WEST ORANGE, NJ — A blue line will be painted Friday, Oct. 28, at West Orange Police Headquarters, 60 Main St., to honor Daniel Laird Jr., who died on duty in a car crash that same day in 1946.
Laird was killed on a foggy night 70 years ago while he and his partner, Alfred Hooper, were on their way back from taking the manager of Essex House to the bank to make a night deposit. Laird swerved to avoid a speeding car and slammed into a utility pole at the corner of Koewing Place.
The line will be unveiled at 10:30 a.m. and the event is open to the public.
“The township knows the tremendous sacrifice made by Officer Laird,” Mayor Robert Parisi said in a press release. “It’s important to acknowledge and show our appreciation to our officers and their families for the selfless service they provide to us each and every day.”
Originating in the United Kingdom, the thin blue line is a symbol used by law enforcement to commemorate fallen officers and show support for active duty police while fostering relations between law enforcement and the community.
West Orange honors officer killed in crash 70 years ago with blue line added by Editor on
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