Bristol Connecticut history

In 1835, the Municipal Corporation Act gave towns and cities the power to create their own professional police forces.

Bath Constabulary was the first to form in 1836, followed later the same year by Bristol.

1839 – Bridgwater and Chard Constabulary were formed

1854 - Bristol Bristol, a post-township of Hartford county, Connecticut, about 15 miles 8.

1859 BRISTOL, a township of Hartford co., in the state of Connecticut, 17 m.

1870 - They make three Yankee clocks every minute during working hours at Bristol, Conn.

1879 – the first River Police Station opens in a converted brigantine hulk

March 6, 1894 - City Council approved a resolution to establish a fire department and appoint a fire chief.

November 12, 1895 - A team of horses were purchased.

March 17, 1898 - Fire company changed its name to Virginia Hose No.2

End of 1899 - Drivers were given a pay raise of $5.

1900 – a purpose-built River Police Station opens by Prince Street Bridge

The city of Bristol, located in Hartford County, is in central Connecticut and has several distinct sections within its boundaries, including Forestville and Edgewood. It incorporated as a city in 1911.

February 10, 1913 - City Council approved the purchase of the first motorized fire truck American LaFrance for $9000.

1915 – policemen were called up to serve in the First World War and

1916 – Bristol Police were one of the first police forces in the country to appoint women police officers

June 3, 1918 - Drivers were put on 24 hour shifts and were given a pay raise to $912 a year

May 4, 1926 - A second firetruck was ordered from American LaFrance at a cost of $12,825.

July 3, 1931 - Bristol Virginia and Bristol Tennessee sent members to become first aid certified.

October 1, 1937 - O.L. Cross became the first paid fire chief in the department.

1940 – Bridgwater and Chard Constabulary become part of Somerset Constabulary.

September 12, 1945 - First full time fire chief was hired at $200 per month.

1946 – specialist units come into force, including the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the South Western Forensic Science Laboratory, Fingerprint Branch, Special Branch, and the Photographic Department

1947 - A pay scale was introduced for police and fire departments.

The Bristol Township Police Department can trace its roots back to 1948.

He was joined in the early 1950’s by three additional officers.

In 1952, the Department swelled to 15 officers as William Levitt began building his vision for the community of Levittown.

1957 – our first police dogs Kudos and Kylow joined up

Established in May 1666 and named for Hertford, England, the county government was abolished on October 1, 1960.

As Levittown grew, so did the Bristol Township Police Department and by 1966 the Department was staffed by just over 30 Officers.

On March 29, 1972, Bristol Township Police suffered its greatest loss when Detective Sergeant George Francis Stuckey was killed in the line of duty while stopping a suspect vehicle from a bank robbery.

1974 – Avon and Somerset Police was formed by merging Somerset and Bath Constabulary with Bristol Police and Gloucestershire Constabulary

1994 - The Fire Department celebrated its 100th anniversary.

2004 - The Fire Department established its first technical rescue team (HTR).

August 13, 2018 - Fire Department starts transporting patients with 1st ALS department ambulance.

2019 - The Fire Department celebrated its 125th anniversary.