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Crime & Safety

Veteran Retires After 30 Years as Norwalk Cop

Officers lined up in headquarters parking lot Friday to jointly salute Edward Schwartz on his last day as a patrolman.

In July 1982, New York City resident Edward Schwartz, a student at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Manhattan, obtained his career of choice, becoming a police officer.

Norwalk Police were advertising in The Chief,  a newspaper that covers unions and labor issues, that the department had openings, Schwartz explained during an interview Monday. Also, representatives from the department visited the college to recruit officers, and Schwartz applied and was accepted.

Last Friday the department's rank and file, from Chief Thomas Kulhawik on down the ranks lined up in headquarters' parking lot to give Schwartz a joint salute on his last day as a patrol officer after 30 years of service.

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Asked to say a few words while standing in front of his colleagues, Schwartz said the ceremony was unexpected. He concluded by saying, "Be safe."

On Monday, Schwartz said retirement was "interesting."

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Asked if the department differed greatly from when he came aboard, Schwartz said reports were handwritten, except on a major assignment if you were lucky to find a typewriter. All reports today are typed into a computer system.

Schwartz, 57, worked almost his entire career on the midnight shift. Asked why he chose working overnight, he replied, "I just enjoyed it."

For the last three years Schwartz worked as a community police officer.

"So you're dealing a lot more with the community at that point; meetings and some other stuff run by the city or the different housing complexes," Schwartz said. "That was interesting to do; change of pace."

Outside of work, Schwartz said he spent about 45 years with the Boy Scouts, including the years he was a scout himself. Schwartz worked at the district and council levels overseeing health, safety and security. At functions, he was the on-scene medic, he said.

But for the past four years, Schwartz has been volunteering his time to the Special Olympics. He said he became involved with the organization after learning of a functon Norwalk lieutenant Paul Vinett was planning for it in in Norwalk.

Schwartz said he is pursuing several employment possiblities. Asked if he was looking for a job related to law enforcement, he said he wasn't sure yet. But it could be just part-time, he said, "just to keep myself busy."

Asked if he might stay home and live on his pension, Schwartz said, "Knowing me, I counldn't stay home constantly."

Schwartz lives with his wife, Janet, in Monroe. Asked how she felt about his retirement, he replied, "Good ... I think," chuckling at his answer. 

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