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Visit the History Center, browse the exhibits and publications and join us in preserving Berkeley's heritage.

Current Exhibit

The Berkeley Historical Society Presents New Exhibit and Book
Celebrating the Legacy of Berkeley's First Chief of Police

August Vollmer, one of the most extraordinary men ever to serve as police chief in America, is rightfully considered "The Father of American Policing." His innovative use of science and technology applied to policing made him instrumental in the creation of the first lie detector and police crime lab, and his advocacy for police higher education, which led to the creation of degrees in Criminal Justice and Criminology, were the underpinnings of his life's work to professionalize the police.

He served as Berkeley's Town Marshal and then Police Chief from 1905 to 1932 except for a brief period as LAPD chief in 1923-24. He went on to found the School of Criminology at UC Berkeley and served on the first board of the East Bay Regional Parks District.

The guest curator for this exhibit is Willard Oliver, Ph.D., Professor of Criminal Justice at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas. He developed the exhibit based on his book, August Vollmer, The Father of American Policing, recently published by Carolina Academic Press.

The exhibit will continue through September 30, 2017.

Photo courtesy of Sgt. Michael J. Holland (Ret.) of the Berkeley Police Department Historical Unit.

Berkeley Historical Society and Berkeley History Center
1931 Center Street, Berkeley 
Telephone: 510-848-0181

Mailing address: P.O. Box 1190, Berkeley, CA 94701

E-mail: info@berkeleyhistoricalsociety.org

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For past exhibits and events, see our Web Archive.