‘Police Vehicles Through The Decades’ Topic Of Museum Lecture

March 1, 2024

Pack a lunch and head to the Hancock Historical Museum for its monthly Brown Bag Lecture Series at 12 p.m. Thursday, March 7 discussing “Police Vehicles Through the Decades” presented by Tom Davis, a third-generation public servant and retired detective sergeant of the Findlay Police Department.

Originally born in Findlay and raised in the Village of Arlington, Davis served a total of 45 years as a Findlay police officer and 53 years in law enforcement. In 1970 while studying criminal justice in college, Davis began as a dispatcher for the Seneca County Sheriff’s Department.

He also served with the United States Army Reserves for six years and became a City of Tiffin police officer in 1973 before transferring to the Findlay PD in 1978. After retiring from full-time duty in 2000, Davis transitioned to auxiliary officer status, worked as the City of Findlay Health Department Substance Abuse Prevention Coordinator and became the Director of Risk Management and Safety for the Hancock County Commissioners in 2007.

Though Davis claims he is “now fully, kind of, retired,” he continues to give tours of the Hancock County Courthouse, presents John Hancock reenactments and works part time as a security guard at the Findlay-Hancock County Public Library, in addition to volunteer work and playing drums in several local bands.

Public service has flowed through Davis’ family for generations starting with his grandfather Carl Davis, former Mayor and Marshall of the Village of Arlington, and member of the Arlington and Hancock County school boards.

Tom Davis’ father, Raymond Davis, was an inspector and investigator with the State of Ohio Department of Agriculture, retiring as the Chief of Inspectors. An uncle joined the Ohio State Highway Patrol after serving in the Navy in World War II; and another uncle served as a Marine in World War II, to later serve three full terms as Hancock County Sheriff, City of Findlay Street Commissioner and District Deputy with the State of Ohio Highway Department.

Scheduled at noon on the first Thursday of each month featuring a variety of topics relevant to Hancock County and Ohio, the museum’s Brown Bag Lecture Series is free to members and regular museum admission for nonmembers. No registration necessary. For more information, visit Hancockhistoricalmuseum.org or call 419-423-4433.

New Sheriff Auxiliary Car May 8, 1956. Photo courtesy of the Joe Thomas collection donated to the museum in 2001.