Thomas
Penn

THOMAS PENN joined the Camden Police Department in the 1958, and was serving as a motorcycle office by September of 1960. When he was appointed to the police department he was living at 241 Mount Vernon Street in South Camden. He was living at 71 South 27th Street in East Camden in the early 1960s.

Sadly, Patrolman Penn passed away at a very early age, sometime in the mid-1960s. He was survived by his brothers Dennis M. Penn and Kenneth L. Penn, both of whom served on the Camden Fire Department.

Camden Courier-Post
December 24, 1957

Camden Courier-Post - December 28, 1957

Medical Report: 

Seven of the 11 men awaiting swearing in as new Camden patrolmen have failed to “come up to medical requirements,” Director of Public Safety Aaron announced Friday.

Aaron said he would not release the names of the seven men until he has an opportunity to confer Monday or Tuesday with State Civil Service Authorities.

The 11 were among 69 candidates who passed Civil Service examinations for patrolmen, including medical and physical tests.

Remain on Lists

However, before they were to be sworn in on December 13, Aaron announced he was delaying the ceremony until complete medical examinations could be made by Dr. Garnett Summerill, city police and fire surgeon.

Dr. Summerill, Aaron said, reported to him that only four of the 11 met all medical requirements.

“The next step will be up to the State Civil Service.” Aaron said. “I will send the state a complete report and ask them to check their physical reports, and I intend to go to Trenton either Monday or Tuesday to talk with the Civil Service officials.”

CS Decision Paramount

Wayne Boyd, director of examinations for Civil Service, told the Courier-Post the fact the men did not pass the city’s medical examination does not remove them from the list of eligibles.

“Only the Civil Service can put the candidates on the list and only Civil Service can take them off,” Boyd stated.

“We will review the cases and it may be the men will be reexamined by our doctors. We gave two examinations, one a medical checkup and the other a physical test in which each person is required to do nine events such as knee bends, bending over, pushups from the floor, etc.”

All Disabled  Veterans

“If we find the doctors cannot agree, then a neutral outside specialist may be called in to make a decision would be final as far as Civil Service is concerned.”

The 11 candidates for the patrolmen posts which start with the salary of $3800 and advance to a maximum of $4800 are:

Earl W. Flanagan, 2323 Garfield Avenue; Wayne W. Clifford, 205 Beideman Avenue; James Flanagan, 2821 River Avenue; Harry E. Barwise, 1161 Thurman Street; Lucian G. Homes, 2842 Thompson Street; Clayton C. Hendricks Sr., 1235 North 27th Street; Anthony C. Como, 943 South 4th Street; Anthony M. Terranova, 1516 Park Boulevard; Thomas C. Penn, 241 Mount Vernon Street; Francis J. Fleming, 217 Eutaw Avenue; and Howard M. Smith, 3620 Westfield avenue.

All are classified as disabled veterans.

Camden Courier-Post
October 7, 1958

Thomas Penn
Douglas Tydeman

Camden Courier-Post
December 24, 1957

Frank Burns
Earl Quinton
Edward Ingram
Thomas Penn
Douglas Holmes
Charles Voll
Martin Portnoy
Dennis Evans

Camden Courier-Post
October 10, 1959

Thomas Penn
Thomas Jones
Howard Wilkinson
James Wilkinson
William Bogert
Segal Street

Camden Courier-Post
November 12, 1959

Thomas Penn
Ervin Blustein
Benson Street

Patrolman
Thomas
Penn

September 28, 1960

Photo by Bob Bartosz

Camden Courier-Post * March 8, 1967

Left: SEA OF SMOKE engulfs firemen manning hoseline high above general alarm blaze in S. Broadway warehouse. But he's on an aerial ladder, not floating on a space platform.

Below: DENSE SMOKE from flame-swept warehouse on S. Broadway hinders fireman in general alarm blaze last night.