The City of Franklin, Indiana

BACKGROUND:

Franklin, established in 1823, sprang from the central Indiana Plains. Samuel Herriott, an admirer of Benjamin Franklin, named the City. Franklin served as a wagon stop for settlers traveling the Louisville and Indianapolis trail. Very little information can be found about the beginning of the Franklin Police Department. It is said that Johnson County Sheriff John Smiley, who lived in Franklin, was responsible for enforcing the law. Later,  the City organized a police department to conduct law enforcement within the city limits. The first known pictorial documentation of the force can be seen above. Standing behind the Ford Model A police car is C.C. "Lum" Harrison who served as the Franklin Town Marshal. Pictured on the far right is a uniformed police officer. The picture appears to have been taken on the East Court Street in the late 1930's or early 1940's.

BEFORE EMERGENCY DISPATCH:

C.C. "Lum" Harrison (right) and Lawson Sullivan were two of the most well known members of the department. Both men served as chief during the 1940s. During this era, the department would summon officers by illuminating the "red globe" that was located on a pole at the intersection of East Jefferson and East Court Street. Upon seeing the lit globe, officers would report for assignment.

The globe is now on display at the Johnson County Museum of History. Local merchants also assisted with the dispatching effort. The Artcraft and Franklin Theaters had reserved seating for officers, so they could be notified quickly in the event of an emergency.

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