The City of Gainesville was incorporated on April 15, 1869, with a mayor and council-style government. That same month, the first town marshal, P. Shemwell, was elected, with 56 of the 93 votes polled.  In 1919, the title of Marshall was changed to Chief of Police, a title which was more honorary than actual, for the department consisted of one man -  the Chief.

By 1922 the Gainesville Police Department consisted of 3 members, the Chief included. In 1926 a set salary was implemented for the police chief and officers.  Interim Chief Carl Stengel appointed a desk sergeant position which was maintained on a 24-hour basis in the chamber of the City Council.

In 1908, the Gainesville Police Department purchased its first police car, a Model T Ford. In 1928, the Model T was replaced with a Model A Ford. The Model A could transport the entire police force with extra passenger room.

In 1928, Chief Edward D. Vestel, a former Army captain, instituted the first uniform for the Gainesville Police Department. Chief Vestel also started the first filing system on all individuals arrested, a system that continues today. That same year, the Department had its first motorcycle patrol officer, C.E. Strickland.

In 1935, under Chief W.B. Cahoon, the Gainesville Police Department built its first radio transmitter. The department had grown to 10 Officers.

The Gainesville Police Department had been headquartered in a few rooms in the basement of the old City Hall building until August of 1953, when the Department was moved into a new building at its present location of 721 NW 6th Street. Chief Joiners’ new "ultra modern" police building housed the police department, which had grown to a force of 40 Officers, 6 patrol cars, 4 plain cars, and 4 motorcycles.  Also located in the new building was the Municipal court and the Jail, with 5 cells.  In 1957, a 24-hour, one man-patrol car system was initiated by Chief Joiner.

In 1962, the Police station was renovated, doubling its size.

In 1970, the Gainesville Police Department employed its first sworn policewoman, Elaine Garrett. Officer Garrett was hired as a detective. Two years later, in 1972, Fern Nix and Sylvia Sadlack (Hill) became the first female police uniform patrol officers.

Chief Joiner has the distinction of leading the Gainesville Police Department longer than any other Chief or Marshal. Chief Joiner served two separate terms as Chief, for a total of 25 years.

In 1980, Atkins Warren became the first African-American Chief of the Gainesville Police Department. Chief Warren oversaw the construction of a new police station and property storage building in 1983. The new police station was built as an expansion of the existing building, and utilized the site of the Mayflower building, which was razed.

In 1985, Chief Wayland Clifton, Jr., initiated Community-Oriented Policing in the City of Gainesville. The COP program places Police substations in high crime neighborhoods and combines the resources of the Police Department with those of other social service agencies to work one-on-one with the citizens of the neighborhood in an effort to rid the area of crime. Chief Clifton also combined police and fire dispatch operations and relocated them to the Gainesville Police Department. This move decreased the response times of 911 emergency calls and other calls for service.  Under Chief Clifton, the Gainesville Police Department grew to over 240 sworn officers, with 120 patrol vehicles, 50 plain vehicles, 4 crime scene vehicles, 10 motorcycles, and 1 helicopter.  Chief Clifton was recognized internationally as the 1993 recipient of the Webber Seavey Award for crime prevention techniques now being used throughout the United States.

Pictures and short biographies of some of the former Chiefs of Police of the City of Gainesville are available on the 

Chiefs of Police Page.

If you have any old photographs, articles, memorabilia or information about the Gainesville Police Department you can E-mail Investigator Marc Trahan, or contact him at the Police Department at 721 NW 6th St., Gainesville, FL  32601.  Investigator Trahan's phone number is (352) 334-2446.

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