Compton Police Department
The Compton Police Department was the municipal law enforcement agency for the city of Compton, California until it was disbanded by the City Council in September 2000. The Compton City Council then contracted with the County of Los Angeles for law enforcement services provided by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
Since the dissolution of the department, there have been repeated unsuccessful efforts to re-establish a police force.
History
The City of Compton is a Los Angeles area middle-class suburban community and dubbed the Hub City because it is 11 miles from Los Angeles and as many miles from Long Beach Harbor. The city police was founded in 1888, when the city of Compton became incorporated. City of Compton police served the city of Compton and areas outside of its city limits such as the community of Willowbrook.Early law enforcement in Compton
Three days after the official date of incorporation of the city on May 14, 1888 at the first meeting of the Compton Board of Trustees, the board recognized the need for a local law enforcement agency. Asbury McComas, owner of a local livery stable, was named to the post. Two weeks later on May 28, the Board of Trustees established the first committee on police matters and set the City Marshal's salary at $100 annually.McComas was asked to resign over questions of license and dog tax fees in early 1889, however he was reappointed in 1892 after F.H. Carson was unable to qualify for the position.
C.W. Lyman replaced McComas and the Marshal's salary was raised to $15 per month plus 10 percent of the dog tax. An entry to the minutes of the board of trustees for July 22, 1889 shows that Marshal Lyman was paid $1.95 for "taking care of an intoxicated woman."
In 1890, G.F. Willits replaced Lyman as City Marshal. Sometime that same year, the Marshal and other elected officials agreed to donate four months' salary to make up a budget deficiency so that the city could purchase four fire hydrants.
1891 disbandment
In 1890 Compton voters decided to shed large portions of the city, dropping in size from approximately 600 acres to 80 acres. As a result of this dramatic decrease in size, there were only five registered voters living within the boundaries of Compton. With so few residents, the government was unable to support itself with enough people to occupy various positions, and the city quietly stagnated with limited or no local governance. This effectively ceased all policing activities by the city, with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department stepping in to fill the gap. Due to the lapse in governance between 1891 and 1906, records do not show when Marshal Willits left office. He most likely served until the LASD took over local police duties in 1891.By 1906, attorneys Emmett Wilson and E.T. Sherer filed suit to nullify the votes of 1890, and Compton was brought back to the 600 acre size it was at the time of incorporation.
1906 re-establishment
With the return of local government in late 1906, a slate of candidates for the Board of Trustees was voted in without opposition. H.J. Mayo, the candidate for City Marshal, served until sometime in 1907, when he was succeeded by Howard Peck. Peck was replaced sometime in 1906 by W.J. Davis, who served until 1911.1910s–1920s
On April 7, 1908, the Marshal's pay had been raised to include 1.5 percent of all taxes collected by him as ex officio City Tax Collector. On July 7, 1909, Marshal Davis was authorized to purchase two handbooks on street law. Effective June 7, 1910, the Marshal's salary was raised to $15 per month plus 10 percent of license money and 15 percent of dog tax money collected. On January 3, 1911, Davis asked to Board of Trustees for authority to hire motorcycle officers. Two weeks later, the request was granted. The officers were to be employed part-time for a 30-day period effective January 17. Their pay was set a 50 percent of all fines they collected, minus recorder's fees.Records show that L. J. Grout became City Marshal sometime in 1911 and resigned that same year. He was succeeded by J.W. Stone.
On February 21, 1911, the board voted to pay the officers $6 from each $10 fine and 50 percent of the gross of fines above $10. Apparently, this arrangement was viewed as being biased in favor of the officers because the city soon found itself in its first recorded contract negotiations with the motorcycle policemen. On April 14 that same year, an agreement was reached whereby the officers were to receive $6 from each $10 fine and $7.50 from each fine over $15 until further notice.
In 1916, A.E. Kenoyer became Marshal, replacing Stone, who had held office longer than anyone else up to that time. In 1920, Kenoyer was succeeded by Charles G. Davidson and in 1921, the Marshal was authorized to place a red light at the front of the police station, possibly to signal patrol officers to check the station for calls.
In June of that same year, the city's first salaried part-time motorcycle officer, Claude Bonta, was hired. He was paid $1 per hour and was to work not less than 20 hours per week. On March 7, 1922, Ray Hecock was hired as the first full-time salaried motorcycle officer. He was paid $175 per month. Hecock would later become a Captain in the department, and serve as acting chief of the department during the War of the Chiefs in March of 1936.
Effective July 17, 1923, the salary of the City Marshal was also set at $175 per month.
From Marshal to Chief of Police
John Oliver Burris, a city trustee, became Marshal in 1922 and served until February 27, 1923. The Board of Trustees then appointed Evert Albert West Police Chief and by minute motion gave him authority over all the city's police officers. This move by the Board effectively removed law enforcement from the political arena. Henceforth, police chiefs would be appointed, not elected as had been the case with City Marshals.1930s–1950s
West joined the Los Angeles Police Department as a patrolman in 1912. For seven years, he served as a traffic officer, plainclothesman and detective. After resigning and going into business, he returned to police work in 1924, joining the Compton, California, force. He became chief of the Compton Police Department and was involved in the "War of the Chiefs", along with his replacement, Thomas J. Potter. Both men claimed to be the legal chief of police between 1935 and 1936. West died in 1962.Potter served as Chief of Police for almost 19 years, dying of a heart attack in 1952 while in office. Under Potter, the department consisted of seventeen officers and was divided into three major activities: traffic regulation and control, criminal investigation and patrol. The majority of the force of the department was assigned to patrol activity. Two-way radio communication was expanded to include motor officers and fire equipment. A full-time radio technician maintained the equipment and built all new transmitters and receivers, and all radio equipment was in the process of being converted to ultra high frequency range for elimination of interference.
During the war period, the department worked without adequate manpower. The increase in the city's population during and shortly after the war required the police personnel to almost double in size in 1940. The increase in activity and number of personnel necessitated re-organization. These efforts culminated with the City Council announcing a plan for restricting the department. At that time, the force consisted of 39 officers and men equipped with ten motorcycles, six radio patrol cars and one three-wheel motorcycle.
Compton's sole female police officer, Lucille Stroh, helped the department create a juvenile division in 1952. This division was tasked with working with parents and "juvenile delinquents" to help "determine the cause behind the act and take corrective measures if needed".
1960s–1970s
William K. Ingram was chief from 1953 to 1973. Under his tenure, the Police Department was organized into six divisions: patrol, jail, detective, traffic division, records, and juvenile.Construction on a new station was started in 1962. This station included requirements for proper detention facilities for juveniles, as well as a pistol range, laboratory, photograph dark room, evidence and records vaults and classrooms. The structure cost approximately $750,000, and the lead architect was Marion J. Varner, noted for his civic and police building designs.