Glendale Police Foundation unveils plans for museum
Inside the Glendale police headquarters, a new museum, which is tentatively slated to open in the spring, will honor 110 years of law enforcement in the city.
Plans for the museum, launched by the Glendale Police Foundation, were unveiled Wednesday. It will be curated by Glendale police historian and officer Teal Metts and located in the northern lobby of police headquarters.
The foundation’s goal is to raise $200,000 for the project, with $35,000 already secured just prior to the project’s announcement.
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“This has been a desire of many people for many years, so to really see it start to come to light today is truly important,” said Glendale Police Chief Robert Castro. “When you look at what’s happening across this nation — the targeting of police officers — this is the perfect time to really remember those who’ve given their lives for us as well as remember how this department has evolved to become one of the finest law enforcement agencies across this nation.”
The idea to create a site dedicated to Glendale police history has existed, in one form or another, for at least 14 years, when the department moved into its new headquarters. The idea was scrapped only after the headquarters project exceeded budget, according to Metts.
Only a year or so ago, Metts began developing plans to move memorabilia from its current location — a 5-foot-by-8-foot storage locker on the third floor of the police headquarters — into a full-fledged site where the public can appreciate the memorabilia, which date back to 1915.
“It’s important for new hires to know that this is not just a new career they are embarking on but a legacy that they are responsible for maintaining,” Metts said in a statement. “For retirees, it serves as a rare and sentimental trip back in time. For guests and children, it’s an educational look into our history, stories of dedication, heroism and even tragic loss of life to protect the community.”
Metts is working with an architect to finalize plans for the museum’s construction. Current concept renderings show the repurposing of three unused interview rooms into one area caged by jail-type bars.
Next to that, permanent displays, along with some rotating ones, will highlight various items tied to the portions of the police department’s legacy, according to the plans.
An enclosed area in the museum will be accessible by tour only and will house the oldest and most valuable pieces of the collection, such as firearms, photos and tin badges.
Four free-standing display cases will be part of the museum and will include replicas of each major police uniform change over the years. Also, a scale model of the current police helicopter will hang from the ceiling, according to the plans.
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Jeff Landa, jeff.landa@latimes.com
Twitter: @JeffLanda
