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Who is Donald Hare?
Donald M. Hare was a valued and storied member of the
Brockport Police Department, whose dedication to service lives on in the
building that bears his name.
Born in September, 1934, Don was an avid musician.
In 1952 he appeared on television as a trumpeter on the Ted Mack Original
Amateur Hour. In 1955 Don joined the U.S. Army and served for two years
as a trumpeter in the U.S. Army Band.
Don Hare became a member of the Brockport Police
Department on May 30th. 1958. Within eleven months he was
named Chief of Police, at 24 the youngest police chief in New York State,
and possibly the nation, on record at that time. This distinction landed
Chief Hare on the pages of Law and Order Magazine a few
months later.
Chief Hare served with distinction for over 20 years
as leader of the Brockport Police. He attended the New York State Police
School in 1960, not an unusual practice at the time, and four years later
attended the F.B.I. National Academy. Chief Hare received his diploma
from the National Academy from J. Edgar Hoover himself.
On November 24th, 1978, Donald M. Hare
retired from the Brockport Police Department, and took up selling life
insurance for New York Life. After seven months, however, the public
servant in him would not be satisfied, and Don returned to the Police
Department as a patrolman. Don served another 12 years as a police
officer, retiring fully in 1991 with over 32 years of police service.
The Chief of Police salary in 1959 $4,200 a year. In
1978 it was $22,000.
Don stayed active in the community, becoming one of
the founding members of BISCO, the Brockport Integrated Service Clubs
Organization. Don was a fixture in Brockport, seen often on Main Street
and at public gatherings, always with a smile on his face and a quick
handshake for all who engaged him.
Don Hare’s untimely death at the age of 66 (May 28,
2001, two days away from the 43rd anniversary of his joining
the Brockport Police), left a legacy of service to community, in fact the
very epitome of “community policing,” making it only fitting that the new
Police Department offices be dedicated in his name. On September 29th,
2001, the facilities at Number One Clinton Street were dedicated with
family and fanfare in honor of Donald M. Hare, and a sign was erected to
mark the structure prominently.
Today, Chief Donald Hare’s likeness watches over the
foyer of the Police Office, reminding us all of our ongoing mission to
“Serve and Protect.”
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