Elmo Strait (1876–1922) was an American law enforcement official who served as the Chief of the Dallas Police Department from 1921 to 1922.

Srait was born in 1876.^[1]

_________^[2]

https://www.newspapers.com/image/1018534670

Strait served in the Dallas Police Department for seven years in total.^[3] He worked as a lieutenant in the city detective department, and prior to being appointed chief of police was doing special investigative work for the county as a deputy sheriff.^[3] https://www.newspapers.com/image/634581130

fatal house raid in 1915 https://www.newspapers.com/image/62402087

Strait became the Chief of the Dallas Police Department on the morning of May 6 by the Dallas City Commission. His predecessor, John W. Ryan, retired as chief and was offered a captaincy in the department.^[4]

prohibition era ^[2]

During his tenure as chief, Strait introduced broad reforms to the department. He created the Police Reserve system.^[1]

https://www.newspapers.com/image/30108937

https://www.newspapers.com/image/60885400 large gambling raids in June 1921 https://www.newspapers.com/image/384496633 effort to crack down on boxing of the Dallas Amateur Athletic Club firing and discharging of officers for flogging https://www.newspapers.com/image/1022119084 https://www.newspapers.com/image/612092706 allowing of a boxing match held in 1922 upon conditions https://www.newspapers.com/image/384496633

https://txccarro.genealogyvillage.com/People/S/Strait_William_Elmore.htm

Strait fell ill for several months, finding himself confined to his house.^[3] He resigned his position due to his health.^[2][1] He died in the evening of April 12, 1922 of an unexpected hemorrhage in his throat, dying before medical attention could arrive. Funeral services were held the following day.^[3] In the morning, Strait's body laid in state at the Dallas Municipal Building in the morning, with a police honor guard standing on sentry duty.^[5] In the afternoon he was buried at Merrell Cemetery, a small located several miles outside of Dallas near the neighborhood where he grew up.^[3][5] Among those who attended his funeral was his father, whom Strait had predeceased. His funeral was reportedly attended by hundreds and included a 2 mi (3.2 km) procession which featured police officials and police department heads as active pallbearers.^[5]