| 1st
A.A.L.M.F. True Stories |
| Here
on our site we will share historical stories we receive from
the people who lived during and since 1947 who have a personal
connection to any African American Lawmen who where consider
the 1st of their City, County, or State. |
| Please
send your story to truestories@1staalmf.org |
|
"Walking
through the Storms" |
The
1st AALM of Tampa Bay |
|
| A
Historical Review of Black Police Officers During 1947-1983
Compiled by Retired Sergeant Rufus M. Lewis (1983)
*(Input from Several Retired Black Officers)* |
| This
document is inclusive of information regarding the sworn Black
Police Officers, male and female, that were hired between
1947 and 1983. It is written to provide cultural awareness
of this position during that period. This historical review
will reveal history, knowledge and challenging relational
experiences of this era. In addition, it is the writers desire
to share the role that these pioneering Black Officers played
in their sacrifice to make employment opportunities, as it
relates to discrimina-tion, in terms and conditions, with
being excluded from job classifications. These sacrifices
opened many doors for those Black Officers, both male and
female, to follow.
The City of Tampa Black Police Officers that were hired before
the Civil Service Examination in 1956 included (1947-1956):
Jesse
Armwood |
Leroy
Haygood |
Theodore
Whitaker |
Joe
Nance |
John
Ponce |
Romeo Cole, Sr. |
Samuel
Brazelton |
James
Adams |
Victor Buchannan |
Whakey
Hall |
Judge
Timmons |
James
Ransom |
Oscar
Ayala |
Hampton
McCullough |
Willie
Massey |
John
Lane |
Robert
Cleveland |
Willie
Bexley |
LaMarcus
Larry |
|
|
| |
| In
1956,
the City of Tampa established the Civil Service Examination
for the hiring of Police Officers and Firemen. The requirements
for obtaining a position were very stringent at that time. The
officers were required to pass a written examination along with
a strenuous physical examination. In addi-tion, there was a
requirement that your height and weight be in proportion with
a 20-20 eye vision. |
| |
|
The first group of officers to pass the Civil Service Police
Examination in 1957 included:
Sammie
Philmore |
Sam
Jones, Sr. |
Herman
Doby |
Elijah
Dixon |
Clifford
Parramore |
|
As
the retirement of many of these officers approached, several
of them were denied a Fire and Police Pension Retirement due
to a medical problem, i.e., high blood pressure, although
they had meritorious careers.
|
| |
| The
first Black Officer to retire under the City of Tampa Police
Pension |
| was
Willie Massey in 1969. |
| |
| The
first Black Officer to retire under the City of Tampa Police
General Pension |
| was
John Lane and never received his promotion to Corporal or Detective
after the findings of the conciliatory agreement with the City
and the Police Department. |
| |
| One
of the pioneer officers that began to excel with limitations
as fairer policies were imple-mented was Elijah J. Dixon.
|
| His
impact in the Department included: |
First Black Officer promoted to Corporal in 1974. He was assigned
to the Crime Prevention Bureau rather than the Patrol Division.
> First Black Sergeant in
1975 in the Crime Prevention Bureau.
> First Black Lieutenant in 1976 and finally assigned to
the Patrol Division.
> First Black Captain in 1978 in the patrol Division.
> Captain Dixon retired in 1980.
|
