Cranford Police Department Turns 122

CRANFORD, NJ - Wednesday marked the 122 birthday of the Cranford Police as the department was founded on March 27, 1897.

To celebrate, the current crop of Cranford cops released a pair of photos from the earliest days of the department.

The first is the the first known department photo taken in about 1904. It is also the only known photograph showing CPD on horseback, although in the early years it was the way they patrolled, police said.

The picture was taken in front of the train station and shows mounted officers, from left, William Jennings, James Hennessey and William Hennessey.

The man with the white beard is Justice of the Peace W.W. Mendell. The man to Mendell's left is John Schindler. Most of the men standing are presumed to be special officers. Note the helmets worn by the two officers on the left.

Until June 1902 the officers patrolled in plain clothes.

The second photo is from late 1924 and shows the Cranford Police headquarters building. In 1924 police headquarters moved to a new location at 114 North Union Avenue, across the street from the Presbyterian Church.

According to police, the department remained at this location until 1962, when it moved to its present location. The original police station was located near the rear of the present day Fire Headquarters.

In the second photo, from left, front row, Sergeant Carl Massa, Officer Lawrence Bonnell, Sr., Sergeant Patrick Martin, Officers John McNerney, Harry Craig, Edward Coleman, Joseph McCaffrey, George Rosendale, and Edward Galvin. On the steps first row, Officers Ed Metzner, Ed Schindler, David Winans, and Alexander King. Top step, Officer Tom Woods, Sr., Chief James Hennessey, and Lieutenant George Greiss.

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