The 1870 charter required the Town of Collierville to have a town marshal, and from that day forth, Collierville strived to provide the best possible protection for its citizens.

            In 1907, an act was passed to elect the town marshal for a term of two years, and this practice was continued until 1950.  At that time, an ordinance was established that the Chief of Police be appointed by the Mayor and Board of Aldermen.

            The quiet, quaint little town or village of a few early settlers has steadily grown, and by 1990, reached a population of more than 16,000.  The town strives to maintain a slow pace and a friendly rural atmosphere, but also provide, at the same time, the convenience of a larger city.

            The Collierville Police Department grew with the town to develop and met the challenge that was associated with the growing pains of a community.  That unfortunately would include an increase in the crime rate, plus a major increase of traffic on the streets.

            Back in 1929 and many years prior to that, whiskey stills were very common.  It was during the prohibition days, when to make or sell alcohol was illegal, that stills were very prominent in the rural area.  The town marshal, Jesse A. Lowe, was having a hay day destroying them.  In May 1929, Lowe had destroyed his 44^th still on Mary’s Creek, about four miles from Collierville.  By October 1929, he had destroyed his 53^rd still, and was assisted by Buddy Leake, Deputy Sheriff of Shelby County.  It appears Lowe was destroying an average of approximately two stills a week within a range of three to five miles in various directions of Collierville.  In 1936 the sale of liquor became legal again in most states, but stills continued to be destroyed in the Collierville area, even until the present day.

            Due to the loss of some of the town’s minutes, most of the available records began in 1938.  At that time, Will F. Hughes was Town Marshal.  He not only had the responsibility of keeping law and order, but he had the duty to be collector of water and sewage fees, as well as tax collector.  His salary was $80 per month until he received a $10 raise in September of 1938.  Jesse Lowe was appointed town marshal again and worked twelve-hour shifts.

            On Feb. 11, 1944, Boyd Pleasants resigned as Town Marshal and Fire Chief.  H.L. Sigrest was appointed to replace him as Fire Chief, with Edgar J. Morton as Assistant Fire Chief, and T. S. “Pat” Morton was appointed Town Marshal.  It is possible that others served as Town Marshal and Fire Chief for a short period of time other than Will F. Hughes and Boyd Pleasants.

            In those days, the Marshals used their own vehicles for all calls made, with the exception of two marshals who did not drive – Pat Morton and Jesse Lowe.  By 1946, salaries for the day and night Marshals were increased to $200 and $150 per month, respectively.  In 1951, as the town began to expand, the Collierville Rotary Club felt it wise to have a uniformed officer at the school crossing at Walnut Street and Highway 57.  Jesse Lowe was assigned to this duty, and served in that position for many years.  He was also given an allowance of $50 toward the purchase of uniforms.  By 1952, a night watchman was required to punch the clock from twelve midnight to five in the morning.

            February of 1954 was a big year for the Collierville Police Department, when the first patrol car was ordered.  The car cost $1,537.95 and was purchased from Kelsey Brothers Chevrolet Company.  It was wrecked by April of 1955, and a new patrol car was purchased for $1437.  At this time, the Town Hall and the patrol car had transmitters installed.  By 1957 the Town Marshal name was changed to Chief of Police.  Since Jesse Lowe did not drive, a bicycle was purchased for his use.  One would often see him riding his bicycle to the school crossing.  As chief, he had five uniformed officers under his command.

            On June 8, 1956, the town’s first officially appointed judge was William M. Allen.  He served at “the will and pleasure” of the Mayor and Board of Aldermen, and his first salary was $20 a month.  By 1982 court session was held each Thursday night and averaged more than fifty cases.  At that time the salary was $350 a month.  Judge Allen died on Oct. 21, 1983.  Until 1970 the Mayor heard the traffic cases, but court ruling stopped the Mayor from serving as a judge in such cases.  Collierville’s present judge is Craig Hall.

            George Walker, who was the first black officer to serve on the Collierville Police Force, started on a part-time basis in 1965.  He patrolled the “back alley,” behind the stores on the east side of the square, where several restaurants were located and trouble often occurred on the week-ends.  In 1966, Officer Walker became a full-time employee, along with another full-time black officer, Flanning Glover.

            The Collierville Police Department strives to be the very best and embarks upon challenges of its own.  In 1992 the department applied for National Accreditation, which took a period of eighteen months to accomplish.  Since then, the department achieved re-accreditation in 2000.

            Collierville had town marshals until 1950.  As mentioned the available records began in 1938, so the list is not complete for the earlier marshals except where mentioned.  Will F. Hughes, 1938-1943; Boyd Pleasants, 1943-1944; T. S. “Pat” Morton, 1944; J. M. Anthony, 1944-1945; Jesse Lowe, 1945-1946; Boyd Pleasants, 1946 and Gail Wilson, 1946-1950.  The first Chief of Police was Jesse A. Lowe from 1950-1959; Earnest Fiveashe, 1959-1960; G. R. “Bud” Dyer, 1960-1966; M. R. Ferguson, 1966-1974; N. A. Goforth, Jr., 1974-1978; R. S. McCullogh, 1978-1979, Dennis E. Joyner, 1979-1999, and L.E. Goodwin, 1999-present.

            Others who have served the department as day or night marshal or as officers were Charles Cocke, 1946; Everette Collins, 1946; L. B. McQueen, 1946-1953; Night Marshal J. M. Anthony, 1948; S. T. Berry, 1954-1956; Dan Moore and Billy R. Acree, deputies.

(The previous was reprinted, with permission, from Collierville, Tennessee, Her People and Neighbors.)
 

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Picture taken in 1975

Copyright© 2001 Collierville Police Department