Post World War II - 1960's
The post-war era saw continued growth in the Village as vacant lots became scarce. The Floral Park Police Department grew with the population as a new patrol sector was added as a result of public demand. In 1950 Philip Maickel was appointed Police Chief, replacing Chief Humphrey. By 1958, the population of the Village had surpassed 17, 500 and the force had grown in strength to five lieutenants, four sergeants, and twenty-three patrolmen; there were also four school-crossing guards. In that year, the village installed seventy-four telephone boxes connected to police headquarters; several of these boxes are still in use today. Also, by this time a teletype which received immediate police information from thirteen states, screened to Floral Park Police by the Nassau County Police Department, and a radio system were installed at Police Headquarters.
The village now had 37 miles of paved roads, and to efficiently and safely move traffic, the force employed a fleet of seven vehicles, the chief's car, three patrol cars, one highway-patrol suburban, one three-wheel motorcycle for policing the parking meters and one solo motorcycle for highway patrol. Three-way radios were in all vehicles, and the department had a radar device for checking speed. Emergency arms, included a tear-gas gun, grenades and a submachine gun.
Floral Park had established itself as a safe and secure community, and the Floral Park Police Department had gained a reputation as a force intent on maintaining that environment. The Floral Park Annual Report for 1958 states that "Floral Park can report an almost negligible amount of crime" and it listed 111 complaints of criminal acts, most of them for offenses ranging from auto theft to disorderly conduct, and 1,527 complaints for non-criminal acts. It adds that the department made 38 arrests that year, largely for infractions such as disorderly conduct, and reported that 10 stolen cars were recovered, furthermore, of 5 persons reported missing, all were found. The department also answered 259 calls for emergency aid, responded to 219 motor-vehicle accidents (41 of which required emergency aid, with no fatalities) and issued 1,163 summonses for violations of traffic law.
The department prided itself on its record of safety as it continually won many awards, year after year, from the National Safety Council for both traffic and pedestrian safety. In 1956 Floral Park was one of three communities throughout the United States to receive the Walker Award of the NSC for the excellent safety program and record. The department was considerably proud of this feat, noting that this record was maintained in spite of heavy traffic from Belmont Race Track that inundated the village twice a year sometimes to a total of one hundred days.
By the 1960's the population growth of the village had reached its peak as there was very little open land remaining. The two major infrastructure projects, the elevation of the Long Island Rail Road, and the widening of Jericho Turnpike, created significant traffic problems throughout the village. Activity had started to rise as 238 major complaints and 126 arrests were reported in 1967, though most arrests reportedly were still largely for infractions such as disorderly conduct. In 1968, the police department, still under the command of Chief Maickel, employed five lieutenants, one of whom was an acting captain, five sergeants, and twenty-six patrolmen. One patrol vehicle and one supervisory vehicle had been added to its fleet, bringing the total to nine vehicles. The Floral Park Police added the rank of detective in 1969 and promoted Patrolman John Melinski to that position. John had been a well-known, and very active, highway officer with the department for many years.
In 1969, after forty-one years of service to the Floral Park Police Department, nineteen as Chief of Police, Philip Maickel retired. A testimonial dinner honoring his service was held for him on December eleventh of that year at Koenig's Restaurant. He was succeeded by Chief George Wagner who had risen up through the ranks of the department, holding every rank from patrolman to captain, since his appointment in 1946.
The post-war era saw continued growth in the Village as vacant lots became scarce. The Floral Park Police Department grew with the population as a new patrol sector was added as a result of public demand. In 1950 Philip Maickel was appointed Police Chief, replacing Chief Humphrey. By 1958, the population of the Village had surpassed 17, 500 and the force had grown in strength to five lieutenants, four sergeants, and twenty-three patrolmen; there were also four school-crossing guards. In that year, the village installed seventy-four telephone boxes connected to police headquarters; several of these boxes are still in use today. Also, by this time a teletype which received immediate police information from thirteen states, screened to Floral Park Police by the Nassau County Police Department, and a radio system were installed at Police Headquarters.
The village now had 37 miles of paved roads, and to efficiently and safely move traffic, the force employed a fleet of seven vehicles, the chief's car, three patrol cars, one highway-patrol suburban, one three-wheel motorcycle for policing the parking meters and one solo motorcycle for highway patrol. Three-way radios were in all vehicles, and the department had a radar device for checking speed. Emergency arms, included a tear-gas gun, grenades and a submachine gun.
Floral Park had established itself as a safe and secure community, and the Floral Park Police Department had gained a reputation as a force intent on maintaining that environment. The Floral Park Annual Report for 1958 states that "Floral Park can report an almost negligible amount of crime" and it listed 111 complaints of criminal acts, most of them for offenses ranging from auto theft to disorderly conduct, and 1,527 complaints for non-criminal acts. It adds that the department made 38 arrests that year, largely for infractions such as disorderly conduct, and reported that 10 stolen cars were recovered, furthermore, of 5 persons reported missing, all were found. The department also answered 259 calls for emergency aid, responded to 219 motor-vehicle accidents (41 of which required emergency aid, with no fatalities) and issued 1,163 summonses for violations of traffic law.
The department prided itself on its record of safety as it continually won many awards, year after year, from the National Safety Council for both traffic and pedestrian safety. In 1956 Floral Park was one of three communities throughout the United States to receive the Walker Award of the NSC for the excellent safety program and record. The department was considerably proud of this feat, noting that this record was maintained in spite of heavy traffic from Belmont Race Track that inundated the village twice a year sometimes to a total of one hundred days.
By the 1960's the population growth of the village had reached its peak as there was very little open land remaining. The two major infrastructure projects, the elevation of the Long Island Rail Road, and the widening of Jericho Turnpike, created significant traffic problems throughout the village. Activity had started to rise as 238 major complaints and 126 arrests were reported in 1967, though most arrests reportedly were still largely for infractions such as disorderly conduct. In 1968, the police department, still under the command of Chief Maickel, employed five lieutenants, one of whom was an acting captain, five sergeants, and twenty-six patrolmen. One patrol vehicle and one supervisory vehicle had been added to its fleet, bringing the total to nine vehicles. The Floral Park Police added the rank of detective in 1969 and promoted Patrolman John Melinski to that position. John had been a well-known, and very active, highway officer with the department for many years.
In 1969, after forty-one years of service to the Floral Park Police Department, nineteen as Chief of Police, Philip Maickel retired. A testimonial dinner honoring his service was held for him on December eleventh of that year at Koenig's Restaurant. He was succeeded by Chief George Wagner who had risen up through the ranks of the department, holding every rank from patrolman to captain, since his appointment in 1946.