[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 77 (Wednesday, May 21, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E800-E801]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           THE CENTENNIAL OF THE HAMTRAMCK POLICE DEPARTMENT

                                  _____
                                 

                          HON. GARY C. PETERS

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 21, 2014

  Mr. PETERS of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark an 
important milestone in the City of Hamtramck as the community comes 
together to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Hamtramck Police 
Department.
  When Hamtramck first incorporated as a village in 1901, the tight-
knit community was served by a single Marshall, Charles Johnson. For 
the first twelve years of its existence, Hamtramck was served by one 
law enforcement officer. On November 14, 1914, under the leadership of 
Marshall Bernard Whalen, the Hamtramck Village Police Force was formed. 
As the Hamtramck community entered the 1920s, the police force began to 
develop and take shape.
  Hailed as a progressive organization for its time, the Hamtramck 
Police Department employed multiple African American officers beginning 
in the 1920s. When Officer Harry Wurmuskerken became chief in 1922, he 
oversaw the specialization of the department into bureaus to better 
serve the people of Hamtramck. Just two years later, the Hamtramck 
Police added a Women's Division to the department under the direction 
of Mrs. Susan Glinski. This division provided significant support to 
women and families living in the community. Thanks to its efforts, 
Hamtramck had one of the lowest juvenile delinquency rates in Michigan.
  Over the decades that followed, the department grew along with the 
City of Hamtramck, reaching its peak of 120 officers in the 1940s. The 
department implemented many new technologies that helped increase 
responsiveness and public safety, including new patrol cars, a Teletype 
machine, a fire signal system, and a Western Electric one way radio 
system. During this time, thanks to the efforts and sacrifices of its 
officers in uniform, Hamtramck was named Safest City in America by AAA 
in 1946.
  Following the peak of Hamtramck's population, the police department, 
just as its counterparts in neighboring municipalities, faced a period 
of tribulation where its officers faced increasing crime rates coupled 
with decreasing population and resources. In spite of these challenges, 
the men and women of the Hamtramck Police Department have been vigilant 
to protect their vibrant and diverse community. Their efforts are an 
important part of revitalizing the Southeast Michigan region and I 
commend the officers of the Hamtramck Police Department for their 
bravery and service to the community. The 100th Anniversary of the 
police department is a great milestone in the history of Hamtramck and 
I wish the officers of the department continued success and safety in 
their ongoing endeavors to protect their community.

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