The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-11-22
BY THE OUT EASTER

years, Joseph Z. stevens was a
member of the detective bureau
Of the Waterbury police depart
ment. He died last week, which
means that the problems of life
and crime will not have to be
solved by him again. And Joe did
solve many offenses against the
laws Of the state and country. He
was a principal agent in all of the
important questions. which con-
fronted the Waterbury Detective
Bureau for so many years. Detec-
tives of his day were born; nova
days, they seem to be drilled and
instructed in the line. But We
doubt If the new system in any
way is an improvement over the
old We can look back to the time
when the celebrated Cronin alone
handled all of the detective cases
OF Bridgeport; when Garry Far
rell did the same for the Hartford
Police Dept, when Jim Burke
acted In the same capacity for the
Meriden police Dept, and when
Cowles and some others occupied
the position of detective for the
New Haven dept. Every detective
of old wore a stiff boiler gener-
ally tipped to the end Of his nose.
Now they wear any old kind of a
hat. These men were old time
cops; they were men trained in
the patrol service; they knew life
from their study of the Human
while on patrol. They had read
the life of Old Inspector Byrnes
famous for his study of the New
York criminal, and the father of
the movement which set a dead
line for all pick-poc'.ets known
by the police of the Metropolis.
Joe Stevens knew something a.
bout the successful detective Of
years ago; he sort of followed in
the footsteps of the well known
Thomas Dodds of our own police
Dept. Odds was one of the best
around Connecticut. Stevens went
into the detective bureau under
him. Before that, few years, he
was made a regular patrolman.
Ever know how + was appointed?
AS a rookie Supernumerary, he
was detailed to a dance in the old
city hall. The hall had been newly
painted and decorated. Its side
walls in the main corridor looked
and were rather attractive.
Joe wore the old fashioned black
helmet, as a head protection,
just like all of the other cops.
Young and active, he was ready
for anything. Just then a dapper
and well groomed man entered
the hallway. He stopped in adj
vance of his entry to the city
clerks office. A cigarette dangled
from his mouth, and to get a
light, he struck a match against
the richly painted side wall.
Stevens was at his side almost in
stantly.
Gust a minute, Mister" said
Joe quietly to the stranger. we
don't allow that sort of thing to
be practiced here now; the place
has been renovated at great ex-
pense, and the city is anxious to
keep it looking nice. I could ar
rest you for defacing city proper
ty, but won't this time"
Unknown to the policeman, the
man he addressed was George A.
briggs, prominent manufacturer,
and member of the Board of
Public Safety. He was on his way
to a meeting of the board at the
time.
Commissioner briggs explained
the situation to the Mayor and
other members, and commended
the officer for his alertness.
He's the kind of policeman
Waterbury wants. added the
commissioner, land some day
am going to have the honor of
naming him to the regular force"
Not long afterwards. Joe was
appointed regular p. trolman by
the motion of Commissioner
briggs.
In January, 1918, Inspector
Stevens made his first entry into
the detective bureau. And from
that day until his death, he stayed
within the confines of that bureau,
and acted and participated in all
the important and trying cases of
the police Dept. Joe never knew
it all from the beginning; he list
ened to the wise, the words and
counsel of the we'll advanced
Dodds, who was tall, in statute.
and who wore a goatee, attractive
to the eye. and indicative of a
mind that could foresee. Tom
Dodds looked the part he played in
the criminal annals OF the city.
EIe was a civil war veteran, serv-
ed his country faithfully, and
when he returned to his home.
town, eventually got on the force,
along with such fine and capable
men as Major Bannon, Chief
Egan, Barney Cahey, Jack Pagan,
Maurice Noonan, Maurice Healey,
Frank Blakeley, and others like
them.
The Inspector had kindly way
about him, but could see the Ian
guage of the crime investigator,
If the occasion presented itself.
He never desired to judge one in
advance of evidence in his pos
session. He gave the benefit of
doubt 10 those he questioned. until