OFFICERS/DISPATCHERS

HPD HISTORY

      On October 2nd, 1883 the town site of Holdrege was platted.  Within a short time, loads of lumber were arriving daily and workmen were busy putting up temporary buildings.  By the spring of 1884 there was a thriving city which sprang up so rapidly that it was called "Magic City".  This name stuck for a long time. 

     Abner F. Johnson was appointed the 1st Chief of Police of Holdrege on April 8th, 1884 in the "Magic City".  Holdrege became a second class city on April 10, 1888 having grown by leaps and bounds in those four years.  It wasn't until May 4th, 1967 that Holdrege reached the 5,000 population mark and became a first class city in Nebraska.

     In September of 1934, Holdrege had its first and only bank robbery.  Three gunmen entered a local bank, cursing and held it up.  When leaving they took several hostages and released them a few blocks later, unharmed.  The gunmen were caught and convicted in 1939.

     During the years of 1938 to 1939 the city municipal building, the city auditorium and the pool were built by the WPA.

     County Sheriff Wilbur Gewecke and Chief of Police Bob Harr brought the city and county into the 20th century with two-way radios in October 1955.  Previous to that time they relied on the Nebraska State Patrol for radio contact. 

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  On Monday, January 12th, 1959 it was reported that an all-night station attendant, Carl (Shorty) Pruitt, was abducted from Holdrege early Sunday and his nude body was found in Harlan County.  All local and state-wide law enforcement agencies were looking for Pruitt.  The case was never officially closed, but speculation has it that the suspect died while incarcerated in a state penitentiary.

     Holdrege and Phelps County activated the 911 emergency system in September of 1972.  The communications center was located at the Holdrege Police Station where all 911 calls were routed.  

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 Holdrege made the National News on August 8, 1989, when two escaped convicts from Ordway, Colorado were apprehended in Holdrege after a pursuit and shootout.  Their wives commandeered a helicopter and flew into the prison yard where the two convicts were waiting.  They abandoned the helicopter and pilot in a wooded area and made their get-a-way in a yellow Ryder cargo truck.  An alert Holdrege Police Department dispatcher notified local Law enforcement that the Ryder truck might be headed this way.  The Ryder truck was observed and the pursuit began on the west edge of Holdrege entering the residential parts of town with the fugitives shooting at the following police.  Eventually the truck was stopped downtown because there were too many Law Enforcement around.  The two escapees and their spouses were tried and convicted in Phelps County Court.  The reenactment was shown on the television show "Top Cops" on December 10,1992.

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