One in an occasional series
NJSACOP Legends & Pioneers
Chief John Bimson
One of the early giants of the NJSACOP was also a larger-than-life figure in not only the state’ s law enforcement community, but also in the state as a whole. In 1872 John Bimson joined the Paterson Police Department and was promoted to Captain in 1881. He was promoted to Chief of Police on January 16, 1906, a position he occupied until July 1, 1917. Although the majority of his policing career, including his tenure as Chief, took place prior to the founding of the NJSACOP, several keystone events and accomplishments did occur during Chief Bimson’ s membership in the organization, and his own prestige and standing among his colleagues was a factor in the successful launch of the association.
John Bimson was born on 15 September 1845 in Crewe, Cheshire, England, emigrating to the United States with his family when he was 4 years of age. They immediately settled in Paterson, where Chief Bimson spent the remainder of his long life. He worked as a blacksmith with the Rogers Locomotive Works until his appointment as a Paterson Police patrolman on June 3, 1872. He served as captain until his appointment as chief in January 1906.
While he was the department’ s captain, police“ drilling” was introduced, and he was named Drill Master, the first to hold the position. Over the next few years, he trained the department sergeants in tactics, enabling them to act as“ drill”( or training) masters. In 1892 he planned and introduced a successful reserve force which remained in existence for decades. Some of the principal improvements inaugurated by Chief Bimson included the installation of the Bertillon System, which was then superseded by the fingerprint system, which he also introduced to the department. He also established traffic and motorcycle squads, a Bureau of Identification, automobile patrol wagons, and a signal light system. In 1906 he instituted a mounted squad. Chief Bimson appointed the department’ s first Police Matron. During his tenure the department’ s first civil service appointments and promotions were also made.
Chief Bimson was the target of an abortive assassination attempt in 1908 by local gangsters, at least according to the confession of one of the members of the gang during interrogation by the police. The 1913“ Paterson Silk Strike” brought both the city and Chief Bimson to national attention. Paterson ' s strike was part of a series of industrial strikes in the garment and textile industries of the East Coast from 1909 to 1913. The Paterson strike began February 25, 1913, and ultimately ended( as generally described in histories of the event) in failure on July 28, 1913.
In 1912 Chief Bimson was one of the founding members of the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police, serving as host for association meetings on multiple occasions. He was placed on pension at his own request on July 1, 1917.
Following retirement, Chief Bimson continued to lead an active life, participating in many social, civic and professional organizations in Paterson, where he lived for the remainder of his life, surviving his wife and eight children. He passed away on 2 November 1937.
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