This year, there were destined to be some historical events in and of themselves. Through the centuries of combined years of service by hundreds of police officers there come many events of note. Some important ones involve the legacies created through such service.
The town’s small population from its incorporation often saw many prominent and founding families intertwined through marriage. Undoubtedly, many of these citizens would see themselves in service to the community. Selectmen, town clerks, firemen, undertakers, tax collectors and police officers worked to make and build the community through dedication to their families and the town’s government.
Many fathers and sons have served within the ranks of the police department. Many more family connections have existed as well. The Swain Family, saw Charles Swain become one of the first police officers in 1873 and William Swain become one of the department’s early chiefs in 1899. Wilmington’s longest serving chief, Paul Lynch had as one of his police officers, his nephew Arthur Lynch. One hundred years ago in 1922, the department created its first position of rank other than chief. That year’s annual town report indicates that Albert Butters was promoted to the rank of sergeant. A century later, his great, grandnephew Brian Hermann serves as a sergeant as well.
Also in 1922, Special Police Officer Jerome O’Leary found himself grappling with a safe-breaking gang that had established its hideout in Wilmington. A century later in 2022, his great-grandson, Officer Thomas Lawrenson, is beginning his own service with the department. What makes Officer Lawrenson’s story additionally special is not only his connection to the past but also his ceremony in becoming a sworn officer.
On August 5, 2022, Thomas Lawrenson’s oath of office was administered at the Wilmington Memorial Public Safety Building by Town Clerk Beth Lawrenson, Thomas’s mother. It was the first time in the Department’s history that the service of one town official was so connected to that of another. With the following words, “I, Thomas William Lawrenson, do solemnly swear that I will faithfully and impartially and to the best of my ability, perform the duties incumbent upon me as a Police Officer for the Town of Wilmington, according to the Constitution and laws of the United States, the Constitution and laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the by-laws of the Town of Wilmington, so help me God,” history was made. In just a few short minutes, Thomas Lawrenson became Wilmington’s newest sworn police officer while in the midst of the Department’s historic 150th year and courtesy of the officiating of his proud mother.
Incidentally, Thomas’s father, DPW Operations Manager Jerry Lawrenson and Thomas’s brother Jim, looked on upon the family’s historic moment.
