Notable Events in History
In 1881, the Philadelphia Police Department hired its first African-American police officer.
In 1887, the police department was put under control of the city's Department of Public Safety. Two years later, the PPD inaugurated its mounted patrol (which was disbanded in 2004).
In 1906, the motorcycle was introduced to the Philadelphia police.
In 1939, radio-installed patrol cars were put into use.
In 1964, a race riot breaks out in North Philadelphia calling every police officer in the city to duty.
In 1970, a well publicized raid of the Black Panther Party occurs.
In 1979, the department reached its peak size at approximately 8,500 officers.
In 1981, Officer Daniel Faulkner was shot while performing a traffic stop. Former Black Panther Mumia Abu-Jamal (né Wesley Cook), was convicted of Officer Faulkner's murder. The incident, subsequent trial and conviction of Jamal remains a topic of controversy in the United States and around the world.
In 1987, the Philadelphia Police Department arrested Gary Heidnik, serial murderer who kidnapped, tortured and raped six women and kept them prisoner in his Philadelphia, Pennsylvania basement.
In 2001, Ira Samuel Einhorn, a.k.a. "The Unicorn Killer" (born May 15, 1940), is a former American activist of the 1960s and 1970s was extradited back to Philadelphia to stand trial for 1977 murder of Holly Maddux. Philadelphia Police Department investigated the Maddux homicide and charged Einhorn with first degree murder. Einhorn in 1981 fled to Europe to avoid his trial.
In November 2011 retired Philadelphia police Captain Ray Lewis participated in the Occupy Wall Street protests in New York city while wearing his police uniform. He was arrested for disobeying police orders to not block traffic and charged with civil disobedience.
In just over a year spanning from October 2007 to February 2009, six Philadelphia Police officers were killed in the line of duty while pursuing suspects in various crimes. Those lost were Officer Charles Cassidy, Sergeant Stephen Liczbinski, Officer Isabel Nazario, Officer Patrick McDonald, who was posthumously promoted to Sergeant, Sergeant Timothy Simpson, and Officer John Pawlowski.
Read more about this topic: Philadelphia Police Department
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“Jesus Christ belonged to the true race of the prophets. He saw with an open eye the mystery of the soul. Drawn by its severe harmony, ravished with its beauty, he lived in it, and had his being there. Alone in all history he estimated the greatness of man.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)