HR0774 LRB094 15898 CSA 51122 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The Decatur Police Department celebrates the
3 150th anniversary of its founding on January 7, 2006; and
 
4     WHEREAS, Officers will wear a specially designed
5 commemorative 150th anniversary badge during the year of 2006;
6 and
 
7     WHEREAS, The first city marshal was elected to office
8 January 7, 1856; the marshal was the sole law enforcement
9 officer for the city until the mid-1860s, when a deputy marshal
10 was elected to assist him; by 1876, the police department
11 consisted of the marshal, a deputy marshal, and 5 officers; by
12 1882, the city marshal and deputy marshal were no longer
13 elected officials, but appointed by the mayor; the title of
14 city marshal disappeared in the late 1890s and was replaced
15 with the title of chief of police; by 1900, Decatur had 12
16 sworn officers; and
 
17     WHEREAS, In 1960, the police chief formed the first formal
18 detective bureau for the police department and the civil
19 service rank of detective was created; and
 
20     WHEREAS, The police department was located in the county
21 courthouse on the southeast corner of Water and Wood Streets
22 until 1927, when it moved into a building across the street on
23 the northwest corner of Water and Washington; in 1939, when the
24 present county courthouse was constructed in the 200 block of
25 East Wood, the police department moved back in; in 1964, the
26 police department moved into the city's municipal building
27 located at 707 East Wood; in 1989, the police department moved
28 into the newly constructed Law Enforcement Center in the 300
29 block of South Franklin; and
 
30     WHEREAS, As of this time, the Decatur Police Department has

 

 

HR0774 - 2 - LRB094 15898 CSA 51122 r

1 a force of 164 sworn officers, including 102 patrol officers,
2 36 detectives, 17 sergeants, 5 lieutenants, 3 deputy chiefs,
3 and a police chief; therefore, be it
 
4     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
5 NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
6 we congratulate the Decatur Police Department on the occasion
7 of its 150th anniversary and express our sincerest best wishes
8 for the future; and be it further
 
9     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
10 presented to the Decatur Police Department as an expression of
11 our admiration and esteem.