Milwaukee Police Band

Last updated
The Milwaukee Police Band performing at the 2022 Christmas in the Ward celebration in the Historic Third Ward 2022 Christmas in the Ward 02 (Milwaukee Police Band).jpg
The Milwaukee Police Band performing at the 2022 Christmas in the Ward celebration in the Historic Third Ward

The Milwaukee Police Band is an American police band in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is the oldest currently active police band [1] [2] in the United States and serves as the official musical unit of the Milwaukee Police Department. [3]

Contents

It is composed of both civilian and police personnel who volunteer to work with the band. The band is funded by the Milwaukee Police Athletic Association, due none of the city budget being available to fund its operations. The MPD band performs regularly at events such as Peace Officers Memorial Day, graduation ceremonies and other Civic functions. [4]

History

In the fall 1897, the Milwaukee Police Band became the first police ensemble to be formed in the United States, coming 13 years after the first police band one was formed in Australia. [5] It was originally composed of a group of whistlers who worked in the MPD. 9 April 1898, 5 months after its founding, the band performed at its first concert to members of the MPD, playing the Star Spangled Banner, El Capitan and Yankee Doodle . [6] [7] [8]

On 7 October 1922, the band met former United States Marine Band director John Philip Sousa at a train station and played for him when he visited Milwaukee to perform with the MPD Band alongside the Sousa Band at the Milwaukee Auditorium. It performed again with the band in mid-November 1923, during which Sousa presented the band with an American flag that included with streamers with Sousa's name embroidered. Under the direction of Robert O. Brunkhorst, the band became a regular feature on WISN (AM) radio, as well as other emerging radio stations in the region. The MPD Jazz Ensemble was formed in the 1940s to increase the diversity in music played by the band as it was a rising trend during that period. In October 1993, the Band was invited to appear at the Wisconsin Music Educators Association Music Conference in Madison, Wisconsin, during which they demonstrated their approach to establishing youth programs. In March 2000, the expansion of the MPD Band youth saw younger children being introduced included and paired with police officer-musicians who mentored and performed with the students. [9] [3] [10]

Performance history

In November 1924, the band made its first appearance at the municipal Christmas tree lighting ceremony, an event that it has continued to perform at annually. On 22 March 1925, the band joined the visiting NYPD Police Band in a benefit concert that saw an estimated 8,500 people in attendance at Milwaukee Auditorium. In the mid twenties, Howard B. Weeks, a local composer, wrote the Milwaukee Police Band March, the original manuscript of which is today located in the archives of the MPD Band at the Safety Academy. In July 1989, the band traveled to Minneapolis to march in the famous Aquatennial Parade, performing with the Bands of the Minneapolis Police Department, the Winnipeg Police Service and the Ontario Provincial Police. In coordination with Nick Contorno of the and program at Marquette University, a high school awards program was developed in 1990 to have area high school students perform with the Milwaukee Police Band in a concert at Varsity Theater in Marquette. On its centenary in July 1998, the band was invited to Washington D.C. to take apart in the National Independence Day Parade in Constitution Avenue. The band also traveled to Florida in April 2003 to perform at Walt Disney World's "Share a Dream Come True Parade".

Directors

The following is a list of directors of the MPD Band since its 1897 establishment:

All directors are appointed directly by the Chief of the MPD.

Robert O. Brunkhorst

On 2 February 1940, Robert O. Brunkhorst became the first director of the band from the civilian sector. A dentist by profession, he also conducted the Tripoli Shrine Band concurrently.

Karen Dubis

In June 2015, the longtime director of the band, Lieutenant Karen Dubis, retired from the MPD, continuing to lead the band as a civilian. She had been named as the band's first female band director in 2003. [12] Dubis's nephew John is a soloist in the band. [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marquette University</span> Private university in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Marquette University is a private Jesuit research university in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Established by the Society of Jesus as Marquette College on August 28, 1881, it was founded by John Martin Henni, the first Bishop of the diocese of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Initially an all-male institution, Marquette became the first coeducational Catholic university in the world in 1909.

Lawrencia Ann "Bambi" Bembenek, known as Laurie Bembenek, was an American former police officer, convicted for the 1981 murder of her husband's ex-wife. Her story garnered national attention in 1990 after Bembenek escaped from Taycheedah Correctional Institution in Wisconsin and was recaptured in Thunder Bay, Ontario, an episode that inspired books, movies and the slogan "Run, Bambi, Run". Upon winning a new trial, Bembenek pleaded no contest to second-degree murder and was sentenced to time served and 10 years' probation in December 1992. For years, she sought to have the sentence overturned.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia</span> Law enforcement agency in Washington, D.C., United States

The Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia (MPDC), more commonly known as the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), the DC Police, and, colloquially, the DCPD, is the primary law enforcement agency for the District of Columbia, in the United States. With approximately 3,400 officers and 600 civilian staff, it is the sixth-largest municipal police department in the United States. The department serves an area of 68 square miles (180 km2) and a population of over 700,000 people. Established on August 6, 1861, the MPD is one of the oldest police departments in the United States. The MPD headquarters is at the Henry J. Daly Building, located on Indiana Avenue in Judiciary Square across the street from the District of Columbia Court of Appeals and the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The department's mission is to "safeguard the District of Columbia and protect its residents and visitors with the highest regard for the sanctity of human life". The MPD's regulations are compiled in title 5, chapter 1 of the District of Columbia Code.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WISN-TV</span> ABC affiliate in Milwaukee

WISN-TV is a television station in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States, affiliated with ABC. Owned by Hearst Television, it is the second-oldest television station to remain with the company in all of its various iterations behind flagship WBAL-TV in Baltimore. WISN-TV's studios are located on North 19th Street on the west end of the Marquette University campus, and its transmitter is located at Lincoln Park in the northeastern part of Milwaukee.

Mark Belling is an American conservative talk radio host for 1130 WISN in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He is also a local newspaper columnist, former television host, and was a guest host for Rush Limbaugh. A native of Wisconsin's Fox Valley, Belling is an alumnus of the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Marine Band</span> Premier band of the United States Marine Corps

The United States Marine Band is the premier band of the United States Marine Corps. Established by act of Congress on July 11, 1798, it is the oldest of the United States military bands and the oldest professional musical organization in the United States. Today, the Marine Band includes the Marine Chamber Orchestra and Marine Chamber Ensembles.

The Virginia Tech Regimental Band, also known as the Highty Tighties, VPI Cadet Band, or Band Company was established in 1893 as a military marching band unit in the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Virginia Tech also has had since 1974 a non-military marching band, The Marching Virginians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WISN (AM)</span> Radio station in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

WISN is a commercial AM radio station in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It broadcasts a conservative talk radio format and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. The studios are on Howard Avenue in the Milwaukee suburb of Greenfield.

WMSE is a non-commercial radio station in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, playing a wide-ranging eclectic music format run by volunteer DJs. The station is part of the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marching Illini</span> American college marching band

The Marching Illini (MI) is the marching band of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The Marching Illini is an organization which annually includes approximately 400 students enrolled in the University of Illinois. Part of the College of Fine and Applied Arts and Illini Athletics, the Marching Illini represent virtually every college, discipline, and major on the university's diverse Urbana-Champaign campus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Wisconsin Marching Band</span> American college marching band

The University of Wisconsin Marching Band is the marching band for the University of Wisconsin–Madison. It was formed in the fall of 1885 to support the university military battalion. Today, it has grown to about 300 members and performs at all home Badger football games. They are known for their intense and athletic high knee “stop at the top” marching style.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milwaukee Police Department</span> Police department for the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The Milwaukee Police Department is the police department organized under the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The department has a contingent of about 1,800 sworn officers when at full strength and is divided into seven districts. Jeffrey B. Norman is the current chief of police, serving since December 2020.

Edward A. Flynn is an American law enforcement executive. From 2008 until 2018, Flynn served as chief of the Milwaukee Police Department. Prior to assuming that position, he served as secretary of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security and as police commissioner in Springfield, Massachusetts. Flynn was reappointed twice to the position of Milwaukee police chief before retiring in early 2018.

<i>The Victorious Charge</i>

The Victorious Charge is a public artwork by American artist John S. Conway located on the Court of Honor on West Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. The 1898 bronze sculpture is 9'10" high and sits on a 20' square granite pedestal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Water Street, Milwaukee</span>

Water Street is a prominent historic street and entertainment district in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is the site of the city's original building, City Hall, and multiple historic landmarks. Today it is still the major north–south road running through downtown and is home to Milwaukee's Theater District, Water Street Entertainment District, and much of the city's political activity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fiserv Forum</span> Indoor arena in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Fiserv Forum is a multi-purpose arena located in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is the home of the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Marquette Golden Eagles men's basketball team of Marquette University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milwaukee Saint Patrick's Day Parade</span>

Milwaukee Saint Patrick's Day Parade takes place each year in downtown Milwaukee the Saturday prior to Saint Patrick's Day. It is sponsored by the Shamrock Club of Wisconsin. In March, 2022, the Shamrock Club will be producing its 54th Annual parade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Downtown Milwaukee</span> Area of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States

Downtown Milwaukee is the central business district of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The economic and symbolic center of the city and the Milwaukee metropolitan area, it is Milwaukee's oldest district and home to many of region's cultural, financial educational and historical landmarks including Milwaukee City Hall, Fiserv Forum and the Milwaukee Art Museum. The city's modern history began in Downtown Milwaukee in 1795 when fur trader Jacques Vieau (1757–1852) built a post along a bluff on the east side, overlooking the Milwaukee and Menomonee rivers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waukesha Christmas parade attack</span> 2021 vehicular mass murder in Wisconsin

On November 21, 2021, Darrell E. Brooks Jr. drove a sport utility vehicle (SUV) through the annual Christmas parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin, United States, killing six people and injuring sixty-two others.

References

  1. ↑ "Hear the Milwaukee Police band - the country's oldest - play Sunday". OnMilwaukee.com. 2018-08-15. Retrieved 2019-10-10.
  2. ↑ "FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin". 1976.
  3. 1 2 McElreath, David (2013). Introduction to Law Enforcement. CRC Press. p. 266. ISBN   978-1-4665-5623-2.
  4. ↑ United States (2019-08-18). "Milwaukee Police Band Live at the Peck". Urban Milwaukee. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  5. ↑ "The oldest police band in the country? Right here in Milwaukee!". Radiomilwaukee.org. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  6. ↑ 6:30pm Doors // 7:30pm Show. "Milwaukee Police Band | The Pabst Theater | Feb 3". The Pabst Theater. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  7. ↑ "Milwaukee Police Band 2018 | Shows | Marcus Center for the Performing Arts". Marcuscenter.org. 2018-08-19. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  8. ↑ Wellauer-Lenius, Maralyn A. (2008). Milwaukee Police Department. ISBN   9780738551722.
  9. ↑ "History 1898-2017". Milwaukee Police Band. Retrieved 2019-10-10.
  10. ↑ "MPD Police Band". city.milwaukee.gov. Retrieved 2019-10-10.
  11. ↑ "Music News". 1920.
  12. ↑ Christina Palladino (2015-06-01). "After unexpected career as MPD officer, Lt. Karen Dubis retires". Wisn.com. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  13. ↑ "'We will never ever forget Mike': Family of fallen MPD officer honors him with police band concert". www.tmj4.com. February 19, 2019. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.