History:

The Unadilla Township Police Department started back in 1894 with the appointment of two constables, that being F.E. Marshall on April 8, 1894 and William Pryfrur on April 12, 1894. Prior to Unadilla Township having constables, the Livingston County Sheriff's Department serviced the Township with the first County Sheriff being elected on the first Monday in May 1835. The Sheriff was Justus J. Bennett. Unadilla Township was a very quiet and religious community. The Township was formed on the first Monday in April of 1835.

The first Justice of the Peace for Unadilla Township was Elnathan Noble. Noble was also one of the first associate judges in Livingston County. Before the county was organized, he was appointed territorial justice of the peace by Michigan Governor Stevens T. Mason. Elnathan Noble is given credit for naming Unadilla Township after a township in Otsego County, New York.

The Township's first documented homicide was in 1845. Victim Green was shot and instantly killed by a man by the name of Cole while in the woods near his house. Cole admitted to the shooting. Cole claimed he mistook Green for a deer and accidentally shot him. No positive proof was brought against Cole at trial.

Constables served as Peace Officers until 1978 with the hiring of the first Township police officer. Unadilla Township ended the use of constables in 1985 when Larry Owen was sworn in as the first Chief of Police for Unadilla Township. Prior to being sworn in as Chief of Police, Owen was the Township's only police officer. Larry Owen was hired in 1978 and was assisted by Constable William Jack McGee. Earnest Clark was appointed as a constable in 1967 and served until 1978 (the badge of Constable Clark is displayed in a glass case at the Township police station). Ofc. Owen was also assisted by Constables Calvin Sommers, James Bolling and Charles Wertz.

Unadilla Township officially formed a police department in 1978 when the need for better police response and service was required. Unadilla Township could not get the service of a police department from constables or from the Sheriff's Department.