-Police Record Book

Special Collections recently transferred about 750 volumes of City of Bethlehem Police Department records documenting crimes, accidents, and emergencies between the two World Wars. This was an era defined by prohibition and the Great Depression. These records are entries of almost every official contact between the public and the police. The records include dates, times, places, incident descriptions, names, ages, genders and races of people involved. The most common incidents reported are disorderly conduct, automobile accident, transporting liquor, burglary, auto theft, property damage, dog bites, building fire, and “boys playing ball.”  Many of the incidents took place on or around Packer Avenue. Preserving and making these records accessible will enable research into policing and sociological behaviors.