Henry Schroeder

The Palatine Police Department considers Henry C. Schroeder as the first chief of police here. He was born in Palatine Township on his parents’ farm in 1883. He worked as a telephone company collector for 28 years. He was elected to the village Board of Trustees from 1910-1920 and from 1928-1934. At this time there was no organized police department here and only two paid policemen. This photograph from 1916 and a newspaper article from that year refer to him as police chief. He was chairman of the police and lighting committee on the Board. Since there are no records and no one was paid a salary, it is assumed that the chairman was the chief as well. His 1937 obituary says he served as police chief for many years. He married Gertrude Sigwalt and the couple had two children, Ralph and Vernette. Henry was also a volunteer fireman and a member of the Palatine Military Band.