Edward
Garrity

EDWARD GARRITY was active in Camden politics and civic affairs from the 1920s until his death in 1963 at the age of 65. He was elected to the Coty Commission in 1955 and 1959, and among other posts he held over the years included Director of Public Safety.

On April 3, 1954 a banquet was held at Kenney's restaurant on Market Street in honor of retiring Camden Police Department detective August Pfleiderer. Joseph Mardino chaired the committee which put the banquet together. Other members of the committee include Clifford Carr, Harry Tracy, George Ellis, Nathaniel Jones, James Mulligan, Russell Maurer, Samuel E. Johnson, Edward C. Garrity, Frank H. Ryan, James M. O'Neill, Stephen M. O'Keefe, Edward J. Quinlan and Joseph Webster.

Edward C. Garrity died of a heart attack at his home, 1340 Chase Strreet, on August 13, 1963.

Camden Courier-Post * November 6, 1953

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Camden Courier-Post * December 13, 1957

Pierce Is Ousted As Safety Head

By LEE STEW ART

 Amid cheers and boos from spectators, Mayor Pierce was switched from director of public safety to public affairs director at a commission meeting Thursday night.

Pierce lost control of the police and fire departments by a 4·1 vote. The motion to divest the mayor of the public safety department was made by Commissioner Abbott and seconded by Commissioner Garrity. Pierce cast the lone dissenting vote against the change.

At 8:25 p. m. after the commission had gone through the routine business, Commissioner Shepp handed a sheaf of papers to City Clerk John T. Odorisio. Odorisio started shuffling the papers when Shepp told him to read them in the order he gave them to him.

Cheers, Boos

The resolutions read by the clerk first changed the duties of the various commissioners. The more than 500 spectators cheered then booed as Pierce cast the only dissenting vote.

Then Odorisio read the resolution which then transferred four of the commissioners.

Garrity, who was public affairs director, was named top succeed Pierce as public safety director in charge of the police and fire departments.

The public affairs directorship was a sharply curtailed one as contrasted to what Garrity had. Assigned to the department of public affairs was the director's office, the revaluation program, visiting nurses, public assistance, the Camden County Historical Society, charitable institutions, the Parking Authority, Civil Defense and celebration of public events, anniversaries and holidays.

Garrity retained the health department, sanitary control and cemeteries.

Taken away from the department of public affairs and given to other commissioners was the plumbing inspector, municipal court, Municipal Hospital, Convention Hall, city clerk, elections, city property, bureau of tax title perfection and redemption, municipal welfare and Radio Station WCAM.

Commissioner Abbott was designated director of the department of public works; Italiano was named director of public parks and property, while Shepp retained the department of revenue and finance. Pierce again cast the lone dissenting vote.

Declines to Make Statement

At the close of the meeting a Courier-Post reporter asked Commissioner Italiano why he had I voted to strip Mayor Pierce.

"I'd rather not make any statement at this time," Italiano replied. "I may make a statement later."

The reporter pointed out that whatever the commissioner had to say should be in today's newspaper. Italiano repeated:

"I'd rather not have anything to say right now. I may have a statement in a day or two."

Commissioner Garrity left the meeting room while the reporter was talking to Italiano.

Contacted Again

Again, this morning, a reporter contacted Italiano and asked him if he would explain his vote. He replied:

"No comment."

Commissioner Garrity, reached at his home today, also was asked if he had any statement to make concerning his vote to strip Mayor Pierce.

"I haven't prepared any state­ment as yet," Garrity said. "I will have one later. I am figuring it out in my mind."

 Solicitor Quits

Following the changes, Michael J. Piarulli, city solicitor who would have reported to Shepp under the realignment, resigned. He previously was under Pierce's office.

"I cannot, in good conscience, continue to work as city solicitor in a department headed by Commissioner Shepp," Piarulli said. "I have nothing against Shepp. In due fairness, I do not feel I could do justice to the job."

The meeting was thrown open to the public and many persons present spoke against the action of the commissioners in taking the department of public safety from Pierce. 

Overflow crowd of more than 500 spectators jammed city commission chambers Thursday night at meeting which stripped Mayor Pierce of his duties as director of public safety and made him director of public affairs.

Commission Department Assignments

This is how the departments were assigned to the commissioners Thursday night:

Mayor Pierce, director of public affairs: the director's office, revaluation program, visiting nurses, public assistance, Camden County Historical Society, charitable institutions, parking authority, civil defense and' celebration of public events, anniversaries and holidays.

Commissioner Garrity, director of public safety: the director's office, police bureau, fire bureau, electrical bureau, municipal motors, health department; sanitary control and cemeteries,

Commissioner Italiano, director of, parks and public property: director's office, public parks, playgrounds, street lighting, bureau of smoke control, municipal welfare, municipal hospital, municipal court, sealer of weights and measures, transportation inspector, board of Alcoholic Beverage Control, public libraries, city baseball league, municipal market, Station WCAM and Convention Hall.

Commissioner Abbott, director of public works: director's office, city engineer, bureau of highways, bureau of sewers and sewage treatments, streets, bureau of animal welfare, water bureau, plumbing inspector and South Jersey Port Commission.

Commissioner Shepp, director of revenue and finance: director's office, city comptroller, annual audit, assessor's office, city counsel, city property, bureau of tax title perfection and redemption, repairs to tax title lien properties, tax office, printing and advertising, publicity and public welfare, plan­ning and housing redevelopment, stationery and supplies, housing and rehabilitation, purchasing bureau, building inspector, city clerk and elections.

A New Class of Probies - January 1961

Recruit Firemen Clarence Hawkins, Joseph Arensberg, Jerise Garten Sr., Richard "Randy" Brooks, Walter Williams, Commissioner Edward Garrity
and Chief of Department Edward MacDowell

Click on Image to Enlarge 

Trenton Times - February 6, 1961

Carmin Fuscellaro Jr. - Dennis Evans - Donald Murphy - Edward C. Garrity
Click on Image for PDF File of Complete Article

Director of Public Safety Edward Garrity presents
Chief of Department Edward MacDowell with a municipal proclamation
Click on Image to Enlarge

Witnessing, from left: Fireman George Wade, Fireman Harrison MacNeir,
Fireman John Gaffney Sr., Fireman James Troutman, Fireman Ernest Tartaglia, Captain Allen Hess, Fireman John Yates, District Chief Harry Wagner (obscured), District Chief Edward Michalak, Fireman Dominick Dalanni, Fireman Howard Lewis, Fireman Henry Keubler

Camden Courier-Post * August 13, 1963

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Camden Courier-Post
August 14, 1963

Edward Garrity
Alfred R. Pierce
Isadore Borstein

Camden Courier-Post
June 3, 1967

Edward Garrity
Thomas Garrity
John T. Garrity
Fairview Street
Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church