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History of the PBA

The first documented meeting held by the Saratoga Springs Police PBA was on January 21, 1936 at 3:00pm. The meeting was presided over by the first PBA President, David Cunningham. The meeting was held with the same Board of Officers as today. The offices are PBA President, PBA Vice President, Recording Secretary, Financial Secretary, Treasurer, and Sergeant at Arms. The number of officers has never been increased or decreased with membership size.

This meeting outlined those that were eligible for membership and the ways to apply for membership. Membership depended upon the applicant being of “good moral character” and to have completed 1 year of continued service as a police officer for the City of Saratoga Springs. The applicant must be voted in by a majority of the membership on the first meeting held after application for membership. This rule has never changed and all current and future members must make a written application for acceptance into the union.
The PBA conducts its meetings under the Robert’s Rules of Order. The meetings have been held on a monthly basis since the first meeting in 1936. During these meetings regular business is discussed and current issues that face the union are discussed. The meeting minutes are the responsibility of the Recording Secretary and have been kept since 1936.

Giving back to the community has been a long tradition of the PBA. The first donation from the membership was on April 24, 1936 when the membership of the union voted to donate $10.00 to the Boy Scouts of America. The PBA has continued to give back not only to the Boy Scouts of America but numerous other organizations that request donations. The PBA also gives assistance to police officers and their families that need help during times of sickness and injury. The PBA is proud to be a part of the Saratoga Springs community and will continue to donate to organizations that benefit the youth of our city.

The first PBA Chaplain is listed as Father Brenan and he was accepted to the post on March 17, 1936. The second PBA Chaplain is listed as the Reverend Irving Rouillard and he was accepted on May 19, 1936. The current PBA Chaplain is Frank Gallerie.
On April 28, 1937 the PBA voted to appropriate funds to purchase grave markers to be placed on all deceased members of the PBA. The grave markers are placed at the gravesites every year and are currently placed on all sites by retired Sergeant Warren Wildy. The PBA has continued this practice since its inception and maintains a list of all deceased members and the graveyards where they are located. The PBA believes this small act of honoring those that served our community with pride will give some comfort to their families, that although they are gone, they are not forgotten by their fellow brothers in blue.

The Saratoga Springs Police Department recognizes 3 members of the PBA that lost their lives in service to this community:

• Detective James “Big Jim” Cummings - End of Watch- 8/8/1936

  • Detective Cummings was on patrol in a prowl car when her suffered a massive heart attack while responding to a call for service. Detective Cummings was taken to a hospital and died 3 days after.
    
• Police Officer George Stevens - End of Watch- 2/17/1941

  • Officer Stevens was involved in a violent fight with 2 persons on Broadway. Both men were taken into custody by Officer Stevens and other responding officers that came from police HQ. Stevens suffered a heart attack later that day and was ordered by his doctor out of work and home to recuperate. Officer Stevens never returned to work and died from heart failure at home.
    
• Police Officer Frederick Pettit- End of Watch - 1/27/1957

  • Officer Pettit was on the scene of a major fire on Broadway when at 5:58 am the front façade of the MacFinn Drug Store collapsed on him and Fire Chief Carroll. Officer Pettit was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead of trauma to his head and a laceration to his brain.

ALL 3 OF THE OFFICERS THAT HAVE DIED IN THE LINE OF DUTY WHERE ISSUED SHIELD #4 AT THE TIME OF THEIR DEATHS. SINCE 1957 SHIELD #4 HAS BEEN RETIRED FROM SERVICE AT THE SARATOGA SPRINGS POLICE DEPARTMENT AND WILL NEVER BE ISSUED AGAIN.

THE PBA IS PROUD OF ITS PAST
THE PBA IS LOOKING FORWARD TO A STRONG FUTURE

If you have any information about the history of the PBA and have any relatives that were members of our organization please contact us at vicepresident@saratogapba.com.