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Former Bridgwater Officer, West Milford Special Officer Thomas Dinan Dies

Thomas Dinan, a police officer in West Milford, died on Tuesday, July 30, 10 days after his 66th birthday, the department announced.

Thomas Dinan

Thomas Dinan

Photo Credit: West Milford Police Department Facebook

Dinan joined the West Milford Police Department in June 2018 as a Class II special officer, assisting with traffic details, township events, prisoner watches and transports and court security, police said.

Prior to joining West Milford, Dinan spent 27 years in the Bridgewater Police Department, rising to the rank of lieutenant, before retiring in 2015 after serving as patrol officer, narcotics investigator, bias crimes officer and counterterrorism liaison, police said. He also spent six years with the Rutgers University Police Department, the department said.

In a statement, the Bridgewater Police Department said Dinan served "with the upmost integrity and honor."

"Lieutenant Dinan took immense pride in being a law enforcement officer and defined what it meant to “bleed blue," Bridgewater police said. "He was a gentleman who treated every individual he encountered with respect and compassion. Even long after retirement, Lieutenant Dinan would return to Bridgewater to celebrate officer promotions and retirements. He would make a point to check in with his brothers and sisters in blue, regardless of if they were well-seasoned or newer members of the department."

Dinan is survived by his wife, Gloria and his children, Mariah and Thomas, the department said.

Services will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 7 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Richards Funeral Home in West Milford. A funeral mass will be held at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church in Hewitt on Thursday, Aug. 8 at 10 a.m. He will be interned in Warwick, N.Y. 

To view his obituary, click here.

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