The Phoenix Police Reserve: A Centennial of Service

The newspaper further described the actions of the
city commission in passing the ordinance to formally
establish the Phoenix Police Reserve, and it reported:
In introducing the ordinance, it was
explained that the organization as it is at
present constituted has no authority to
act or to even represent the city in any
crisis that may develop. The city owes it to
these men, it was explained, to afford them
some protection by adopting a resolution
such as presented this morning.
Arizona Republic
http://azcentral.newspapers.com/image/119208253
Also in July 1917, the newspaper reported that members
of the police reserve guarded the Phoenix train station
when organized “agitators” associated with the Industrial
Workers of the World, an international labor union
founded in Chicago in 1905, traveled to Phoenix.
According to newspaper accounts, the Phoenix Police
Reserve had a strength of 300 men in January 1918. They
were armed with 30-30 Winchester rifles. More than 200
of the rifles were purchased by the City of Phoenix at the
Arizona Republic (Phoenix, Arizona) · Wed, Jul 11, 1917 · P
time of the threatened Mexico uprising.
Downloaded on Jan 27
Following Ordinance No. 222, the Phoenix Police Reserve
continued with its para-military characteristics, such as
being organized on a regimental basis and divided into
companies. The ordinance provided for the appointment
of general officers and company officers of the police
reserve, and for a commanding officer of the police
reserve. The city commission would also determine the
“suitable uniforms, arms and equipment” to be supplied
for use by the police reserve. In Arizona Republican
newspaper accounts, members were referred to as “city
police reserves.”
Although the Phoenix Police Reserve was formally
established by city ordinance in May 1918, Arizona
Republican newspaper articles described the earlier
activities by an organized police reserve. For example, in
July 1917, the newspaper reported the arrival of hundreds
of new “spick and span” uniforms for the five companies
of the Phoenix Police Reserve. The article described
that the police reserve members will look like regular
“Sammies”, with their khaki uniforms, campaign hats and
leggings. The term “Sammies” was an affectionate term
sometimes used by the English and some Americans to
refer to soldiers in the U.S. Army, presumably referring to
Uncle Sam.
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THE PHOENIX POLICE RESERVE | A CENTENNIAL OF SERVICE 13