Rumson Police Department — Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect

Rumson Police Special Officer II Dawn Shields in Rumson schools with Superintendent John Bormann & Police Chief Scott Paterson
Photo/Rumson PD

There’s a new Rumson police officer in town.

Her name is Dawn Shields and she is officially the newest member of the Rumson Police Department, the department announced in a social media post. Shields is a Special Law Enforcement Officer Class II. Special II officers are auxiliary, part-time officers who have basically the same authorizations as a permanent officer in a department. They are authorized to carry a weapon and have the power to make arrests and other functions similar to those of a full-time officer.

She comes to Rumson after retirement from a 26-year career with the Red Bank Police Department, the post said. Shields, in her tenure as a Red Bank officer, was a “School Resource Officer and D.A.R.E/L.E.A.D. instructor,” it added.

She will be doing more of the same in Rumson schools.

“We are happy that Dawn can now share her knowledge and experience in Rumson while protecting our schools,” the post concluded. “Welcome S/O III Shields!!”

Investment Process

Rumson police back in the day
Photo/Rumson PD

It’s National Police Week.

With that, the Retro Pic of the Day honors the Rumson Police Department with a glimpse of its officers of the past, courtesy of a photo from the Rumson PD Facebook page.

Whatever year it was, it looks as though there were eight officers in the department then.

Our guess, considering the uniforms, that Perri Eli was chief at the time.

The photo features: Henry Kruse, James Wallace, David Kenney, Edmond Desmond, Perri Eli, John Connett, Seth Johnson and William Zerr.

Do you know who the juvenile officer was at the time? Ranks? Who was your favorite old time police officer from when you were growing up?

Have you thanked a police officer today?

— Elaine Van Develde