Seattle Municipal Archives
PO Box 94728
600 Fourth Avenue, Floor 3
Seattle, WA 98124-4728
Phone: 206/233-7807
Email: archives@seattle.gov
http://www.seattle.gov/cityarchives



Guide to the Seattle Police Department Annual Reports, 1894-[ongoing]


1802-H8





Finding aid prepared by Anne Frantilla

Finding aid encoded by Shannon B. Lynch, 2004
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.


Overview of the Collection

 
Repository Name:
 

Seattle Municipal Archives

PO Box 94728
600 Fourth Avenue, Floor 3
Seattle, WA 98124-4728
Phone: 206/233-7807
Email: archives@seattle.gov
http://www.seattle.gov/cityarchives

 
Collection Number:
 

1802-H8

 
Creator:
 

Seattle (Wash.). City Clerk

 
Title:
 

Seattle Police Department Annual Reports

 
Dates:
 

1894-[ongoing] (inclusive)

 
Quantity:
 

1.6 cubic ft.
(4 boxes)

 
Languages:
 

Collection materials are in English. 

 
Summary:
 

Annual reports of Seattle Police Department from 1894 to 2000; reports will continue to be added to the series. Reports include information on arrest statistics, jail conditions, crime rates, and traffic statistics.

 

Historical Note

The City's first charter established the Marshall as the local peace officer. In 1883 the position of Chief of Police was established. The City Charter of 1890 created the Board of Police Commissioners which administered the Department and appointed officers. Following allegations of corruption, the Commission was abolished by the new Charter of 1896. In 1962, the Department assumed authority for policing the harborfront, formerly a function of the Harbor Department.

Content Description

The annual reports of the Seattle Police Department date from 1894 to 2000; annual reports will continue to be added to the series. Reports include information on arrest statistics, jail conditions, crime rates, and traffic statistics; photographs are included in some reports. Police Pension reports, Police Court reports, Police Telephone and Telegraph System reports, and Woman's Protective Division reports are included.

Some early reports include recommendations by the Board of Police Commissioners as well as the report by the Chief of Police. Reports consist of a variety of statistics including cause of arrests and the occupations, nativity, and age of persons arrested. Suggestions for improvements are also included in reports. The 1900 report notes the condition of the jail: “bad sewerage, mould, rot, dampness, poor ventilation, coupled with the fact that from its inception it was never intended as a receiving jail, makes it totally unfit for occupancy.” Police Court reports, where they exist, are included in this series as well. Police Telephone and Telegraph System reports are included with some Police annual reports. Reports on the Woman’s Protective Division are included in this series; in some years, they are part of the Police Department report, and in other years, they are separate reports. The 1904 report of the Humane Officer is also included in this series.

By 1945 the reports include geographical statistics on crime rates and traffic division statistics by precinct; in 1955 the reports begin to include this information by census tract. The 1947 report is quite lengthy and includes descriptions of departmental activities for the year, plans, and comparative statistics for Seattle and other cities. It also includes photographs, as do subsequent reports. The 1948 report includes a description of the Rehabilitation Camp, later called the Police Department Rehabilitation Project, which started operating that year. The camp was intended to offer “men suffering from chronic alcoholism or periodic heavy drinkers to build themselves up physically and to better prepare them to accept a useful position in society" (p. 16a). Capacity was increased from 50 in 1948 to 100 in 1953. The project ended in 1961 for budget reasons.

From the mid-1950s to 1970, reports consist almost entirely of statistics and there is very little narrative. For the 1970s, there are two reports. One is almost entirely narrative, focusing on public relations and containing very few statistics. The second is a statistical report with no narrative. Both reports do not exist in this series for every year. Beginning in 1980, both the narrative and statistical reports are included in one.

Police Pension reports for 1964 to 1965 are included at the end of this series.

Arrangement

Reports are arranged chronologically by year.

Administrative Information

Custodial History 

Records were originally filed with the City Clerk in the Comptroller/Clerk's Files (CFs) and were removed to create this record series.

Future Additions 

Annual reports will continue to be added to the series.

Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Access 

Records are open to the public.

Preferred Citation 

[Item and date], Seattle Police Department Annual Reports, Record Series 1802-H8. Box [number], Folder [number]. Seattle Municipal Archives.

Subjects

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.

 
Seattle (Wash.). Police Dept. Rehabilitation Camp
Seattle (Wash.). Police Dept. Rehabilitation Project
Seattle (Wash.)--Politics and government
Arrest--Washington (State)--Seattle
Criminal justice, administration of--Washington (State)--Seattle
Criminal statistics--Washington (State)--Seattle
Police--Pensions--Washington (State)--Seattle
Police--Washington (State)--Seattle
Traffic regulations--Washington (State)--Seattle
Annual reports
Other Creators :
Seattle (Wash.) Police Dept.
Seattle (Wash.). Humane Officer
Seattle (Wash.). Police Dept. Women's Division

Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.


 

Seattle Police Department Annual Reports, 1894-[ongoing]

 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
box/folder
1/1


Police Department Annual Report
  1894
 
1/2

Police Department Annual Report
  1895
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1896
 
1/3

Police Department Annual Report
  1900
 


Police Court Annual Report
  1903-1904
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1904
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1905
 


Police Court Annual Report
  1905
 
1/4

Humane Officer Annual Report
  1904
 
1/5

Police Department Annual Report
  1908
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1909
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1909-1910
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1913
 
1/6

Police Department Annual Report
  1914
 


Supplement to Police Department Annual Report
  1914
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1915
 


Police Department, Women's Protective Division Annual Report
  1916
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1918
 
1/7

Police Department Annual Report
  1920
 


Police Department, Women's Protective Division Annual Report
  1920
 


Police Department, Juvenile and Humane Division Annual Report
  1920
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1922
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1923
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1924
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1925
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1925
 


Police Department, Women's Division Annual Report
  1925
 
1/8

Police Department Annual Report
  1926
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1930
 
2/1

Police Department Annual Report
  1931
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1935
 
2/2

Police Department Annual Report
  1937
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1938
 
2/3

Police Department Annual Report
  1940
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1941
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1942
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1943
 
2/4

Police Department Annual Report
  1944
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1945
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1946
 


Police Department (Juvenile Crime Prevention) Annual Report
  1946
 
2/5

Police Department Annual Report
  1947
 
2/6

Police Department Annual Report
  1948
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1949
 
2/7

Police Department Annual Report
  1950
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1951
 
2/8

Police Department Annual Report
  1952
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1953
 
3/1

Police Department Annual Report
  1954
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1955
 
3/2

Police Department Annual Report
  1956
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1957
 
3/3

Police Department Annual Report
  1958
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1959
 
3/4

Police Department Annual Report
  1960
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1961
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1962
 
3/5

Police Department Annual Report
  1963
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1964
 
3/6

Police Department Annual Report
  1965
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1966
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1967
 
3/7

Police Department Annual Report
  1968
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1969
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1970
 


Police Department Annual Report (Statistical Report)
  1970
 
4/1

Police Department Annual Report
  1971
 
4/2

Police Department Annual Report (Statistical Report)
  1971
 


Police Department Annual Report (Statistical Report)
  1972
 


Police Department Annual Report, Reserve Unit
  1973
 


Police Department Annual Report (Statistical Report)
  1973
 
4/3

Police Department Annual Report (Statistical Report)
  1974
 


Police Department Annual Report (Statistical Report)
  1975
 
4/4

Police Department Annual Report (Statistical Report)
  1976
 


Police Department (Statistical Report)
  1977
 


Police Department Annual Report (Statistical Report)
  1978
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1979
 
4/5

Police Department Annual Report
  1980
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1984
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1985
 
4/6

Police Pension Annual Report
  1964
 


Police Pension Annual Report
  1965
 
4/7

Police Department Annual Report
  1986
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1987
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1988
 
4/8

Police Department Annual Report
  1989
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1997
 


Police Department Annual Report
  1998
 


Police Department Annual Report
  2000
 


Police Relief and Pension Fund Annual Report
  2001