Charles Gritzmacher
(1847 – 1931)
Chief - July 15, 1905 – July 1, 1909
(1847 – 1931)
Chief - July 15, 1905 – July 1, 1909
Charles Henry Gritzmacher was born in Prussia (now Germany) in 1847 or 1848. It isn’t known when he came to the States or when he arrived in Portland. By 1873 or 1874 he was a policeman and Captain by 1880. From the 1870s through the 1890s he survived numerous firings, hirings, reorganizations and political maneuverings. He was appointed a policeman, jailer, captain of police and captain of detectives. Some of his layoffs lasted hours, others up to two years.
Gritzmacher was Senior Captain when Chief Hunt resigned and he was appointed as Acting Chief. The Lewis & Clark Exposition was still in full swing and that occupied his first months. Civil Service testing for city jobs was in place, but politics still drove the Chief selection. Gritzmacher was described as a strong Democrat, making him a contender for the position. He had announced his intention to retire, but stayed on when offered the position, which didn’t become permanent until 1907.
As Chief he supervised three Captains, three Sergeants, 110 patrolmen, three patrol wagon drivers, three jailors, eight detectives, a matron, and a number of special police that included Lola Baldwin. Even though he opposed women detectives in 1906, Grizmacher supported Baldwin becaming a full officer in 1908, the second in the nation after Marie Owens in Chicago.
He was Chief in the continuation of the time when all hiring and firing had to go through the Police Commission. This created some problems as seen in 1906 when Gritzmacher asked his patrolmen to help solve crimes because the detectives just weren’t effective.
He retired with 34 years of service. His retirement was attended by the entire police force, showing the regard that he had earned. He died in 1931 at the age of 84.
Gritzmacher was Senior Captain when Chief Hunt resigned and he was appointed as Acting Chief. The Lewis & Clark Exposition was still in full swing and that occupied his first months. Civil Service testing for city jobs was in place, but politics still drove the Chief selection. Gritzmacher was described as a strong Democrat, making him a contender for the position. He had announced his intention to retire, but stayed on when offered the position, which didn’t become permanent until 1907.
As Chief he supervised three Captains, three Sergeants, 110 patrolmen, three patrol wagon drivers, three jailors, eight detectives, a matron, and a number of special police that included Lola Baldwin. Even though he opposed women detectives in 1906, Grizmacher supported Baldwin becaming a full officer in 1908, the second in the nation after Marie Owens in Chicago.
He was Chief in the continuation of the time when all hiring and firing had to go through the Police Commission. This created some problems as seen in 1906 when Gritzmacher asked his patrolmen to help solve crimes because the detectives just weren’t effective.
He retired with 34 years of service. His retirement was attended by the entire police force, showing the regard that he had earned. He died in 1931 at the age of 84.