My Collection

History books on the D.C. Metropolitan Police I have collected. Photo copies are available upon request in turn for a piece of M.P.D. collectable. Photo copies of these books are available to trade for.

Kelly and I down at Cape Cod for some Lobstah and beeh..... At the Newport Mansions with the Beasts Cancun 2011-"We Shall Return"

On the left is a Police Call Box from the city of Washington D.C. This box is made of cast iron and was removed from the street's of D.C. under the watchful eye of the retired M.P.D. Officer that I received it from. He told me he had it in his basement for many years and decided to part with it.

On the right is that very same Police Call Box after getting it professionally restored. I waited to get an actual D.C. Call Box before investing the money is getting it restored, it was worth the wait. Next I would like to get a pedestal from D.C. to place it on.

BEFORE AFTER

WANTED

WANTED, I am trying to pick up a PANORAMIC photograph of members of the M.P.D. to frame up professionally. To me these are classy old school photos that we will never see again. I would be proud to display a district photo....

My D.C. Collection, Traders and the I.P.A.

Books I found to be a good read.

Just ONE MISSING, all I need to complete this set is the male/ female buckle with D C in the center of it.....

I never thought I would WANT a parking ticket, but here is a parking ticket from the 1930's

I AM ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THE ONES I DO NOT HAVE....

Badges are a great piece of Police history along as a traditional sign of authority. However the Police I.D. card is the TRUE piece of authority. Hollywood are the ones who made THE BADGE appear to be what gives a Police Officer the authority, but realistically it is the entire uniform. When not in uniform it is the identification card. Most police departments are very strict with their badges which is fine, however if someone really wants a badge a fake one is not hard to obtain. Massachusetts is in the process of issuing a identification card state wide for police. I just hope they make it a felony to falsely display a either...

I think a national I.D. for police or citizens would be fine. I think it is funny that people are so afraid of a national I.D. card system when we have already had one for so long. Ever hear of a social security card ?

Display FOUR

Display FIVE

Display SIX

One of our 3 WATCHDOGS, I suggest you call first....

SO, as you see I WAS a collector. I have been collecting since around 1988. I do not collect badges really but will never turn away a donation to my collection or a good deal. Having said that what I mainly look for are original photographs, old patches, wanted posters, D.C. year books and the little bits and pieces most collectors don't care about. I feel these items are of more historical interest. All collectors have a badge and a patch, but how many have a nicely framed wanted poster from 1909 or an Air Wing year book from 1979? To me these things show the true day to day life of an M.P.D.C. Police Officer a hundred years ago. American history is a wonderful subject, this is just a small part of that...

Here and my lazy boy are where I have spent hundreds if not thousands of hours researching and building this site over the past three years...

Some of the fruits of my labor as well as all of the information I have obtained over the past couple years. I try to save EVERYTHING I am given for information, you never know when it might be needed. No I am not a horder:)

Hand painted - custom made from a pewter piece, this is a true skill few have but Hervey Cote does. I have a 2nd style on order now.

This was one of the first things I picked up back in the 90's. It is a metal sign for President Kennedy's Inauguration. My traditional collecting starts around 1961 because I was born in 1961. Also with President Kennedy and I being Irish and from Massachusetts....

I DO NOT HAVE THIS PICTURE, I placed it on here to show you the style of photo I am looking for, this is a panoramic photo. I am searching for an OLDER picture in this style of members of the M.P.D. Precinct pictures were common and that is what I hope to find........ Currently I have about 20 framed pictures and 20 more waiting to be framed.

Left and below: Books or photo copies of books where I get a lot of my information. The original books that are photo copied are stored for historical preservation

1897

1908

1924

1976

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THE INTERNATIONAL POLICE ASSOCIATION

Back in the 1990's I was a member of the International Police Association, (also known as the I.P.A. I was very fortunate to have met a lot of good people from around the world. Due to personal issues I had to leave the association since I was not able to take part at the time. Now that my life is back on track I have decided to get back involved with the I.P.A. This is a great organization that will give you back what ever you decide to put into it. You will meet some really great people and some of them may be friends of yours for life. The I.P.A. is what the Thin Blue Line is really about, world wide and for $25 a year it can be yours.................

This is Detective Graham Hempstead of the British Transport Police and myself. I met Graham in the very early 1990's through the I.P.A.

Last year Graham was my best man in my wedding, I consider him a brother and this was due to the I.P.A.

This is Noel & Gill Haines of Leicestershire England on their visit to Boston in 1991. Noel introduced me to Graham through the IPA. Noel is a retired Sgt from the Leicestershire and now has a son on the job.

This is Bill Spence of the British Transport Police and myself when I worked for the Mass. Transit Police in Boston. Bill and I met via the IPA and our families exchanged children for trips. Bill passed a way a few years ago and I know he is waiting for us with pints in hand.....

Here are a couple of French officers I showed around Boston. They wanted to see the Combat Zone from having watched "SPENCER FOR HIRE". the zone is no more.....

Here are a couple of Hong Kong Officers I showed around Boston, early 90's.

Two female Officers from Holland who visited Boston. Here they are outside of CHEERS. Cheers was the place to visit in the 90's. Unfortunatley most were disappointed because the real Cheers looks nothing like the TV show bar.

Pat Cleary and his boys from Ireland are here visiting Boston. They were enjoying a couple pints of Guinness at J.J. Foley's, which was a famous Cop bar in Boston back in the 90's.

Ron Stevens(on) and company from Nottingham England is are seen here in Salem Mass. at "The House of Seven Gables". Ron later returned the help by giving me a private tour of the city of Nottingham. I saw things most people will never see.....

Here are a few guests visiting from Russia

The Readyhoof brothers from England. Neil on the left is a Police Officer with the Metropolitan Police in London England

In 1993 I was a member of the MBTA Transit Police based out of South Boston. Although I left the T-police in 1995, while I was there we hosted a number of guests. The largest group we helped out was from Ireland. I just wish I had the contacts now that we had then.....

1993

So this is what the I.P.A. has been like for me. The best way to describe the International Police Association can be done in one sentence. " You get out of the I.P.A. what you put into it", aside from the $25 (yes only $25), membership fee...

I have rejoined Region TWELVE in the US Section. Region TWELVE covers the New England States. New England is about the same size as England. I am no longer in Boston, I am now in Foxboro, Ma. Police Department.

In order to find out additional information about the I.P.A. click on the button below. One will send you to the US Section web site. The second will give you an application form to print up. Don't hesitate, the I.P.A. is a hidden treasure waiting for you...

Cancun 2012 - 'We Returned"

The I.P.A.

The wife resting in the Dominican Republic - 2012i

Historical donations to my e M.P.D. collection would be very much appreciated. Should I receive a donation you should know I do not sell or trade it away. It stays with the collection. Also, if a donation is made and you have information about a loved one who was /is a member of the MPD I would be glad to place photos of your donation on the site with some of it's history.

Books related to the D.C. - M.P.D.

The book my be fiction or non-fiction. Regardless i found it to be a good read so I placed it on here..

No vacation for 2013 as we are putting the house on the market...

February, 2013

Friends,

I have packed up my entire collection in preparation for placing our house on the market in the Spring. This is the first step into reaching my goal of making a mini MPDC museum. When we go searching for a new home my (not my wife's) focus will be on a man cave / mini museum.

So although I have stepped out of the collecting spot lights I am still excepting donations to the collection. your donation will not go to waste. So far I have badges, patches, pins, photographs - cabinet cards - newspapers ALL FRAMED, batons, a call box, belt buckles, and original MPDC history books - ALL original items from the M.P.D.C.

So if you have something that you want to see go to a good cause, please consider my collection. It will not be sold and will be displayed with the honor and pride that we have earned.

Respectfully,

Chuck Gallagher

P.O. Box 911

Foxborough, Ma. 02035

781.201.9336