Bench, Park Springs Up To Honor Brookline Police Officers

BROOKLINE, MA — When Officer Joseph Quinn started his police career in the 1940’s, he walked the beat on the wooden sidewalks of the Town of Brookline along side Cobblestone Streets they were long days on the feet. On his rounds, he would routinely check into headquarters using the nearest police call box, recognizable by their blue color and blue light atop.

Quinn, at 100 years young, was the first person to sit on a new commemorative bench after it was officially unveiled earlier this month between the Brookline Police Headquarters and the courthouse right next to - you guessed it - an old Brookline Police call box.

The town and the Brookline Police department unveiled the new bench and park space in a small ceremony on Aug. 3. The idea for the space goes back to 2002 when the Police and Fire Headquarters got a major face lift. Some members of the department got the idea but it just wasn't made a reality until last Friday.

Members from the community, Brookline Department of Public Works and Brookline Police, past and present, dedicated the small park dedicated as a tribute to the men and women of the Brookline Police Department.

The space is made up of an old police call box and a granite bench, set atop a strip of cobblestone in a nod to the days when officers like Quinn walked those streets. And yes, according to town history buff Ken Liss, there were still cobblestone streets and wooden sidewalks in the '40s.

The bench is inscribed with the Brookline Police shield and the words; "Dedicated to the men and women of the Brookline Police Department Who Serve The Community With Courage, Compassion and Commitment."

"Flower beds and evergreens encompass this flourishing space, filling the park with brightness and life," wrote an official with the Brookline Police Department on social media. "We want to give special thanks to the hard working men and women of the Department of Public Works, who toiled in the hot summer sun for months to complete this project. Their attention to detail and to strive for perfection shows in the quality and craftsmanship of the finished product."

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Photo courtesy Brookline Police Department