Historians seeking Utah law enforcement memorabilia

Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune
The Law Enforcement Historical Collection is on display at the Utah State Archives building. The collection contains items and photographs from the state's law enforcement past, including old firearms, photographs, badges, equipment and mugshot books.

Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune
Old prison locks are one of the many items on display at the Law Enforcement Historical Collection at the Utah State Archives building. The collection contains other interesting items and photographs from the state's law enforcement past, including old firearms, photographs, badges, equipment and mugshot books.

Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune
An old Salt Lake City map is on display at the Law Enforcement Historical Collection at the Utah State Archives building. Other interesting items and photographs from the state's law enforcement past, including old firearms, photographs, badges, equipment and mugshot books, are also on display.

Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune
An ankle weight used in the old days is on display at the Utah State Archives building Friday. The Law Enforcement Historical Collection contains other interesting items and photographs from the state's law enforcement past, including old firearms, photographs, badges, equipment and mugshot books.

Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune
Old police uniforms are on display at the Law Enforcement Historical Collection at the Utah State Archives building. Other interesting items and photographs from the state's law enforcement past, including old firearms, photographs, badges, equipment and mugshot books, are also on display.

Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune
Dakota Stringham, 12, looks through the 1914 Criminal record book with his mother, Heidi, Friday. The record books are part of the Law Enforcement Historical Collection on display at the Utah State Archives building, along with other interesting items and photographs from the state's law enforcement past, including old firearms, photographs, badges, equipment.

Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune
A drunkometer is on display at the Law Enforcement Historical Collection at the Utah State Archives building. Other interesting items and photographs from the state's law enforcement past, including old firearms, photographs, badges, equipment and mugshot books, are also on display.

Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune
Old prison keys are one of the many items on display at the Law Enforcement Historical Collection at the Utah State Archives building Friday. The collection contains other interesting items and photographs from the state's law enforcement past, including old firearms, photographs, badges, equipment and mugshot books.

Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune
Old handcuffs are on display at the Law Enforcement Historical Collection at the Utah State Archives. Other interesting items and photographs from the state's law enforcement past, including old firearms, photographs, badges, equipment and mugshot books, are also on display.

Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune
Items on display at the Law Enforcement Historical Collection at the Utah State Archives building. Other interesting items and photographs from the state's law enforcement past, including old firearms, photographs, badges, equipment,and mugshot books, are also on display.

Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune
Tribune columnist Robert Kirby talks about the Law Enforcement Historical Collection during an open house at Utah State Archives building Friday. Other interesting items and photographs from the state's law enforcement past, including old firearms, photographs, badges, equipment and mugshot books, are also on display.

Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune
Old mugshot books are on display at the Law Enforcement Historical Collection at the Utah State Archives. Other interesting items and photographs from the state's law enforcement past, including old firearms, photographs, badges, equipment and mugshot books, are also on display.

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Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune The Law Enforcement Historical Collection is on display at the Utah State Archives building. The collection contains items and photographs from the state's law enforcement past, including old firearms, photographs, badges, equipment and mugshot books. Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Old prison locks are one of the many items on display at the Law Enforcement Historical Collection at the Utah State Archives building. The collection contains other interesting items and photographs from the state's law enforcement past, including old firearms, photographs, badges, equipment and mugshot books. Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune An old Salt Lake City map is on display at the Law Enforcement Historical Collection at the Utah State Archives building. Other interesting items and photographs from the state's law enforcement past, including old firearms, photographs, badges, equipment and mugshot books, are also on display. Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune An ankle weight used in the old days is on display at the Utah State Archives building Friday. The Law Enforcement Historical Collection contains other interesting items and photographs from the state's law enforcement past, including old firearms, photographs, badges, equipment and mugshot books. Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Old police uniforms are on display at the Law Enforcement Historical Collection at the Utah State Archives building. Other interesting items and photographs from the state's law enforcement past, including old firearms, photographs, badges, equipment and mugshot books, are also on display. Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Dakota Stringham, 12, looks through the 1914 Criminal record book with his mother, Heidi, Friday. The record books are part of the Law Enforcement Historical Collection on display at the Utah State Archives building, along with other interesting items and photographs from the state's law enforcement past, including old firearms, photographs, badges, equipment. Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune A drunkometer is on display at the Law Enforcement Historical Collection at the Utah State Archives building. Other interesting items and photographs from the state's law enforcement past, including old firearms, photographs, badges, equipment and mugshot books, are also on display. Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Old prison keys are one of the many items on display at the Law Enforcement Historical Collection at the Utah State Archives building Friday. The collection contains other interesting items and photographs from the state's law enforcement past, including old firearms, photographs, badges, equipment and mugshot books. Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Old handcuffs are on display at the Law Enforcement Historical Collection at the Utah State Archives. Other interesting items and photographs from the state's law enforcement past, including old firearms, photographs, badges, equipment and mugshot books, are also on display. Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Items on display at the Law Enforcement Historical Collection at the Utah State Archives building. Other interesting items and photographs from the state's law enforcement past, including old firearms, photographs, badges, equipment,and mugshot books, are also on display. Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Tribune columnist Robert Kirby talks about the Law Enforcement Historical Collection during an open house at Utah State Archives building Friday. Other interesting items and photographs from the state's law enforcement past, including old firearms, photographs, badges, equipment and mugshot books, are also on display. Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Old mugshot books are on display at the Law Enforcement Historical Collection at the Utah State Archives. Other interesting items and photographs from the state's law enforcement past, including old firearms, photographs, badges, equipment and mugshot books, are also on display.

By Janelle Stecklein The Salt Lake Tribune

· October 28, 2011 10:29 pm

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

State historians on Friday launched an effort to collect law enforcement memorabilia Utahns might have stored away.

"It's important to save our law enforcement history because it's something being lost every second," said Melissa Coy Ferguson, the manuscripts curator with the Utah State Historical Society.

She said many law enforcement journals, booking documents or other old items of interest are often tossed because people or agencies don't know what else to do with them. Some are tucked away in attics or garages.

"A lot of times families don't understand what they have," Ferguson said.

Any items donated will be stored and protected for future generations, Ferguson said. Everything will be available to the public upon request to study or look at in the state archives.

The Salt Lake City police and fire departments are also looking for any historical items involving people who served in either agency so they can be displayed in a museum to be housed in the new Public Safety Buliding slated to open in 2013.

"It's hard to part with your family's memorabilia," said Lt. Mike Ross, noting that they hope people will help out so everyone can enjoy the items.

Those with donations are asked to call the Salt Lake City police at 801-799-3000 and ask for Ross.

Anyone with any other items to donate to the state is asked to call Ferguson at 801-533-3550.