[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 16949]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      HONORING CITY OF NOVI POLICE DEPARTMENT ON 50TH ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. THADDEUS G. McCOTTER

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 21, 2004

  Mr. McCOTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor the 
City of Novi Police Department as we celebrate the department's 50th 
Anniversary.
  The men and women who protect the Novi community have a long and 
distinguished record.
  In 1954, the Oakland County Sheriff's Department had been patrolling 
the small farming community of Novi, and protecting its approximately 
5,000 residents. As the community grew, the Board of Trustees worked to 
establish their own force.
  The Department's first chief, Lee BeGole, a member of the Wayne 
County Sheriff's Department and World War II U.S. Army veteran, 
organized the fledgling organization. BeGole served alone initially, 
adding three or four officers later on. He was a dedicated law 
enforcement officer who served the City of Novi for 32 years.
  During its early years, the Novi Police Department served the 
community by making the most of its meager means. With a pair of police 
cars and no police radios, the operation of the Department was very 
basic. Police equipment was very basic, too. The officers furnished 
their own firearms and paid for their uniforms. The patrol cars did not 
have overhead emergency lights, but rather were equipped with red or 
blue spotlights and a ``coaster siren'' under the hood.
  The size and scope of the department has increased greatly over the 
past half century. In 1991 Chief BeGole retired and Douglas F. Shaeffer 
became the second Chief of Police in Novi's history. The Department 
moved into the 21st Century--the 1968 Rambler with the single red/blue 
roof light and coaster siren has been replaced by a large fleet of the 
latest police package Ford Crown Victorias, equipped with multifunction 
electronic emergency lights and siren. The old faithful police 
revolvers have been replaced by the newest in semiautomatic Glock 
pistols. Laptop computers are installed in each patrol unit, and a new 
in-house data system at the station has taken over most of the hand-
written reports and forms used daily.
  Today, the City of Novi Police Department is truly a world-class law 
enforcement organization led by outstanding men and women who are 
committed to providing the community with the highest caliber service 
and protection.
  Mr. Speaker, today I ask you and my esteemed colleagues to please 
join me in congratulating Chief Doug Shaeffer, the men and women of the 
Novi Police Department, and the elected officials and citizens of Novi 
for their support of 50 years of excellence in law enforcement.

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