Suffern Mayor Trish Abato had just told the audience at its recent meeting that Orange Avenue Associates would not be pursuing a zone change from the village. The audience in the Suffern Auditorium was quiet a moment as if everyone exhaled, momentarily unburdened while calculating the news.
Then the auditorium’s back door opened and the sound of people arriving clomped into the room, echoing and growing as Mayor Abato made her way to the front podium. The visitors turned out to be some 20 or more Suffern Police Department officers and dispatchers, who lined one wall of the room. Suffern Police Chief Clarke Osborn turned briefly from his front row seat, a bit startled and stood up.
Later, Chief Osborn said that when he heard the banging of heavy footsteps, he thought there might be some sort of Orange Avenue protest underway.
Mayor Abato invited Chief Osborn’s family to the podium, who had quietly entered and included his wife, daughter, sister, and niece. The chief was visibly curious about the proceedings.
The whole setup was a surprise announcement to name a new children’s park on Temple Lane, off Lonergan Drive, after Chief Osborn. Suffern purchased the parcel of park land last year to replace a damaged park washed out by Hurricane Irene. Mayor Abato praised Osborn’s contributions to the Suffern community, especially the many youth initiatives related to the Suffern Police Department’s popular D.A.R.E. programs that include a youth hockey league, as well as the department’s annual toy drive.
“I had no clue,” said Osborn in an article by Richard Gandon in the Rockland Star. “I saw my guys walk in and thought maybe I was retiring and nobody told me,” said the chief, adding, “I am shocked and humbled by this honor.”
Osborn’s park will have its official dedication in the Spring of 2015.
Suffern Police Chief Clarke Osborn
- 24 year department veteran, 10 serving as chief
- 1st appointed chief under then Mayor Jim Giannettino
- began police career in Spring Valley, working 2 years on the beat and undercover with drug task force
- introduced D.A.R.E. program 20 years ago and served as 1st officer in local schools
- D.A.R.E. Hockey now in its 16th year
- co-started Suffern Police/PBA toy drive with K-9 Officer Lou Venturini and Sgt. Jon Di Roma (ret.)
Chief Osborn is life-long Suffern resident who attended Suffern High School and has led the village’s police force for 10 years.
“I can’t think of a better, more deserving person to name this park after,” said Suffern’s Deputy Mayor Jo Meegan-Corrigan in the Rockland Star. Meegan-Corrigan worked extensively on the park project as well as acts as a liaison with the community on FEMA and flooding issues related to Hurricane Irene.
“Chief Osborn has done more than anyone for the children and young people of Suffern,” said Meegan-Corrigan.
The article has been updated.
