From Beefeaters to speed cops in half a century - Montreal Policeman's lot was far from happy one in old days
Modern Force has changed attitude of people to one of friendliness
The Gazette 14 April 1951
Widely Diversified Responsibilities have replaced average man's job of patrolling beat, bringing in drunks
By Fern Labrosse
Often jeered, insulted and kicked in the ribs, the cop on the beat seldom won any popularity contest here at the turn of the century.
The fashion of the times - if a man wanted to impress his girlfriend and acquire neighborhood fame - was to walk up to a burly policeman, insult him, tear off his uniform and start punching.
Even children, who were frightened out of their wits at the sight of a gendarme, used to join in the act by sending a volley of snowballs or razzberries at the baton-wielding oficer.
"I can vouch for that, because I got nicked plenty of times when I joined the force in 1907," recalls Assistant Director Alfred Belanger, at 64 the oldest active member of the Montreal Police Department.
It was a far cry from today, when everyone looks up to the constable as his friend and protector, and when a group of idolizing youngsters crowd around the man in blue at every street corner.
Keeping pace with the complete change in the public's hostile attitude toward policemen within the past 50 years has been the steady streamlining process that has turned the force into an efficient, highly-trained, fully-equipped and widely-respected machine, waging constant war against crime and disorder.
To grasp fully, however, the real extent of the face-lifting job which the department has undergone since then, a close analysis of conditions existing here in 1900 is necessary.
Most noteworthy - and least known to many people - of the factors that contributed to a policeman's lot at the turn of the century was the public's mental attitude toward him.
"It was the fashion then to get drunk and resist police," said Asst. Dir. Belanger, his stalwart six-foot four frame a reminder of the burly cops of yore.
"You could get a 40 ounce bottle of gin for 85 cents at any grocery store and street fights were going on all the time. Not only with fists, mind you, but with clubs, knives and hammers.
"A man didn't come into his own until he had fought with police, and then he'd brag all over the neighborhood. In the downtown section of the city, which was more like a village compared to its size today, constables had to be well over six fet tall and for reason."
There was a widespread tendency - more prevalent among the lower class of people - to attack a constable in the act of arresting a drunk.
According to John Loye, 70-year-old Montrealer whose father - the late Capt. Frank Loye - founded th Police Amateur Athletic Association in 1896 the "beat" constables were bigger and taller then.
"They were corpulent specimens, big, powerful, fat men who were known far and wide as beef eaters," Mr. Loye said.
"I suppose the only explanation for the public's lack of sympathy toward the police stemmed from the fact that authority breeds resentment."
People gradually swung away from this antagonistic outlook, but not before many a constable had had his uniform torn off his back.
Records show that out of 7,977 arrests made in 1895, 69 were for resisting police, 18 for insulting police, 45 for interfering with police and six for tearing police uniforms.
Conditions began to improve a few years later with the introduction of the patrol signal and patrol wagon system. Prior to this, constables had to bring prisoners to the stations without any help, often dragging the lawbreakers for several blocks.
The public's changeover was a painfully slow process, however, and sheet iron kiosks had to be built over the signal boxes to prevent them being smashed to bits.
Meantime, representatives of law and order in Canada's metropolis were maintaining a sharp vigil over the growing city.
Instead of bank robberies, kidnappings, car thefts and frigidaire smuggling, they dealt with law infringements such as attempting to rescue prisoners, buying liquor on Sundays, coining bad money, drawing a loaded pistol exciting a crowd, furious driving, acting disorderly in a disorderly house, keeping a music saloon, selling putrid meat off the market, using threatening language. etc.
Under close watch by police at the time were shebeens - low drinking shops without the outward evidence accorded by the existence of a bar and, therefore, more difficult of detection. Police also made several arrests in efforts to stamp out the increasing crime of wife beating, which authorities aptly described as brual and cowardly."
In 1895 the force's full complement of 350 officers and men operated on a budget of less than $500,000.
Last month, the City Executive Committee approved 1951 budget estimates totalling $7,561,186 for the police department, which boasts personally of 7,858 - still 1,000 under the required number, according to Albert Langlois, MBC director since 1947.
By 1907, when Asst. Dir. Belanger joined the force, constables were earning $600 a yer, as against a minimum of salary of $1,750 for today's rookie cop.
"Life was indeed harder in the horse and buggy days," he said. "Our regular shifts were 10 hours in the day and 14 at night. After working the night shift, we often had to spend the day in court," since there was no liaison officer at the time.
"Strikes were a common occurrence, and during a stevedore walkout on the waterfront, I didn't have a chance to go home for nine straight days."
The grey-haired veteran couldn't help laughing aloud when he recalled the first time he was appointed to traffic duty- back in 1910 to direct the "quick" flow of hand-brake street cars and wagons at St. Catherine and St. Denis streets.
"Why, I remember when we lost drunkenness cases because the patrol wagons were so slow in answering our call. By the time the horses came around, the drunk had sobered up."
Traffic cops bought their own raincoats and rubber boots then. Today, a uniform for every occasion is given traffic policemen and if the latter has to spend a dollar on clothes, the department pays him back.
Police were not allowed to carry firearms at the turn of the century. It was only after two constables had been shot and severaly injured while trying to nab an armed thug that they were authorized to carry a gun - but from 6 pm to 6 am only.
Ten years later, every officer of the law had a gun in addition to this baton. Blackjacks secretly carried by men - against orders of the chief, naturally were discarded since the men could then meet armed thugs on an equal footing.
"Before getting our weapons we'd do our best to talk an armed man into giving himself up. Some of them came peacefully but.... " .. article to be continued.
Modern Force has changed attitude of people to one of friendliness
The Gazette 14 April 1951
Widely Diversified Responsibilities have replaced average man's job of patrolling beat, bringing in drunks
By Fern Labrosse
Often jeered, insulted and kicked in the ribs, the cop on the beat seldom won any popularity contest here at the turn of the century.
The fashion of the times - if a man wanted to impress his girlfriend and acquire neighborhood fame - was to walk up to a burly policeman, insult him, tear off his uniform and start punching.
Even children, who were frightened out of their wits at the sight of a gendarme, used to join in the act by sending a volley of snowballs or razzberries at the baton-wielding oficer.
"I can vouch for that, because I got nicked plenty of times when I joined the force in 1907," recalls Assistant Director Alfred Belanger, at 64 the oldest active member of the Montreal Police Department.
It was a far cry from today, when everyone looks up to the constable as his friend and protector, and when a group of idolizing youngsters crowd around the man in blue at every street corner.
Keeping pace with the complete change in the public's hostile attitude toward policemen within the past 50 years has been the steady streamlining process that has turned the force into an efficient, highly-trained, fully-equipped and widely-respected machine, waging constant war against crime and disorder.
To grasp fully, however, the real extent of the face-lifting job which the department has undergone since then, a close analysis of conditions existing here in 1900 is necessary.
Most noteworthy - and least known to many people - of the factors that contributed to a policeman's lot at the turn of the century was the public's mental attitude toward him.
"It was the fashion then to get drunk and resist police," said Asst. Dir. Belanger, his stalwart six-foot four frame a reminder of the burly cops of yore.
"You could get a 40 ounce bottle of gin for 85 cents at any grocery store and street fights were going on all the time. Not only with fists, mind you, but with clubs, knives and hammers.
"A man didn't come into his own until he had fought with police, and then he'd brag all over the neighborhood. In the downtown section of the city, which was more like a village compared to its size today, constables had to be well over six fet tall and for reason."
There was a widespread tendency - more prevalent among the lower class of people - to attack a constable in the act of arresting a drunk.
According to John Loye, 70-year-old Montrealer whose father - the late Capt. Frank Loye - founded th Police Amateur Athletic Association in 1896 the "beat" constables were bigger and taller then.
"They were corpulent specimens, big, powerful, fat men who were known far and wide as beef eaters," Mr. Loye said.
"I suppose the only explanation for the public's lack of sympathy toward the police stemmed from the fact that authority breeds resentment."
People gradually swung away from this antagonistic outlook, but not before many a constable had had his uniform torn off his back.
Records show that out of 7,977 arrests made in 1895, 69 were for resisting police, 18 for insulting police, 45 for interfering with police and six for tearing police uniforms.
Conditions began to improve a few years later with the introduction of the patrol signal and patrol wagon system. Prior to this, constables had to bring prisoners to the stations without any help, often dragging the lawbreakers for several blocks.
The public's changeover was a painfully slow process, however, and sheet iron kiosks had to be built over the signal boxes to prevent them being smashed to bits.
Meantime, representatives of law and order in Canada's metropolis were maintaining a sharp vigil over the growing city.
Instead of bank robberies, kidnappings, car thefts and frigidaire smuggling, they dealt with law infringements such as attempting to rescue prisoners, buying liquor on Sundays, coining bad money, drawing a loaded pistol exciting a crowd, furious driving, acting disorderly in a disorderly house, keeping a music saloon, selling putrid meat off the market, using threatening language. etc.
Under close watch by police at the time were shebeens - low drinking shops without the outward evidence accorded by the existence of a bar and, therefore, more difficult of detection. Police also made several arrests in efforts to stamp out the increasing crime of wife beating, which authorities aptly described as brual and cowardly."
In 1895 the force's full complement of 350 officers and men operated on a budget of less than $500,000.
Last month, the City Executive Committee approved 1951 budget estimates totalling $7,561,186 for the police department, which boasts personally of 7,858 - still 1,000 under the required number, according to Albert Langlois, MBC director since 1947.
By 1907, when Asst. Dir. Belanger joined the force, constables were earning $600 a yer, as against a minimum of salary of $1,750 for today's rookie cop.
"Life was indeed harder in the horse and buggy days," he said. "Our regular shifts were 10 hours in the day and 14 at night. After working the night shift, we often had to spend the day in court," since there was no liaison officer at the time.
"Strikes were a common occurrence, and during a stevedore walkout on the waterfront, I didn't have a chance to go home for nine straight days."
The grey-haired veteran couldn't help laughing aloud when he recalled the first time he was appointed to traffic duty- back in 1910 to direct the "quick" flow of hand-brake street cars and wagons at St. Catherine and St. Denis streets.
"Why, I remember when we lost drunkenness cases because the patrol wagons were so slow in answering our call. By the time the horses came around, the drunk had sobered up."
Traffic cops bought their own raincoats and rubber boots then. Today, a uniform for every occasion is given traffic policemen and if the latter has to spend a dollar on clothes, the department pays him back.
Police were not allowed to carry firearms at the turn of the century. It was only after two constables had been shot and severaly injured while trying to nab an armed thug that they were authorized to carry a gun - but from 6 pm to 6 am only.
Ten years later, every officer of the law had a gun in addition to this baton. Blackjacks secretly carried by men - against orders of the chief, naturally were discarded since the men could then meet armed thugs on an equal footing.
"Before getting our weapons we'd do our best to talk an armed man into giving himself up. Some of them came peacefully but.... " .. article to be continued.
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