JOHN WESLEY "WES" BECKETT was, in fact, the first black police officer to serve as a member of the Camden Police Department, having been appointed in September of 1886 and having gone into service almost immediately. William Miles Butts, who over the last hundred-plus years has generally been credited with that distinction, was first appointed to the department in April of 1887 and did not actually begin working as a Camden policeman until mid-July of that year. "Wes" Beckett was also the third black member of the Camden Fire Department.

"Wes" Becketttwas born in Delaware around 1843 to John Beckett and the former Mary Hester "Hettie" Johnson. The family, which included younger brother Charles Beckett was living in Little Creek Hundred, Kent County, Delaware when the Census was taken in 1850. By 1860 John W. Beckett's father had passed. The Becketts lived in Newton Township, much of which would become part of Camden several years later. John W. Beckett worked for and lived with Samuel Eastlack, a farmer. His younger brother and mother also lived in Newton, at a separate residence. When the Census was taken in 1870 John W. Beckett was working as a laborer. He lived with his mother, wife Annie L., and daughter Irena Beckett.

"Wes" Beckett, described as tall and slim, apparently liked to fight, and by his own admission had been up on charges twenty times by 1874.

"Wes" Beckett was appointed to the Camden Fire Department as an extra man with engine company 2 on november 26, 1877 as a replacement for Pierce Brown. He served until April of 1878, and was not reappointed. Charles Todd replaced him on the Fire Department's table of organization. Fire Department records do not have an address or occupation for John W. Beckett, however then 1878 Camden City Directory states that he worked as a laborer and was living on South 8th Street below Central Avenue. His widowed mother was also listed at the same location. He also appears to have made an attempt at operating a saloon at 700 Kaighn Avenue at that time. In 1878 he was stabbed at South Fourth Street and Kaighn Avenue.

The 1880 Census show John W. Beckett, his wife Annie and daughter Irena living in an un-numbered house on Mulford Street. By 1882 he had moved to Baxter Street, at Ann Street. The 1884-1885 City Directory shows him living at 720 Kaighn Avenue, working as a laborer. He opened a cigar store there soon afterwards, which was listed in the 1885 City Directory.

In 1884 John Wesley Beckett witnessed a fight between William Greenan and Charles Henry Jones, and was called on to testify in the matter.

On August 31, 1886 John W. Beckett was appointed to the Camden police department. He is listed in the 1887-1888 and 1888-1889 Directories as a policeman, living at 710 Kaighn Avenue. Directories from 1890-1891 through 1892-1893 show him living at 805 Central Avenue, working as a policeman. The 1893-1894 City Directory shows that he moved to 1807 South 7th Street, and was still a police officer at the time of the directory's compilation. He worked as a police officer as late as October of 1893. The reason for his departure from the department are not known, but he may well have been let go for political reasons, as the Democrat-controlled Police Commission purged the department of virtually all Republican members in 1893.

John W. Beckett was still residing at 1807 South 7th Street when the 1894-1895 City Directory was compiled, and was working as a laborer. He is listed in the 1895-1896 Directory at that address, but moved to 1820 Kossuth Street prior to the compilation of the 1896 City Directory. He died in 1896.

Besides being the first black police officers in Camden, John W. Beckett is noteworthy as he was the third black member of the Camden Fire Department, coming into department after Pierce Brown and Solomon Clark.