New York City’s Junior Police 1914–1918

This chapter concerns a short-lived organization that began in 1914 when NYC Police Commissioner Arthur Woods approved a new organization known as the “Junior Police Force” (JPF). It is a largely forgotten story about how first-generation immigrant children joined the ranks of the city’s Junior Police Force (JPF) after their families had been received at Ellis Island. While several related previous organizations exited—these events were probably unknown to the founders of the JPF. Various historical facts are included to provide a context for the day-to-day activities of the JPF. In the performance of their duties, a few JPF members lost their lives. The JPF received considerable notoriety and inspired the development of related organizations. In this regard, the founding of the Schenectady (New York) Junior Police is described.