About the Fullerton Police Department

According to the Fullerton Police Department website, “Justice was swift under Fullerton’s first lawman: When Pendergrast caught a miscreant, he would take the criminal before Town Justice Alec Wright, who would interrupt his duties as secretary of the Golden Bell Fruit Co. and hold trial. When necessary, a jury would be sworn in from among the company workers. By 1900, Fullerton’s population reached 1,719 and the town had a new constable, James Gardiner. But his time in office was tragically short: He died of pneumonia contracted while rescuing people in the Great Flood of 1900.

Succeeding Gardiner was Oliver S. Schumacher, who was the last constable prior to incorporation of the city in 1904. After incorporation, Fullerton had a popularly elected town marshal. Winner of the first election was W.A. Barnes, whose duties were to collect all licenses, supervise all road work, and be on duty from 7 a.m. till midnight. Not surprisingly, Barnes found the job too demanding and resigned, to be replaced by Charles E. Ruddock.”

Today, the nearly 230 employees of the Fullerton Police Department are organized into three divisions (Detective Division, Service Division and Uniformed Division) which answer to the chief of police. In 2007, the Fullerton Police Department’s budget was over $35 million dollars. The Fullerton Police Department has an authorized strength of sworn personnel (2007) that consists of 3 captains, 6 lieutenants, twenty-three sergeants, fifty-five police corporals, and sixty-eight police officers. 

Source:

ci.fullerton.ca.us