The 1970's were to see many personnel changes during the decade as a large number of officers were nearing retirement age. Ervine T. Rinehart left the department with 32 years of service; Ben Swaffer with 25 years; Willie James with 23 years; Jesse S. Evans and George Blanton both with 22 years. Calvin Louie, Elmer McGavic, Melvin "Happy" Winters, C. Ernest Carpenter, Joe Kennedy and Evelyn Richardson all were to leave the Police Department.

In January of 1970, Ordinance 13-1967-70 was passed by the City Council establishing the creation of a regulation manual for the Department. The City Council Police Committee approved a bound book for the police department called, "The Clarksville Police Department Rules and Regulations". This book was more for commonly referred to as the "red book".

In April of 1970, the Juvenile Division was created by Ordinance 20-1969-70. Charlie Binkley was selected to be the Director and Sammy Thomas was assigned as Juvenile Officer.

The 70's decade would also see the closing of the City Jail, a change no one mourned over. It is interesting to note that the former jail was no less than a dungeon! It had survived for many years with little or no improvement in its condition. It was located beneath the police department in the building which no houses the city's Human Resources department. Prisoners who were arrested, were booked in on the upper level and then had to negotiated some twenty steps downward to the jail itself. There were a lot of slips and falls to both prisoners and officers. Women were kept in one cell and the men in several other cells with a commons area in between. The standard fare for meals were : Breakfeast - two donuts and a cup of coffee, Lunch - a bologna sandwich with was served by the eon duty officer from the jail's kitchen, Dinner was a cheeseburger, fries and a coke that came from a local cafe. Only the city' chronic drunks made return trips to the jail! One could say that it was a deterrent to crime.

As part of a federal grant the Police Department had applied for, 4 new officers would be hired in 1971. They were Billy Poor, Leo Richardson, Charles Linton and Kenneth Bagwell.

In November of 1971, the Clarksville Montgomery County Vice Squad went into effect with Paul Neblett, the Chief Deputy of the Sheriff's Patrol appointed as Director. City Sergeant Jesse Dyce, the Deputy Court Clerk was named as Sergeant. The purpose of the Vice Squad was primarily focused on the drug situation in Clarksville and surrounding area. Within four months, a third of the indictments returned by the Montgomery County Grand Jury involved drug violations. About half of those charges consisted of hard drugs, such as heroin, cocaine and LSD.

In the early part of 1972, Chief Charlie Vaden reported that the Department had grown during the last ten years from a 25- man to a 70-man force. The police department was now covering 21 square miles with the use of 15 patrol cars, (one equipped with radar), and three motorcycles. There were now five divisions within the Clarksville Police Department: Administrative and Records, Detective, Juvenile, Traffic and Patrol.

Chief Vaden would retire in 1972 at age of 65. Lt. Ira Nunley was chosen to assume the position as head of the Department. Nunley had been with the Department for 7 1/2 years. Ted Seay was to be Assistant Chief and Gracey Farmer was Chief of Detectives. This same year Paul Neblett would resign as Director of City-County Vice Squad to become a TBI Agent and Lt. BIll South was named as acting director of the Squad.

July of 1974 would find the police force manned with 76 officer. 1974 would also mark the decision of the City to commit funds to support the construction of the Clarksville-Montgomery County Criminal Justice Complex.

In the latter part of 1974, Resolution 6-1974-75 was approved and adopted. It pertained to an educational incentive plan in accordance with Chapter 10, Public Acts of 1974. This resolution would give officers with college credit a higher rate of pay. The guidelines were established by the Tennessee Law Enforcement Planning Commission.

By February of 1976, there were 82 officers in the Clarksville Police Department. Also in 1976, the City Council decided to purchase 12 bullet-proof vests for the police department at a cost not to exceed $1,080.00. Later that year the Department would move out of its old headquarters in Public Square and into the newly completed Criminal Justice Complex.

Also during this period of time, the city annexed what was known as the North Annex area. This encompassed the area from Ringgold Bridge to the state line and some property East of that. Two officers were staffed full time twenty four hours a day. One of the additional duties the department was assigned was to provide security at Outlaw Field. The officers were to be there twice a day when Ozark Airlines landed. This was later to become the first location of the North Precinct. Soon after the annexation took place, the department was involved in an incident that had international implications when a British soldier at Fort Campbell was the victim of a hit and run accident just North of the Ringgold Bridge that took his life. The police department solved this case within three days and a Fort Campbell soldier was arrested and subsequently convicted of the crime.

In October of 1977, Ordinance 28-1977-78 was approved by the City Council. This ordinance created Vice Squad within the Clarksville Police Department. The Law Enforcement Assistance Administration (LEAA) funds for the joint Clarksville-Montgomery County Vice Squad had run out and the Attorney General's office recommended that the City set up its own vice squad. After confirming that no additional personnel would be needed, the motion was passed and carried.

In early 1979, the City Council noted that the use of the radar gun and the overall policing of the department had resulted in $10,000 more revenue generated than the previous year's report.

During this period, the vice squad participated in a case that involved an extremely large quantity of drugs and no-taxed liquor that were seized from a South Guthrie location. Another incident involved several drug dealers panicking as they realized the Vice Squad was after them. As the pursuit progressed the drug dealers tossed a large plastic bag (the type used to hold garbage) full of marijuana into a ditch.

The Special weapons and Tactics Team was formed in 1979. This unit was to focus on hostage situations and people in barricaded positions. The Crime Prevention Bureau was also put into effect in that same year.

There were 161 fewer traffic accidents in 1079 that there were in 1978. By the end of 1979, the Clarksville Police Department had 94 officers and 33 cars.

Never a pet or just a dog but forever a partner, a best friend and member of the family. Police Service Dog (PSD) King, a 4 1/2 year old German Shepherd assigned to the Clarksville Police Department Canine Unit made the supreme sacrifice in May of 1978.

On the night of May 22, 1978, while assisting his partner Officer Ralph Prost in a search for multiple burglary suspects, PSD King was shot and killed protecting his handler. There should be no doubt that if not for King's courage, training and devotion to his handler on that night, the shot fired by the suspect would have hit its intended target, Officer Ralph Prost.

Police Service Dog - King was laid to rest with his devotion, integrity and courage to be remembered by those who knew him best.

During his law enforcement career, King assisted in 1,366 back up calls and 42 apprehensions