Harvey Hicks – Hamilton Police Museum

Harvey Hicks

Served 1956-1992

Harvey Hicks was and still is a very athletic person, even at the age of 84 years. He was involved in Golf, Baseball, Basketball, Hockey, Coaching and mentorship. He was on the Police Association Board in the 1980’s. He volunteered at the Olympic Games in Atlanta. He was the construction manager for the Hamilton Police Association Club. He became a uniformed Sergeant and excelled in that position. He was transferred into the Criminal Investigations Division and promoted to the rank of Staff Sergeant. From there he went into Vice & Drugs, where he retired in 1992. A very well-known and loved figure from the Hamilton Police history.

Harvey began his career as a Foot Patrol Officer of course and he has the funniest story I ever heard about being a rookie. He was walking on King Street East about 1a.m. when a passing pedestrian said to him “your buddies are upstairs here” and kept on going. Harvey went in that door and upstairs and found his whole squad upstairs playing poker. He was astonished of course and certainly not invited to join, but it was warm. As he stood there watching them, out of a window he saw two men breaking into the variety store across the street. He told his squad and they all got up to see and agreed yes, they are breaking in, but probably after the safe. The whole squad then sat back down and kept playing cards. Harvey watched and the two culprits seemed to be doing something to a safe. Suddenly there was movement and an explosion. The whole squad jumped up and told him to watch their cards and money. They ran out and arrested the two safecrackers, called for a Wagon to take them away and then came back upstairs. They sat down and resumed their card game again.

Harvey was very impressed with their abilities.They ran out and arrested the two safecrackers, called for a Wagon to take them away and then came back upstairs. They sat down and resumed their card game again. Harvey was very impressed with their abilities.

Harvey spent a lot of time in the Motorcycle Squad. He worked from Sherman Station and later the Mountain Station and then back to Central Station. In the late 60’s Harvey was promoted to the rank of Sergeant and sent to supervise the Records Branch.

He was in Records when the new Central Station was opened in 1978. Later he was transferred to supervise the Radio Room and he was there when the “911” system was introduced with all the technical and training issues associated to that project. He was promoted to the rank of Staff Sergeant and began working in Criminal Investigations. In the 1980’s he was transferred over to the Vice & Drugs, where he retired.

Harvey was working with Charlie Boecker, Bernie Arbour and others to promote the

Hamilton Police Amateur Athletic Association from the beginning of his career

This is Cadet Harvey Hicks in 1955 on Basketball team. In back we seen Stan Dyack, Harvey Hicks, Moe Horgan, Bronte Pawelczyk, Frank Kinder, Chas Boecker In the front row we see Joe Boyer, Fred Brewer, Art Duerksen, Bruce Lupton

This is Harvey in a very impressive hockey uniform. This picture was at Hester Street Arena. They were in a Charity Game against the Fighting Fathers?

In the mid-70’s Harvey and his wife were helping people with their travel plans around the Caribbean. He was in a Hotel in the Bahamas, checking in and the staff mentioned that the Hamilton Police Pipes & Drums were coming to town, next year, 1976 for an event. Harvey didn’t know anything about the event because he was not involved with them.

When he returned home, he checked with the Band leader, Gord MacFarland. To make a long story short, their Travel Agent booked the wrong island! They were going to Bermuda, not the Bahamas. When they tried to re-book in Bermuda, they couldn’t find any hotel rooms.

Harvey came to the rescue through his travel contacts. He was able to get a hotel to rearrange another group and our Pipe Band suddenly had accommodation. Of course, just to be sure, Harvey went with them on the trip, the sly dog.

In the early 80’s Harvey was elected to the Board of the Hamilton Police Association “HPA”. They bought a building at 555 Upper Wellington Street. Harvey had experience and family in the construction business, so he was assigned to supervise the reconstruction of that building into the Police Club, that we see today. (Harvey also bought and demolished a house next door for parking, under the direction of his Board)

Harvey joined the Glendale Golf and Curling Club on Mt. Albion Road in 1959 and he is still a member in 2021. Harvey is both a golfer and a curler and he was a member of the Glendale Board of Directors for 15 years. The 100^th anniversary of the Course came up in 2019 and Harvey was the Chair of the Anniversary Committee.

Harvey curled at Glendale also of course, from about 1960 to 2019 when it Curling Rink was closed. In 2000 Harvey became very ill and was in hospital for about 8 months. During that time the Curling Club thought that he would not survive so they renamed their Annual Trophy after him! Of course, Harvey fought back and became a curler again. In 2003, when he returned, he won the Seniors Curling Championship dedicated to his own Memory.

Harvey was also a member of the Ontario Golf Association and one of their qualified Rules Officials for twenty years.

By Dave Bowen, Retired Inspector, Hamilton Police Service