Crime & Safety
Hazelwood Officer Honored, Celebrated for 30 Years of Service
Sgt. Gerald Fitzgerald retires after spending 31 years protecting the community.
Hazelwood has one less public servant as Sgt. Gerald Fitzgerald was recently honored for his more than 30 years of service to the city.
Last week, Hazelwood City Council and Mayor Matt Robinson honored Sgt. Fitzgerald with a proclamation. Sgt. Fitzgerald worked in the police department for 31 years and for five years prior to that in St. Ann.
Hazelwood Police Chief Gregg Hall said he worked with Fitzgerald for the past 30 years and said that he gave his best effort day in and day out.
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Sgt. Fitzgerald joined the department as a part of the Neighborhood Patrol team in July 1981, according to a press release. In 2004, he was promoted to the rank of sergeant in the department, but he had a number of accolades with the department during his 30-year tenure.
He received a commendation in 1982 for keeping a child alive until medical help arrived as well as one from the U.S. Marshall’s service for capturing and arresting one of their Ten Most Wanted suspects.
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Sgt. Fitzgerald was also the Employee of the Month in November 1999.
Chief Hall said the experience of Sgt. Fitzgerald and the lessons he taught to younger members of the department would be sorely missed.Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.