website watertownhistory.org
ebook History of Watertown, Wisconsin
Chapter
on Watertown Police Department
Watertown Auxiliary Police
Established in 1942
CITY HAS
OLDEST POLICE RESERVE GROUP
06 28 WATERTOWN
POLICE RESERVE [WATERTOWN AUXILIARY POLICE]
Watertown has the oldest police auxiliary group in the state. The Watertown Police Reserve, originally
known as the Watertown Auxiliary Police group, has been ongoing consecutively
from 1942. The Milwaukee Police
Auxiliary is the next oldest organization, having been formed after World War
II. The American Legion was founded in
1919 and since there was no group to give the veterans of World War I military
honors, a firing squad was started to provide the duty. The squad was composed of members that could
easily get away from work for funerals.
The Watertown Auxiliary
Police force, not to be confused with the Watertown Special Police, was formed
in 1942 as a Civil Defense Corps during World War II under the direction of a
County Defense Chairman. The primary
function of the organization at that time was to assist residents in the event
of an attack by a foreign country.
Upon conclusion of
World War II, then Police Chief Theodore Voigt asked the group to become an
Auxiliary Police squadron. The group
became the Watertown Auxiliary Police and have been assisting sworn officers at
special events and major incidents demanding prolonged law enforcement services
ever since. They helped
in Watertown and also went to other cities when special help was needed.
After World War II, a
county U.S. Civil Defense Corps of the Office of Defense was formed. Twenty-five members of the Legion firing
squad was the nucleus of the corps. The
training session included a 40 hour first aid course conducted by regular
physicians with the help of several brothers of Sacred
Heart Academy. It was an extensive
course including knowledge of the name and function of every bone in the body..
Defense Chairman
Don Smith awarded certificates for completing the course and the group was
known as auxiliary police. They were
given authority and designated as special deputies by the sheriff. They were to work in any place in Jefferson
County, not just in Watertown. Their
uniform was a badge and a white helmet.
Blackouts were the main function of the group.
1957
-- -- BILL
CONNOR JOINED AUXILIARY POLICE FORCE
Bill Connor
joined the Watertown Auxiliary Police force in 1957, serving 52 years, the last
30 as captain. Then Chief Charles McGee
presented Bill with the Watertown Police Department Exemplary Service Award for
50 years of selfless and dedicated service to the citizens of Watertown and the
Watertown Police Department, and on retirement received a plaque at Riverfest
from Chief Tim Roets on Aug. 9, 2009.
1960
Picture
taken Sept. 04, 1960. Police Department
Photo
Members
of the Watertown Auxiliary Police who were on duty at Riverside Park during the
Labor Day celebration, lined up for the first picture ever taken of the group,
near the park bandshell.
Back,
left to right: Sam Friedman, Paul
Gehrke, Everett Talladge, Angelo Torres, Rosco
Conklin, Joseph Swartz, Frank Sazama, Melvin Lange, Lester Else and Chief of
Police Herbert F. Vehlow.
Front,
left to right: Thomas Armstrong, William
Conner, Donald Lenius, James Loukota, Wallace Fischer, Max Noffz, Herman Gerth,
Henry Schaller, C. A. Wallman.
1969
06 19 AUXILIARY POLICE TO COMPLETE SWIM
COURSE
Twelve members of the Watertown
Auxiliary Police Force will finish a special swimming course at the Town and
Country YMCA in Oconomowoc this evening.
The 10-week course was designed
to prepare the participants for working on the new police boat which will
patrol Rock River this summer.
The course has been interesting and
challenging for the group since the enrollees included beginners, those needing
a refresher course and some who were ready for life saving. Those who participated did so at their own
expense.
Participants were Melvin Stenzel, W. T.
Connor, Lester Else, Milton Wagoner, Merlin Holtz, Wendell Wilson, Clifford
Schuett, Ronald Free, Thomas Borbee.
Not pictured: Bob Zimmerman,
Dennis Niehoff and Wallace Fischer.
06 26 FIRST AID STATION FOR THE FOURTH
OF JULY
At a meeting of the Watertown
Auxiliary Police held Thursday evening in the squad room of the municipal
building it was decided that a first aid station would be provided during the Fourth of July celebration. The station will be located in the upper
pavilion at Riverside Park and will be manned by auxiliary police members. Anyone interested in joining the force may do
so by contacting any of the following officers: Wendell Wilson, president; W.
T. Connor, vice president; Merlin Holtz, secretary; Milton Wagoner, treasurer,
or Captain James Meyer.
11 19 FIRST AID COURSE COMPLETED
First aid badges were presented
to members of the Watertown Auxiliary Police Department who completed the Red
Cross first aid course.
Capt.
James Meyer, Milton Wagoner, Melvin Lange, Mel Stenzel, Lyle Borth, and Sgt.
William Connor, Sgt. Arnold Karberg, Paul Gehrke, Robert Osterndorf,
and Dave Behling.
1970
08 12 THREE AUXILIARY POLICEMEN
RECEIVED PROMOTIONS
Wendell Wilson, David Behling,
Milton Wagoner, Merlin Holtz and James Meyer.
Meyer, who is captain, promoted Holtz to lieutenant and Wagoner and
Behling to sergeants.
1971
01 25 LESTER KRAUSE RECOGNIZED
Lester Krause receives a
certificate of appreciation from Don Lenius, president of the Watertown
Auxiliary Police. Krause became an
inactive member of the auxiliary.
01 28 CONNOR PRESIDENT OF THE
WATERTOWN AUXILIARY
William T. Connor was installed
as the 1971 president of the Watertown Auxiliary. Other officers installed were: Wallace
Fischer, vice president, Merlin Holtz, secretary, and Milton Wagoner,
treasurer. VDavid
Behling and Tom Borbe serve as the board of
directors. Police Chief M. K. Mann is a
permanent member of the board.
1978
01 26 FIRST WOMEN TO JOIN POLICE
RESERVE
Caroline Fischer (Wallace) and Barbara Locke (William) were the first
women to join the Watertown Police Reserve, undergoing a six month period of
training, including weapons training.
Pictured with Chief Donovan
1987
08 04 15 MEMBERS
OF THE WATERTOWN POLICE AUXILIARY
Police Reserve in need of new members.
Pictured are (back row, left):
Don Kurtz, Melvin Lange, Tom Schwefel, Matt Miller, Mark Miller, Steve Sukow
and Daniel Voigt. Front row (from left): Doug Clemmans,
Sgt. Tom Ebert, Captain William Connor, Lt. Cliff Schuett, Stan Sukow and Dan
Adams. Not pictured are Jerry Post and Delano Wegner.
Currently, the Watertown Police
Reserve has 15 members, who are certified in Red Cross CPR and first aid. They provide service for parades, functions
at Riverside Park and Turner Hall, and evenings at the outdoor pool.
They also handle events at
Watertown High School and Riverside Junior High, as well as health fairs and
other events. The group holds monthly
meetings and training sessions. It is
under the direction of Police Chief Richard Reynolds and liaison officer
Inspector Larry Sukow.
The group's origins stem from post World War I days, when a firing squad was formed to
give the veterans of the war proper honors.
It was originally comprised of men who could easily get away from their
work to attend funerals for the war dead.
During World War II, a county
civil defense corps of the Office of Defense was formed, with 25 members of the
legion firing squad forming the nucleus.
Defense Chairman Don Smith awarded certificates to all those completing
an extensive training course, and the group was known as the auxiliary police.
At the end of the war, Watertown
Police Chief Voigt asked the group to become an auxiliary police squadron, and
they were named the Watertown Auxiliary Police.
1997
04 17 12 MEMBERS
OF THE WATERTOWN POLICE AUXILIARY
Watertown
Auxiliary Police members in 1997 were (from left) Secretary Susan Jarmillo, Don
Kurtz, Vice President David Evans, Dan Zindars, President Doug Clemmons, James
Leslie, Louise Schlender, Kristine Schuett, Rebecca Freson, and Captain William
Connor. Kurtz and Leslie are on the board of directors. Not pictured are Aaron
David and Gary Lehman.
Currently,
the Watertown Auxiliary Police has 12 members, who provide service for parades
and functions at Riverside Park and Turner Hall. They also are present for
events including football, wrestling, baseball, basket-ball, track, volleyball
and dances at Watertown High School and Riverside Middle School. They assist at
other events as well, such as health fairs and expos.
The group
meets once each month for a meeting and training session. All members are
certified in Red Cross cardiopulmonary resuscitation and first aid.
At the
present time, the group is under the direction of Watertown Police Chief
Charles McGee. The liaison officer is
Inspector Larry Sukow.
William
Connor serves as captain of the auxiliary.
He has 40 years of service, the longest of any current member.
Other
members include Don Kurtz, 30 years; Doug Clemmons, 17 years; James Leslie, six
years; Gary Lehman, three years; Aaron David, two years; Susan Jaramillo, two years; David Evans, two
years; Rebecca Freson, one year; Louise Schlender, 10 months; Dan Zindars, six
months; and Kristine Schuett, two months.
1997
Plaque presented to Capt. Bill Connor
In appreciation for 40 years of
dedicated service to the Watertown Auxiliary Police, 1957-1997
2000
06 28 12 MEMBERS
OF THE WATERTOWN POLICE AUXILIARY
Back row [l-r], Dan Zindars, Aaron
Albrecht, Ryan Peterson, Matthew Petrie and Tim Steinbach.
Front row [l-r], Doug Clemmons,
Justin Berth, Mary Connor, Theresa Kluewer, Don Kurtz and Bill Connor. Not pictured is Mary Sell.
The Watertown Auxiliary Police
provides service for parades, functions at Riverside Park, Turner Hall,
Watertown High School, Riverside Middle School functions such as football,
wrestling, baseball, basket-ball, track and dances. They also work for such events as health
fairs and expositions.
The group meets once a month for
a meeting and training session.
The group is under the direction
of Police Chief Charles McGee and liaison officer Sgt. Leon Ruder. William
Connor serves as captain.
Officers of the group are
President Dan Zindars, Vice President Ryan Peterson, Secretary/Treasurer Mary
Connor, and trustees Doug Clemmons and Don Kurtz.
Members include, Capt. Bill
Connor, 43 years; Don Kurtz, 33 years; Doug Clemmons, 19 years; Dan Zindars,
three years; Mary Connor, three years; Theresa Kluewer, two years; Ryan
Peterson, two years; Mary Sell, one year; Aaron Albrecht, nine months; Justin
Berth, nine months; Matthew Petrie, three months and Timothy Steinbach, three
months.
2000
06 17 VANDALS AT WATERTOWN PARKS
The city is shelving for this
year the idea of hiring an auxiliary police patrol to keep a lookout for
vandals at Watertown parks. “It is not
going to happen. There is no money
budgeted for it this year,” said Park and Recreation Director John Steber. But the patrol could become a reality in
2001. “We will review with the police
department what measures can be taken and addressed in the 2001 budget about
possibly providing park security next year,” Steber said this week. WDT
2003
05 13 DIMINISHING NUMBERS
The number of Watertown Police
Department Auxiliary members has diminished in recent years but the Watertown
Police Department hopes to increase the force from its current low. “At one time, we used to have about 30 in the
auxiliary, but now we have only eight,” noted Capt. William “Bill” Connor,
longtime member of the organization where he serves as crew scheduler. He is the longest serving member of the
auxiliary, with 46 years in uniform.
Connor, 70, and other members of the auxiliary are being asked to do
more with less resources as the city grows and members dwindle. “It works better if we can rotate for
events,” he said. WDT
2009
08 14 CAPT. BILL CONNOR HONORED
Watertown Police Auxiliary Capt.
Bill Connor was honored Sunday night at the conclusion of this year’s Riverfest
celebration at Riverside Park. Bill has
served on the auxiliary force for 52 years.
In 1957, Bill joined the Watertown Police Auxiliary, assisting at
parades, sporting events and Riverfest since its inception in 1986, according
to Riverfest Chairman Tom Schultz.
“Bill’s community service extends far beyond the police auxiliary,”
Schultz noted. “He remains active with
the Watertown Elks, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 3709, American Legion,
the Turner Society and is an honorary member of the Marine Corps League. “There is not a person out here who does not
know Bill,” Schultz said from the band stage prior to announcing the raffle
winners. WDT
2012 CITIZEN POLICE ACADEMY; meets monthly from September to June
L-R: Dan Biernacki, John Kaliebe, Pam Capin, Bruce
Christian, Lynn Grulke, Dawn Justmann, Linda Bargo and Marie Biernacki.
2019
05 13 PROGRAM BROCHURE
History of Watertown,
Wisconsin