Somerville Auxiliary Police Department
Public Safety Building
220 Washington Street
Somerville, Massachusetts 02143

Some of the old cruisers once used by the SAPD:
Looking Back......
1979 Crown Victoria LTD II parked in
Union Square. (Photo courtesy of
Officer Michael Wyatt - SPD)
1985 Ford Crown Victoria LTD running
traffic in Powderhouse Square.
Doherty's Funeral Home and Tufts Field
can be seen in the background. (Photo
courtesy of Officer Michael Wyatt - SPD)
1991 Ford Crown Victoria LTD
(Photo courtesy of Officer Michael Wyatt - SPD)
1994 Crown Victoria with old paint
scheme.  (SAPD Collection photo).
1997 Ford Crown Victoria
(SAPD Collection Photo)
1999 Ford Crown Victoria
Former Ward 1 car.
(SAPD Collection Photo)
2000 Ford Crown Victoria with current
paint scheme. Retired in December of 2006
(Photo by Rob McDougall - WAPD)
                                                     
                                                     Time line in the History of the SAPD

1942: The Somerville Auxiliary Police Department is founded as a part of Civil Defense.

1950(?): The SAPD is armed for the fist time after buying used revolvers from the United
States Navy.

1986: The first issue of the now defunct department newsletter "Volunteer" is released.
Very few issues were ever produced. The same year, the Somerville Police Department is
voted the best dressed Department in Massachusetts.

1988: The SAPD receives a new cruiser, a 1988 Ford Crown Victoria LTD. This car was
purchased new by the city and presented to Captain Henry Wagner and the Department by
Mayor Eugene Brune (Source: Somerville Journal - 1988)

1989: The SAPD launches its first ever Child Identification program at the Assembly
Square Mall. In 9 hours, SAPD members created ID's for over 1,000 children. Only when
they ran out of film and supplies did they stop.

1991: For the first and only time in Department history, the SAPD is disbanded during the
Summer due to a budget crisis resulting in the layoff of many SPD Officers. The
Department is reinstated in the fall after the Officers were rehired.

1992: Statistics from this year show that, amongst other duties performed, The SAPD
assisted with 4 arrests, assisted 53 civilians, handled 193 lockouts and also recovered 2
stolen vehicles.

1993(?): The Department-issue uniform shirts are changed from Navy blue to Slate Grey,
and feature a grey stripe on the pant legs.

1994: The SAPD introduces the Unit Citation Award for the first time, and awards it to
Officer Jeffrey Cole for his efforts in the Recruiting Department.

1998: Jerry Carvalho is appointed Chief of Department by Henry Wagner, who steps down
to take the Deputy Chiefs position.

1998: The SAPD switches from .38 Cal revolvers to 9mm Smith & Wesson semi-automatic weapons issued by
the Department.

2005: The SAPD returns to the Internet with its new and updated website.

2005: The SAPD receives its newest cruiser, a 2005 Crown Victoria. This car replaced the
aging 2000 Crown Vic that the SAPD had been using for several years.

2005: Deputy Chief Wagner retires after 25+ years of service to the Department and the City.