University of Virginia Library

An Efficient Police Force.

IN general the histories of new
communities are much alike
the world over. There are the
early struggles against natural
foes, the troubles of early government,
the petty squabbles between small
factions, and the intense loyalty to the
new home.

There is always the stage through
which every settlement has to pass
when there is no need for what is now
termed "police regulations." A few
families living together in a every
small settlement have no need of officers
to conserve the peace. There is
no disturbance of the peace among
themselves, and they unite in warding
off the invaders that would bring discord
among them. Circumstances always
determine the length of time
during which this condition exists.

Then comes the times when the
first trouble arises. That is usually
settled without difficulty by those who
are not involved in the disagreement.
But before long, after new settlers have
been admitted to the community, and
diversified interests have arisen, there
comes the time when some form of goverment
has to be established. An
officer has to be appointed or elected to
preserve the peace. It is a momentous
time in any community but comes
about naturally under any goverment
and any form of goverment.

The police department of Charlottesville
has many merits, and is worthy
of a more extended consideration than
we have space to give it here. No
pains have been spared to elevate it to
the highest standard of thoroughness
and efficiency, and that these efforts
have met with entire success is easily
verified. As to the early history of the
force we have not the facts and figures
on our desk and have not the time
to hunt them up at the present moment.
The police of our city to-day is
a fine, worthy and handsome body of
men, every one of whom is both a
credit to himself and the department.

The force at the present day is composed
of T. A. Trice, the worthy chief,
who has been connected with the
department for twelve years, and three
years ago was appointed to his present
position. He is a native of Louisa
County and came to Albemarle in 1867
and took up farming. At the latter
part of the Civil War be served in the
Confederate Army as a member of the
First Virginia Light Artillery. He
stands six feet three in. and weighs 250
lbs. The other members are E. N. Eubank,
O. M. Wood, D. C. Grady, Z. L.
Dameron, J. C. Marsh, W. J. Davis, E.
E. Stratton and S. E. Lushbaugh. All
in all they are a handsome body of
men of which Charlottesville is justly
proud.