Odessa American history

According to Charles Wayne Kessler, who joined the Odessa Police Department (OPD) on November 1, 1945, there were 6 officers working 12 hour shifts.

Odessa Police Department in 1947 with 26 Officers.

South Plains Officers Association meeting in Odessa, November 11, 1951.

In November of 1952 the City Council hired Jess Cariker as Police Chief without Chief Heaton's knowledge.

In 1958, the vehicle fleet of the Odessa Police Department consisted of:

In 1959, the Police Department and Municipal Court employed a total of 75 employees.

In 1960, the Odessa Police Department received a new teletype machine that put the Department on line with other area agencies.

In 1966 a student atop the tower shot and killed 16 people and wounded 31 before he himself was killed by a police officer.

He began with the Department as a cadet in March of 1983 and promoted through the ranks.

In 1988 a replica of Anne Hathaway’s house was built across the courtyard from the theatre.

The Community Relations Division was formed under the direction of Chief Jenkins in December 1991.

On September 26, 1996, dispatchers for the Police Department and Fire Department were combined into one unit, moving into the newly established dispatching center located at the Municipal Plaza Building.

That company, which later became Freedom Communications, sold the Odessa American along with its other Texas properties to AIM Media Texas, LLC, on May 18, 2012.