Police Department history

Arrival of the Settlers Throughout the 1830's and 40's, soon after John Sutter had established his outpost on land that would become Sacramento, many other whites established ranches in the Roseville area.

Modeled after England’s Metropolitan Police Act, the Sydney Police Act of 1833 led to the establishment of urban police forces.

The city of Houston was founded on a dream in 1836 by two brothers who saw the potential of a city to be a center of commerce and the capital of the new Republic of Texas.

In 1837 the city began making accommodations to bring law and order to the rough-and-tumble frontier town with the hiring of the first constables.

The first publicly funded, organized police force with officers on duty full-time was created in Boston in 1838.

Weakened by disease and continually being harassed and driven off traditional hunting and gathering areas by ranchers and farmers, the Nisenan culture could not withstand the vast influx of whites into the gold fields in 1849.

However, trouble was brewing as the Civil War approached in 1861 and the secession of the State of Texas from the Union.

Houston also maintained their office of City Marshal and by 1868 Houston had two marshals as a result of the impasse.

Three months later, Tom Berry tore down his old building he built in 1870 and began construction of a fine, large billiard hall and saloon on its site.

In 1873 the police force consisted of the City Marshal and twelve officers.

McRae had been a farmer in Roseville since 1876.

Blair moved to Roseville in 1879 and engaged in various business activities which included operating a saloon for a time.

Hammill, a native of Indiana, came to Roseville in 1880 where he worked at J.M. Fitzgerald’s blacksmith shop on Pacific Street.

Doctor Niles announced his intention in 1882 of constructing a building which reportedly was to be used as a drug store.

Jesse Blair, pioneer businessman of Roseville, was instrumental in the establishment of three new businesses in 1883.

By 1886 the department had doubled in size and stood at 22 officers.

The year 1887 saw the reopening of Morgan’s skating rink on Atlantic Street, a short distance below Tom Phillips’ saloon and livery stable.

Not a single new building of any importance was constructed in 1888, nor was there any major construction reported in the files of the Herald or Union for the following year.

Meanwhile, the Rialto Livery Stable (1891) had been rented by James Way.

Herring, a farmer in the Roseville district since 1893, later became associated with William Sawtelle in the merchandising business.

Utilized principally as a saloon, the brick building was purchased from Catherine Fitzgerald (widow of J.M. Fitzgerald) by John Herring in February 1899.

Developments in policing since 1900: the United States exampleFederal and state policeEarly reform effortsThe professional crime-fighting modelThe crisis of policingDue process and individual rightsCommunity policingCompstat

In 1905, Blair and pioneer Roseville orchardist Lewis Leroy King Sr. opened what was perhaps the first formal real estate and insurance office in town.

He continued to operate the Bee Hive until 1906 when the railroad expansion forced Atlantic Street to be moved back 100 feet.

The affection Hill held for her home of so many years was reflected in a poem, “The Old Depot,” which she penned and published in the Roseville Register in March, 1907.

Although there was opposition from the railroad, public sentiment won out and Roseville became an incorporated city on April 2, 1909.

Many ideas on improving police services came about when J. M. Ray was first appointed as Chief of Police in 1910.

In 1914 Houston formed the first Civil Service Commission and the department revised the rules manual and published minimum standards for police officers.

The first female officer was hired in 1918 and, thus, began another era for the department.

In 1921 police officers formed a burial fund and struggled with poor pay and no retirement system, many officers serving into their senior years.

He operated in this blacksmith until 1923 when he sold the structure to A.E. Zonneyville and turned over the blacksmith shop business to Mr.

A history of our canines and their handlers, introduced in 1961.

In 1973 the thirty-acre parcel was purchased by the City and included within Maidu Regional Park.

Co-Founder of the Roseville Historical Society in 1983, Leonard "Duke" Davis provided invaluable contributions to our community.

In 1988, Roseville’s city council had adopted a 10 percent affordable housing goal.

After the 1995 flood, city leaders began an aggressive plan to prevent future flooding, which had plagued Roseville from its earliest days.

The railroad, which made a striking recovery after its takeover by Union Pacific in 1996, continued to expand operations.

The first phase of a projected revitalization program began in 1999 with funding for various downtown construction projects, including:

Completion of a major flood control project along Cirby, Linda and Dry creeks in 2000 took nearly 500 homes out of the floodplain.

Plans for an education center, long a Zents dream, became a reality when the Maidu Interpretive Center opened in 2001 offering exhibits, artifacts and tours for schools and the community.

Completion of the $120 million Pleasant Grove Wastewater Treatment Plant in October 2004 increased wastewater recycling capacities by 50 percent.

In January 2006, City Council voted approval of the Downtown Specific Plan—a blueprint for redeveloping and revitalizing the 160 acres encompassing the downtown Vernon Street and Historic Old Town areas.

Roseville’s first public parking garage built by the City, opened on October 30, 2007.

The Historic District Improvement Project was completed in May of 2008.

A new, larger Maidu Museum, with exhibits planned jointly by the local native community and City of Roseville staff, opened in 2010.

In 2012 the Roseville Historical Society celebrated the venerable 100-year-old building that houses the history of a wonderful city.

© 2014 Roseville Historical Society.