During the 1880's, badmen roamed
the hills north of Fullerton, which was a part of
Anaheim Township. Criminals were tempted to take
refuge in the hills of Fullerton because the
territory was protected only by a constable who
stayed pretty close to his office in Anaheim. Many of
the hills and canyons north of Fullerton were what
would be called a "no man's land," and were
known as dangerous territory by lawmen of that time.
When the township of Fullerton was
formed in 1887, the trustees appointed A.A.
Pendergrast as the towns first constable and only
peace officer. It is said by the old-timers that when
Pendergrast caught a lawbreaker, he would take the
criminal before the town justice, Alec Wright, who
would interrupt his duties as secretary of the Golden
Belt Fruit Company, and hold trial. It was often
necessary to swear in a jury from among the company
workers. This appears to be the beginning of lawmen
and 'real' justice in Fullerton...
Reprinted from: The History of the Fullerton Police
Department
Please visit their website for the continuing story.
