It was April 1945, the war in Europe was coming to a close,
the war against Japan was continuing with the recent invasions of Iwo Jima and
Okinawa. The thought was that the war against Japan could go into 1948 with the
invasion of the home islands and a cost of possibly a million lives.
The Dallas Police Department had experienced the loss of
many officers since December 7, 1941. At this last stage of the war, the hemorrhaging
of personnel was still going on.
On April 20, 1945 Chief J.M.Welch stated that the DPD was
facing the most critical manpower shortage in its history. There was another
blow on Thursday last when two other officers were called up for the draft. Apparently
the department tried unsuccessfully to obtain deferments for two key officers.
One was a dispatcher E.C.Duncan, the other was another radio dispatcher George
Doughty, who was to leave for the military the end of April.
The department’s manpower shortage, long serious, had
reached the critical stage when the City had annexed 25 additional square miles
since April 4, 1945. The department was 25 officers under pre-war quota. Chief
Welch said that 50 new officers are urgently needed because of the recent
annexations and the thousands of new residents attracted to Dallas because of
the war industries. He stated that the department could really use 100 new
officers but he thought that under current wartime conditions, this number was
unrealistic.
Chief Welch also stated that the DPD has experienced
difficulty in hiring new officers since the outbreak of the war due to salary
conditions. A Dallas officer’s salary in 1945 was $150.00 a month with a $20.00
war bonus for the duration.
This next story is kind of complicated for this Grove and
D.I.S.D. socially promoted boy, but here goes.
On April 3, 1945 apparently there was a movement on the part
of University Park Mayor A.L. Slaughter and Commissioner A.H. Meadows for the
police and fire departments to pay into the Dallas pension fund. Politicians
charged that University Park police had to oppose unification because they
feared losing their jobs if they took any other position. From this article, it
seems that the U.P. chief had coerced the officers not to vote for unification.
One day later, on April 4, 1945 DPD Chief Trammell wrote a
letter to the editor of the Dallas Morning News. It looks like Chief Trammell
was the one who had “coerced” U.P. officers not to vote favorably.
Chief Trammell wrote; “The charge against me by the News and
Mayor Slaughter and Commissioner Meadows is basely false and a reflection on my
honor and integrity. This is the first time in thirty years as a police officer
that my integrity and honor have ever been called in question. “
The response by Chief Welch went on to say that yes, he was
a resident of University Park and that he attended a meeting on March 27 with University
Park and Highland Park police and a few fireman. He stated that when the
meeting was called to order, he stood up, only as a resident of U.P. and said
that he was opposed to consolidation. The Chief also stated in the response
that he did not intend to change his position but that every officer present
was free to do and act as he saw fit and as his conscience dictated; that each
was the captain of his soul.
The chief went further stating that the Dallas Morning News
had done him a grave injustice, and in fairness to me I request a retraction by
it of this baseless charge of coercion as well as the publication of this
letter.
The DMN published the letter from Chief Welch. The
unification of Dallas’ pension fund with U.P. and H.P. never happened.
Another article in April, 1945 reported that the Dallas
Police Homicide unit was experiencing personnel shortages because of the war.
Chief of Detectives Will Fritz said that every man in the squad was hand-
picked. He stated that the prerequisites were courage, initiative, intelligence,
a good memory and perseverance.
The oldest Homicide detective was “pale-eyed” Elmo Gaddy, a
four year veteran in the bureau. Others were Jimmy Bohart, D.O. Climer, T.O.
Pope, H.C. Holloway and C.H.Baldwin, all on the squad a year or less. Observant
readers of this monthly piece will recognize H. C. Holloway as (later) a lieutenant
over the newly formed Tactical Section (now SWAT)in the late 1960’s.
The Homicide squad, being the “elite” of the department in
1945, had experienced its own personnel problems. Since the entry into World
War II, one homicide detective, J.T. Luther, was burned to death; two are in
the armed services and three left for better paying jobs in the private
sector.
Legendary Homicide Chief Will Fritz would only shrug his
shoulders possibly, and carry on.
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