Do you have what it takes to be a member of the auxiliary Police During WWII? These gentlemen from Riverside, California sure did!  They were members of the community, ages 21-50, trained to support local police departments all over southern California during WWII.  Their tasks?  According to the Los Angeles City Defense Council they were to…

1.  Control traffic.

2.  Guard defense points, docks, bridges, factories, to prevent sabotage.

3.  Prevent looting of partially demolished shops and homes.

4.  Control panics.

5.  Help enforce emergency restrictions on lighting, and prohibitions on trespassing.

6.  Assist in air raid protection service before, during and after a raid.

Throughout the month of July, the National Archives at Riverside is taking the opportunity to share images, documents, and records that celebrate our local history.  As the archives that holds permanent federal records for Southern California, Arizona, and Clark County, we have records from the states’ Territorial eras, records relating to the development of the region as a center of commerce and culture, and records depicting the natural beauty and built environments of our unique home.  This July, join us in celebrating our heritage as Americans and our heritage as stewards of the Pacific Southwest!