BRIEF HISTORY OF LINDSBORG POLICE
BY TIM BERGGREN
 
Lindsborg was founded in the mid 1800’s by Swedish settlers and became an incorporated city in July of 1879.  In August of 1879, Ole Amundson (a Norwegian) was appointed the City Marshal and Street Commissioner with a pay of $40.00 per month.  The first order of business was “to find those guilty of selling intoxicating liquors and bring them to justice.”
 
In January of 1881 a Night Watchman was added from money pooled together by local businesses to watch over the businesses at night.  When W.P. Vanhorn became City Marshall in the early 1890’s he was paid a monthly salary of $35.00 per month with an extra .50 cents per dog that he killed.  This extra money was supplied due to the rampant wild dog problem that Lindsborg accounted during that time.
 
A modern calaboose of heavy lumber was constructed in about the center of the block east of the former Brunswick Hotel with an expense limit of $60 for the building and $20 for the lot.
 
The first city election regarding the appointment of the City Marshall was held April 4, 1898 with Axel Wallerstedt winning.  His salary was $40 per month with an additional quarter per ticket that was written.  The first police badge was purchased in 1900 for $6.00.
 
The longest reigning City Marshall was Carl “Scoop” Elmberg, 1929-1957.  In October of 1939 the City Council saw how important it was for the law enforcement officer to be educated, and so they approved a motion to pay all the necessary expenses for one delegate to attend the State Police School in Wichita, Kansas.  Carl went to half of the school and had his Night Watchmen attend the other half.  In January of 1947 Carl was allowed to attend the Kansas Peace Officers Training School in Lawrence, Kansas.
 
Of noticeable interest was the killing of fugitive Roy Pitzer the check artist of Wichita in January of 1931.  Carl and David Anderson had attempted to block the Smoky River Bridge from the Riverside Cottage Camp.  Bethany Student Carl Anderson had jumped onto the running board of the car in an attempt to shut the car off when he received two shots to his face from Roy Pitzer.  The Night Watchman then unloaded two blasts from the riot gun killing Roy Pitzer.  Carl Anderson survived his injuries.  The body of Mr. Pitzer was put on display at the Old Mill and children from school were brought to look and reminded of what happens to criminals.
 
On May 5, 1952 the position of City Marshall was formally changed to Chief of Police and he was assigned to work 6 days a week instead of the original 7.  On April 6, 1953, following complaints of reckless driving, the City Council passed by unanimous vote, “That the necessary men be employed to act as police officers and in this manner try to stop traffic violations.”  This action signified the actual beginning of the Lindsborg Police Department and the hiring of three (3) additional officers.  Each was given a personal car allowance as no actual police car existed.  However, in October of 1955 the City purchased a 1956 black Ford Mainline with a V-8 176 horsepower engine for $1,637.00.
 
Ted Lindshield took over as Chief of Police in July of 1957.  The first thing Chief Lindshield did was purchase police uniforms for the police officers and set up a day shift and a night shift.  The first radio system was purchased in 1964 for a total sum of $460.00.  This was called the 58/70 system and it was still in use when I came in 1985.
 
Burl “Bud” Croomes took over as Chief of Police in 1973 with the retirement of Ted Lindshield.  In 1987 the Safety Center was constructed that brought police, fire and ems together into one building.  The Chief of Police then became the Director of Public Safety.  A new EDACS radio system was put in through McPherson County Dispatch which was a major upgrade.  I began my career in 1985 under Chief Croomes and then worked under Chief Gary Meagher and Chief Tim Johnson until I became Chief in January of 1998.  Under Chief Tim Johnson’s tenure the police department became the smallest agency in the country to become nationally accredited.
 
Currently the police department is comprised of 7 full-time officers and 3 part-time officers (who are also full-time certified) with a full time administrative assistant.  In the fall of 2019 one of the officers will be working in the schools as a DARE/School Resource Officer.  The department vehicle fleet is at three (3) with two Dodge Chargers and one Ford Explorer.  We are equipped with in-car cameras and body cameras, Glock 9mm pistols, .223 caliber AR-15 rifles, riot shotguns, less-lethal bean-bag shotguns, tasers, and each officer wears body armor.  Our radio system is currently in the process of being upgraded to a P-25 system which allows any outside agency to access our system in the event of a Disaster.
 
EMS moved out of the Safety Center and into their own facility in 2017 so the Safety Center is now comprised of only the Police and Fire Departments.

The first photo below is labeled. The second photo is of Police Chief "Scoop" Elmborg.

The story of a Lindsborg woman moving to Hollywood in the early 1900’s to make her fortune sewing clothing for movie stars is fascinating. My brother, Mark Esping, happened upon a website that tells the story of Christina Lillian. The following information is a synopsis of writing by a nephew of Ms Lillian.
 
Christina Lillian was born Emma Christina Lillian in Lindsborg in 1888. At a young age she began sewing for her brothers and sisters and found she was very good at creating clothing using local material.
 
In 1915 she left Lindsborg telling her family she was going to go to Hollywood to sew clothing for the movie industry. She did exactly that.  She worked designing and making clothes for Movie Stars including Greta Garbo. She included D. H. Lawrence and Agnes Pelton (as well as Greta Garbo) among her friends.
 
By 1936 she retired at age 35 and moved to the desert to paint, a talent she developed while living in the Los Angeles area. Her work in Hollywood must have paid very well for her to save enough in less than ten years to live on the rest of her life.

She lived in a number of different places, but settled in Cathedral City a small desert village close to Palm Springs. Christina used her savings to purchase an old motor court and turned it into an artist colony.
 
Her nephew, artist Evan Lindquist, described Christina as being tall and slender, a perfect stand-in for Katherine Hepburn. She took a painting class from Hans Hoffman, the foremost teacher of abstract expressionism in the 1930’s. Not many of her paintings still exist, but many of the artists who came to live there are names well known in California art history.
 
Christina Lillian is buried in Elmwood Cemetery, Lindsborg.

This information on Christina Lillian is taken from: https://www.californiadesertart.com/the-lost-colony-of-sven-ska-christina-lillian-and-the-cathedral-city-artists/
You can also google Sven-Ska and find several articles which grew out of the California Desert Art website.

The first photo below is of Christina (on the far right) and her sisters. The second photo is of Christina at home at Sven-Ska, Cathedral City, California.

Macy Sims

            King Midas & the Mufflers have been a part of this community for years. Every year in August, after school starts, they play for the Lindsborg Street Dance. The Street Dance has become a tradition in Lindsborg. It always brings out people to join together and dance. King Midas & the Mufflers have made the dance what it is today. If it weren’t for them the community wouldn’t join together. Their members, past and present, have been big parts of this community and the state of Kansas. They’ve had members that have been big parts of the schooling, and even one who played taps for Dwight D. Eisenhower. In fact, King Midas & the Mufflers have been inducted to the Music Hall of Fame for Kansas.