Who is Simon?
Simon
By Herb Spellman
Oh where, oh where did my little Simon come from?
Simon the dashing and handsome looking logo of the Boston Police Detectives Benevolent Society has been around awhile. It was back in 1984 when Detective’s Bob O’Reilly, then vice president of the society and Detective Billy Dwyer of the vice control unit, then secretary of the society, were in the old Boston Police headquarters at 150 Berkley Street. That building has since been converted to a hotel. At a monthly meeting the late Detective Joe Lundbohm, a member of the board of directors and one of the original founding fathers of the society had broached the idea of a detective’s logo to distinguish the society as an entity in itself.
Bob and Bill found themselves in the office of Robert Neville who at the time was the departments “sketch artist”. He is now the director of the computerized graphic arts section at the new Boston Police headquarters at One Schroeder Plaza. Bob Neville started with the department in 1976 and is now a 36 year veteran. Bob O’Reilly had a robbery case that he was working in Hyde Park’s Cleary Square section and brought a witness to Bob to have a wanted poster drawn up.
When Bob and Bill stopped by to get the wanted poster they started chatting with Bob Neville about the idea of a logo for the Detectives Society. Bob Neville showed them a few drawings of what would eventually become Simon. While they were there the Street Light was added to the drawing, what a nice touch.
The Detectives Benevolent Society had been very involved with the community outreach programs and at events such as track and field events they put on in the various areas, Bob Neville would be there to sketch the kids faces. Prior to Bob Neville Detective Gary Flanagan was the departments go to guy for wanted posters.
We had the late Detective Frank DiNatale of district 11, a long time member of the board of Directors, who would put on a Simon costume for the Christmas is for Kids parties that were held at the society hall. The hall was dedicated to Detective Frank DiNatale in his memory several years ago. Frank always had a cigar going when he wore that costume.
Every year the Awards Committee of the Society selects what they consider to be a person or an investigation that should be recognized as being special. This award is the Simon Award. The award was originally presented on a wooded plague featuring Simon. Police Officer Bridgette Kaskesky then of Area C 11 came in and drew a 10 foot by 12 foot replica of simon on the wall of the union hall. After renovations the drawing was placed in the basement of the union hall where it remains to this day. The drawing was used as a background for pictures during the awards presentations. There is also a 3 foot by 6 foot framed drawing of Simon by Paul Nolan that is always present at the yearly retired Detectives cookout each May.
In 1989 when then President Detective Daniel J. Mahoney was retiring the awards committee decided to honor him by presenting him with the Simon award for his dedication and service to the Detectives of the Boston Police Department at the annual Detectives Retirement Banquet held at Lombardo’s in Randolph. That’s when the Simon award was transformed into the 20 inch statue that we now have. The award will be presented this year at the annual retirement banquet which will once again be held at Lombardo’s in Randolph.
