Former Princeton Police Chief Jack Petrone Dies At 95

PRINCETON, NJ — John F. “Jack” Petrone Sr., who served the Princeton Police Department for 37 years, died on July 19. He was 95.

Petrone was the sixth Chief of Police for the Princeton Township Police Department since its inception in 1928, Princeton Police said.

“Chief Petrone had an illustrious career in law enforcement, which began in the spring of 1955,” Princeton Police said in a Facebook post.

“He served for 37 years before retiring in the fall of 1992. Chief Petrone served as Chief of Police in Princeton Township from 1986 until his retirement.”

Born and raised in Princeton, Petrone graduated from Princeton High School and was a member of the Princeton High School Athletic Hall of Fame.

He enlisted in the US Army Medical Corp and was stationed at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio Texas from 1946 to 1948, according to his obituary.

Petrone established many youth programs in Princeton including the PBA Little League baseball program in 1958 along with the Baseball School at Marquand Park on Saturday mornings for pre little leaguers.

“He was one of a handful of men that started the PMFL youth football program in 1963. He was the ice safety director for skating at Carnegie Lake for over 20 years. He opened the Valley Road school gym on Saturday mornings for the local youth to play. Most of these programs predated the Princeton Rec. Department’s existence,” according to his obituary.

He is predeceased by his wife Jean R. Petrone and a son John F. Petrone Jr.

Petrone is survived by four sons and five daughters-in-law.

Two of his sons also served with the Princeton Police Department, and one of them, Ptl. Judd Petrone continues to serve as an officer, Princeton Police said.

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