After 35 years of dedicated service to the Norwood Police Department—including 20 years patrolling the downtown business district on foot—64-year-old Patrolman Uno Carlson is officially hanging up his badge.
To mark his retirement, Carlson was honored by both his fellow officers and the local merchants he protected for decades.
During a special retirement party held at his home, the beloved officer received a color television from approximately 50 merchants and friends, presented by Antti Autio, chairman of the Uptown 50 merchants. Also in attendance was John Murphy, personnel director for Bird & Son and brother of the late Norwood Police Chief James M. Murphy (Photo by Larry Welsh). Carlson was additionally awarded a handsome plaque from his police colleagues commending his loyalty, friendship, and personal achievements.
A Legacy of Community Dedication
Carlson, who held the department’s prestigious Number 1 badge for the past 10 years as its most senior member, took the police exam in 1941 alongside current Police Lt. James Lyden. Police Chief James Curran praised Carlson as an honest and dedicated cop who will be deeply missed by local businessmen and the students of St. Catherine’s School, for whom he directed daily traffic. Chief Curran fondly recalled a time when Carlson was hospitalized and nearly every student from the school sent him a get-well card.
Carlson credits his long and happy career to his wife, whose prayers “saw me through 35 years with the department.” In retirement, Carlson plans to stay highly active. An avid outdoorsman with a green thumb, he looks forward to gardening, canning, nursing trees back to health, refinishing furniture, and splitting wood to feed his two wood stoves and supply friends.
“I get a lot of good things out of life,” Carlson reflected. “Yesterday is a cancelled check, tomorrow is a promissory note, and today is cash on the barrelhead.”
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
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