The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-02-10
Lieut.. James Magner
Veteran Police Officer Outstanding Figure in Local Department for 40 Years-Physical Prowerness Widely Recognized
 Service Record of High
 est Character.
est Character.

" I0, WAAub Q 0AAOGA AAC 0A0 AAAo comrades and supporters got when both teams took their places on the cleatS. Why, using Jim's own words, i've didn't have chance from the start; these young men were practicing daily, while all of us, worked in the shop and didn't get a chance to know what we could do until we were ready for the actual pull"
 And according to Jim, the King brothers, almost pulled the Wa terbury boys off the boards.
 We were down-hearted of course" added Jim, land from that time on we were not the team we were before the contest. Our hearts wree gone and so was plenty of Waterbury money"
 Jim Wagner joined the police department about 40 years ago. He went in under the reform movement of Gen. Van Keuren of the Republican party, 8 hard headed banker, stranger to Wa terbury, but who didn't like the police force because as he claimed the men were too heavy on their feet, and therefore unable to prop erly patrol the city. So the Gen. eral and his friends made 8 big shift in the police department. The talented Chief George M. Egan was busted. and so were 8 number of patrolmen, old in years of service, and good men, as most of the people claimed. But the cards were set, and out went the older patrolmen. Younger men replaced them, and Jim Mag ner was one of the number. Much talk followed the changes and there was considerable opposition from various sources with the re- suit that when next election day arrived, the Republicans were voted out of office, and since that time only two Republican mayors have ever been able to weather the storm against their opponents, Bill Hotchkiss for two years. and Billy Sandland for four years. The wise politician has always been careful in dealing with the police and fire depart ments, and the school department; Democrats became scary whenever these units were shaken up, and seldom, if ever, was 8 party to any contemplated changes.
 Lieutenant Wagner travelled the streets of Waterbury day and night for the years as noted. His big frame and carriage made him known to thousands of people. He was man of judg- ment, of good taste, fair and just, and not of the arbitrary type. Never looking for or seeking trou- ble, he paraded back and forth intent on the preservation of peace upon his post of duty, and used his office to see that the rights of all were respected and the laws obeyed. He never acted harshly; he never 'Iost his head, as so many police often do in time of trouble; he never yelled or shouted at automobile drivers who made a wrong turn; he never gave 8 ticket where it was possible to contact the driv- CT and explain the law to him; he was however, insistent upon compliance with traffic rules af- ter one warning; yes, now and then he might be criticized by a driver for the ticket left, but as a rule Jim Wagner never tagged a car unless he had seen 1t in the restricted area once or twice before. One of the original traf- flee officers of Waterbury, Jim saw this branch of the service grow along in the years, with many additions to the force from the first day when he was as- signed. He never left the traf- fic branch after his first assign ment.
 His death Is another sample of the young of today being the old of tomorrow. He was in his early twenties when he joined the department. The forty years he served as a policeman slipped by almost unknown to him; 1t will happen the same to the ones of the department today, who are in their teens, and feel no cause to worry over Time catching up with them.
 But it will. and 1t does.
 No one is abl e to stop Time in its rapid stride upon the Hu- man.
 Jim Wagner served his city faithfully.
 He was good and upright citi- zen, and 8 friend of all of us.