Norwood Selectmen Break Policy to Address Police Hiring Crisis-July 9, 1975

In a significant departure from long-standing municipal tradition, the Norwood Board of Selectmen agreed on the evening of July 08, 1975, to reconsider the town’s hiring policies regarding the police department.

During an executive session, selectmen authorized a move to appoint officers from a Civil Service list that may include nonresidents and members of minority groups. This shift is a desperate measure intended to stabilize a force currently plagued by staffing instability; six officers hired a year ago today have never received official Civil Service certification, and all have since received job offers from other municipalities. One of these officers, Patrolman Martin D’Giff, has already resigned to join the Walpole Police Department.

Selectman William F. Butters, who proposed the policy change, acknowledged that the move runs “contrary to deep-seated feelings” in the town, but emphasized the necessity of the action. “I don’t care if we have to go to Timbuktu to get a good cop,” Butters stated. Police Chief James F. Curran voiced his strong support, citing his frustration over losing well-trained officers to neighboring towns that benefit from the experience gained during their tenure in Norwood. While it remains unclear if this change will convince current officers to stay, the selectmen are “quite confident” that the decision will facilitate the official certification of the men by the Civil Service board. This policy adjustment occurs as the town also moves to address increasing crime and vandalism along Route 1, known locally as “automobile row.” In collaboration with the Norwood Automobile Dealers Association, selectmen hope to improve patrol coverage in the area, which has been hampered by high crime rates and the loss of a donated cruiser to higher-crime assignments.

In other town developments, Transportation Director Wilfred C. Chesebrough is spearheading a grassroots campaign to protest the MBTA’s proposed closure of the Back Bay Station during the five-year reconstruction of the Southwest Corridor. Chesebrough warns that the plan, which would reroute Norwood-Franklin line trains through Dorchester, will lead to a permanent loss of service for Back Bay and a drastic drop in ridership. He argues that the MBTA’s claim that the closure is “temporary” is deceptive. “Five years is not temporary,” Chesebrough asserted, warning that the agency might use the resulting decline in ridership to justify a permanent service cut. He urged selectmen to lobby U.S. Representative John Moakley to block the $12.8 million federal grant intended for the project until further hearings are conducted.

Finally, the Board of Appeals has delayed its decision regarding an 80-bed expansion request for the Ellis Nursing Home on Ellis Avenue. Attorney Thomas K. McManus presented the request to the board, supported by Dr. George Gagliani of Norwood Hospital, who testified that 35 patients are currently waiting for nursing home placement. However, the proposal faced opposition from neighbors, including Henry G. Shepard and Charles McLaughlin, who expressed concerns over traffic safety and the visual impact of the expanded facility. The board postponed its vote pending a review of whether the home can meet town parking requirements, as project consultant Richard T. Fleming works to resolve concerns regarding the facility’s current utilization of existing parking spaces.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger