Politics & Government
McGowan: Montville's Youngest Police Officer
'It's a great job,' the Montville native calls his responsibilities as a patrolman.
- Name: Patrolman Scott McGowan, 24.
- What Part of Town: Grew up in Montville off Route 202.
- How long in town: Lived in Montville his whole life. In October he got married. The couple recently bought a house. “Living with my wife is great,” said McGowan. He and his wife, a second grade teacher at Valley View Elementary School in Montville, have a new puppy.
- Police Force: McGowan has served on the Montville Police Force for 3 years. He is the youngest member of the force. “Yes, I’m 24, I’ll be 25 soon,” McGowan explained. “I am the baby of the department.” Law enforcement has always been McGowan’s passion. His uncle served as a Lieutenant on the Mountain Lakes Police Force and his cousin is a Sergeant in Boonton Township. “From a kid I always thought it would be a great job,” said McGowan. “I enjoy it. It’s a great job.”
- College: After majoring in criminal justice for two years at Morris County College, McGowan completed his Bachelor’s Degree in law and justice at Rowan University outside of Philadelphia.
- Favorite Experience: “One of my first few weeks…we got a call that a lady was delivering a baby in her car. It was off Rout 202. So I got to experience that. What an awesome, awesome thing.”
- What’s Difficult: “Dealing with difficult calls…Some of the things you see are not the most easy to forget,” said McGowan. But he added that the older members of the force are very supportive and that everyone helps each other process and adjust to the kinds of situations patrolmen sometimes find themselves confronting. “It’s nice to just bounce off what happened and how you feel about it with other people in the departments.”
- What He Has Learned: The job has “taught me how to interact with people in different situations,” McGowan said. “It’s a great job because it kind-a puts you on a straight and narrow path of ‘Hey, you’re going to help people. You’re going to protect people.’ And you learn how to deal with people who get off track and you try to set them back on the right track.”
- Hobbies: “I’m a big golfer, a very big golfer. Big golf, big soccer player. I played soccer in college. Soccer and golf are my two big hobbies right now,” said McGowan. “Anywhere I can play I’ll play. I love playing.”
- Volunteering: “I go to church,” said McGowan. “I like volunteering through the church and doing that kind of stuff. “
- Free Time: “My family. I am a big family guy. Anytime I get to spend time with my family I enjoy it. With our schedule we work a twelve hour shift, 6 am to 6 pm or 6 pm to 6 am. We work four days on, four days off,” he explained. “So the days that I’m off I love spending time with my family, and enjoying every second of it.”
- Advice: “Take the civil service test, it’s a great job.”
- Most Rewarding: “Just being able to help people,” he said.
- Philosophy: “Treat people with respect and most of the time you get it back. No matter what happens there’s no reason to talk down to people.”
