Tag Archives: Davenport Police Department

Marshal-ing our Resources

Recently, we explained how we uncovered that the man we—and everyone else—had thought was the first City Marshal of Davenport . . . wasn’t. But this had us researching what the City Marshal—a position that no longer exists—originally did, and when he stopped … Continue reading

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Remembering Police Officer James W. Means

James Wilson Means was born in Pennsylvania around 1824, reared and married in Ohio, and then settled in Davenport around 1855 with his young family.  By the spring of 1883, Mr. Means was a respected officer with the Davenport Police Department.  … Continue reading

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A Moment to Remember: Armistice Day, 1925

The ghosts and goblins were gone and local turkeys were still being fattened up in preparation for Thanksgiving dinner. But Davenporters, and most of the world, were about to pause in their holiday preparations on to remember those who fought … Continue reading

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The 911 of 1889

On the afternoon of February 8, 1889, the alarm at telephone patrol box number 3 at Front Street between Main and Brady Streets was sounded by an officer on patrol.  It was the first alarm sounded on the week-old system that … Continue reading

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A Quiet Salute to a Friend: Officer Michael Farnsworth

On December 5, 1971, five men entered the Quality Motel on Main Street and forced their way into the room of Davenport Police Patrolman Leon Washington. The men hit Officer Washington and tied him up, then stole three automatic pistols, … Continue reading

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Remembering Patrolman Emil Speth

Ninety-one years ago Davenport Police Patrolman Emil Speth walked the streets of Davenport, Iowa, wearing badge number 13. He was appointed to the department on July 13, 1911, according to an entry in the Davenport Police Roll Call Register January … Continue reading

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