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Swinney, Wilford

Wilford Swinney

Photographs of the Austin Police Museum taken in 1986 by Kerry Owens. More images from this collection are available in the University Archives.

Biography

Captain Wilford Swinney was born in 1922 in Burnet County, Texas, but moved to Austin in 1926. Swinney began working for the Austin Police Department (APD) on January 1, 1948, following in the steps of his father, who also worked for APD. He continued to work for the APD throughout the 1980s.

Texas 150 Oral History

Swinney talks about his upbringing and how he began working for the Austin Police Department. He shares some of his experiences as an officer, recapping his responsibilities and past duties. Swinney outlines the changes he has seen in the department's organization and resources over the years, especially as related to Austin's growth. Discussed topics include gang activity, The University of Texas at Austin shooting in 1966, changing uniforms and police cars, and women working in the police force.

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PDF Transcript, March 31, 1986
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HTML Transcript, March 31, 1986
There is no audio for this interview.