ALAN BROWN

 

 

MELROSE — Officer Alan Brown has retired from the Melrose Police Department.

Alan started his career as a summer Special Police Officer in the Town of Dennis on Cape Cod in 1987.  He was hired by the City of Melrose in 1988, graduating from the 13 week Somerville Police Academy.  When Al was hired he was issued a .38 Smith and Wesson Revolver with speed loaders, mace, a straight baton, and a very large portable radio.  At that time the cruisers had metal cages separating prisoners from the officers or had no cages at all.

The typical Melrose cruiser was a two man car.  Melrose usually had two cruisers covering the city, one East car and one West car and walking beats as well. At the time, police reports were either hand written or typed using manual typewriters in duplicate carbon type form.

In Alan’s career he had many opportunities to experience different facets of policing including riding the Melrose Police bicycles. Alan went to motorcycle school in 2000 and rode the motorcycle throughout his career for the department for funerals and traffic enforcement. Alan has served on the NEMLEC Motor Unit actively  since 2003, while also acting as their unofficial photographer and historian.  In his time on the NEMLEC Motor Unit, he experienced several Boston professional sports team championship parades, the Boston Marathon bombing, and the Occupy Boston protests.  He has ridden protecting dignitaries and responded to Salem, MA to provide safety at the yearly Halloween celebrations.

In 2014, Officer Brown helped re-start the Melrose Junior Police Academy and has continued as an instructor and photographic historian for the JPA until his retirement.  In 2018, Officer Brown joined the Melrose Police Traffic Division.

During his time in Traffic, Officer Brown issued 824 citations making Melrose a Safer Place to drive and live while always treating people with dignity and respect.