North Bergen Township Police Captain Robert J. Dowd, who is assigned to Police Chief William Galvin’s office, is another smiling but no-nonsense cop, just like his police chief.
A graduate of the Bergen County Police Academy in Mahwah, New Jersey in 1994, Capt. Dowd began his assignment that same year as a patrolman on the nightshift, and has been with the police force for 16 years. Working himself up to road sergeant in 2001, Capt. Dowd was again promoted in 2005 to the rank of lieutenant, with administrative duties. Later on he was assigned to Chief Galvin’s office as administrative aide, and in 2007 he was promoted to the rank of captain, after scoring Number 1 on the State Examination, and his duties have been expanded to day tour commander in the chief’s office.
Capt. Dowd has a lovely fiancé named Grace Crandall, also from North Bergen, who is secretary at the Township’s Board of Education, and she has a daughter named Ashley, who has been named to the Dean’s List at the University of Massachusetts, and is on internship in Sydney, Australia.
Capt. Dowd’s parents Robert Sr. and mother Francine also live in North Bergen and his mother is an employee of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark. He has a brother named David, who is a police investigator in the Township Police Department, so police-work runs in the family.
Capt. Dowd is shy when it comes to his accomplishments, so this columnist had to ask numerous questions to befit this “good-guy captain.” We learned that he raises money for the Special Olympic-New Jersey, and in 2009, he helped raise $19,000 in donations! He has earned numerous citations on the job, from organizations like the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Knights of Columbus, and from FBI Director Robert Mueller. Capt. Dowd is also a member of the Jersey City Emerald Society, the Police Benevolent Association, the Italian-American Police Officers Association, and the Fraternal Order of Police.
Born in North Bergen, he graduated from North Bergen High School, and he attended William Paterson University where he studied history. Capt. Dowd tells us that American history is his favorite, and he loves the history of the 1960s, with President John F. Kennedy and the Civil Rights movement.
As per extra duties at the police department, he is a Certified Police Academy Instructor at the Jersey City Police Academy, where he teaches Criminal Code, Police Procedures and Techniques, and Guidelines.
For leisure time, he tells us that he has traveled to Ireland, Spain and other parts of Europe, Canary Islands, Mexico, Aruba, Dominican Republic, and Canada. Gardening is a hobby of his, and he likes to grow, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, basically a salad garden. For sports, he likes the New York Yankees, the New York Jets, and the Nets, and Duke University College sports. At one time he coached a Township Recreation Department Basketball team. He played the saxophone and the clarinet in high school. Mostly however, Capt. Dowd really enjoys family gatherings, Bar-B-Ques, and picnics, with Classic Rock and Roll 1970s and 1980s listening music.
Presently at the police department, Capt. Dowd is coordinating the CC-TV surveillance camera monitoring system in the township which will be set-up all over the community and in the business districts for the safety of its residents. North Bergen Commissioner of Public Safety Theresa Ferraro has always told this columnist that she and the township administration are proud of their “Men in Blue.”
Police Chief William Gavin tells us he has known Capt. Dowd since his youth, and proud to have him in his office, as a great professional friend and companion, and that Capt. Dowd has grown into his position as police captain.
Police Detective Henry Marrero tells us that Capt. Dowd is firm and fair in his decisions, and under the guidance of Chief Galvin, he is helping with the CC-TV Project, doing a great job, and getting the department to grow into the 21st century with technology and innovation. Things are going smoothly on a day-to-day basis with office and police force operations, said Marrero. Capt. Robert Dowd, with such good accolades, the only thing now left to say is… All the best!
Readers, this columnist recently made contact with Guttenberg CouncilmanEfrain Velez, with due thanks to neighbor Councilwoman Monica Fundora, and there will be good news to write about with Councilman Velez, in an upcoming column. More on this in the future, see you then!
U.S. Army Reserve Lt. Con. Ana V. Malkowski will be returning to the United States after a development Iraq/Afghanistan, in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and/or Enduring Freedom, respectively speaking. Her husband Michael is the son of Karen Malkowski of Union City. Best wishes Lt. Con. Malkowski!
U.S. Army National Guard Private Michael A. Pereira has graduated from Basic Infantry Training at Fort Benning, in Columbus, Ga. He is the son of Ilda Miranda of West New York. Congratulations Private Pereira!
Hudson County Superintendent of Weights and Measures Roseann Fischer of Secaucus tells us she is feeling much better after a bout of illness, and glad to be discharged by her doctor. Great to have you back on the scene again Roseann!
The Park Players of Weehawken are at it again! They, along with Trinity Theatrical Production, are presenting the comedy “NUNSENSE” by Dan Goggin. The comedy will be directed by John M. Fiorenza Conklin and Angelo Uccello. It will take place at the Presbyterian Church of West Caldwell, New Jersey. The dates are May, 13, 14, 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, and 29, 2010 at 8 p.m. For more information call (201) 914-6030 or (973) 220-2896, and laugh your night away!
And so it goes… until next time…see you around town…MATT.
Readers who would like to contribute to this column can do so by mailing your news items and photographs, along with your name, address, and telephone number to: Matthew Amato, columnist, c/o The Hudson Reporter, 1400 Washington St., Hoboken. THANK YOU!