The History of the Warren Police Department

Warren Township Supervisor Frank J Wiegand organized the first police department, which had two regular and two part-time officers.
There was a very small wood frame building used as a police station. In 1936 the police department was disbanded, with the duties of police protection going to the sheriff's department.

In 1941 Township Supervisor Earl J. Tallman reorganized the police department. In 1942 it consisted of fourteen regular and two part-time officers.

In 1941 the police department had one patrol car and one “Hudson ambulance equipped radio patrol car.”
This “new” radio equipment was a “two way system where the car cannot only be reached by radio through the Sheriff office,
but can answer back, call in and communicate with each other.”

In 1946 the police department became a part of “Civil Service.”

In 1950, Warren voted to become a Chartered Township; the second in the state. Warren Township was ; In the position of a fourth class city.;
Police protection which had been under County Sheriff finally moved to Warren Township total control in 1950.

In 1951 the police department had a total of twenty-six officers. The department also created a detective bureau and an identification bureau.
The department's fleet consisted of nine patrol vehicles, “all two way radio equipped,” and had two motorcycles.

The Police department moved into a larger building on Nine Mile Road.  In 1956 the population had increased 63,000.
This was probably putting more demands on the charter township system than it was designed to handle.
People wanted better service that a city type of government could deliver.

On October 27, 1956, the Township of Warren was incorporated as the City of Warren as the citizens of Warren Township voted to replace township government
with the city form of government. In 1956 Gov. G. Mennen Williams signed the charter making Warren a city. It actually began operations as a city on January 1, 1957.

On March 3, 1969, Police Officer Edward Rea was killed in an automobile accident during a vehicle pursuit.
The patrol car he was riding in was broadsided at the intersection of Van Dyke and Kennedy Circle. Officer Rea had served with the
Warren Police Department for one year and had previously served with the Detroit Police Department. He was survived by his wife and two children.  
In 1975, the 37th District Court Building was named the Edward A Rea Judicial Building,  In 1985, his badge, #122, was retired. 

In 1979 the police department moved to it's current location at 29900 Civic Center Drive.

On October 11, 2000, Detective Christopher Wouters was shot and killed by a prisoner who had been arrested for a narcotics violation earlier in the evening. The suspect had been arrested by undercover officers. Two patrol officers transported the suspect to jail. Once at the jail, the suspect was searched and a Velcro holster was found in his waist. A short time later Detective Wouters arrived to interview the suspect and was informed that a holster was found on the suspect. When the officers instructed the suspect to stand so they could conduct a more thorough search, the suspect pulled out a handgun from his pants and started running from the area. One of the officers jumped on the suspect from behind and as Detective Wouters arrived to assist the officer, he was shot.  As the suspect struggled with the other officer the gun discharged again and the suspect accidentally shot himself in the head, killing himself instantly. Detective Wouters was transported to a local hospital where he died approximately 45 minutes later.  Detective Wouters was posthumously promoted to the rank of sergeant. He had been with the Warren Police Department for 19 years, and was survived by his wife, two daughters, son, parents, four sisters, and three brothers.  In 2001, the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge in which Chris belonged, re-chartered as the Christopher M Wouters Lodge.  In 2008, the City of Warren officially named the Warren Police Headquarters, the Christopher M Wouters Police Headquarters Building.

Warren Police Patches

1960's	Early 1970's
Late 1970's	1980's to Today