A History of Service
Since 1903, the City of Pinole has been committed to the safety and security of our citizens. The Pinole Police Department is dedicated to the core values of Honor, Courage, Commitment, Leadership and Teamwork. These values are essential to fulfiling the mission of providing premier law enforcement services to the community.
bADGES
The Pinole Police badge saw several changes over the years. The first Pinole badge was a shield used by the traffic officers in the 1930s. The badge was then changed by Hugh Young to a star-type similar to the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office badge. Over the last fifty years the bottom rocker of the badge has changed three times. The 1950-1960s badges read Pinole Police Department, the 1970s-1990s badges read, City of Pinole, the 1990s-2014 badges read Pinole Police, and our current badges reads Police Officer Pinole California.
1867
The first recorded law enforcement action in Pinole involved one of the Bay Area’s most famous western lawmen, Harry N. Morse who was the third Sheriff of Alameda County and one of the most famous gunfighters of his time as documented in John Boessenecker’s book, Lawman. Few people know one of Sheriff Morse’s famous gunfights occurred here in Pinole before it was a town.
1868-1917
Very little is known of Pinole’s law enforcement history from 1868 to1903; however when the Town of Pinole was incorporated in 1903, we find the first reference to the town’s law enforcement. The first Town of Pinole minutes, a 1903 document, record a motion made that the Town “Marshall be allowed dollars to purchase a pistol, badge, and outfit.” Although other historical records refer to Pinole’s early law enforcement officers as Constables, the Town of Pinole minutes refer to them as Marshals.
The first Marshal of the newly incorporated Town of Pinole, John Collins, operated the Klondike Saloon, named after the 1897 Klondike gold rush, and the saloon still stands at 612 Tennent Avenue.
1918-1942
Arthur “Jerry” McDonald was the Town of Pinole’s second Marshal/Constable. He was appointed as the Contra Costa County District 11 Constable in 1918. His jurisdiction ran from Pinole to Crockett.
In 1926 a municipal building was erected which housed Pinole’s first one cell jail and it was during this period Pinole’s first law enforcement officer was killed in the line-of-duty. On September 26, 1929, the Rodeo branch of the Bank of Pinole was robbed by the infamous Fleagle gang. Constable Arthur McDonald was working bank security when the robbery occurred. A gunfight ensued, which left Constable McDonald dead and one robber wounded.
Constable McDonald was replaced by long time Pinole resident and Irish immigrant Gene Shea, who served as Pinole’s last constable. Shea worked side-by-side with Pinole’s first part-time Traffic Police Officers, who were hired to address the ever-growing traffic issues on Highway 40 (now San Pablo Avenue).
1943-1967
The father of the modern Pinole Police Department, Hugh Young, started in 1943. Young served the City of Pinole from 1943 to 1967. Young is believed to have created the modern Pinole Police Department in 1950. He had worked as a Contra Costa Sheriff’s Motorcycle Deputy in the late 1930s and was hired as the first Police Chief of Pinole. The first Pinole Police uniform was tan with a green jacket modeled off a Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office uniform. Pinole’s first police patch was a triangle inset with a wheel and wings, the patch read “Pinole” over the wheel and “Police” under the wheel.
In 1964, with the annual Fiesta Del Pinole events, the City contracted Mr. Harvey, a long-time Pinole resident and artist to create a city seal. The Pinole City Council was so impressed with his work it was used to create Pinole’s current police patch with its trademark Native-American. The patch was initially placed on the tan uniform; however the tan uniform was replaced with the navy blue uniform around 1969.
1968-1989
In 1971, the Pinole Police Department moved from the 1926 municipal building into a 2000 square foot temporary building to accommodate the growing police department. Returning Vietnam veterans often found work as Police Officers in the Bay Area and the department hired its first African American Police Officer during this period.
On July 24, 1972 Pinole lost its second Police Officer in the line of duty. Patrolman John Sellers was a decorated Vietnam veteran who served for six years in the Army before discharging as a Captain. Patrolman Sellers had only worked for the Pinole Police Department for two years when he responded to a call of a man with a gun threatening patrons at the Antlers Tavern.
On August 16, 1975, several gang fights broke out during the Fiesta Del Pinole celebration at the four corners area of Pinole. The Pinole Police Officers and reserve officers who were on duty were quickly surrounded and attacked. Police officers from all over West Contra Costa County responded to control the mob of over 500 people. The second day of the celebration also saw riotous fights. As a result the City of Pinole never held a Fiesta Del Pinole celebration again.
On May 3, 1980 the City of Pinole lost its third officer in the line of duty. Officer Floyd “Bernie” Harold Swartz, a military veteran. Officer Swartz and other officers were attempting to coax a murder suspect from a hiding spot, in dense weeds behind Dolores Court in Pinole, when the suspect opened fire and Officer Swartz was hit in the throat. Tragically, Officer Swartz’ daughter, Amber Swartz, was kidnapped on June 3, 1988 and was never found. Officer Swartz’s wife, Kim, later founded the Amber Foundation for Missing Children in 1989.
1989-1999
The Pinole Police Department continued to grow and change, and in 1985 the Police Department moved from the 1971 temporary building into the current Public Safety facility at 880 Tennent Avenue. The Police Department hired its first female police officers during this period, and the Department saw a consistent period of leadership with its longest running Chief of Police, Ted Barnes, who ran the Police Department from 1980-1999.
2000-2010
In 2000, after a tumultuous financial period when the City of Pinole considered contracting police services with the Contra Costa County Sheriffs, the City of Pinole Police Department was reorganized and brought under the leadership of former Alameda County Sheriff’s Commander Jim Rose who was hired as the new Chief of Police. Chief Rose modernized the Police Department buying new equipment including computers in the patrol cars, standardized training, and re-implemented the Motorcycle Officer in 2006. Chief Rose also created the Police Department’s first K-9 program in 2003, and a School Resource Officer position in 2006. He also brought department personnel levels up to 34 sworn Police Officers.
Chief Paul Clancy, a former Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Commander, replaced Chief Rose in 2008. Chief Clancy continued modernizing the Police Department with an increased focus on the Departments Core Values and Crime Prevention Unit.
2011- Present
In 2011, the City hired John Hardester, also a former Alameda County Sheriff’s Commander, as Chief of Police. Chief Hardester carried on the legacy of professionalism and core values for the City of Pinole through difficult financial times.
In April 2014, Chief John Hardester retired and interim Chief Richard Word guided the Police Department until September 2014 when then Commander Neil H. Gang was promoted to Chief of Police.
Under Chief Neil H. Gang, the Police Department had gone through rebranding and rebuilding. The patch was redesigned in 2014 issued along with the current badge. The Department adopted proactive approach to community engagement hiring candidates who held some attachment to the community. The department built upon technological advances and implemented cutting-edge programs that increased efficiency and effectiveness.
In 2017, the West Bay Communications Center operated by the Pinole Police Department expanded and began providing dispatch services to the City of San Pablo in addition to long-time partner, City of Hercules.
A Community Outreach Unit was launched in 2018 to further reach out and provide services to the community.
Fallen Heroes
The following Pinole Police personnel gave their lives in the line of duty protecting the Pinole community. We will always remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
