Note: Originally published as print-only in The Lancaster-Depew Sun Newspaper.

Not many institutions can say that they’re as old as Depew itself, but the Depew Police Department can. Retired Depew Police Officer Steve Lehman saw the importance of preserving the history of Depew’s PD in a way that also showcases it to inspire the town. He now does so as the official Police Historian of Depew.

Lehman got the idea to compile this history when the village was celebrating its centennial in 1994. At the time, Lehman was working in the detective bureau, which put him in a position where he had access to old photos, books, records and other memorabilia.

“I have photos and some of the things from over the years that would have been thrown out or disappeared,” Lehman said. “I kept all that stuff.”

Now, most of what Lehman collected and saved is on display at the Depew Police Station. There are photos of the five stations they’ve used, a memory board for all the deceased officers, an old 1939 police uniform, photos of all the police chiefs, all the group photos going back to the first one in 1939, all patches and uniforms used since the 1930s and much more.

“It’s crazy because it’s so cool,” Lehman commented. “It’s so different today.”

One of Lehman’s motivations for this project has been to educate and inspire current officers that may not know much about the history of their department. He wants them to understand how far they’ve come in a job that isn’t always easy.

“A young kid that comes on today, he’s fresh out of college, what do they know about the organization?” he asked. “Here, they can walk in these two rooms, and they can see what happened in 1894 to the day they raised their hand and took the oath. It’s important.”

It makes not only the current officers, but all of Depew appreciate their history. Things like horses and buggies and quill pens are not only stories or things you see in movies; they are the bricks that laid the foundation for the department and the whole town.

“It’s important to know where the station came from, what we did back then, and what we didn’t have, and what the kids have today. Those are important things,” Lehman said. “Those kinds of things nobody pays attention to, but it’s something that gets lost and you can never get it back again.”

Lehman continues to keep up with the changes of the department, going in every month or so to ask about any material or equipment updates so that they can be preserved. He is also planning on contributing a roster of all police officers over the last 125 years for the village time capsule that is being compiled in honor of the 125 village anniversary.

“It’d be nice to know if someone opens this box 100 years from now, [they’ll] know the men and women that kept this village safe.”