Honoring Officer Wrigley
Funeral arrangements have been announced for Hudson Police Officer William Wrigley, who died tragically early Friday morning. The wake takes place today, Monday, January 27, from 4 to 9 p.m. at Raymond E. Bond Funeral Home, 1015 Kinderhook Street, in Valatie. The funeral service will take place on Tuesday, January 28, at 11 a.m., at St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church at East Court and East Allen streets in Hudson.
Common Council president Don Moore has announced that out of respect for Officer Wrigley the Police and Fire Committee meetings, scheduled to meet tonight, have been cancelled and rescheduled for Monday, February 3. Mayor William Hallenbeck has announced that all Hudson offices and departments will be closed on Tuesday, January 28, and flags on City flagstaffs will remain at half mast until 8 a.m. on Wednesday, January 29.
In the new era of rapprochement between the HPD and Hudson residents (credit to Commissioner Graziano and Chief Moore), they couldn't have invented a better exemplar of a personable officer than Officer Wrigley.
ReplyDeleteBecause people reading these words may be new to Hudson, or new enough not to have known him, now's the time for those who did know this man to say something.
While there are other HPD officers I always enjoy saying hello to, Bill Wrigley was one of a kind. I actually looked forward to seeing him, to chat about the river, or Hudson's history, or growing up in Columbia County. He spoke fondly of his childhood memories.
There was something old-fashioned about "Officer Bill." If I happened upon him while he was on police business - even serious police business - he'd still have a personal greeting for me.
He was the quintessential beat cop, and not just for being personable but for electing to participate in the community. On his time off he'd be in Hudson socializing, or you'd see him out enjoying the river, and camp-hopping.
Though he knew enough about enforcing the law, I saw him first and always as a defender of the peace.
What a loss.