Photo Identification Bureau…

In 1891, police headquarters took up permanent residence on the second floor of the Market House, located at South Main and Market Streets (the current location of the RTA Central Hub). The headquarters housed the police command, several detectives, and the Bureau of Identification (B of I). Crime fighting techniques have evolved over the years and the identification bureau has been a key component in this city’s fight. As early as 1879, the Dayton Police Commission began requiring that photographs be taken of “noted criminals and suspicious characters…” Dayton’s B of I followed this directive by maintaining such a file, commonly called “the rogues’ gallery.” Pictured here is a suspect who is being photographed by the B of I as an officer is placing an identification number on the suspect’s collar. This early mug shot would have been taken sometime between 1927 and 1932. This photograph is from the William Preston Mayfield/Marvin Christian Collection at Dayton History.

To see other historical images from our collection, search our Digital Photo Archive.