page_title: Williamsport Police Department
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Williamsport Police Department / History
caption_attribution_description: English: City Hall, West 4th Street between Government Place and West Street, Williamsport, Pennsylvania, USA. This was built as the US Post Office and is on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), although it was still the Post Office when it was listed on the NRHP.
context_page_description: The Williamsport Police Department or is the police agency responsible for law enforcement and investigations within the City of Williamsport, Pennsylvania the county seat of Lycoming County. The Williamsport PD is the oldest police department in Lycoming county and Central Pennsylvania. As of 2013 there was about 80 active sworn police officers on the force.
context_section_description: The WPD was formed in 1850, Samuel B. Coder was the then-Borough of Williamsport's first police man. Samuel Coder appears to have served in this capacity until the time that Williamsport was incorporated as a city in 1866.  The City of Williamsport’s was incorporation on January 15, 1866, with city government organizing through the winter months and into the spring of 1866.  Maj. James M. Wood was elected as the city’s first mayor in May 1866. Corresponding changes in city government became necessary so two bodies of councils were formed and it was decided that a regular police force was needed.  The appointment of a regular police force was authorized by an Act of Assembly on March 21, 1867 and on June 4, 1866 Chief of Police Alexander M. McFadden was appointed with Samuel B. Coder, Appolos W. Grafius, and George W. Wilkinson all serving as police officers.
  In the 145-year history of the city involving dedicated and professional public service to the City of Williamsport by more than 500 Officers who have donned the uniform.
caption: Williamsport City Hall behind which the police headquarters and offices are located
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