1948

Littleton Police History

Max Larreau
Littleton Independent Newspaper
photo by H. Ray Baker

Littleton Policeman Max Larreau (right) converses with Patrolman Si Westbrook of the Colorado State Highway Patrol. Goodwill and cooperation between officers of the various law enforcement agencies was vital because these early lawmen usually worked their beats alone without back-up, and thus relied upon one another for mutual assistance when investigating crimes and handling emergencies. The Colorado State Highway Patrol, originally called the Colorado State Highway Courtesy Patrol, and today known simply as the Colorado State Patrol, investigated all traffic accidents outside the Town boundaries and those on local State highways such as Santa Fe Drive and Belleview Avenue. Auto collisions during this era frequently resulted in very serious injuries and fatalities. The survivability of traffic accidents started to improve in the 1960's when advances were made in auto and highway safety.