Department History
• From 1894 to 1934, law enforcement was handled through a succession of Marshals and Police Chiefs.
• In 1922, the City bought a two-cell steel jail for $ 302.40 to replace the wooden jail.
• A. B.“ Ott” Cribbs was hired as a police officer in 1926 and was appointed to Police Chief in 1934, a position he held for the next 37 years until retirement in 1971. Only 5 police chiefs have been appointed since 1971.
• In 1941, the City Council passed an ordinance permitting police officers to make arrests without warrants.
• In 1972, APD’ s SWAT team was developed.
• The K-9 Unit was established in 1985.
• Harold Elliott became the department’ s first full-time chaplain in 1982.
A. B.( Ott) Cribbs 1934-1971
Roy Ables 1983-1985
• In 1986, the department changed from a tan uniform to a dark blue uniform, established the Honor Guard, and instituted a bachelor’ s degree entrance requirement.
• The department received its first CALEA accreditation in 1989 under the leadership of Chief David Kunkle.
• In 1992, the department instituted bicycle patrols to support community-oriented policing projects.
• The department adopted geographic policing and problem solving in 1996.
• Graduated the 50 th Academy class in 2016.
Will Johnson 2013-present
Theron Bowman 1999-2012
David Kunkle 1985-1999
Police Chief Year Appointed Police Chief Year Appointed
Pearl Rudd |
Aug. 2, 1915 |
Ed Collins |
April 16, 1929 |
C. H.“ Punch” Wright( Refused to take office) |
Feb. 21, 1916 |
Linton Lovell |
May 5, 1931 |
Walter Norvil |
March 6, 1916 |
Ed Collins |
April 24, 1933 |
Pearl Rudd |
1917 |
A. B.“ Ott” Cribbs |
April 17, 1934 |
Jim Coke |
April 14, 1919 |
Herman Perry |
Feb. 1, 1971 |
G. A. Coke |
April 7, 1924 |
Roy Ables |
Oct. 1, 1983 |
W. M. Douglass |
May 14, 1925 |
David Kunkle |
Jan. 14, 1985 |
G. A. Coke |
June 21, 1926 |
Theron Bowman |
March 9, 1999 |
Otto Grimmett |
Dec. 20, 1926 |
Will Johnson |
March 18, 2013 |
W. M. Douglass |
April 11, 1927 |
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Annual Report 2016