Village of Marcellus, New York Police

Village Constable
Beginning in 1871, the Village Board decided to appoint a police constable, whose powers
of keeping the peace were somewhat limited. In addition to the appointment of
Stores M. Griffin as Village Constable, "the Village maintained a small stone ten-by-twelve
lock-up with an iron barred door in a space behind the present Marcellus Supply Company.

Its most requent inmates were the Saturday night over-indulgers, who were arrested by the
local constable, not for DWI, but for disturbing the peace. At a later date, two steel
barred cells, each containing a cot, were installed in the fire house.".

Throughout the remainder of the century, the duties of the constable were somewhat
limited to such action as quelling disturbances, preventing boys from rolling hoops
through the corporation limits, or violating other sections of the Village ordinances such
as throwing coal ashes or other refuse into the streets. At times, when a fair or picnic or
some other public event took place, the Trustees would appoint other individuals as
special police to supplement the constable's duties and try to curb any rowdyism that
might occur.

In the 1890's, there was a growing concern about what was referred to as "rampant rowdyism"
as well as a growing interest in the national temperance movement.
In response to this, the Board of Trustees would rewrite Village Ordinances in 1898,
enacting a number of laws which required more stringent enforcement by the Village
Constable and when a curfew for those under the age of 16 was enacted by the Board of
Trustees in 1899, his duties were increased accordingly. At the turn of the century, not
only did James Powell serve as Village police commissioner, but he was also the fire and
street commissioner as well, for which services he was paid $1.50 per day.

Modern Police Department
The Marcellus Police Department as we know it today was established in 1966 when the Village
hired a part-time police officer who served under the direction of Trustee and acting Chief of Police,
Donald Paul. "In 1967, a patrol car was purchased and the Village began employing off-duty
Onondaga County Deputy Sheriffs on a part-time basis. In January, 1972, a federal grant made
it possible for the Village of Marcellus to employ its first full time police officer.

Part-time officers were continued, and the deputy sheriffs were gradually replaced with men
trained at the Central New York Regional Police Academy. From 1974 to July 1977, the department
consisted of one full time officer and five part time officers. The use of two patrol cars began in 1976.
From 1966 until his death ten years later, Donald Paul continued to serve on the Village Board and
also as acting Chief of the police department.

In June, 1976, Charles E. Paul succeeded his father as Chief of Police. First appointed to the
department in 1972, Charles had been promoted to the rank of sergeant in 1974. An additional
federal grant in 1977 made it possible for the police department to employ a full time patrolman
and a full time youth officer, who also served as a police officer. As of September, 1977, the
Marcellus Village Police Department consisted of a Chief of Police, one part-time police sergeant,
one full time patrolman, one youth officer patrolman and four part time patrolman."
(Heffernan, 238-239).

Throughout the 1980's and 1990's, the size of the Village Police Force varied from 7 to 8,
mostly part-time officers. With the retirement of Chief Paul in 1995, the Police Department
has been in a state of flux. In an effort to meet requirements by Onondaga County Civil
Service that the department be headed by a certified Chief of Police, the Board of Trustees
passed a resolution that enlisted the administrative services of the Chief and Lieutenant of
Police of the Village of North Syracuse. This agreement lasted until it was terminated by the
North Syracuse Village Board of Trustees in December, 1999.

Neighborhood Watch

Reacting to resident concern about an increase in vandalism and juvenile loitering, the Board
of Trustees, authorized the Village Police Department to work with concerned citizens of Marcellus
and begin a Neighborhood Watch Program and also urges resident participation.
Meetings have been held during the last quarter of 1999 and the Watch has been fully implemented
during the year 2000. A Neighborhood Watch involves a group of concerned citizens working
together to help one another. It also helps to promote pride in a neighborhood. If you would like to
join and/or learn more about the Neighborhood Watch program, please attend future meetings,
which are held monthly at the Village Hall. Call the Village Office (673-3112) for more information.

911 Call

The Village Police Chief would like to remind residents that it is essential that they report any
incidents of crime or mischief in their neighborhoods by calling 911. All too often, residents are
not making these calls because they feel that an issue might not warrant it. Some residents might
be calling the Marcellus Police Department and will often listen to an answering machine because
the officer is out on patrol. Residents must call 911.
If still not satisfied with the results, make sure that you contact the Village Office during business
hours and let them know of your concern (673-3112). If there are any other questions, suggestions
or comments for the Village of Marcellus Police Department, please call the Chief of Police
at (315) 673-2079.

Introduction
During the early years of Marcellus Village history, the role
of policeman, as we know it, did not exist. However, there
was elected an individual whose title was that of pound
master, and he was responsible to see that roaming
domestic animals were kept out of the Village.

To prevent them from foraging in local stores or village
gardens, the pound master would round up these
animals and place them in an enclosure, wait for an
owner to retrieve the animal and exact fine from that
person. He would often perform the duties of village lamp
lighter during the night and also act as watchman,looking
out for fires that might threaten village homes, businesses
and residents.

Police Chief Robert A. Wicks

Village of Marcellus, New York Police Department

Police Services
Today, the Village of Marcellus Police Department is an ten person, mostly part-time agency,
which provides basic police protection and a full range of law enforcement services, responding
to over 100 calls each month, totaling about 1200 annually. The services provided by the agency
include but are not limited to:

property checks, both residential and business
traffic, penal law and local law enforcement
police escort for village businesses
local crime prevention programs
juvenile justice services

The Village of Marcellus Police Department has committed itself to attain New York State
Accreditation and is working to develop policy and procedures consistent with the standards of
the New York State Accreditation Council. The agency has begun and is maintaining an aggressive
in-service training program for its officers that includes but is not limited to:

firearms qualification
use of force policy and law
hazardous material training
exposure to blood borne pathogens
self defense training
domestic violence legal updates
search and seizure procedures
basic case management and preliminary investigation procedures
community policing
juvenile justice procedure