Police Chief Reid Tevis
Beaumont, Jefferson County, Texas
Marker Inscription
(April 1, 1878 - April 15, 1925) Began lifetime career as a police officer at age 19. Was chief of detectives for Beaumont Police Department many years; chief of police, 1923 to 1925. Started police benefit fund, increased staff from 20 to 50, and reorganized department. Famed among lawmen for his uncanny ability to detect thieves and pickpockets. Often engaged to work at Texas State Fair (Dallas), St. Louis Fair, and Madison Square Garden in New York.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Reid Tevis pinned on a badge at nineteen and spent his whole life in law enforcement, rising to chief of detectives and then chief of police in Beaumont during the boomtown years that followed the Spindletop oil strike. As chief from 1923 to 1925 he more than doubled the force, reorganized the department, and started a benefit fund for officers. His renowned eye for thieves and pickpockets made him sought after at great public gatherings from the Texas State Fair to Madison Square Garden.
Why it matters
His career reflects the professionalization of American policing in the early twentieth century, as fast-growing industrial cities built modern departments to keep order.
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Related people
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Themes & tags
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