The Phoenix Police Reserve: A Centennial of Service

On January 1, 1953, the special police officers with the
reserve division of the civil defense unit reportedly
policed the Salad Bowl Parade, and the subsequent
football game. The Salad Bowl was an annual
post-season college football bowl game played at
Montgomery Stadium in Phoenix, which was sponsored
by the Phoenix and Valley of the Sun Kiwanis Clubs.
In October 1954, training of an additional class of
special police officers began, to join the already serving
100 special police officers. Initial training included 16
classroom periods, and seven in-the-field sessions.
The subjects of instruction included: laws of arrest,
police organization and functions, patrol and
observation, field interrogations, accident investigation,
intersection control, juvenile procedure, mob control,
mechanics of arrest, firearms and other subjects.
The training was based upon materials supplied by
the Phoenix Police Department, the Los Angeles
Police Department and the federal Civil Defense
Administration. Following their training, special police
officers completed a six-month probationary period as
they worked with regular police officers.
THE PHOENIX POLICE RESERVE | A CENTENNIAL OF SERVICE 27