History:

Atherton was incorporated in 1923 and until 1927 only three men patrolled the town, more or less like watchmen. In 1927 the City Council asked Berkeley's Police Chief, August Vollmer, to recommend a police chief to organize a regular police department. Chief Vollmer picked a police officer from his force, Grover Mull. Chief Mull selected officers Rollen Somers and Stanley Wood to assist him. During the 1930's and 40's most of the town's population were only in residence during the summer months, May through August, moving back to San Francisco by September. In the winter there were mostly empty homes to watch.

Chief Mull ran the police department from his home on Park Drive until the new Town Hall was built in 1928. The police department then moved into one room of that building. In 1955, a new police station was built across the street from Town Hall.

Chief Mull resigned in 1930 and John E. Farrell succeeded him. Chief Farrell retired in 1949 and Leroy Hubbard was appointed as Chief.

From 1927 to 1934, in order to summon a patrol officer, it was necessary for the Chief or his wife, who answered all the telephone calls day and night, to call a number which would turn on a red light on the telephone poles at Atherton Avenue and El Camino Real, Middlefield Road and Oak Grove Avenue, and Atherton Avenue and Selby Lane. When the officer answered the phone at one of these locations, he would turn off the lights and respond to his detailed assignment.

The officers worked 8-hour shifts and then a standby shift for 8 hours. Three days a week, the officers worked twelve hours in order to give the other two men a day off. The third 12-hour shift was put in directing traffic on Sunday by hand at Atherton Avenue and El Camino Real. Each officer put in an extra four hours directing traffic.

During the week, officers worked the traffic signal at Atherton Avenue and El Camino for one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening, directing the heavy flow of traffic to and from the train station at these hours. In 1938, a traffic light was installed at Atherton Avenue and El Camino Real. This relieved the officer of traffic duty at that intersection.

In 1934, the police department had 1-way radios put in each of the police cars so that the dispatcher could communicate with those on patrol, thus eliminating the red lights on the telephone poles. By 1939, the police department had 2-way radios installed so that officers could answer calls and call for backup.

Up until 1938, the officers maintained their own cars to patrol the town. They were allowed $35.00 a month to maintain and operate these vehicles; this included paying for maintenance and repair service, gas and insurance.