By Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Essex Free Press
Retired Police Officer David Dean proudly spent 35-years on the force with Sandwich West Township and LaSalle Police Service, serving the community in which he lives. In addition, his late father served as a Police Officer with Riverside and Windsor for 30-years, and his son is in his 20th year with the OPP.
As someone who always had a genuine interest in history, when he retired in December of 2013 as a Patrol Sergeant, he decided to merge those two passions.
After nearly 13-years of research, writing, and effort, he was able to publish “10-8 on Patrol: The History of Essex County, Ontario, Canada Police Services.”
A special engagement event and book signing took place at the Maidstone Bicentennial Museum last Wednesday, where those interested in history were able to connect with the author and listen to a few interesting stories he uncovered while writing the book.
Dean always had an interest in history. So, when he attended policing college in 1980, he was interested in visiting what he said was an awesome library onsite.
“I had an interest in the history, and when I was retiring, I said to my wife what I wanted to do,” it was then he set out on writing a history book of regional policing. At that time, he figured it would take a year or two.
“Once I got into it, I realized I bit off more than I can chew,” Dean admitted. He, however, remained committed to his project, which is now finished and available for purchase.
“I thought, if I don’t write it, nobody ever will,” Dean said, adding that knowing what the history is all about describes how services got to where they are today.
The book is almost 300-pages, covering 30 Police Departments of the area.
That includes departments in Comber, Peche Island, Pelee Island, Walkerville, Sandwich, East Windsor, and Ford City. His research goes back as far as when departments started. With Windsor’s, for instance, that was around 1867.
Dean collected as much information as he could on all of those departments, and then spoke to many people, visited several libraries, and used online resources to craft the local history book.
“A lot of people really helped me out with photographs, pictures of their badges, their dads,” Dean said.
One of his former Chiefs, Larry Reaume, brought Dean a nice photo of the Ojibway Police Department before he passed away in December. Reaume’s father served in this department. This was one service on which Dean had trouble getting information. This service used to patrol on horseback, he noted.
Presently, only LaSalle and Windsor (which is also serving Amherstburg until December 31, 2028, as the Windsor Police Department has decided not to renew this contract) have municipal departments. The remaining municipalities are policed by the OPP.
The OPP was established in 1909.
Prior to forming police services, when communities did not have a police Chief or Department, Dean noted the Essex County Constables was established around 1898.
For many with the Essex County Constables, it was a part-time gig, Dean noted. Many had other jobs, such as farming.
Moving forward on the policing timeline, the OPP (then the Ontario Provincial Constabulary) went into Sandwich West in 1948, and then in the mid-1950s, the Town began talks of starting a police service.
Back in those days, officers from the Ontario Provincial Constabulary would be in an area for two-years, then leave. “They wanted somebody who lived in the community,” Dean explained.
As a result, Sandwich West started its own Police Department in 1956. One of the Corporals working in the area stayed on and ran the department at one point.
A decade later, the amalgamation of Windsor took place. The Ojibway Police Department no longer existed and two of its officers transferred to Windsor, 12 of Riverside’s Officers went to Windsor, so too did all of the officers from Sandwich East, Dean detailed.
The Sandwich West Department went from a 32-man department down to six. It progressed until June 1, 1991 when it became LaSalle.
Previously, in 1935, the Town of Sandwich, the Town of East Windsor, and Walkerville became part of Windsor.
One of the pieces of research Dean found most interesting was that in 1923, Chief Fulmer made $150 a month. He had to pay for his own uniform, and he was also the caretaker of the Town Hall and Police Department, Head of Noxious Weeds, Sanitation Inspector, and Dog Catcher.
Compared to when he started as a cadet in 1979, officer safety has evolved. So too has technology. Dean spoke of recording his responses by hand. Now, everything is done on computers right in the car.
Overall, Dean said he has received good feedback on his book so far. It was published by mid-December of 2024.
He’ s been happy with the book sales to date, and interest from the community.
Dean had the book printed locally, noting he wanted his piece on the history of Essex County policing printed in the region.
Having the project complete feels good and satisfying, Dean noted.
Lakeshore Deputy Mayor Kirk Walsted brought a framed List of Constables for the County of Essex to share with Dean. This List details the names of the Constables appointed at the General Session of the Peace, at Sandwich, on June 14, 1892 as part of a Township of Maidstone By-Law of that same year. The names are listed by municipality.
“There’s a lot of familiar County Names,” Walsted said of the document. “I have some ancestors in there as well.”
Those interested in getting a copy of the book can log on to learn more at www.mikestoltz.com, who formatted the book.
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