do duty on the street in the daytime; and seventeen in the night time, four are traffic men, one at theAirport, one at the Library, and three are at Headquarters, three are Clerks, the other are engaged in house duty, or are patrolling with cruising cars and motorcycles. The Station has also two cars, five cycles, a patrol wagon, carrying an emergency kit, and one ambulance, all motorized. The men while patrolling carried revolvers and billies, and the station itself contains many shotguns and tear gas canisters. The Patrolmen have the advantage of the pension system and are paid according to the length of service under a graduated system. The By P.O. Robert E. Anthony, BPPA Historian Officers work 14 hours days and are paid a little over $2.00 a day the work week is 6 days on and 1 day off. The Officers also have their own Rooms in the Station where they can sleep when they are not working.