NORTHAMPTON — From here on out, a “gentle giant” and a compassionate “wall” against crime will both be immortalized in the heart of downtown.
On Friday, a couple dozen people came out to see the names of former Daily Hampshire Gazette publisher Charles “Charlie” DeRose and former Northampton Police Department Capt. Michael Wall affixed to the Eva Trager Memorial to honor their work in making Northampton the bustling haven for entertainment and small businesses it is today.
DeRose was described as “larger than life,” while Wall was remembered for making community policing an ideal and guiding philosophy in the NPD before the idea of community policing became commonplace.
Since 2012, the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce has held a biennial tribute to recognize recently deceased individuals who contributed to the vitality of downtown. Recipients have their names engraved on a plaque at the base of a 6-foot bronze owl statue in honor of Eva Trager, a woman whose work downtown earned her the moniker, “Queen of Mainstreet.”
Trager, who owned the downtown business Country Comfort, rallied the city during its renaissance during the 1970s and 1980s. The memorial is located at 57 Main St., not far from Trager’s old store at 53 Main St. Trager died in 2011.
A gentle giant
“Charlie DeRose was a giant in Northampton, both in stature and in influence,” said Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra, who was among a handful of speakers who spoke at last Friday’s ceremony.
“Under his leadership, the Daily Hampshire Gazette became a gold standard for local journalism, reflecting the life of this community with integrity and care,” Sciarra said about the 6-foot, 2-inch DeRose, who died in July at the age of 84.
“Beyond the newsroom,” she continued, “he was known for his gentleness and his kindness.”
Sciarra said the civic causes he undertook included being on the board of the YMCA, Cooley Dickinson Hospital and Northampton Neighbors.
Suzanne Beck, the former executive director of the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce, also testified that DeRose would take the shirt off his own back to help businesses downtown, in addition to the work he put into the city’s nonprofits.
“I was told he poured enormous amounts of money into the community, quietly and not ever publicized,” said Beck.
For one, she told the story of how a business once tried to get a spot in Thornes Marketplace, but couldn’t afford to pay the first and last month of rent that was required by Thornes. So DeRose paid the rent himself as the business opened, all the while mentoring the owners on how to move forward.
“His philosophy was that a successful newspaper would be dependent on a successful community…It’s fair to say that downtown success is built on Charlie’s dedication,” Beck said.
Because DeRose was out and about so much, he office didn’t require much cleaning.
“Surprisingly, Charlie’s office was tidy and very plain, not what you’d expect from a newspaper publisher, and that’s because he didn’t spend much time in his office … he spent a good part of every day out and about, talking with business owners, not just to get stories for the paper, but he wanted to know the pulse of the community,” said Beck.
‘Wall’ against crime
While DeRose poured himself into making downtown a hub for the arts and economy, Wall was in the business of making sure Paradise City remained safe. He did just that with a spirit of empathy and compassion, speakers said.
Sciarra lauded Wall for his work initiating a bike patrol for officers downtown, and coordinating many local events, including the city’s first pride parade in 1982.
“And above all, he was trusted, which is a remarkable quality,” she said.
“His sharp wit and deep care for people and his commitment to fairness made him not only a respected captain in the Northampton Police Department, but also a friend and a mentor whose influence continues to shape the department today,” the mayor added.
Former police chief Russell Sienkiewicz described how the bike patrol Wall instituted wasn’t as easy as throwing officers on bikes and tell them to go fight crime.
He said that Wall ordered each bike to be custom made to suit the needs and comfort of each officer. Additionally, specific gear was made to protect officers from the elements.
“Michael always did everything right,” said Sienkiewicz.
Sienkiewicz also highlighted how Wall confronted the challenges of his day. Among these challenges was an influx of deinstitutionalized persons after state facilities had been shut down. At the time there was no training for those suffering from mental illness, so Wall was among those who had to grapple with new challenges.
“In the 70s and 80s, the deinstitutionalization of the (Northampton) state hospital opened the doors to many people that weren’t quite ready to be assimilated in society, but they were here in Northampton and on our streets., and had to be helped and dealt with,” he said.
Wall faced the reality in simple ways, by learning everyone’s names and always having food to eat at the police station for those in need.
It was common for new recruits to get a lecture from Wall, Sienkiewicz said, who recalled the captain saying, “Understand this. You have the power to do great things and great harm when you’re enforcing the laws, but there’s the letter of the law and a spirit of the law.”
“Apply the law fairly and with empathy, and don’t just rely on locking somebody up or charging them with a crime,” he continued.
Wall, a lifetime Northampton resident, died at the age of 72 in April of this year.