USA > New Jersey > Middlesex County > Woodbridge > History of Woodbridge Township Police Department > Part 4
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On September 22, 1919, A. H. Ludwigsen was appointed to the department, but he only stayed a few months, resigning on . June 21, 1920.
A puzzle appears in the minutes of September 29, 1919 when it was "moved and carried that Mr. John Murphy be appointed police- man. There is no record, as far as I could determine, of any John Murphy servin- on the force Or drawing pay from the Township. And there is no record of the motion ever having been rescinded. As far as the records are concerned, John Murphy, whoever he is, is still a policeman in the Township.
On October 13, 1919, Henry Miller and Joseph Lakfinsky were designated patrolmen of the Township by the committee. Miller resigned the following year, while Makfinsky died, after a long illness, recently.
The next policeman named. was John K. Roch on November 11, 1919, but he too resigned on June 30, 1920. There were many more lucrative positions open in those days and the men left the department to accept then. Today, a post on the police department is considered a very good one judging from the scores of petitions on file with the chief of police.
In March of 1920, the first patrol wagon was purchased. The clerk was authorized to advertise for bids in the Woodbridge Leader and Woodbridge Independent and two bids were received. The Union Garage bid $2,595 for an Oldsmobile Economy truck. The bid of McAllister and Carter was returned unopened- - why, I do not know. A short time later the patrol was purchased from the Union Garage.
The year 1920 was a banner year for the cops-for there Were 20 officerson the force, anl through their efforts, the police pension fund referen lum was passed.
Appointments care thick and fast in that period. On Jun: 28, 1910, Thor & Solens , no patrol drives, was appointed. On July 8,
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Ny. Miller resigned, Wilhelm Brown, now Desk Sergeant was appointed. Es-ly the following year, February 1, 1921, Joseph Lewis and George Leonard were placed on the roll call.
Leonard is still a member of the force. Joseph Lewis was fatally injured on September 18, 1932, while on duty. He had been assigned to church traffic(it was a Sunday morning) in Avenel shortly after eight o'click. He was "working" the light at the intersection of Averel Street and the superhighway, whena group of motorcyclists went through the red light barely missing some pedestrians. Lowis gave chase on his motorcycle. When he neared Kath's garage, his motorcycle, in some manner , skidded and Crashed into a parked truck on the side of the road, Lewis died at the hospital a few hours later without regaining consciousness.
A disagreement among the committeemen as to the next police appointment occurred in the early part of 1922. Finally, on March 13, four names Were submitted by the police committee and the Town- ship council was askel-to ballot on them until one was selected. The fou- concerned were: Arthur Hunt , Allan McDonnell, John He-man and Carl Sundquist. On the third ballot, Sundquist (who was recently named Desk Sergeant) was selected.
In the same month, Leon MoElroy suggested "that the two old- est policemen inthe point of service be promoted from the ranks to the grade of Lieutenant, the lieutenants to be stationed in the police station on 8 hou- shifts, to perform the duties now incumbent on those on duty in the Station house. " S ince Lunchy was chief and Cullinane already a lieutenant, the next two oldest men in point of service Were James Walsh and Hans Simonsen, who would have been automatically slated fo- the jobs, but the motion was lost by one vote .
On April 19, 1922 it was moved and carried that "the Tom- ship committee pay $10 per month for storage of the police patrol". Quite a costly garage bill!
The following October, the clerk notified the county clerk to place the following proposition on the ballot for the ensuing election : "Shall the sularies of the members of the police force of the Township be increased $300?"
The referendum was passed in November.
In March of the next year five Ordinances Were passed by the Township committee as follows:
"1. To Create positions in the police force above the rank of patrolmen. ( The positions createl were: Traffic officers, desk sergeants, rounds sergeant, detective sergeant, captain of police and chief.)
" 2. To increasevthe salary of Chief of Police. 13. To increase the salaries to be paid to patrolnen (In accordance with the referendum).
"4. To abolish the position of Lieutenant of Police(The ordinares auto atically de oted Cullinane. ) ", To regulate sich let, in the police department. "
C . ·1 1, 3. i folkin; what dosis tol sip ion
Page Forty-1_vo
officers and their salaries Were set forth as follows :
Patrick Lu-phy, chief of police, $2, 400. Patrick Cullinane, Desk Sergeant, $2, 100. Phillip Dunphy, desk sergeant, $2, 100. Harvey Romond, desk sergeant, $2,100. James Walsh, detective sergeant, $2,150 Carl Sundquist, traffic officer, $1, 850.
At approximately the same time the committee ordered a complete change in the style of police uniforms -- each outfit costing in the neighborhood of $150. The committee finally "chipped in" and gave each policeman $25 toward a new outfit.
Committeeman Larson, a member of the police committee submitted the following resolution on April 30, 1923:
""Te, the undersigned, being members of the police committee of Woodbridge Township, having made a careful study of the averages of the different applicants fo- the position of patrolmen in the Woodbridge Township police force, and having deliberated in the particular fitness of each man, respectfully submit for appointment the following names for the grade of patrolman to take effect immediately :
"George Balint, John R. Egan, Edward Olbrick,
Benjamin Parsons, "
The resolution was carriei by the slime margin of one vote, McElroy, Hoy, Larson and Salte- voting in the affirmative while Luffbarry, Gill and Neuberg cast their votes in the negative.
Egan and Parsons are captains today while Balint is detective sergeant. Edward Olbrick died sometime later.
Chapter 12.
Tempus fugit! And with the flight of tire came up-to-the- minute improvements for the police department. Woodbridge's fines wasn't going to be caught napping. On June 11, 1923, the Township committee purchased, "of all things, three bullet- proof vests. George 3. Luffbarry, who was on the police committee at that time, relates how Harvey Romond put on one of the vests and allowed Luffbarry to shoot at him point blank.
"And as far as we were concerned", said Luffbarry, "we didn't know Whether the things would work. we just took the salesman's word for it. C
A short time after the experiment, the minutes record two events which left their mark on the police department -- Emil Klein died and the people of Iselin demanded a traffic officer for their section. A few days later a Township meeting was held and We read:
"The police committee then recommended the appointment of a patrolman to fill a vacancy on the force due to the death of one of the patrolmen."
The committee went into executive session for twenty minutes and on its return there was a motion to accept or re ject the recommendation of the police committee appointing James Anzavino to the department. McEl-oy passed, Luffbarry, Larson, Salter and Neuberg voted in the affirmative and Gill and Hoy cast their votes in the negative.
Anzavino remained on the force but a few months, resigning to take another position.
On November 19, 1923, Andrew Simonsen, now a desk sergeant, was appointed to the force without any opposition. He is the son, of Hans Simonsen who was still a member of the department at the time of "Andy's" Appointment
Nothing further of importance is noted until June 9, 1923, when the late Joseph Lewis was elevated to the rank of traffic officer.
A week later, on June 26, 1924, the Township committee met in the new Memorial Municipal Building( the present town hall) and the police department took possession of its new headquarters in the basement of the building.
In the following month, on Jolt 7, 1924, three men were nominated for the position of policemen -- Rudolph Simonsen, brother of Andrew Simonsen, W. A. Long and W. Gloff. Simonsen and Gloff won out but Long received only two votes. A motion that "F. Greisheimer he appointed at such time that his services are required" was defeated by one vote.
Remember the old Cadillac police patrol and ambulance? Of course you do, if you can remember back eight or nine yearde Remember how it used to waddle fron side to side when Tom SonerS used to pilot it up Main Street? Well the contrivance Was purchased back in March of 1925 from the Union Gard ce, Perth Anboy. And believe it or not, that old relic, when delivered to the town hall , cont $5,500.
To aldit or mit with were inte to the force in Is.
7 the: [ esat moto arele CON,
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Page Fonty-s Tion.
Meyer Larson, receivel the O. K. of the Township committee. The following month, John Egen, Was promote : to the traffic division. The following year, 1926, the Democrats took control of the Township. B. .. Vogel was made police recorder and Robert h. Sattler became the police commissioner. Contrary to expectation. the new office holde-s did not make any immediate changes in the department.
Then the warm weather came around, the committee decides to give some comfort to the officers and purchased big umbrellas to go over the old-fashioned "stop-and-go" signs that were Worked by hand. It was not so many years ago that the late Janes Walsh operated the one at the corner of Main Street and Amboy Avenue. On May 10, 1926, Henry Dunham, Jr. , Was appointed as a patrolman, but he resigned a few months later, his position going to Joseph Grady, on August 15, 1926. Dunham was reappointed to the force a few years later. Grady is now a motorcycle officer. In September of the same year, the members of the police department . presented a petition "singed by the re juistenumber of voters" asking for an increase in salaries, An ordinace was inte- duced and passed and the schedule of salaries was approved as follows:
Figst year patrolman - -- 32,100 Second year patrolman 2,300 Third year patrolman and thereafter 2,500
Toward the end of the year, Stephen Horvath, a justice of the peace, complained to the committee that the police department refused to accept his prisoners. The police committee informed Horvath that the police department is not responsible for prisoners arrested by justices of the peace and that such Prisoners whould be taken by the justices to the county jail. Then February of 1927 rolled around, Joseph Farkas,
son of Paul farkas, one-time police officer, was named as rookie patrolman. Farkas is now a motorcycle officer.
The first resignation to retire on pension was recorded on May 23, 1927, when Hans Simonsen resigned and applied for pension which was granted. The following month, William Romond, was named a member of the department.
Then on November 28, 1927, one of the two famous "Paddies" Patrick Cullinane, the first policeman in Woodbridge Township retired on pension. His nephew, Allen McDonnell, present police cle ~!: , was then appointed to take effect December 1, 1927 and at the same time, George 3. heating moved up the first rung of the ladder when he was nade Desk Sergeant to take the place of Patrick Cullinane, retired. "
Chapter 13
From 1927 to 1930, many additions and changes neve made to ani in the police department. On Deceriber 12, 1927, Andrew Sionsen was promotel to the rank of traffic officer, getting the job of driving the patrol and ambulance. The following month, on January 33, 1928, Joseph 14 Dalton, of Fo-ds, was appointed to the force to take effect on February 1.
In the early part of February, Sergeant Philip Dunphy died and on the first of the following month, John Egan was named desk sergeant, in Dunphy's place. At the same time, Daniel Gibson, who was appointed to the force in February , 1924, was promoted to the rank of traffic officer and Closindoy Zuccaro was named as new policeman to take Gibson's place as patrolman. Zuccaro is now a pat-ol driver.
On April 1, additional promotions were made. Benjamin Parsons was elevated to the rank of traffic sergeant, an office which he filled capably and James Walsh became Captain of Police, a post he filled until the death of Chief of Police Patrick 17. Murphy, when he became head of the department.
In 1928, a resolution was received from Woodbridge Post, No. 87, the American Legion, unjing the appointment of Frank Miller and George S. Finn, as policeren. In Jan any of the following year, Edward Olbrick died.
From then on, routine matters occupied the committee and the police department, until December 30, when seven men Were naned to the department at one time. The resolution reads:
" Whereas, the preservation of life and property in the Tomship of Woodbridge, by reason of increased dangers due to traffic conditions require the appointment of additional patrolmen, and, " Whereas, the State legislature alopted in the year 1929, a statute granting all police officers one day in each week as a free day, and
"Thereas, the proper patrolling of the various areas in the Township requires additional patrolmen, and
"Thereas, the present police force is totally inadequate to take care of the increased demands, therefore
"Be it resolved that George Mi sak, Thomas Bishop, John Govelitz, Michael De Joy, Albert Levi, Fred Leidne- and Nels Lau-itzen be appointed to the police force as patrolmen of the' thind class, said appointments to be effective January 1, 1930."
Misak, Govelitz, Levi, Bishop, Leidner and Lauritzen are now patrolmen of the first class, while Michael De Joy is dead, succumbing suddenly to & heart attack.
A month after the appointment of the seven men on February 1, 1930 ( after considerable Wrangling in caucuses) five additional patrolmen were appointed as follows : -. Henry Dunham , Jro, (who served as police officer oncy before) Anthony Peterson, Frank Miller, John Lanton and Karney . Ronano.
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Dunner, Paterson and Lanton are now patrolmen of the first class. Miller received his stripes recently and is now the Rounds Sergeant and Romano proved to be the "black sheep" of the department and was finally relieved from duty, on changes of "conduct unbecoming a gentleman and office-", after a trial before the Tounship carmittee.
In 1930, the depression struck the Township with a full vengeance. The Tornship committee took preliminary steps to give relief to the unemployed which finally grew into the present relief Organization. At the same time, after a meeting of all ba- trolmen and suppesor officers of the department, Police Commissioner- Robert L. Sattler was informed that the members of the Woodbridge Township Police Department would voluntarily donate a percentage of their salaries for the relief fund for the unemployed.
As time went on conditions did not improve, in fact, they became worse. The legislature passed a bill allowing the municipality to cut salaries of police officers, a bill the Township took advantage of immediately. Cash became a scarcity and months went by before the police saw any realy cash. Then baby bonds appeared, and the police, together with school teachers and other municipal employees, found it necessary to peldle their bonds to homeowners who were lucky enough to have cash to pay thedr taxes.
No further additions were made to the department during that period although death and retirement left the Chief short of men to fully patrol the Township as heretofore.
Chapter 14.
In 1931, after the additions to the police force, Chief Mu-phy male plans for a complete ~eorganization of the police depa-tient. He outlined his plans to the Tourship committee and the first step was finally taken on June 22, 1931, when Desk Sergeant George Neating was elevated to the rank of detective sergeant. With that move, Noto-cycle Office- George Balint was promotei to desk sergeant to take Neating's place and Joseph Grady was advanced to the traffic division to take over Balint's motorcycle post.
Affairs went smoothly for a While. Keating, together with Captain James Walsh, broke many cases and an enviable record Was established, Then, Chief Lu-phy became ill. At first his illness was not taken seriously, but then the members of the force became aware that the end was nea- when their beloved chief Was taken to the hospital. Or January 18, 1932, the "grand old man of the police department", died. His funeral was one of the largest ever held in the Tomship. Municipal police from scores of su-nounling towns and State police, in addition to prominent figures in political life, all gatherei to pay thei- last respects.
The late Father Richard O'Farrell left his sickbed to preach the sertion at his friend's funeral. It was a tea-ful farewell the people of Woodbridge gave Chief Mu-phy.
On February 1, 1932, James Walsh was appointed Chief of Police of the Township of Woodbridge at a regular session of the Township of Woodbridge committee. The following September, Motorcycle Office- Joseph Lewis was fatally injured while chasing speeders. In December 1933, John Chola", "a member of the traffic division, was placed on the retired list at his own request.
At the November, 1933, election, the Democratic administra- tion was defeatel at the polls and on December 8, a few weeks before the Republican mesine was to take over the reins of the municipality, the committee nauel Josoph Casale and Daniel C. Panconi, as patrolmin of the third class. Panconi and Casale Were given the necessary equipment by Chief walsh and were assigned to "rookie duty" but on New Year's Day, 1934, when the new administration was organized, Panconi and Casale were removed from the police lists by the following resolution introduced by Committeeman Happy I. Gryns:
"Whereas, by the min tos of a bertin ; of the To .. .. Lip Committee hel on the 8th day of DeceDor, 1995, it appears that one Joseph Casale and one Daniel Hamoni was appointed by resolution as members of the Police Dontout of the role in
Withencas, at the time of said appointment of said Casale and Panconi, there had been no previous provisions zade in the police appropriation include; in the 1933 budget whereby funds Vers available for new and extra appointments of said police department and
"Whereas, the finances of the Tomship of Woodbridge do not Warwant an increase in the police personnel and "whereas, the appointments of said Casale and Pancori as afome- said Were and are now innecessary for the proper government of the Township, now therefore,
Te it resolved that the action taken at the meeting of the Township Committee hell December 8, 1933 in appointing Daniel Panconi and Joseph Casale as members of the police department be and the same is hereby revoked and rescinded. ....
The year 1934 was a quiet one as far as the police department was concerned, but in 1935, when John Hassey became police commissioner things began to- hum again. In the early part of 1935, the committee purchased the present ambulance and patrol fo- the sum of $1, 580.
On April 15, 1935, Hassey introduced a motion authorizing the advertising for bids fo- a tw-way radio system for the depant ment, with bias to be received on May 6. At that meeting the Tax- payers' association asked the committee to defer opening of bids until June 3, which request was grantel. On the latter date, bids Here opened as follows : General Electric Company, $5,008; Fede-al Laboratories, Inc., $5,762.50. Graybar Electric Company, $7, 137. The bid of Federal Laboratories, Inc. , was accepted and the General Electric low bid was turned down "because, according to Hassey, it did not come up to specifications." The system: wert into effect on September 1, 1935, but the system was changed sometime later because the Original one was not powerful enough for the territory it hal to cover.
At first, two officers were placed in each radio car, but in October, at the request of the woodbrille Township Taxpayers' Association, the policy Was changed and one patrollan was assigned to each radio Caro
A short time later an arson case occurred on Fulton Street hat Was quickly solved by Keating. On December 6, 1935, a communication was received by the Tomship committee from the National Board of Fire UnderWriters andvessel tobthe police commissioner praising the Work done by the Woodbridge police department "in the recent a son case" and especially referred to "the splendid work of George Keating. "
On December 16, 1935, George Keating was promoted to the position of Captain of Police, Senior rank; John Egan was male Captain of Police, Junio- punk and A. P. Iclone ;; was given the position of record cle M. Keating was placed in charge Of records, fingerprinting, photography and detective Work. Bor was given chang of the palin division.
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During the summer of 1936, Schaffrick and the west of the committee disagreed ove- promotions. The police commission- e- attempted to promote Geunge Balint to the bank of Lieutenant Detactive only to be info-ced by the Township attorney that such an action would be illegal due to the fact that there is no such rank listed in the Tomship Police ordinance. Balint, however, Was placed in plain clothes b "tellpo~arily".
On the last day of -a-ch, 1937, Chief of Police Walsh diel suddenly at his home following a heart attack. Walsh had suffered previous attacks but his death came as a shock to the community as he had left headquarters that evening apparently in the best of health and spirits.
At the following meeting of the Township committee on April 5, 1937, George Keating was unanimously appointed Chief of Police. The same evening, the Township committee and Township Cle-k 3. J. Dunigan went to Neating's home and the clerk gave him the oath of office.
Scores of letters were received by the committee praising it forits choice of police chief. Among the letters was one fron the National Board of Five Underwriters.
Financial conditions in the Tomship evidently improved in 1937, fo- in June of that year, the 20 per cent pay cut was restoned to the police department.
In 1938, Herbert B. Rankin, of Setramen, becane police commissione» and on February 21, Joseph Casale was reappointed to the department. On June 27, Daniel Panconi was reappointed and Stephen Feiertag was named patrolman of the thi-d class.
On February 6, 1939, Andrew Si onsen was promoted to Desk Sergeant; Frank Lille, Was advanced to Rounds Jengeant and Joseph Sipos wis naned patrolman of the third class. On February 20, Karney Romano, after two hearings before the Township committee, Was permanently relieved from duty.
Promotions ca .e thick and fast and so did appointments. On May 15, 1939, Frank Szallan, of the Second ward, was appointed to the force. On June 5, 1939 (to become effective, July 1) John Egen Was advanced to Captain of Police , Senior wank; Benjamin Parsons was made Captain of Police, Junio- pack; George Balint was promoted to Detective Sergeant anl Ca-l Suntquist ard wilhelm Brown we- Mude desk sergeants.
After the passage of a necessary ordinance, Allan P. McDonnell was given the rank of sergeant in the second devant ent. The final promotions to date were made on August 21, 1939, effective Seit 1bol when Joseph Farkas and Closinglo .; Zucca>>> Wem elevated to the traffic division.
1.
Today, woodb-Lige Ponship Police department marks along the highest in the state as to efficiency and equipment. Chief Heating is meco priced throughout the state as one of nost capable men in police cincles. He is Imoun as a keen policeman and as a fingerprint and photography expert. Is is a far cry and the days of 1098 when the two "Paldies" patrolled the Township, sometimes afoot and sometimes on bicycle., With 35 men in the present department, Woodbridge Township Police Dere-tient boasts of a two-way valio system, a police patrol and ambulance, three malio cars and a utility can, and a complete record depatient with ginge-printing anl "missing a specialty.
The personnel of the police department as of November 1, 1939 is as follows:
Superio-s.
Chier Jeonge 3. Keating
Captain John Agar Captain Benjamin Pa-sons
Detective Songeant George Balint
Rounis 3engeant Frank Miller".
Sergeant -llan P. - Mcconnell ("eco-d department)
Desk Sergeant Antren Simonsen Desk Sengeant Carl Suniquist Desk So-geant wilhelm B-own
-. Traffic Division. (figures are balze numbers)
Thomas Somers, No. 11. Patroi ~~ iven
Closindo Zuccaro, No. 34, Patrol Drive-
Daniel Gibson, No. 2, motorcycle Rudolph Simonsen, No. 24, motorcycle. Joseph G-ady, No. 29, motorcycle Ileye- Larson, No. 28, motorcycle Joseph Farkas, No. 30, Motorcycle
Patrol
John Lanton, No. 45 George Leonard, No. 19 Robent Egan, No. 7 Joseph Einhorn, No. 8 Tilliam Romond, No. 31 Joseph M. Dalton, No. 33 Richard Levi, No. 36 John Govelitz, No. 30 Thomas Bishop, No. 35 Fall Leidner, No. 30 G OG IER :, No. 37
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Anthony Peterson, No. 44 Joseph Casale, No. 46 Daniel Punconi, No. 5 Stephen Feiertag, No. 20 Joseph Sipos, No. 3 Frank Szallar, No. 42
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