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ANAHEIM POLICE DEPARTMENT HISTORY |
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by The City of Anaheim http://www/anaheim.net
1923 - 1925 - WILLIAM BIRNEY MOODY Bert Moody began his law enforcement career at the Vernon Police Department in Los Angeles County as a city patrolman. He later transferred to the San Diego Police Department where he worked in the Secret Service Department of that agency. Moody then moved to the Santa Ana Police Department before coming to the Anaheim Police Department as a patrolman in 1920. In early 1923, Bert Moody was promoted to the rank of Desk Sergeant. With the retirement of Frank Steadman in March of 1923, Bert moody was appointed as the new Chief of Police. The year 1923 brought not only a new Chief to Anaheim, but also its first automated traffic signal and a new City Hall, which was built around the two existing town jail cells. To many, the Anaheim City Jail was regarded as one of the worst jails around. Many a prisoner resisted arrest when they discovered that they would be incarcerated in the Anaheim Jail. Although many would have viewed this as an insult, Anaheimers were proud to view this as a positive crime prevention measure. It is believed that this was one major factor in maintaining Anaheim's low crime rate. The cost of operating a city jail was not cheap for Anaheim officials. During the fiscal year of 1924-1925, the total cost of food for feeding the prisoners amounted to $250.35, an average of $1.45 a day. During this same fiscal year, Anaheim paid a salary of $2,100 to Chief Moody and an additional $17,909.98 in salaries for all of the remaining policemen. This same year, Anaheim purchased, at the cost of $1,196.25, its first police car: a Dodge. Anaheim continued to grow in population and territory, but the downtown area continued to be the focal point of activity. The downtown area located in the center of Anaheim, consisted of a large variety of popular shops. These were patronized not only by local citizens, but by many people from neighboring cities as well. With the increase in traffic, control of the area was of great concern. Large bot dots were placed in the intersection of Center Street and Los Angeles Street (now Lincoln Avenue and Anaheim Boulevard) to separate traffic and keep vehicles from cutting corners. Traffic was monitored regularly and often by Captain Marcus Andrade, who could be found at the intersection directing traffic while remaining seated on his horse. The only assigned patrol beat was in the downtown area, with officers patrolling the area only on foot. When police assistance was requested anywhere in the city, officers were given a visual signal seen from anywhere in the downtown area. A red light had been mounted atop the Valencia Hotel. When the light was illuminated, it signaled for the officer on duty to return to the police station and contact the desk sergeant, who controlled the signal from his office. In 1924, the reputation of the City of Anaheim, with its population of about 11,000 took a turn for the worse. Through events controlled by a small cadre of individuals with unsavory ideas, Anaheim government and businesses gained a poor, but fortunately short lived, influence. Members of the Ku Klux Klan infiltrated the city government and spread their poisonous ideas throughout the town. This influence caused businesses and growth to enter a long period of stagnation. During the municipal election held on April 14, 1924, the citizens of Anaheim unsuspectingly elected four men to the City Council who, secretly supported and were affiliated with, the Ku Klux Klan. Three of these Klansmen were appointed as city councilmen and the fourth was selected as President. Through the election, the unsuspecting populace placed the KKK in a position to effectively take control of city government. Many city employees wisely chose to resign their employment with the city. However, nine of the ten officers on the Anaheim Police force, including Chief Moody, chose to retain their jobs and sided with the Klan. The Klan spread their messages to the townspeople entering into the city. The letters " K.I.G.Y." (Klansmen I greet you) were visible to all entering Anaheim as the letters were painted on the pavement entrances to the city. Anaheim temporarily and jokingly became referred to as "Klanaheim." Although the Klan claimed a large Anaheim membership, it is believed that the total Anaheim membership never exceeded 300. The Klan, who restricted its membership to Protestants, centered its cause on Puritanism, calling for the strict enforcement of prohibition laws. The KKK of Southern California did not make race a major issue, but instead centered their wrath against local churches. The Klan attempted to tie drunkenness and lawlessness as a conspiracy by the Catholics. Klan parades and public demonstrations were common to Anaheim in 1924. On at least one occasion, Anaheim Policemen had been seen directing traffic while wearing their white robes and hoods. When crosses were burned in town, Klansmen were stationed on top of nearby buildings ready to shoot anyone who attempted to extinguish the fiery cross. In August of 1924, a large nighttime initiation rally was held at City Park, now known as Pearson Park. The rally was the largest Klan rally ever held in California at the time. It was attended by an estimated 10,000 people, some from as far away as San Bernardino and San Diego. The townspeople of Anaheim would only tolerate so much. On February 3, 1925, a successful recall election was held by the citizens of Anaheim to oust the four Klan-affiliated City Trustees. Upon evicting the Trustees from office, the good people of Anaheim went on to identify other Klan-affiliated city employees, including members of the Anaheim Police force. Upon being exposed, the Officers denied any involvement with the Klan, but later admitted their membership. Believing that there was safety in numbers, the officers issued an ultimatum to the new Trustees: either their jobs be guaranteed or they would resign en masse, leaving the city virtually without law enforcement. On February 16th in a meeting between Police Chief Moody and the new City Trustees, the Chief publicly announced the discharge of all but two members of the police force. The officers relieved of their positions were O.B. Baxter, L.B. Stump, Earl J. Michels, A.A. McCoy, V.E. Hammond, Henry Tipton, Andrew Wells, Bert Barr and J.E. Hurley. The only two members of the force allowed to remain were Marcus Andrade, who had no connection to the Klan, and Chief Moody. At the conclusion of his meeting with the Trustees, Moody publicly denied that he had been re-appointed to his position of Chief, stating merely that he had not received orders to vacate his position and would continue to serve as Chief until notified otherwise. |
