History of the Newburgh Police Department, Newburgh, Indiana
As we look back into the history of the Town of Newburgh, the first documented police force was formed in 1870.
From 1870 until 1945, the Constable or Marshal was the only member of the department. In 1945, the Town Marshal expanded the department to include a Deputy Town Marshal.
In the 1970’s, downtown Newburgh was home to an Outlaw Motorcycle gang called the Grim Reapers. The Newburgh Police Department spent several years dealing with the crimes and corruption that this gang brought to the Newburgh downtown area. In the late 1970’s, the Grim Reapers packed up and moved to the Evansville area.
The Newburgh Police Department has grown from one Marshal or Constable to nine (9) merit police officers and an allotment of up to five (5) reserve officers retained as the sitting Chief deems nessecary.
The Newburgh Police Department was the first police department in Warrick County to install laptop computers in all units. Officers have the ability to do reports and documents from within their units and check records of individuals they are dealing with on the street.
Town Marshals - Newburgh, Indiana
1. John Wesley Ervin
Constable in 1870
Born in 1839 and died in 1911. Buried at Rose Hill Cemetery in Newburgh. Wife, Lucinda was born in 1833 and died in 1921. She too was buried in Rose Hill.
2. James Monroe
Constable in 1876
Born in Ireland in 1838 and died in 1886. Buried in Wood Cemetery in Ohio Township, Warrick County Indiana.
3. John V. Foster
Town Marshal in 1880
Born in Indiana in 1835 and died in 1901. He is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery in Newburgh.
4. James Butterworth
Constable in 1886
5. George Bell Jr.
Constable in 1912
Born in Newburgh in 1874 and died in 1918. He is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery in Newburgh.
6. John McCarty
Constable
Born in 1861 and died in 1922. He is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery in Newburgh. His wife was Amelia. She was born in 1874 and died in 1950. She too is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery.
7. William H. Bottoms
Constable in 1916
8. Claude Williams
Marshal in 1953
9. Samuel Petty
Marshal
Born in 1885 in Indiana, he died in 1976 and was buried in Rose Hill Cemetery in Newburgh. His wife, Rosa, was born in 1886 and died in 1970.
10. John R. Taylor
Marshal
Born in Indiana in 1861 and died in Newburgh in 1946.
11. Joseph Jones
Marshal
Born in Newburgh in 1883 and died in 1943. He was buried at Rose Hill Cemetery in Newburgh. His wife, Hazel Ruby was born in 1883 and died in 1922.
12. Edwin F. Hawkins
Marshal in the late 1940's
Shot and killed a soldier from Camp Breckenridge. Hawkins thought he was AWOL. Born in 1880 and died in 1951. Buried at Memorial Park Cemetery in Evansville. His wife was Inez.
13. Porter Brown
Marshal in the late 1950's.
Born in 1881, he died in 1958. He was buried at Maple Grove Cemetery in Boonville, Indiana. His first wife was Clara, born in 1885 and died in 1938. His second wife, Elsie, was born in 1901 and died in 2000. Elsie was also the second wife of Clarence Westfall, a druggist in Newburgh for many years.
14. George Steimel
Town Marshal from 1955 to 1960
Born in 1899, he was found dead at his desk in 1960. For 10 years, he was ranked "Pistol Champion" for the State of Indiana. He was also an Indiana State Trooper. His wife was Mae.
15. Paul Gross
Marshal in 1966 (Perhaps as early as 1961)
Retired from the Evansville Police Department. At his time of death, he was the manager of Roberts Stadium Parking Lot. He was born in 1907 and died in 1979. He was buried at Park Lawn Cemetery in Evansville. His wife, Helen was born in 1912 and died in 1966.
16. Joseph Fischer
17. Richard Meinert
18. Charles Marx
19. Dennis M. Patton
Town Marshal from 1979 to 2004.
(Click Here to Visit Chief Patton's Memorial Page)
20. Brett E. Sprinkle
Town Marshal from 2005 to 2010
Chief of Police from 2010 to 2016
21. Eric Mitchell
Chief of Police 2016-Current