Edward Quirk - Past Commander 1926-1940

Edward Quirk
Police Chief 1926-1940

   Edward J. Quirk was born May 5, 1878 in Killarney, Ireland. In 1898 Quirk emigrated to the U.S. without any family to begin a new life. He became a naturalized citizen in White Plains on May 24, 1904. This husky young man with a heavy Irish brogue first found employment with the Waring Hat Factory. Later he became an iron worker in the foundry of Otis Elevator Co. When Quirk was hired by the police department on November 25, 1905, he was 27 years old and lived at 102 Ashburton Ave. After being appointed, young Quirk worked foot patrol on the west side of the city. He was often assigned to work in "citizen clothes", or plain clothes duty.

   Before the newly established 3rd Pct. opened it's doors and it's police desk blotter at 6 PM on December 1, 1909, additional supervisory positions were needed to manage the 12 patrolmen that were to be assigned. On November 30, 1909 Ptl. Quirk was promoted to the rank of Sergeant and was assigned to the new precinct at 36 Radford Street.

   In preparation for the opening of a 4th Pct. on May 1, 1914, again promotions were necessary. On April 27, 1914 Sgt. Edward Quirk was promoted to Lieutenant. Upon his promotion, Quirk was assigned to desk duty in the new 4th Pct. He remained in this assignment until the Precinct was closed on March 23, 1920 and merged with the 1st Pct., in an economy move. He was then assigned to desk duty in the 1st Pct.

   On May 16, 1921 Public Safety Commissioner Maurice O'Keefe issued an order removing Lt. Cooper as the head of the Detective Bureau and in his place he assigned Lt. Quirk as the new Detective Commander. His Lieutenants salary of $2,650 per year was then increased by $300.

   Det. Lt. Quirk remained in command of the Detective Bureau throughout 1921 into 1922. Under Quirks leadership the Detective Bureau was reported to have had remarkable success in ridding the city of several hold up gangs and burglars, all of whom received long sentences at Sing Sing prison upon their conviction.

   During this same time, both the 1st and 4 th Pct.'s had been closed in an economy measure. However, a new incoming administration promised to re-open the closed Pct's. To do so there was a need for new captains. As a result, on December 21, 1921, Det. Lt. Edward Quirk was promoted to the rank of captain. Following his promotion he was allowed to remain in command of the Det. Bureau.

   As the day grew near for the re-opening of the 4th Pct, Capt. Quirk was notified he was slated to be the new 4th Pct. Captain. On June 21, 1922 that order was issued, and at the 4 PM roll call, he was relieved of his Det. Bureau responsibilities. Quirk immediately began to determine the foot posts to be manned, their boundaries, and the total number of police officers needed to man the 4th Pct. On June 27, 1922, beginning with the 4 PM roll call, the Pct. opened for business in a completely unsuitable small building behind the fire house on Shonnard Place. The 4th Precinct total complement was 32 officers and men.

   Several years earlier in 1919, Chief of Police Daniel Wolff retired, and for the following seven years there would be no chief of police. The department was led by the Public Safety Commissioner, who was responsible for operating both the police and fire departments. This all changed on September 1, 1926 when Captain Edward J. Quirk was elevated to the position of Chief of Police.

   In 1926 the position of Chief of Police was one which required a civil service test. Commissioner Cameron was so determined to have Quirk be chief, that in order to take no chances, he had the chief's position changed to a non competitive one, making it one of appointment of choice.

   Chief Quirk was the driving force behind one of the most dramatic and important changes in the Yonkers Police Department's history. Up until 1934, our department had several patrol cars cruising the city. The major shortcoming of this was there were no radio's of any kind in these police vehicles. On May 1, 1934 Chief Quirk ordered Ptl. Peter Dankovic to visit New York and study the NYC police radio system with a view toward setting up a modern system of Police communications in Yonkers. On August 13, 1934 Ptl. Dankovic received his 1st class radio operators license from the F.C.C. which made it possible to establish our own radio system. On October 13, 1934 our first radio system, with the designated call letters "WPFY", and which cost $11,000, went into service providing one way communication to 25 police cars. Chief Quirk set the formal and official dedication of the system for October 30, 1934, and invited police dignitaries from NYC and throughout Westchester. Called the most modern radio system in operation, the chief's public education campaign was simply, "Don't delay-telephone".

   In November 1935 Chief Quirk completed 30 years of service to the Yonkers Police Department. During an interview with a reporter the chief reminisced and made several comments including the following: "Policemen today have it much easier than we did in those day, " he remarked. "Today, unless a man has to do extra duty, he works 8 hours and goes home. But when we first joined the department we were lucky if we got a day off every 30 days.

   "We were given a day off only if the captain had nothing for us to do on that day, and saw fit to let us take off. If not, under the two platoon system, we kept right on working, until the captain decided to give us leave."

   "In those days we were on duty 24 hours a day. We worked two shifts of six hours each and, from 6 to 8 AM, we did the dog watch, as reserve duty was called." The chief continued; "We had beds in a dormitory at Headquarters, and even after we went home, if a small fire, accident, disorder or any other thing happened, we could be called back to do extra duty after our regular tours were finished. Now the men work the 3 platoon system with regular time off." He went on to say, "I remember a roll call when, with all other patrolmen on different assignments, only two men were assigned to cover the entire city. One officer was given all territory south of Main Street, and I, all that north of Main Street to patrol. That was a common occurrence in those days, and I'd say it was some beat."

   When asked what was the most important case he had worked on the chief replied, "Every case is important. A petit larceny theft merits the same careful investigation that a hold up or murder gets."

   During prohibition Chief Quirk worked tirelessly along with federal agents in breaking up several bootleg operations. Following the repeal of prohibition Chief Quirk continued his efforts. In 1936 he directed his detectives to organize an undercover operation which identified dozen of illegal bootlegging operations. Under the chief direction, warrants were obtained for 19 locations, and on February 13, 1936 the chief's men conducted simultaneous raids making arrests and seizures. This was the second such raid since the repeal of prohibition. Nineteen men were arrested. It was reported that these locations were selling liquor "unfit for human consumption".

   On April 16, 1936 the Honor Board of the Police Department held their meeting and dinner at the Astor Hotel in NYC. Thirteen police officers were approved to receive awards for their actions. The surprise of the evening occurred when the honor Board voted to give Chief Quirk the highest award within the Public Safety Bureau's Authority. The award which had never before been given, and would be in recognition of his service, was to be specially created to honor Chief Quirk with either a special badge or medal. Although it was planned to have a ceremony for this presentation, for some reason it never took place. The chief had previously been cited by the Honor Legion of the NYC Police Department in 1934 for his work in Yonkers, and they had made him an honorary member of their Honor Legion.

   On October 23, 1940 the "Iron Man" was taken to Ossining Hospital paralyzed and in a semi-concious condition. He apparently was driving through the town when he took ill and stopped at a diner. It was then an ambulance was summoned. Apparently having suffered a stroke, Chief Edward J. Quirk was in very critical condition and was given the last rites of the Catholic Church. During this time police operations were in the hands of the Precinct Captain's, each temporarily in command of his own area and personally responsible to the City Manager. After three days with no change in Chief Quirk's condition, Captain William Kruppenbacher was named Acting Chief on October 26, 1940. On October 28, 1940 Chief Quirk died in Ossining Hospital. Newspaper headlines read, "City Mourns Chief Quirk". It was ironic that to this point, the maximum age for police personnel was 64 years. At 62 years old, the chief was quickly reaching the date when he would have to retire. However, the chief was so well respected that earlier in the year that he died the city requested and achieved a law change exempting the chief's position from the 64 year rule and allowing the chief to remain until age 70.

   More than 500 uniformed policeman turned out to honor their chief along with thousands of others who filled Sacred Heart Church and the streets. The funeral procession from the chiefs home at 37 Amackassin Terrace was led by 75 motorcycles from Yonkers, Westchester County Parkway Police, and Greenwich Connecticut. There were representatives from almost every police department in Westchester County. Six honorary pallbearers from our department flanked the hearse along with six motorcycles as a special guard of honor.

   A Herald Statesman headline read, "Edward J. Quirk, Hero of the Storybook Kind". They expressed their feelings; "He was admired for his powerful personality, his dependable sincerity, his vigorous leadership of a body of well trained men, his vociferous insistence upon law enforcement and upon fair play to the men working under him. As in the case of the truly great, thousands of Yonkers men and women will remember the CHIEF for what they personally knew him to be".

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Information and Photo provided by Deputy Chief George Rutledge (Ret.)
Founder of the George E. Rutledge Police Museum

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