Dayton Police History Foundation is a fund component of The Dayton Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charitable organization
Monetary Donations
Dayton Police History Foundation is interested in the historical study of the Dayton police force and in advancing education about our local law enforcement past in as many ways as financially possible. In addition to its Dayton Metropolitan Police Museum initiative, other efforts by DPHF are underway. They include temporary exhibits, historical research, writings and publications for educational purposes as well as offering PowerPoint presentations and other demonstrations. In order to continue its many efforts, donations are needed and very much welcomed.
Thank you for your desire to contribute and help make a difference. Please note Dayton Police History Foundation #10313 is a component fund of The Dayton Foundation, and we process all gifts and donations through their website. Kindly click the ‘Donate’ button and you will be redirected to the foundation's website where you will be able to contribute to this fund. Thank you for your support!
Donations are tax-deductible and are acknowledged in writing.
Tangible Donations
In addition to financial donations, DPHF is very much interested in tangible donations, often acting as an intermediary with Dayton History at Carillon Historical Park or The Dayton FOP Foundation, Inc. to ensure items are properly maintained. Please read below. All donations and contributions are strictly to preserve Dayton's police past. Thank you for your support!
Photographs / Film
Still and moving images are the window to the past.
Photographs can be donated or easily scanned by DPHF and returned to the owner. Pictures can also be scanned by the owners and simply e-mailed as attachments to:
info@DaytonPoliceHistory.org or DPHFoundation@woh.rr.com
Films and videotapes can be digitized and turned into DVDs. This was recently done with a vintage 1948 film of a police response to a labor strike and to a 1966 film of the riots in Dayton. In both cases, DPHF had a professional studio digitize the film and the owners received a DVD in return.
Documents
Old police records, newspaper and magazine articles, books, programs, police advertisements, wanted posters, etc. tell the story of law enforcement and the history of the Dayton police force.
DPHF is interested in anything that remotely touches on policing because one snippet of information can be the last puzzle piece that completes a story. Documents can be copied and returned to the owners.
Police Artifacts
DPH Foundation is always interested in obtaining or in knowing the whereabouts of period uniforms, equipment, badges, tools of the trade and unusual items (e.g. paddy wagon exhaust whistle, cell block lock, dispatcher microphone, etc.).
If the location of both large and small items are known (i.e. old uniforms, police three-wheelers, reconditioned patrol cars, etc.) then when exhibits are staged, DPHF can contact the owners to see if they might allow their temporary display. Police items that are 50 years or older are considered artifacts. It's hard to believe that items from earlier than 2000, for example, are now over 25 years old and will be "artifacts" in less than another 25 years. Even items from the 2000s need to be preserved for the future.
In order to continue its effort, donations of pictures, documents and "three dimensional" items are very much welcomed. Information about the whereabouts of old police vehicles, call boxes and other items would be appreciated. In either case, please let us know.
HOW TO DONATE ARTIFACTS
We value all donations, however before shipping us artifacts, please fill out the form below. A member of the foundation will contact you afterwards.