The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-01-10
Orchids To The Finest!
Days of Major Bannon, Chief Egan Recalled by "Out Easter"- Rugged Fists", Nightsticks Com pelled Respect for Law in Former Years.

name only, after we had made in- qiiiry as to his just who he was. We watched him nightly during his period as patrolman of the theatrical district, and we ad- mired him greatly. His Swagger walk, the neatness of dress, and his fine military appearance at once reminded Us of the great Major Bannon, probably the most up to date military parsonage ever to grace the uniform of the Waterbury Police Department. The Major was civil war vet- eran, a west pointer, Q student Of military procedure, and always the officer selected in the old days to head every platoon that was assigned to parade. So much does young Green resemble him that for the time being at least we still seem to think we see the Major in uniform. Oh, what a kind and gentle man was Major Bannon. They say Harold is an Out Easter, If that be so, more power to him. We love Out East people.
 At the desk most of the time, the Major was attractively attired in the full regulation of blue, knew just how to handle Situa- ton, was most sympathetic and considerate, gave due considera- ton to every angle of any case presented to him.
 Resistance Out!
 "Of course a drunken man will resist" he used to say to some of the patrolmen; that Is natural, you show no signs of being abused and for this reason that charge IS out. We have made arrests, and we had to use our fists upon many occasions, but we have never filed a resistance charge against the accused. In nine out of ten times, the man In his sober senses, will apologize for his abuseness. But that is something we must take for the time being, so long as we remain officers of the police de- partment."
 Tn the old days, of course, there was no motor patrol, there was a horse drawn patrol wagon, which used to Hug" prisoners to police headquarters. The beats were long, and lonely. The old night stick, the official weapon of authority for a policeman, was always held with such e grip as to be, in readiness for any and all occasions. Patrolmen found without "the stick" during their tour of duty were remanded be- fore the committee on men and discipline.
 That stick warned Chief Egan once to a squad of men," signi- fies authority in itself; never dis. card 1t for Q moment, and always have 1t without when I see you. anyway; Otherwise, we'll have you before the board"
 The present police headgear was adopted by the so-called Hotch- kiss board of Public Safety of 19l0-l9ll. Up to that time the large sized, blue or black helmet was worn, as a protection, in part to patrolman's head, in case Q brick was dropped from one of the passing windows. Night men wore a cap which came down over their cars: in other words, some consideration was given the men in their efforts to keep warm. But the night squad now wears just what the day patrol wears, which was not the case in the days of old.
 First Signal Boxes
 We could say much about the Waterbury police such as @ time some many years ago when the first police signal was put into service here. Four boxes were placed in different sections of the city. One night, the boxes were missing, but what became of them no one seemed to know. But we do know that they were stripped by an electrician, friendly to the cops of the day, and dumped into a flowing brook in the rear of the old auditorium. Patrolnlan Terry Lynch, long before he was made a cop, heard the story one day, during his brief reign as doorman of the old police headquarters in Harrison avenue. He was only Q boy when the thing happened, but he heard of 1t from ones in au- thority some years afterwards.
 The present police boxes were installed some 35 years ago. So many of them were put into op- eration that no one dared repeat what had been done a few years before.
 They say e policenan's lot is not a happy one; that has been said for century. But the cops of Waterbury seem well satisfied [ with their lot, and seem to Ike their line of work, even if the propaganda on safety appears to be . little far fetched and De. cause the average person dislikcg to be told 50 often, mot to do this or not to do that. .s f
 once q year, t would seem, Is al91lanh for atfeh A dfiUn