Introduction
THOMAS PENN joined the Camden Police Department in the 1958, and was serving as a motorcycle officer by September of 1960. When he was appointed to the police department he was living at 241 Mount Vernon Street in South Camden. He was living at 71 South 27th Street in East Camden in the early 1960s.
Sadly, Patrolman Penn passed away at a very early age, sometime in the mid-1960s. He was survived by his brothers Dennis M. Penn and Kenneth L. Penn, both of whom served on the Camden Fire Department.
Photos
Thomas Penn, Camden Police Department
Not Sworn In! 11 New Cops Must Undergo Physical Test
Camden Courier-Post —
(Reprinted from Friday’s Late Edition)
Swearing in of 11 new patrolmen failed to take place on schedule Friday when Public Safety Director Aaron announced the men must first pass local department physical examinations.
Police officials and others were on hand, along with the nominees taken from the top of a Civil Service list, for the ceremonies when Aaron made the last-minute announcement.
The potential patrolmen, all disabled veterans, were among 69 candidates who passed Civil Service examinations and, according to Inspector Riehm, chief of staff, they passed physical examinations held by Civil Service in September.
Aaron, who interviewed each applicant individually, said no appointments will be made “at the present time” for the 11 posts.
“I am sorry,” Aaron told the group, “but no appointments can be made today. I hope you will be able to get your private jobs back. We were trying to expedite things to get you in before Christmas, but we can make no appointments until each of you can take physical exams. We will arrange for the exams to start on Monday and complete them by Wednesday. But there will be no definite date on appointments.”
CS Decision Paramount
Wayne Boyd, director of examinations for Civil Service, told the Courier-Post the fact the men did not pass the city’s medical examination does not remove them from the list of eligibles.
“Only the Civil Service can put the candidates on the list and only Civil Service can take them off,” Boyd stated.
“We will review the cases and it may be the men will be reexamined by our doctors. We gave two examinations, one a medical checkup and the other a physical test in which each person is required to do nine events such as knee bends, bending over, pushups from the floor, etc.”
All Disabled Veterans
“If we find the doctors cannot agree, then a neutral outside specialist may be called in to make a decision would be final as far as Civil Service is concerned.”
The 11 candidates for the patrolmen posts which start with the salary of $3800 and advance to a maximum of $4800 are:
Earl W. Flanagan, 2323 Garfield Avenue; Wayne W. Clifford, 205 Beideman Avenue; James Flanagan, 2821 River Avenue; Harry E. Barwise, 1161 Thurman Street; Lucian G. Homes, 2842 Thompson Street; Clayton C. Hendricks Sr., 1235 North 27th Street; Anthony C. Como, 943 South 4th Street; Anthony M. Terranova, 1516 Park Boulevard; Thomas C. Penn, 241 Mount Vernon Street; Francis J. Fleming, 217 Eutaw Avenue; and Howard M. Smith, 3620 Westfield avenue.
All are classified as disabled veterans.
7 of 11 Slated For Cops Jobs Fail in Tests
Camden Courier-Post —
Medical Report:
Seven of the 11 men awaiting swearing in as new Camden patrolmen have failed to “come up to medical requirements,” Director of Public Safety Aaron announced Friday.
Aaron said he would not release the names of the seven men until he has an opportunity to confer Monday or Tuesday with State Civil Service Authorities.
The 11 were among 69 candidates who passed Civil Service examinations for patrolmen, including medical and physical tests.
Remain on Lists
However, before they were to be sworn in on December 13, Aaron announced he was delaying the ceremony until complete medical examinations could be made by Dr. Garnett Summerill, city police and fire surgeon.
Dr. Summerill, Aaron said, reported to him that only four of the 11 met all medical requirements.
“The next step will be up to the State Civil Service.” Aaron said. “I will send the state a complete report and ask them to check their physical reports, and I intend to go to Trenton either Monday or Tuesday to talk with the Civil Service officials.”
CS Decision Paramount
Wayne Boyd, director of examinations for Civil Service, told the Courier-Post the fact the men did not pass the city’s medical examination does not remove them from the list of eligibles.
“Only the Civil Service can put the candidates on the list and only Civil Service can take them off,” Boyd stated.
“We will review the cases and it may be the men will be reexamined by our doctors. We gave two examinations, one a medical checkup and the other a physical test in which each person is required to do nine events such as knee bends, bending over, pushups from the floor, etc.”
All Disabled Veterans
“If we find the doctors cannot agree, then a neutral outside specialist may be called in to make a decision would be final as far as Civil Service is concerned.”
The 11 candidates for the patrolmen posts which start with the salary of $3800 and advance to a maximum of $4800 are:
Earl W. Flanagan, 2323 Garfield Avenue; Wayne W. Clifford, 205 Beideman Avenue; James Flanagan, 2821 River Avenue; Harry E. Barwise, 1161 Thurman Street; Lucian G. Homes, 2842 Thompson Street; Clayton C. Hendricks Sr., 1235 North 27th Street; Anthony C. Como, 943 South 4th Street; Anthony M. Terranova, 1516 Park Boulevard; Thomas C. Penn, 241 Mount Vernon Street; Francis J. Fleming, 217 Eutaw Avenue; and Howard M. Smith, 3620 Westfield avenue.
All are classified as disabled veterans.
4 Phila. Boys Held In Cigaret Theft
Camden Courier-Post —
Four Philadelphia youngsters are in the Children’s Shelter, Pennsauken, Monday, charged with taking $12.65 and four packs of cigarets from a cigaret machine at Sears Roebuck service station, Admiral Wilson blvd., Sunday.
Police identified them as Joshua Pitts, 15; James Guiton, 12, and Harry Cooper, 14, all of the 1800 block N. 12th st., and Barry Jones, 14, of the 1900 block N. 13th st.
Ptl. Douglas Tydeman and Thomas Penn said they discovered the door of the station forced when they went there after a burglar alarm sounded. Several boys playing in the area told them four boys ran away from the station. They found the boys on the Federal st. overpass within a few minutes.
Cops Get Boy, Key in Hunt of Meter Looter
Camden Courier-Post —
A 15-year-old boy suspected of looting scores of parking meters in the city with a key found in his possession was arrested early today near Broadway and Auburn st.
Police identified the suspect as Frank Burns, 15, of Line st. near 7th st.
He was apprehended at 5.30 a.m. by Sgt. Earl Quinton and Ptl. Edward Ingram and Thomas Penn and held for city juvenile authorities, who will continue an investigation of the looting.
Twelve Looted in Night
Quinton reported 12 meters in the vicinity of Broadway and Mickle, Federal and Carman sts., had been looted Wednesday night prior to Burns’ arrest.
A second suspect eluded police while they were arresting Burns, according to Quinton.
Quinton said a key found in Burns’ pocket fit the parking meters and he used it to remove the coin boxes from them. Quinton said he did not know where Burns obtained the key.
200 Boxes Taken This Year
Nearly 50 parking meters were looted in the city in April, raising the total for the first four months of 1959 to more than 200.
Ptl. Douglas Holmes and Charles Voll found nine meters looted Wednesday night and Quinton three shortly before arresting Holmes.
Quinton said he was on patrol on Broadway near Stevens st. when he spotted a boy removing a coin box from a meter.
The police sergeant added the boy ran into Auburn st. when he spotted the police car. Quinton broadcast a description of the boy and then went after him on foot.
In the meantime, Ingram and Penn, who were in the vicinity, had circled the block and the police trapped Burns in an alley between Auburn and Washington sts.
Quinton closed in and made the arrest, he said.
Burns is alleged to have admitted looting “numerous meters in center city,” according to Quinton.
Shortly after 8 a.m. today, Martin Portnoy, operator of an electrical fixtures store at Broadway and Auburn st., found three coin boxes on the side steps of the store. Portnoy turned the boxes, intact and containing coins, over to Ptl. Dennis Evans.
Unlicensed Motorist Cited After Mishap
Camden Courier-Post —
A 53-year-old RCA driver’s helper is under arrest today on charges of driving without a license and careless driving, while his son was issued a summons for permitting an unlicensed driver to operate his car.
Ptl. Thomas Penn and Thomas Jones said that Monday at 6 p.m., when shifts were changing at RCA, Howard Wilkinson, 53, of the 1000 block Segal st., while driving his son’s car, ran down William Bogert, 31, of 2730 Wolf ave., Pennsauken, on Cooper st. near Front. Bogert is an electrician for RCA.
Bogert was taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in the RCA ambulance. He was admitted with head cuts and multiple body injuries. The elder Wilkinson was released in $500 property bond for arraignment Nov. 19.
James Wilkinson, of the Segal st. address, was issued a summons for permitting an unlicensed driver, his father, to operate his car.
Thieves Steal 15 Suits From Downtown Store
Camden Courier-Post —
Smashing the front window of the Metropolitan Sales Co., 501 Benson st., during the night, thieves stole 15 men’s suits valued at $450, according to Camden police.
The theft was reported by Ervin Blustein, owner of the store, who discovered the smashed window when he opened for business.
Ptl. Thomas Penn said the suits were taken out the front door.
Patrolman Thomas Penn — September 28, 1960
Patrolman Thomas Penn, September 28, 1960 — Photo by Bob Bartosz
Signal Award Presented to Police Hero
Camden Courier-Post —
Patrolman Peter Yecco was cited for heroic action above and beyond the call of duty Thursday by Commissioner Garrity.
He received the Camden Police Department’s Distinguished Service Award, as Chief of Police Neale and other high ranking police and civil defense officials looked on.
Yecco was one of 16 policemen and three civilians cited by the department.
He was honored for entering the Delaware River on April 3 at 2:20 a.m. at the foot of Atlantic Avenue and assisting to safety three persons who were in a car that had been driven overboard into an abandoned ferry slip. The citation carries with it one week off.
3 Others Cited
Three policemen, including Patrolman Monserate Gonzales, who was with Yecco on April 3, were awarded Certificates of Commendation. Gonzales’ citation noted that he acted in the “best tradition of the police profession.” The others commended are Patrolman Charles Ferry who saved the life of a new-born child and Patrolman Thomas Penn who brought back life by mouth-to-mouth breathing into a two-year-old boy who had apparently died from drowning. Policemen receiving certificates of commendation are entitled to four days off.
John M. Dodd of 3615 Westfield Ave., an auxiliary policeman, was one of three civilians receiving certificates of citation. The other civilians cited are Peter Celeste of 532 Line St. and John Monti of 400 Jackson St.
Police Commended
Other policemen receiving certificates of citation who will be entitled to one or two days off are Patrolman Earl Bates, William Campbell, John Dease, Robert DePersia, Dennis Evans, Anthony Greskovich, Donald Maloy, Anthony Martino, Erwin Ray.
Also Patrolmen Alfred Steinmetz, James Styles, Sergeant Earl Wright, Sergeant John Ferry and Detectives Nathaniel Jones, Thomas Scarduzio and Golden Sunkett.
The board of review of the Camden Police Department was recently organized at the direction of Chief Neale. Inspector Edward Watson is chairman of the board.
The highest award is the honor award given for heroic action above and beyond the call of duty, an act which involves danger to the life of the officer named in the citation.
Fire Destroys Toy Shop, 2 South Camden Homes
Camden Courier-Post —
Blaze Rages 4 Hours
By James Riggio, Courier-Post Staff
A general-alarm fire swept through a Camden warehouse and showroom for four hours last night and destroyed two nearby residences before almost 100 firemen brought it under control.
The blaze destroyed the L-shaped building at 613 Broadway which housed Anthony Corradetti Sales Enterprises, distributors of toys, novelties and household goods. No estimate of the loss was available.
A second-story apartment atop the firm also was destroyed, and an adjoining house at 527 Line Street was damaged badly by the flames.
Left Homeless
Mrs. Rose Young, 26, who lived in the apartment at 529 Line Street with her three small children, escaped the blaze which left them homeless and took shelter with nearby friends.
Louis Iatarola, 57, who lived in the house at 527 Line Street with his two sisters, Carolyn and Lena, said his family would take refuge with relatives.
Mr. and Mrs. John Luciani were ordered by firemen to evacuate their home at 525 Line Street because of the danger from the heavy smoke. The Luciani house, separated from the burning building by a narrow alley, was not touched by the flames.
Spotted by Cops
The first call was sounded at 4:42 p.m. when Ptl. Richard Hailey and Thomas Penn spotted smoke coming from the building. Hailey, a former employe of the Corradetti firm, radioed the alarm from the patrol wagon then he and Penn rushed inside to warn the occupants of the building.
By 6:32 p.m., all the city’s nine engine companies and three ladder companies were thrown into action against the blaze, according to Michalak. He said about 100 firemen including 35 off-duty members were on hand to fight the flames, which sent billows of black smoke into the sky above Broadway.
Michalak also issued a mutual assistance call which brought fire fighting equipment from other nearby communities to man Camden’s firehouse while the city’s men and equipment were tied up.
4 Firemen Treated
Four city firemen were taken to Cooper Hospital where they were treated and released for injuries and smoke inhalation. All reported back to the fire and continued work in fighting the blaze.
Clar Puke, the store manager, said he noticed the smoke rising from the basement through a floor hatch. He said he was almost overcome by the thick smoke when he entered the basement, but managed to warn six other employees who ran from the building.
Second Alarm
The second call, sounded several minutes later, was responded to by two additional engine companies and another ladder company under Battalion Chief Theodore Primas, according to Fire Chief Edward V. Michalak.
Michalak declared the fire under control at 8:40 p.m., but said several companies would remain at the scene throughout the night to prevent a further flareup.
Angelo Errochetti [sic], director of public works, was at the scene and said he ordered the city’s water system opened full force to maintain a 48-pound pressure in the hydrants which fed the fire hoses.