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    Napa County Police
    Napa County Police
    Napa County Police
    Ebook213 pages1 hour

    Napa County Police

    By Todd L. Shulman and Napa Police Historical Society

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    About this ebook

    The story of organized law enforcement in Napa County begins with the very first meeting of the board of supervisors in 1850 and the appointment of a county sheriff and marshals for each township. The
    foundations for progress and prosperity in place, Napa County grew from a remote agricultural outpost to the preeminent wine-growing region in the United States and a booming tourist destination—and policing
    has kept pace. Today, in addition to the Napa Sheriff’s Department, the county is protected by the California Highway Patrol and three police departments: Napa, St. Helena, and Calistoga. Specialized police agencies have also grown out of unique needs, including the Napa State Hospital Police, Railroad Police, and Community College Police.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherArcadia Publishing
    Release dateSep 18, 2012
    ISBN9781439634127
    Napa County Police
    Author

    Todd L. Shulman

    Todd L. Shulman is a California native who has worked in law enforcement his entire adult life, beginning in the U.S. Army. He has held numerous positions within the Napa Police Department, including sergeant, detective, training officer, crime scene specialist, corporal and cold case investigator. Shulman formed the nonprofit Napa Police Historical Society in 2006 and continues today as its president. Shulman is married and has two adult sons who are currently finishing up college.

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      Napa County Police - Todd L. Shulman

      years.

      INTRODUCTION

      The Napa Valley was first explored by an expedition from the Spanish mission in Sonoma in 1823. At the time, there were six different tribes of Native Americans, numbering around 1,000 people, living in the area. A cholera epidemic in the 1830s wiped out a large percentage of the native population. The valley was first settled by George C. Yount in 1831 after he received a grant of land from the Mexican government. In 1836, Yount built the first log structure built by an American in the territory of California.

      Early law enforcement in Napa County was meted out by the alcalde, based in the city of Sonoma. Alcaldes were appointed by the Mexican government; they acted as both judge and mayor for the surrounding areas. Until as late as 1850, the area that is now Napa County was considered part of the larger District of Sonoma. In these early days, there were less than 200 non–Native Americans living in the Napa Valley.

      Everything in California changed in June 1846 with the Bear Flag Revolt. The revolt started in the city of Sonoma and quickly spread across the state. Unbeknownst to the revolters, the United States declared war against Mexico a month earlier. The two-week-old California Republic decided that it was prudent to allow itself to be annexed into the United States.

      From 1846 to 1849, law enforcement was handled by the military government, which had been put in place when Mexico ceded California to the United States.

      Organized civilian law enforcement took over in Napa County in 1850, when the county was officially recognized as one of the original 27 counties in the state. The total documented population of the county was 405 souls. Napa County lacked both a courthouse and jail for its first year of existence. Trials were held in either the city of Sonoma or the city of Benicia (the state capital at the time). Prisoners were held in the adobe jail in Sonoma. From these humble beginnings, a few dedicated men would step forward to plant the seed of justice and order in the fertile soil of the Napa Valley.

      One

      THE EARLY YEARS

      The early years of law enforcement in Napa County were an adventure for those brave souls who pinned on a star and strapped on a gun. Napa County became a charter county when California was admitted to the Union in 1850. The county was full of diversity, with a mix of Native Americans, struggling farmers, and disillusioned gold rush miners.

      Officers were expected not only to keep order in their towns; they were also tasked with a myriad of ancillary duties. The town marshal had many duties, including collecting taxes, supervising street repairs, acting as animal control officer, and enforcing town codes such as weed control.

      Many petty criminals never saw the inside of the county jail, located in the city of Napa. Each township within the county had an elected justice of the peace who meted out punishments in many misdemeanor crimes. Larger towns such as St. Helena and Calistoga had their own jail. The common drunkard or brawler was thrown in the lockup to cool off. Many others served short jail sentences and were admonished to leave town and not come back. In fact, Napa, the largest city in the county, did not have a formal jail until the first courthouse was built in 1856. Prior to this, small-time criminals were chained to the floor on the second floor of the original wood courthouse. Hardened criminals were held in the jail in the city of Sonoma, more than 14 miles away.

      These pioneer lawmen paved the way for all those who would protect and serve Napa County over the succeeding 150-plus years; with the barest of training and equipment, they modeled the most important traits for all cops—a heart to help those who could not help themselves and the courage to stand up to those who would prey on the helpless.

      Nathaniel McKimmey was appointed as the first sheriff of Napa County in 1850. McKimmey had served as a ferry operator on the Napa River and as a schoolteacher prior to becoming sheriff. He served as Napa County’s top cop until 1853. McKimmey left Napa County shortly after, becoming a surveyor in Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma later in life. McKimmey died in Chandler, Oklahoma, in 1901. (Courtesy of the California State Library.)

      A handwritten order signed by California’s second governor, John McDougal, was meant to suspend the execution of Hamilton McCauley in 1851. McCauley was under an order of death for killing a justice of the peace in Napa County. The governor sent an emissary with the order from Benicia to Napa. Citizens prevented the emissary from using the ferry to cross the Napa River and lynched McCauley during the night. (Courtesy of the California State Archives.)

      John Schull Stark served as Napa’s fifth sheriff, from 1855 to 1861. Stark had already distinguished himself by taking part in the third rescue party sent to help the stranded Donner Party in 1847, reportedly carrying two children and supplies to safety. After Stark’s stint as sheriff, he went on to serve in the California State Legislature and as a Napa County judge. (Courtesy of Scott Perry.)

      The Napa County Courthouse as it appeared c. 1860 looks northwest from the corner of Third and Brown Streets. The first courthouse, built in 1851, was a wood structure located on the same site. It lacked a jail; criminals were either chained to the second-story floor or housed in the Sonoma County jail. The second courthouse (pictured) was built in 1856 and was plagued by structural problems. (Courtesy of the Lawrence and Houseworth Collection of the Society of California Pioneers.)

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