Glendora Police Wear Badge of Historical Pride

In 1911, Glendora’s first head of local law enforcement was Frank Kuhry, who was paid $90 a month to be the city’s marshal.

One hundred years later, the Glendora Police Department is honoring Kuhry and the city’s centennial celebration by wearing replicas of the same badge Kuhry wore in 1911.

The badges will be worn by Glendora Police officers for the remainder of the year.

According to the Glendora Police Department, nine different officers held the title of City Marshal from 1911 to 1926, at which time the Glendora Police Department was formed. 

Local law enforcement has come a long way since the city was incorporated 100 years ago. The first city jail was the barn of City Marshal O.D. Fay, until it was moved up Michigan Avenue (now Glendora Avenue) to the current building of the Glendora Historical Society.

According to local folklore, in 1941, the city's police dispatch system consisted of a red signal light atop a tall pole at Alosta and Glendora avenues. When a call for service came in, the message would be telephoned into a live-in gas state attendant who would turn on the red light  to alert officers in the field that a call had come in.

The officer would have to call the station from a landline or drive back to the station where he’d receive his information through the rear second-story window of City Hall.

During a June 1 centennial celebration at Bidwell Forum, the police department awarded employees, including 26 individuals who saved citizen lives through the use of Automatic External Defibrillators.

Chief Rob Castro also awarded the Police Departments’ first ever Medal of Valor to Reserve Officer Casey O’Gorman who was shot rescuing a women who was held hostage by her ex-boyfriend in 2006. 

Ofc. Jacob Swann was awarded the Medal of Merit award for his help in assisting Ofc. O’Gorman and Ofc. Catanese immediately after the shooting.

Numerous other awards were handed out, including the 2010 Officer of the Year Award to Sgt. James DeMond and the 2011 Officer of the Year to Ofc. Nancy Miranda.