Nashua's Finest: The History of Law Enforcement in Nashua NH

Overview This book covers the history of law enforcement in the city of Nashua NH, from 1675 when Nashua, then known as Dunstable, employed a single Constable, to today's force of 181 sworn officers and 70 civilians. It includes a narrative chronology, 160 years of facts and figures, extended profiles of the four officers who died in the line of duty, profiles on over 20 officers and their experience serving the citizens of Nashua… and more.

Description The township of Dunstable, part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony was established in 1673. In 1682, Joseph Parker, the settlement's first "lawman" was paid 20 shillings for the previous seven years of work as the town's only Constable. With the advent of several textile mills by the early 1820's, Nashua was transformed from a sleepy stage-stop to a, fast-growing and vibrant industrial town comprised of many different ethnicities and cultures. To keep the peace, the Village of Nashua and in 1853, the City of Nashua added more and more police. The turn of the 20th century saw the advent of the automobile and Nashua's earliest "paddy wagons" and police cruisers. By the 1920's, police commanders realized that policing was more than wrestling an intoxicated citizen to jail – responsible policing required training. Today, the Nashua Police Department is one of the best trained, and best equipped in the country. They are truly – Nashua's Finest!

About the Author A Nashua native, author Gary Ledoux grew up in the Crown Hill area, attended Nashua schools and graduated from Nashua High in 1970. He attended NH Voc Tech for a short time, then moved to Amherst, Manchester and Weare. He served as a volunteer on the Amherst Fire Dept from 1974 to 1977. Work then took him first to Jacksonville, Florida, and then to southern California. He recently retired after a 48-year career in the automotive field including 29 years with American Honda Motor Company most of that time at their national headquarters in Los Angeles. Upon retirement, he returned to Jacksonville, FL where he lives with his wife, Rachel, and their three dogs. They also like to travel in their Winnebago motorhome. Ledoux began writing professionally around 1992 and had his own column, plus provided features articles for two different old-west-themed magazines. He has also written business articles for Power Equipment Trade magazine, Motorcycle Industry magazine, Escapees magazine, and for the first 3 ½ years after his retirement, wrote a column and feature articles for Auto Body News magazine.