MEETING MINUTES Wednesday, February 10, 2016 Thompson Community Center
PROGRAM SUMMARY
“The History of Appleton’s Police Chiefs”
CALL TO ORDER BY PRESIDENT TOM SUTTER
TOTAL ATTENDANCE: 56
OFFICERS AND BOARD MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE:
Tom Sutter, Christine Williams, James Richter, Laura Leimer, Mark Moderson, Brian Schneider, Gwen Sargeant, John Marx, Linda Muldoon, James Krueger, and Diana Sandberg.
REVIEW OF UPCOMING MEETINGS AND PROGRAMS:
Dairy Queen – Steve Liebzeit The Surley Surveyor – Rob Nurre
March 9
April 13
May 11
June 8
July 13
August 10 WHBY – Steve Bell
September 14 Rio Theater and Worlitzer organ – Tom McNeely
October 12 The Appleton Picture Show. Bring your own photos for show and tell! November9 HauntedAppleton–ChadLewis
Fox Valley Symphony – Janet and Tom Sutter Hidden Churches – Angie Knutson
Appleton War Memorials – Alex Schultz
APPLETON HISTORICAL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION:
AHS Officers:
A. President - Thomas Sutter
B. Vice President - Gwen Sargeant C. Secretary – James Richter
D. Treasurer – Laura Leimer
AHS Board of Directors:
A.Terms through November 2017:
1.Mark Moderson
2.John Marx
3.Laura Leimer
4.Diana Sandberg
B. Terms through November 2016:
1. Linda Muldoon
2. Jim Krueger
3. Gwen Sargeant
4. Brian Schneider
C Terms through November 2018:
1. Tom Sutter
2. Christine Williams
3. JamesRichter
Committee Chairs for the organization are as follows:
A. Mark and Karen Moderson, Principal Organizers
B. Brian Schneider, Technical Resources
C. David Buss and Diana Sandberg, Research Specialists D. Gwen Sargeant, Public Relations and Web Page
E. Christine Williams, Monthly Programs
F. Gwen Sargeant, Publications
Upcoming Special Events
March 5 9-12:30 History Fair at the Indoor Farmer’s Market, City Center Plaza August 21 2pm - Riverside Cemetery Walk, “Pioneer Appleton Residents” December 3 9-12:30 History Fair at the Indoor Farmer’s Market, City Center Plaza
PRESIDENT SUTTER ANNOUNCEMENTS:
A. Introduced Officers and Board Members.
B. Thanks to the Post Crescent for it’s announcement of tonight’s meeting and all of it’s
support.
C. Gave a further report on the planned closing of our monthly meeting place, the
Thompson Community Center. Lutheran Social Services, owner of the building, no longer can continue to operate at a loss to provide this community facility. As a result, they plan to close the facility effective March 31st. Our AHS Board of Directors has studied a list of potential new sites for our meetings, and decided upon St. Bernadette’s
School Building located on Lourdes Drive on Appleton’s south side. We will host our first meeting there on April 13th..
D. Sales of our book Images of America-Appleton continue to go well. Books are available
at the registration table.
E. Thanks to Kraig Kasten and his son for January’s program “On Appleton’s Historic Railroads”.
F. Also extended thanks to David Juransen for his donation and exhibit in the rear of today’s meeting.
G. Sutter encouraged us all to take in the historical exhibits at Lawrence University on Saturday March 12th..
H. He also gave a report on next year’s monthly programs and special events.
I. Sutter urged members to renew their memberships as soon as possible
J. The door prize of a Box of Russell Stover Candies was won by David Juransen.
AHS 12th History Fair Final Preparations Underway:
Jim Richter, Co-Chairman, of the AHS History Fair reported that planning continues for our 12th History Fair, which will be held on March 5, 2016. He and Co-Chair Mark Moderson have arranged a wide variety of historical exhibits. The focus of this event will be on “Historic Appleton’s Financial Institutions”. Displays will include exhibits on Banks, Credit Unions, and Savings and Loans.
He urged the audience all to attend.
PROGRAM : “The History of Appleton’s Police Chiefs”
Presenters: Program introduced by Retired Police Sargeant and AHS Board Member Mark Moderson.
Speaker’s Background: Arne Nettekoven was born on his parent's farm at Black Creek WI in 1934. He went to high school at Seymour High and served from 1952-1955 in the US
Marine Corps. Arne joined the Appleton Police Department in 1960. He walked the beat from 1960-1966 and served as the traffic squad officer until 1970. Arne was named a detective in 1970 and Detective Sergeant in 1978 and worked until retirement in 1990. Arne is the volunteer historian for the Appleton Police Department. He curates an Appleton Police Department museum and collection located in the lower level of the Appleton Police Department.
The Program:
Nettekoven said he was pleased to be back before the Appleton Historical Society. He was our program a few years ago when we met at the Atlas Coffee mill. At that time he covered general Appleton Police Department history and gave an overview of their History Museum at the Police Station.
For this program he has put together an overview of exemplary Police Chiefs who have served the Department over it’s long history.
1. Certainly the most noteworthy of all Chiefs was George T. Prim. He was born in Tennessee in 1865. In April of 1888 he was hired by the Chicago Police Department,. He was exceptional in that role too. In 1983 as a Sargeant he was in charge of the Chicago PD Mounted Police Platoon charged with handling traffic for the Chicago World’s Fair that year. He retired from Chicago as a Lieutenant in 1913, after serving for 25 years.
On May 24, 1913, Prim appeared before the Police Commission regarding the Chief of Police Job in Appleton. He was finally hired as Chief of the Appleton Police Department on July 6, 1917. There he had another long career of 24 years until he retired in April 1941. He lived to be 87 and died in October 1952. Once on board he quickly started bringing the Appleton Police Department up to date with training and equipment.
On July 28, 1917, the Appleton newspaper reported that Chief Prim was introducing many new innovations in the Department, all of which were touted as beneficial in nature. Although Prim had only been head of the Department for a couple of weeks, wonderful changes had been made, bringing the system out of chaos. All of the men are said to be very pleased with Prim.
By the end of July Prim had officers in training by having them receive lectures from Attorneys from both the DA’s and other local attorneys. He arranged for classes given by judges and F.B.I. agents on laws and other police procedures. He even made arrangements with the Army at the local armory for revolver practice for all officers. In 1931 when the Department received shotguns and a Thompson submachine gun additional training was given.
A few innovations that occurred because of Prim:
1. In Prim’s early years, officers worked 12 hours a day and seven days a week.
2. In 1918 received new uniforms for officers.
3. In 1921 Prim made arrangements with Chicago Police to receive copies of their daily
Bulletin.
4. In 1922 the Department got a 7 passenger Cadillac and a Harley Davidson
motorcycle.
5. In 1927 a Call Box system was put into use.
6. In 1931 a small Ford Roadster Prowler car was acquired. Two officers operated the
car from 9:00 p.m. to 6 a.m.
7. In 1933 Prim worked to get radios for all policemen.
In December of 1926 APD officers were wearing a badge/shield. Prim went to the City and requested money to buy Stars for all officers. He stressed that the Star, and not the Shield, is the official insignia of a Police Officer.
In 1927 Prim started an Identification Bureau in the Department and put Sargeant James Moore in charge. From then on all arrested persons were fingerprinted and had their picture taken. That original camera is on display in their museum.
Prim not only did a great deal for the Appleton Police Department, but also law enforcement as a whole. In 1925 Chief Prim, as President of the Wisconsin Police Chiefs Association helped get a state law to provide a pension for all retired police officers.
Prim was known for his love of horses and always rode one in City parades. Apparently didn’t own one, but borrowed one for these events.
After he retired in April of 1941, Prim lived in an apartment at St. Elizabeth hospital. Until he died he would spend his time visiting the sick, including spending many hours in the Children’s Ward visiting with the kids.
2. William R. Bloomer was hired as Chief in March of 1909, and stayed with the department until January of 1912, when he resigned. After leaving the department, he was the owner of the Log Cabin Tavern, 8 miles north of Appleton on Highway 47. In 1933 Bloomer was murdered-shot and killed-during a robbery of his place. Even though this took place outside of Appleton, Chief Prim and his detectives went out to investigate the murder. Prim never let this case go, and they finally successfully arrested two youths, ages 18 and 19, in September of 1935. The 19 year old was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. The other was sent to an industrial school for boys until he reached 21.
3.Fred W. Hoefer, was another unique Appleton policeman having served as not only a police officer, city Marshal, and county Sheriff. His life proceeded as follows:
A. Joined the Army during the Civil War at the age of 16.
B. Police Officer –April 1877 to January 1882, 5 1⁄2 years.
C. City Marshal – January 1882 to January 1885, 3 years.
D. County Sheriff – January 1885 to January 1887, 2 years.
E. Police Officer – April 1887 to April 1890, 3 years.
F. City Marshal – April 1890 to February 1913. 23 years.
G. Died in Office on February 28, 1913 at the age of 66.
4. The Golden Family made it’s name in the Midwest. Consisting of five brothers, most served in Law Enforcement:
A. Luke was a Lieutenant on the Chicago Police Department, and only lived a short time. He passed away at age 44 in March of 1902.
B. Mike was a Steamboat Captain.
C. Thomas resided in Oshkosh.
C. Martin resided in Oconto.
D. Jim who served in several police roles in the Appleton area, had noteworthy son’s of his own-Tom was a Lieutenant with the Chicago Fire Department, and John was a Chicago Doctor.
Those that served Appleton:
A. Pat Golden was an Appleton Police Officer. Hired in April of 1870, he died in office at the age of 39 in April of 1875.
B. Jim Golden served as a Marshal, Appleton Chief of Police and Outagamie Sheriff over his long career:
1. Served as a Marshal from April 1870 to January 1882.
2. Was an Undersheriff from January 1882 to January 1883.
3. Was Sheriff January 1883 to January 1885.
4. WasaMarshalfromJanuary1885toJanuary1887.
5. Served as Sheriff from January 1887 to January 1889.
6. Passed away in November of 1889 at the age of 41.
Golden family facts:
A. In June of 1913 Tom Golden’s wife was very sick and Dr. John Golden felt she may die so he drove to the fire station to get his Brother Tom so Tom could be with his wife. On the way home from the fire station John’s car was hit by a streetcar which caused it to turn over throwing both Tom and John on to the street. A horse and buggy was going by at the time and that horse reared up and when he came down one of his hoofs hit Tom in the head killing him.
RECOGNITION OF APPLETON’S POLICE DEPARTMENT AND ITS LEADERS, the May 8, 1932, edition of the Milwaukee Sentinel published this article:
“One important reason for Wisconsin’s reputation for freedom from crime is the number of efficient and highly trained police chiefs found in the smaller cities of the state. Many of these chiefs were trained on Metropolitan police forces on which they served until retirement age. Then they were sought by Wisconsin communities to which they took the knowledge they had acquired in their years of experience. You could talk to George T. Prim of Appleton for a long time without learning that this tall, white bearded, man with the gentle air of a retired college professor is Appleton’s Chief of Police. He is one of several high class Chiefs of Police in Wisconsin. who have done an able job without seeking or thinking that they are entitled to special credit.
Unusual Facts about the Appleton Police Department:
A. It’s often been believed that Appleton had a “Sunset Law”. Research has proven that there never was such a law prohibiting blacks from staying overnight in Appleton.
B. There is a difference between “tramps” and “hobos” and how Appleton handled them:
1. Tramps were ordered out of town immediately.
2. Hobos were people who came to Appleton looking for a job. When detected they were housed overnight at the Police Department, given a meal, and sent on their way the next morning to a work farm.
C. Appleton had a Patrol Wagon, whose officer/driver lived at Fire Station #1. Before the Wagon officers would borrow wheelbarrows from residences and haul drunks to the Police Station in them. At that time the Police Station was at 100 N. Appleton Street.
PRESIDENT SUTTER CLOSING REMARKS:
Thanks to all of you for making the Appleton Historical Society a great success.
Respectfully, James L. Richter AHS Secretary, 2/25/16