History of the Minnesota State Highway Patrol 1929-Present
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HISTORY OF THE MINNESOTA STATE HIGHWAY PATROL 1929-PRESENT The following Highway Patrol personnel were Patrol supervisors who did not go through the current structure of promotion, and, therefore, were never issued a State Patrol numbered badge: Arnoldy, John Chief 1933-38 Corcoran, Frank T. Assistant Chief (1939-43) 1935-45 Murray, Martin Chief 3/16/38-39 Rowe, Eldon Chief 3/1/39-45 Sieben, Harry A. Safety Director 1/57-4/61 Chabries, Mike Chief 7/93-9/97 Information compiled by Diane Lindstrom 2 During the 1925 Legislative session some talk was started regarding the formation of a State Patrol organization in the State of Minnesota. No bill was introduced during this session of the Legislature. During the 1927 Legislative session, however, a bill was presented to create a State Highway Patrol organization. This met with a lot of opposition from certain organizations and the bill did not pass. The 1929 Legislature passed a bill creating a Highway Patrol. The bill placed the organization under the Minnesota Highway Department and authorized the Commissioner of Highways to employ not exceeding 35 men with pay not to exceed $150.00 per month. 1929 : In June 1929, Charles M. Babcock, Commissioner of Highways, appointed Earle Brown , Sheriff of Hennepin County, as Chief of the Highway Patrol. On July 1, 1929, Chief Brown #1 appointed 8 officers: Balestra, Andy #7 Moore, Kenneth #9 Chelstrom, Elmer #10 Potvin, Ralph R. #5 Dahl, Glen #3 Ryden, Paul #4 Kuch, George #2 Thomson, Frank #6 On July 28, 1929, the ninth officer, L. A. Auspos #8 was appointed . Goodwill work was started. Other State Police and Patrol organizations were contacted. Ralph Potvin and Glen Dahl went to Pennsylvania State Police School at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, for 90 days. L.A. Auspos and Paul Ryden went to the Massachusetts Highway Patrol School at Boston for the same period of time. Earle Brown readied barn on his farm in Brooklyn Center for training. Left the Service : Chelstrom, Elmer – resigned 1929 Moore, Kenneth – resigned 1929 1930: First training school held January 18-April 1 at Chief Brown’s farm. Fifty men enrolled including initial nine appointees. Four men who had gone to Pennsylvania and Massachusetts were instructors. Two weeks of hard labor. Remainder of the period classes were held covering Laws, Pistol Practice, First Aid, Motorcycle Riding, Courtesy (stressed). Some of the original nine appointees were not included in the first group of 35 men to go to work. Appointments – April: Andrews, David L. #28 McIntee, Arthur #7 Arone, James #18 McLaughlin, Frank T. #21 Cornelius, Lawrence #15 Meehan, John J. #22 Cornell, Anton J. #33 Mieske, Roscoe E. #19 Cummings, Cal #42 Morrison, John R. #32 Curtis, J. Wendell #31 Ousley, Arthur A. #26 Davis, Orange L. #25 Reed, Robert A. #34 Gordon, Lawrence #24 Rice, Rudolph S. #14 Gordon, Neil L. #16 Ryan, William B. #12 Kohlstedt, Del E. #19 Sam, Alfred #23 Kramer, Theodore C. #9 Sellevold, Stanley P. #13 Lamping, Edward J. #6 Smith, Raymond L. #10 Larimer, Earl M. #30 Thrun, Lawrence L. #27 Larson, Rhody L. #35 Titus, Robert S. #29 Lindman, Edwin O. #20 Zillgitt, Paul M. #17 Marquardt, William G. #11 Salary was $120.00 per month. Original uniform consisted of breeches and blouse of oxford grey. Working schedule: 12 hours per day, 7 days per week, 1 day off per month. Later in the year five supervisors (Lieutenants) were named and were paid a little more money than the patrol officers received: Ralph F. Potvin Paul Ryden Glen Dahl L.A. Auspos George Kuch (assigned to St. Paul Office) Left the Service : Balestra, Andy – resigned 1930 Thomson, Frank – resigned April 15, 1930 Miescke, Roscoe – resigned October 1930 Rice, Rudolph – resigned October 1930 1931: Legislature increased Patrol to seventy (70) officers and five (5) supervisors. Salary - $130.00 per month. Regular Expense Account. Daily Reports, size of postcard, included mileage, time on duty, highway traveled, highway expected to travel following day, Form 608 4 (later became 1822, currently 1801). Numerous arrests made – driving under influence (country was dry), classified as careless driving, drunk driving – gross misdemeanor (District Court). State divided into three districts. Supervisors were Lieutenants Potvin, Dahl, and Ryden. Second training school was held March 1-June 1 at Earle Brown Farm. Men selected from all over the state. Same training with stress on courtesy. Graduates of this school started to work on June 1 st . Worked temporarily with experienced officers. The change in the Patrol law during this session of the Legislature provided for five Assistants who were to receive pay not exceeding $2400 per year and the Patrol Officers were not to receive not more than $140 per month. This amount was not reached for several years. Appointments: Alden, Harold #14 Kittridge, William R. #53 Anderson, Walter R. #5 McClard, Herman E. #54 Arndt, Donald #36 McKusick, Judson E. #55 Barg, Palmer #37 Murray, John G. #56 Borngesser, LeRoy F. #38 Musegades, Henry C. #57 Brown, David W. #39 Nevels, George E. Jr. #58 Butler, Hugh E. #40 Newmann, Robert C. #59 Croft, Harry B. #41 Owens, Wilfred C. #60 Cummings, Edward H. #42 Phillips, Glen A. #61 Ehrman, Clarence J. “Dutch” #43 Pickar, Andrew J. #62 Erickson, Conrad J.D. #44 Plumb, Kenneth C. #63 Erickson, Parker #45 Pursley, Richard H. #64 Forsberg, Russell T. #46 Rhodes, Maynard H. #65 Franklin, John J. #47 Seppala, Edwin E. #66 Fraser, James W. #48 Soderstrom, William J. #67 Glynn, John J. #49 Tilley, Theodore E. #68 Haynes, Rolla A. #50 Wicktor, Howard N. #69 Howe, John F. #51 Wiel, Theodore H. #70 Johnson, Edward O. #52 Left the Service: Auspos, L.A. – resigned January 1 1932: Chief Earle Brown resigned from Patrol and drafted by the Republican Party to run for Governor against Floyd B. Olson. George Kuch named Acting Chief . Brown was defeated and Olson appointed Governor on January 1, 1933. 5 Appointments – March (from 1931 School): Espe, Leslie G. #12 Stephens, Eric #65 Left the Service: Ryan, William B. – resigned January 15 Rhodes, Maynard – resigned January 15 Fraser, James – died May 30 1933: N.W. Elsberg appointed Highway Commissioner. Elsberg appointed John P. Arnoldy as Chief of the Highway Patrol. On February 1 st appointment of first Assistant Chief, Bert Morton. On April 1 st , State divided into four districts. Supervisors were Ralph Potvin (District 1), Earl Larimer (District 2), Glen Dahl (District 3) and Neil Gordon (District 4). Promotions: Larimer, Earl – Lieutenant April 1 Gordon, Neil – Lieutenant April 1 Third training school held from May 1-July 1 at Camp Ripley. On July 1 st , 39 men relieved and replaced by 39 new trainees. Left the Service : Ryden, Paul – resigned February 1 Kohlstedt, Del E. – resigned April 1 Johnson, Edward O. – resigned May 15 Kuch, George J. – resigned May 31 Sellevold, Stanley P. – resigned June 1 Nevels, George E. – resigned September 15 Relieved : July 31: Arndt, Donald E. Morrison, John R. Barg, Palmer Musegades, Henry C. Borngesser, LeRoy F. Owens, Wilfred C. Butler, Hugh Phillips, Glenn A. Cornelius, Lawrence Plumb, Kenneth C. Cornell, Anton J. Seppala, Edwin E. Croft, Harry B. Stephens, Eric Curtis, J. Wendell Tilley, Theodore E. Glynn, John J. Titus, Robert S. Howe, John F. Wiel, Theodore H. 6 Marquardt, William G. Zillgitt, Paul M. McClard, Herman E. McKusich, Judson E. August/September: Alden, Harold – August Larson, Rhody L. – August 15 Andrews, David – August Haynes, Rolla A. – September 15 Appointments : August: Ackermann, Albert P. “Doc” #11 MaGaurn, Clarence W. #36 Campbell, John A. #14 Murnane, Lawrence J. #37 Dougher, Otto N. #15 Neville, Vernon D. #61 Erickson, Selmer E. #17 Ochs, Hieronymus C. #53 Flynn, John A. #3 O’Toole, Chester M. #40 Frederickson, Albert B. #4 Passe, Theodore B. #41 Hall, Garnet E. #28 Paul, Walter G. #65 Harris, Robert W. #19 Pontius, Nestor A. #70 Hendrickson, Lawrence E. #32 Porter, Sylvester J. #49 Jaszewski, Sigmund B. #29 Quinlen, Clinton D. #71 Knutson, Torkle #38 Rosetter, Adolph H. #54 Koskela, Wayne W. #48 Sievers, Delmar O. #57 Kozlak, William S. #52 Severson, Theodore R. #72 Larson, Marcus E. #31 Splettstoesser, Irvin A. #73 LeDuc, Louis H. #33 Ward, Linus D. #74 Long, Daneil S. #35 September: Eckhart, Arnold E. #16 Sorby, Henry E. #60 October: Lichtenheld, Roy C. #68 Reinartz, Albert E. #66 Nordberg, John T. #50 Ruddy, James E. #58 1934: Officers put on subsistence account of sixty (60) cents per day in lieu of expense account. Two officers killed in motorcycle accidents while on duty. William S. Kozlak killed on April 25 th on T.H. 52 between Osseo and Champlin in Hennepin County. Roy C. Lichtenheld killed on October 3 rd on Snelling Avenue between the State Highway Shop at the Fairgrounds and University Avenue in St. Paul. Color of uniform changed to maroon and gold. Appointments: January: Forsman, Leonard #55 7 February: Berens, William P. #51 May: Krueger, Ray F. #30 Left the Service : Murnane, Lawrence J. – resigned September McIntee, Arthur – resigned November 10 1935: Tenure of Office law passed by Legislature. Sets up conditions under which officers have certain rights before they are suspended, demoted or dismissed. Later exempted from Civil Service (1939). Legislature increased the size of the Patrol not to exceed 100 men. Number of supervisors increased from five to eight. Promotions: Davis, O.L. – Lieutenant Dougher, Otto – Lieutenant Larimer, Earl – Captain Potvin, Ralph – Captain The other four supervisors (previously appointed) included Chief John Arnoldy, Assistant Chief Bert Morton, Lieutenant Glen Dahl and Lieutenant Neil Gordon. Law passed “prohibiting Patrol from becoming involved in any strikes or industrial disputes”. Left the Service : Ehrman, Clarence “Dutch” – resigned January 7 Arone, James – resigned March 3 Flynn, John A.