1. Why you chose the agency? What did they offer
For the Southeast Community College Winter 2014 quarter I was an intern for the Lincoln
Police Department in Lincoln, NE. I choose this agency because I want to be a police
officer for the Lincoln Police Department. I went in and interviewed with Officer Kennett
for this position in December of 2013 and they offered me the position that started on
January 7th, 2014. Officer Kennett discussed with me that I would be doing many different
things and he felt that I would be a good intern for the Assistant Chief of Police Brian
Jackson. I would have to report to him and he would assign me tasks that needed to be
completed. I would also have to complete 100 QSA surveys and be allowed to complete
two ride alongs during my internship.
2. A brief history of the specific internship agency.
The first police force for the City of Lincoln was formed in July of 1870. The desire to
create a police force started with the City Board. They were concerned with the waning
morality among citizens of the community and felt there was an influx of naturally
immoral and lawless elements coming from other cities. The police force was started with
just three men: William Barber as a patrolman and Matthew Donahue and Charles Norton
as watchmen. In 1871, A.E. Hastings was appointed Marshal of Lincoln. He also served as
Street Commissioner, Fire Warden and was a member of the Board of Health. His salary
was $180 a month, a sum which many thought was too much. The City Board in 1871 set
salaries at $100 a month for the marshal and $2 a day for policemen. By 1885 the City
Council had reduced the Marshal’s salary to $60 a month and increased the officer’s
salaries to $55 a month. By 1913, the Chief was paid $1800 a year and an average police
officer received $960 a year. Today, the starting income for a police officer is $31,000 a
year.
Lancaster County opened the current jail facility in June of 1991. It is located next to the
City County building at 9th and “J” streets. The first jail for Lincoln was at “8th and “Q”
streets and was originally Landons Milk House. Officers used the milk house from 1871
until 1872 when a room was rented for $15 a day from councilman D.A. Sherwood. In
