Visit the Akron Police Museum If You Love Police Shows

Did you ever dream of being a police detective? Would you like to be the one who investigates the scene of a bank robbery or murder, interviews witnesses, gathers evidence, and dusts for fingerprints? You can examine real evidence from real crimes, including real guns used in real crimes, the notes from detectives about various crimes, and view microscopes once used to measure the ballistics fired from guns in various crimes. You can do all this and see a lot more at the Akron Police Museum in Akron, Ohio. Admission is free. The museum is open from Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at 217 South High Street.

There is so much to see in the Akron Police Museum in the Harold K. Stubbs Justice Center. You can see exhibits that date back to the early 1800s, photographs that are more than 100 years old, confiscated weapons, police uniforms and equipment, a 1965 Harley Davidson motorcycle, and much more. There is also a memorial that honors those who have died protecting local citizens. There is a continually burning flame by the memorial.

When you enter, you will need to go through a metal detector, then up to the fourth floor to the Community Relations Office. You will be escorted by a police officer to the locked museum.

Children who want to learn more about police work may be fascinated by the museum. Adults may be too. You will find about everything related to crimes and the prosecution of criminals. There are weapons that were confiscated from dangerous criminals, a library full of newspaper clippings about crimes that have been solved, breathalyzer and polygraph machines, drug paraphernalia, and counterfeit money. There are also awards given to police officers, uniforms, patches, and police badges.

The history of the Akron police department dating back to the early 1800s is chronicled in the Akron Police Department. If you visit, you will notice how technology has changed and how that affects police work. You will even see photographs of police in patrol wagons, with horses, and the original police building. There are many police uniforms and photographs of policemen dating back to the early 19^th century.

You will be able to read about various crimes and the trails that led to the arrest of those responsible. You can see confiscated guns, knives, mallets, spears, brass, spikes, nunchaku, and a variety of handmade weapons. There is a section which has guns, with each one tagged with the name of the offender, crime committed, and what sentence the criminal received. You can see many clippings about famous Akron criminals and their fate. You can see a variety of SWAT equipment.

The most famous criminal documented may be Charles Arthur "Pretty Boy" Floyd, who was a prisoner briefly in 1930 after a band robbery in Sylvania, Ohio. He escaped when traveling to stand trial, however. He caused a lot of problems all over the Midwest until he was captured years later near the town of Wellsville in Columbia County.

If you visit the museum, you can take a self-guided tour and take as long as you want or take a tour with a knowledgeable officer who will make the tour more interesting with the information he provides. Some who have visited believe the real life crimes and criminals you will see represented are more interesting to learn about than watching a television police show.

Citations:

Akron Police Museum, no author listed, cleveland.about.com
Akron Police Museum, no author listed, ohiotraveler.com