Author: Mike Simmons
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Pensacola Police SWAT Team
The Special Weapons and Tactics team, which was created in 1975, consists of officers from within the department who are trained in special tactics for high-risk situations.How did it start? In the early 1970s, new paramilitary tactics were being tried to combat the ever-increasing violence that was coming on the scene in America – much…
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John Wesley Hardin
Did you know that gunslinger John Wesley Hardin, old west gunslinger and outlaw, was captured in Pensacola? Hardin was infamous for shooting and killing 21 men, one for simply snoring too loudly. Wes Hardin was born in on May 26, 1853 in Bonham, TX to James G. and Elizabeth Hardin. His father, James, was a…
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Five PPD Chiefs
Five PPD chiefs. This is the only photo containing five PPD chiefs together, along with four high-ranking officers. Seated l-r: Chief Drexel Caldwell (1962-1974), Chief James Davis (1974-1980). Standing: Captain Bob Cotita, Chief Chip Simmons (2010-2015). Captain Dickie Johnston, Chief Norman Chapman (1994-1998), Chief John Mathis (2002-2010), Inspector Wendell Rich, Chief Jerry Potts (1998-2002).
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Sam Browne Belts
Sam Browne belts: Here is a 1938 photo of members of the Pensacola Police Department in front of the police station at 407 S. Jefferson Street (now the Pensacola Museum of Art). The uniformed officers are wearing Sam Browne belts. in 1858, Sam Browne, a member of the Indian army, charged a reloading cannon crew…
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The Pensacola Police Shield
The Pensacola Police Department has one of the most unique and attractive shields in existence. Officers, badge collectors and historians worldwide have attempted to purchase them. However, they are not for sale. The only way to possess one legally is to become a Pensacola Police officer and earn the right to wear one. Here is…
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Pensacola Police 1966
In 1966, the Pensacola Police Department published a PR brochure that showed the officers in the different locations where they were assigned. Here are two of them:
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A Department of Excellence
The Pensacola Police Department has served its citizen through the city’s rich history. Pensacola’s finest carry on the tradition of excellence through protecting those around them, creating a legacy for others to follow.