Mobile Police Department History
The forerunner of the twentieth century chief commenced business on March 3, 1825, during the mayoralty of S.H. Garrow. It was at this time that the position of City Marshall was created. One of the duties of the City Marshall was the inspection of all cooking and heating stoves and chimneys, as a safeguard against fire.
By 1839 there were three City Marshals. They were Thaddeus Seymour, James Leonard, and Charles Wilkins. It was apparently a quiet year except for a great fire and the activities of the Copeland Gang.
By 1850 the city had grown to the point that it required more police protection. In 1850 there were thirty men and three ranking officers on the police force. In 1856 Stephen A. Charpentier was elected Chief of Police. Chief Charpentier was the first head of the police force that was referred to as Chief. In the previous years the head man had been referred to as Captain of Police. This was apparently a holdover from the old Captain of the Watch system.
Chief Charpentier served as Chief from 1856 to 1861 when the Civil War broke out. During the years of the War, Robert Chamberlin and D. S. Sedberry served as Chiefs. At the end of hostilities, Stephen Charpentier returned to once again become Chief of Police.
In the early part of 1867, W. W. Turner became the Chief and was displaced by General Charles Dimon, a Union officer who was placed in charge of the police force. General Dimon remained as the Chief until 1870 when M.D. Wickersham was elected chief.
