Crime & Safety
William Quinn, Longtime Newton Police Chief, Dies at 86
He served on the police force for 40 years—including 21 as chief.
William Quinn, who served as Newton’s police chief for 21 years, died Saturday. He was 86.
Quinn served on the police force for 40 years. He served as chief from 1968 to 1989.
“During his tenure, Chief Quinn instituted a number of innovations for this department, including the original 911 telephone system,” Newton police said in a statement. “Under Chief Quinn, Newton was the first police department to hire female police officers for regular patrol duty in 1975.”
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Under his watch, Newton became the first city police department in New England to be nationally accredited.
Quinn also served as president of the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association and International Chiefs of Police Association.
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A wake will be held Fri., Nov. 21 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Blackington and Burke Funeral Home in Newton. A mass will be held Sat., Nov. 22 at 10:30 a.m. at Our Lady’s Help of Christians in Newton.
Photo credit: Newton police
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