The Stamford Historical Society
LAW & ORDER: The
History of the Stamford Police Department 1830-1956
a 2004 exhibit and an
online project in progress
SOUVENIR HISTORY
OF THE STAMFORD POLICE DEPARTMENT
Issued on
the Occasion of the
FIRST GRAND BALL
of the Stamford, Conn., Police Force
Monday, April Nine, Nineteen Seventeen
For the Benefit of the Pension Fund
Marcus Research
Library
352.2
Police Pension Fund
The provisions of the general statutes providing for a reserve fund or police pension fund were formally accepted by the Common Council at a special meeting, September 30, 1907 . Oliver G. Fessenden was then chairman of the police committee and it was largely through Mr. Fessenden's efforts that the city of Stamford established this fund, which is for the benefit of disabled and meritorious policemen.
Each member of the department annually contributes one per cent of his salary to the fund and other sources of income are: Gifts to the department for services rendered, property devised for the benefit of disabled policemen, five per cent of the sum paid annually for liquor licenses in Stamford, unclaimed money in charge of the department, money derived from the sale of lost, abandoned or stolen property, the income from all property and money belonging to the fund, moneys collected from members of the department by fines, fees collected by the city dog warden, and such sums as the Board of Finance of the city may, upon recommendation of the Common Council, appropriate from time to time therefor.
The fund is administered by a board of trustees comprised of the police committee of the Common Council and the chief of police. The city treasurer is treasurer of the fund. The chairman of the police committee is president of the board of trustees. Exclusive of interest, the fund amounted to $23,421.63, December 1, 1916 , the date of the last annual report .of the board of trustees. At the present time, there is only one pensioner in the department. Patrolman Edward O'Brien was placed on the retired list by his request, July 18, 1913 , and he has been receiving twenty-five dollars per month ever since.
The report of the board of trustees submitted December 1, 1916 follows:
| Receipts | |
| Amount on hand, Dec. 1,1915 | $20,595.23 |
| County Commissioners | 2,031.14 |
| Dog Warden's Fees | 460.00 |
| Rewards and Testimonials | 240.00 |
| Police Dues | 347.10 |
| Witness Fees | 41.36 |
| Unclaimed Money | 6.80 |
| $23,721.63 | |
Disbursements |
|
| Pension Edward O'Brien | $300.00 |
| Total | $23,421.63 |
The Police
Department As It Was And As It Is, 1894-1917
Chief of Police Wm. H. Brennan
Police
Sergeants
Bureau of Detectives
Members of the Department
Mrs.
Seraphina Klahre