Stories from the History of Nashua’s Police and Fire-Rescue Departments.
1940 – Nashua’s population is 32,900
December 24, 1940 – An article in the Nashua Telegraph announced “new service type revolvers” for the police department have arrived and will soon be issued to officers. The guns are .38 caliber “magnum” and “heavier than the existing firearms.”
July 11, 1941 – The Nashua Police department, yesterday, tested its emergency radio-telephone hook-up with its police cars. In the event of an emergency, the police department is now able to make immediate contact with its cruisers via regular telephone. To test the system. Police Commissioner Warren called Police Chief Stearns from a Boston office building. The chief was out in the field in one of the cruisers. The connection between the two was instantly made. The commissioner and chief conversed as if they were across the street from one another, not 60 miles away
September 12, 1941 – The Nashua Police Relief Association is founded. As stated in their Constitution, “The object of this Association shall be to afford aid and relief to the sick and help defray expenses of deceased members.” Ralph Stearns was elected the first president of the Association. To raise money in addition to membership dues, the Association decided to put on a vaudeville show every fall, open to the public, the profits of which would go into the treasury.
December 7, 1941 – Japan attacks Pearl Harbor prompting the U.S. to enter WWII.
1942: Automobile accidents, as well as most crimes were down considerably, due to the war. Driving was greatly curtailed as gasoline and rubber tires were rationed.
1942 – An ordinance is passed in Nashua ordering a “black-out” status of all lights within the city at night when ordered by a “duly authorized person” for the purpose of hiding the city from any potential enemy bombers.
1942 – Nashua mills begin turning out textiles for the U.S. military including uniforms, blankets, sheets, gloves and other items. Sales rose in the millions of dollars. Nashua’s economy is moving again.
Excerpts from the Annual Report of Mayor Lemay / Published in 1944 for FY 1943
- In his annual report, and with WWII still raging in Europe and in the Pacific, Mayor Lemay is already talking about what Nashua will do after the war to ensure that every Nashua citizen who served overseas would have a job to come home to. He also addressed some projects that he wanted to see accomplished after the war, especially since they would be funded with federal and state funds. These would be a “highway that will by-pass the city,” extending the airport, widening Main St. at the “bottle-neck”, and replacing antiquated sewers.
Excerpts from the Annual City Report / Published in 1944 for FY 1943
- For the second year in a row, the Nashua airport has been used exclusively by the U.S. Army Air Corps for training purposes. All the mechanics and pilots operating at the field have been investigated and deputized by the Nashua Police Commission.
Author’s Note: This is the first year that the Nashua PD’s Inspector’s (detectives) Department was recognized as a separate department. The figures show the number of cases that were given to the Inspectors and the number of cases “cleared”; meaning those cases that reached some sort of resolution, preferably an arrest and conviction.
NPD Inspector’s Department
- Number of complaints received – 193
- Number of complains cleared – 83
- Percent of complaints cleared – 43%
- Value of property reported stolen – $6,352.42
- Value of property recovered and returned – $3,774.06
October 24, 1944 – The City of Nashua Land and Buildings Committee enter into a lease agreement with the James E. Coffey Post No. 3 of the American Legion whereby the “Old Police Station’ located on Court St. including the main building, attached garage structure, and the land thereon is leased to the Coffey Post for the price of $1 per year for term of 30 years. The lease is to commence on November 1, 1944.
March 1945 – The Nashua Police Dept., Police Commission, and labor leaders, at the State House in Concord, all push for a new one-day-off-in-six work schedule for police officers.
1946: For the first time in its history, the Nashua Police Department breaks the $100,000 budget mark with an appropriation of $116,912.96 and expenses of $116,887.84. It took 66 years, from 1853 to 1919 to break the $50,000 dollar mark and only 27 years to double that amount.
Author’s Note: It would appear that this is the first time the term “Bureau” is used to denote a sub-division of the police department. Prior to this time, all personnel seemed to be treated as one entity. As the department grew in size and complexity, there would be more need for sub-divisions.
1946 Salaries: Police Chief – $4,223.96 per annum / Deputy Chief – $3,016.00 per annum / Captain – $2,912.00 per annum / Chief Inspector – $2,912.00 / Lieutenant – $2,808.00 / Sergeant – $7.29 per diem / Inspector – $7.29 per diem / Patrolmen – $6.86 per diem / Special Officers – $6.14 and $5.79 per diem / Commissioner Clerk – $150 per annum / Commissioner Other – $100 per annum Author’s Note: $4,223 in 1946 is worth about $63,000 in 2022.
November 13, 1946 – A resolution is passed by the city aldermen to begin using parking meters at certain streets. Any surplus money made by the meters, after meter expenses have been satisfied, will go into the city’s treasury and marked for traffic regulation use. It is the duty of the Nashua Police Dept. to “supervise, control and maintain” the meters and keep them in workable condition. A little later, the very first parking meter fines were paid by 316 hapless motorists. Parking meter fines would eventually become an income in the thousands of dollars each year for the city. For example, in 1947, the first full year of operation, 3,454 people paid a parking fine of $1.
Reach Ledoux via email: [email protected]
Excerpted from “Nashua’s Finest: The History of Law Enforcement in Nashua NH”