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Chapter on Watertown Police Department

Chief of Police Pieritz Retires

Chief of Police Pieritz Retires From Job Today

Watertown Daily Times, 12 31 1930

Chief of Police Charles H. Pieritz served his last day on the Watertown police force today. At 6 o'clock tonight, his service, covering a period of 37 years, will have come to an end. His resignation, which was announced on October 6, becomes effective at that time.

He will retire on a pension of $1,000 a year for life. This has been made mandatory under the state law and applies to Watertown since it became a third class municipality following the completion of the 1930 census.

Mr. Pieritz, who was 67 years old on May, 13, was appointed a member of the police department on August 15, 1894, by the late William F. Voss, then mayor of Watertown. He was made a patrolman. In those days the mayor had the power of appointment.

Mr. Pieritz served in the capacity as a patrolman for 17 years. In 1911 he was appointed Assistant Chief and in 1916 he was made Chief of the department, succeeding the late Herman C. Block.

Thirty-seven years police service in Watertown is a record. The nearest approach to it was that of the late Chief Block who served 24 years as a member of the department, 22 years of which he was Chief.

The new Chief of Police, Albert Quest, until recently a detective sergeant in Milwaukee and before that a member of the Milwaukee police department, will take over his duties as police chief on Friday.

The retiring chief said today that he has no immediate plans, except to spend the winter quietly at home. Maybe later he and his wife will take a lengthy trip. After 37 years of being at the city hall daily it will be difficult to desert the place altogether and he plans to drop around occasionally to visit the ''boys" at the city hall.

Many people dropped in at the police headquarters today to bid the chief farewell in taking leave of his office and to wish him many more years of life in this community.

After 6 o'clock tonight he will have dropped the title of "Chief" but it is safe to say that for the rest of his life he will still be called that by the thousands of people who have come to know him during has years of service on the force.