Four male students serving as safety patrol officers are gathered around a police officer in this 9 1/2" x 7 1/2" black and white photograph. The boys are all dressed nicely, wearing ties, dress pants, and button-front shirts; three of them wear sweaters as well. They also wear safety patrol belts. The two boys on the left have buttons on their belts that read "Safety Patrol Omaha Police Dept." as well as each boy's rank. The two boys on the right wear badges on their safety belts. The police officer wears his uniform and hat. He holds a piece of paper in one hand and a pen in the other. The boys and the policeman are gathered in front of Jackson School, a multi-story brick building.
Omaha Public School Archive Collection / Educational Research Library
Local Accession/Call Number
Archive Files: Jackson School File
Historical Notes
The four boys pictured are eighth grade students from Jackson School; from left to right, they are: Jack Wrasse, Corporal, William Duffield, Sergeant; Richard Wanamaker, Lieutenant, and Kenneth McCoid, Captain. The police officer in the center is unidentified. The front entrance of Jackson School, located at 31st and Jackson Streets, is visible in the background. In 1924, the safety patrol began as a joint effort by Miss Marie Wetzel, Principal at Farnam Street School, the Police Commissioner, and the Omaha Safety Council. The program began with seven boys at Farnam and grew to include every elementary school in the district. Farnam Street School was closed in 1926, and the students attended the new Jackson School. The safety patrol program was purported to be the first of its kind and served as a model for other schools across the county. The Omaha Police Department provided training for the student crossing guards and issued badges and identity cards.
