Annie Bown, the first female special police officer in West Milford, is second from left in this early 1950 photo. Some of the other officers shown are Richard Struble, Bill Perry, Vincent Meyer, Pat Squitieri, Jim Gray and Len Spano. (File photo by Ann Genader)
The Rev. Jed O’Connor, a former Franciscan priest in the Catholic Diocese of Paterson in the 1980s, was one of the last people to speak with West Milford’s first special policewoman before she passed.
He was pastor at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church when he met Annie Bown.
She was important to the West Milford police force as far back as the time when Chief John Moeller and his sidekick, Capt. Jack Ryan, were the only full-time members. They had about 30 men living throughout the township who could be called on for duty when an officer was needed.
Those men directed traffic in front of churches, patrolled the beaches at some lake communities and were visible at public events.
Bown was the only woman listed as available for special police duty.
The “specials” were called in for duty when specific emergency calls warranted it. Bown was called perhaps when a local lady might have been drinking too much alcohol and gotten involved in some kind of delicate situation where a female officer was needed to help resolve problems.
She was known as kind, quiet and dependable, and she helped bring more than one precarious situation under control.
New era begins
In 1958, the township’s governing board appointed 14 women to do special police work and women began to be hired as full-time police officers.
Bown, a faithful member of Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, was still a participating member when she was 80 years old. She was ill when O’Connor went to her home to administer the last rites.
“As I walked in the door to anoint her, I did not know what to expect,” he said later. “No one does at a time like this.”
He said Bown was extremely proud of her 23 years as a special policewoman and she was proud to be a golden ager.
“The people she knew locally were her family since her only blood relative lived in Florida and was older than she was,” he said. “She was equally proud of her church.
“Annie continued to be a participant in our faith community despite being off her feet for about the last two years. Her pledge envelope came each month, and she was able to get to our senior luncheon for March. The Eucharistic Ministers brought her communion each week and would remark how spunky she seemed. They also spoke of her numerous cats, her dog and her chair. She loved the church people’s visits.”
The priest had visited Bown just before her last Christmas. “There she was in her chair, and I became more aware of why people spoke of her chair,” he said. “There was nothing special in the old, stuffed cushioned chair itself. But the chair was Annie’s center of operation. Her phone was in reach, her mail and papers were piled all around, her purse was permanently placed between her and the arm of the chair.
“She viewed the world from this earthly setting and watched it go by. She had a wonderful smile from her chair that for the past eight months was also her bed. It was, I would say, a ‘no regrets at peace with herself’ smile.”
Describing his last visit, he said, “Now, as I stood there seeing her this fresh after-winter morning, she was where I knew she would be - in her chair. The smile was on her face, assuring all who saw her body that she was now in a better place. The words came to mind ‘asleep in the Lord.’ Lent was only 18 days long this year for Annie Bown. Easter came early.
“I wanted to tell you about a peaceful death. No matter the type of death or impact on us, we believe death is a door that enables a person to enter fully into the Lord’s kingdom. It’s good to know that!”
Rules change
In 1986, New Jersey law regarding special police officers changed completely.
It set strict training standards for all special police officers. For example, they were required to complete a 300-hour training session at an approved police academy, qualifying them to carry a firearm.
James Breslin, who the police chief at that time, told his special officers in a letter, “The new law is very restrictive and does not provide for the appointment of inactive special officers as we have done over the last few years in West Milford.”
Former Councilman Peter Gillen was one of those special officers.
His letter from Breslin said, “Therefore it is with deep regret that I must inform you that your status as an inactive special officer will expire on Dec. 31, 1986. Your $5 deposit will be refunded to you on return of your badge.”
The letter thanked those who had served as special officers.