Former Derry Police Chief Edward R. Garone passed away on Tuesday after a protracted illness, according to Derry police. Garone was the town’s top officer for 50 years before retiring last month.
Since joining the Lebanon Police Department on October 15, 1964, Chief Garone has worked in law enforcement.
From June 1, 1972, till his recent retirement on September 30, he was the chief in Derry.
Garone passed away on Tuesday “surrounded by his wife Blanche and family,” according to a statement from current Derry Police Chief George Feole.
At a dinner party held in June at the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in Manchester, Garone’s 50 years as the head of the Derry Police Department were honored. According to the event’s organizers, more than 500 current and former law enforcement officers, regional and state leaders, as well as friends and relatives, attended.
The National Police Association estimates that police chiefs serve their positions for four to six years on average.
According to the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Garone has the longest tenure of any full-time chief in Granite State history with 50 years of leadership in Derry and an additional seven years as a police officer (IACP).
When asked by a Union Leader reporter why he continued to wear the uniform every day for 50 years, Garone, 79, responded without hesitation.
