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Former Passaic County Sheriff Edwin “Eddie” Englehardt was heavy-handed, for sure – “this is not a country club,” he said of the jail he ran with an iron fist for nearly three decades.
And he was, by nature, politically motivated in virtually all things.
A Republican in a Democrat-denominated county, Englehardt nonetheless received deference, if not outright allegiance, from those on the other side of the political aisle. He also withstood a barrage of federal corruption probes, none of which produced charges that could stick.
Cross Eddie and you’d wished you never did. Earn his respect, though, and you had his undying loyalty.
Englehardt, a lifelong Paterson resident, died on Thursday at 93. The legendary lawman leaves behind a niece, Dawn Englehardt, a nephew, Richard Englehardt, his wife, Claudia, and their sons Matthew Englehardt (and wife Lauren Englehardt) and Anthony Englehardt.
Eddie Englehardt was born on Sept. 29, 1929, to John and Anna (Beckert) Englehardt and was graduated from St. John's Catholic High School in 1948.
He joined the Army in 1951 and served in South Korea during the Korean War as part of a five-year hitch.
A born leader, Englehardt began his political career in 1963 as Paterson’s ABC commissioner. Two years later, he became police commissioner. In 1970, he was named chairman of local BD #37 N.J Selective Service System.
Englehardt was first elected sheriff in 1974. In tandem with younger but no less influential GOP Chairman Peter Murphy, he called the political shots in Passaic County for well over 25 years.
Englehardt was protected by his allies and supporters – some of whom admired him and others who feared him -- and even received what turned out to be a generous gift from a hostile adversary.
In an attempt to expose Englehardt as a ruthless political boss who ruled by intimidation, a veteran reporter at a local daily newspaper conducted an in-depth investigation.
The newspaper series that resulted ended up giving Englehardt one of his largest margins of victory ever in the following election.
That said, the sometimes snarling sheriff didn’t have it in for all members of the Fourth Estate.
Once, an infamous mob snitch named Kenny “The Rat” O’Donnell slipped out of the Passaic County Jail by bribing a guard. Englehardt, in turn, ordered an immediate blackout of any and all media.
A well-sourced local reporter got the scoop, anyway – and published it.
Englehardt summoned the reporter to his office at the county lockup. Instead of confronting him, the hard-boiled sheriff extended his hand and offered to answer any and all reporter’s questions — not only then but at any time in the future.
Whenever that same reporter needed a mugshot to go with a story, Englehardt had an officer remove the subject from his cell and pose against a cinder block wall while he snapped a Polaroid, which then secretly made its way to the newsroom.
“You have my respect,” Englehardt explained. “And that’s not easy to get.”
Many are expected to pay their respects at a funeral Mass scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Monday, April 17, at St. John’s Cathedral on Grand Street in Paterson. Entombment will follow in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery at 52 Totowa Road in Totowa.
Visitation will be at St. John’s before the Mass.
Festa Memorial Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.
In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to the Passaic County Sheriffs Officers, PBA Local #286 (memo: for Passaic County Sheriff Canine Unit), PO Box 731, Woodland Park, New Jersey 07424.
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