In Memoriam: Elwood L. Ridge
Officer Elwood L. Ridge, Camden Police Department
ELWOOD RIDGE was born on May 21, 1944. He grew up in the lower end of Camden County. His father owned the White Horse Motel on the White Horse Pike, and “Woody” Ridge lived there as a boy. He joined the Camden Police Department August 9, 1968. On July 2, 1973 he died in the line of duty.
Officer Ridge, known to his brother officers as “Woody,” was killed by gunshot wound from his own weapon which was taken from him while answering to a domestic dispute assignment. While attempting to separate the two offenders Officer Ridge’s handgun was taken from his holster and he was shot.
Officer Montell Williams was the first officer on the scene after he was shot. He related in November of 2002:
Woody was never dispatched to the domestic but drove up on it at the corner of Broadway and Van Hook Street. After being shot he walked across the street to Rudolph’s Original Liquors and asked for help. The man inside helped him lay down and loosened his clothes to aid his breathing then called the police.
“Three of us arrived almost simultaneously at the scene, there was me and my partner Bill Athey and Woody’s normal partner Chet DeShields. Chet and Woody were more than just regular partners, they were very close friends even off duty.
A large funeral was held for Officer Ridge. The Philadelphia Police Department provided manpower for traffic duty to free up Camden officers so they could attend the funeral.
The shooter, Derrick Butler, was arrested by Philadelphia police for throwing bottles at cars and then bragged to them that he had just killed a Camden police officer. Derrick Butler was sentenced to life in prison.
Officer Ridge was married, with no children. His wife was about four months pregnant at the time of his death.
Police, Fire Tests Take Heavy Toll
Camden Courier-Post —
TRENTON — The high rate of failures on police and fire examinations was repeated yesterday in the Civil Service Department’s announcement of the results of tests for fire captain and patrolman in Camden City.
In the captain’s test, 23 passed, 64 failed and two did not show up for the test. In the test for patrolman, 10 passed, 32 failed and 14 failed to show. In the non-residents’ test for Camden patrolman, six passed, eight failed and five did not appear.
In the fire captain’s test, Kenneth M. Clark of 111 North 26th St., Camden, a veteran, qualified with a score of 92.6, highest for the seven veterans who qualified. Joseph R. Gfrorer of 3040 N. Constitution Road, Camden, was highest of applicants with a score of 96.5.
In the residents’ patrolman test, Robert D. Craig of 817 Vine Street was high with 78. In the non resident’s test, Edwin B. Hoffman of 514 Walnut Street, Audubon, a veteran qualified with 72.2 and Flem J. Hopkins Jr. of 113 Estates Ave., Pine Hill, was high with 78.
Others who passed the fire captain’s test were:
George D. Getty of 1111 N. 34 St., 95.4; John DiMaggio of 319 Beckett St., 94; Joseph J. Anderson of 2406 Denfield St., 92.96; Philip A. Maycott of 2836 Lincoln Ave., 90.5; James McMaster of 402 N. 37th St., 90.2; William D. Hillman of 3071 Constitution Rd., 89.4; Joseph Arensberg of 1041 N. 32nd St., 88.3; Robert E. Briggs of 2861 Congress Road, veteran, 86.3; John S. Brzozowski of 371 N. 34th St., 86.2; Edmund F. Gorczynski of 272 N. 33rd St., veteran, 85.4; Anthony F. Orme of 3317 River Ave., veteran, 82.4; William B. Young of 1126 N. 33rd St., 80.5; William D. Ayers of 2846 Pierce Ave., veteran, 79.1; Joseph Dowhy Sr. of 866 Beideman Ave., veteran, 78.9; James O. Jones of 3214 Mitchell St., 78.3; Joseph Chelhowski of 1324 Sheridan St., veteran, 75.8; James T. Robinson of 504 Trenton Ave., 75.5; Anthony D. Moffa of 23 Leonard Ave., 73.3; Robert E. Davenport of 1026 Reeves Ave., 73; John F. Gaffney Jr. of 78 S. Dudley St., 72.8, and Albert E. Collum Jr. of 2409 Howell St., 72.6.
Patrolman (residents) who passed:
Joseph A. Fox of 2117 Mount Ephraim Ave., 77.1; Charles W. Cahilly 2d of 2015 Westminster Ave., 75; Edward B. Bush of 3210 Mitchell St., 78.9; John F. Oppmann of 550 N. 30th St., 77.7; Gary E. Miller of 486-A Rand St., 77.4; Donald J. Tymusczuk of 2737 Concord Ave., 75.1; Joseph A. Broccoli of 1467 Pershing St., 74.2; Richard W. Merta of 1641 Pulaski St., 72.9, and Robert G. Gibson of 572 Clinton St., 72.6.
Patrolman (nonresidents) who passed:
Flem J. Hopkins Jr., 78; Elwood L. Ridge, 75.4; Joseph E. Benton, 74.7; David Vautier Jr., 74.1, and Frank R. Pedano, 73.8.
Cop Slain In Camden; Man Held
Trenton Times —
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Police here arrested a 21-year-old man this morning wanted for the Monday night slaying of a Camden, N.J., police officer.
Police said detectives arrested Derek Butler without incident as he walked a center-city street. His arrest came some nine hours after Camden Police Patrolman Elwood Ridge died of wounds inflicted with his own service revolver.
Police said Ridge, 29, attempted to calm a street corner husband-wife dispute at about 8 p.m. Ridge lost his gun in a scuffle and fell mortally wounded in the South Camden street when the gun was turned on him, police said.
An alert for Butler, believed to be from Camden, went out moments after the shooting. He was arrested at about 5 a.m. and Camden Police said he was to be charged later in the morning.
Police said Ridge, reportedly a family man, had been a policeman for about five years.
Photos
Camden Police at Officer Elwood Ridge’s funeral service, St. Joseph’s Pro-Cathedral on Federal Street in East Camden. Officers in this photograph include Larry Worrell, Spencer Smith, Ed Borman, Sgt H. Harris, Chris Yeager, David Henry, Sgt. J. Snyder.
Sgt. Al Randazzo and members of Elwood’s Platoon and Partner. The East Camden Post Office, directly across the street from the church, is in the background.