Lieutenant Tom Dolan of the Ramapo, New York Police Department exemplifies the Irish American law enforcement officer’s fusion of Irish heritage and culture and professional accomplishment.
His story is one of many facets, and his peripatetic career is one of one accomplishment built upon another.
Born in Pearl River, one of the younger of a family of nine siblings, Tom’s paternal grandparents hail from the Leitrim-Cavan border and his grandda played GAA football and handball for Leitrim, as did his father, Lawrence, who kept the city’s lights on with Con Ed, and also wrote for the Irish Advocate newspaper.
The family were frequent visitors to Gaelic Park, and it was there that Tom’s mother Mary, whose own parents were from Galway and Clare, saw a particularly bone crunching match that caused her to frown upon Tom’s playing Gaelic at too early an age. One can imagine Mary’s maternal concern when Tom chose his profession.
“I worked with Tommy making street arrests for crack and heroin in the housing projects of the South Bronx. He was like an athlete -- smooth, controlled, fast. It’s hard to believe the dealers didn’t see him coming, but he was on them before they knew it.”
The Dolan brood also all played Irish music, entertaining on St.Patrick’s Day 1982 in the White House subsequent to the release of their album entitled “The Dolan Family” which consisted of Irish traditional tunes and rebel music with some original compositions.
The entire Dolan family have a long history as well with renowned retired Detective Denis Mulcahy’s Project Children.
Tom started his law enforcement career with the NYC Housing Police in 1993, before the merge with the NYPD of Housing and Transit in 1995.
It was while in Housing that Tom worked with an old friend, Eddie Conlon, the Harvard-educated cop and writer famous for, among other things, the New York Times bestseller “Blue Blood.”
Tom, nicknamed “Stretch," is mentioned in the tome and Eddie has this to say about working with Tom: “I worked with Tommy making street arrests for crack and heroin in the housing projects of the South Bronx. He was like an athlete -- smooth, controlled, fast. It’s hard to believe the dealers didn’t see him coming, but he was on them before they knew it.”
In 1998 Tom made the career move to the Ramapo, New York Police Department, a very busy and multifaceted town in Rockland County that in certain areas presented the same issues and challenges he encountered in the Bronx with the NYPD.
Tom worked in Anti-Crime, the Detective Bureau, and then began advancement in rank to Sergeant and then to Lieutenant, the rank he currently holds.
He also is a graduate from Ramapo College and earned a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Fairleigh Dickinson University. In his role as a command leader with RPD, Tom has multiple responsibilities, and Ramapo’s top cop, Chief Dan Hyman, who also began his career with the NYPD, has this to say about Tom: “Lieutenant Tom Dolan joined the Ramapo PD from the NYPD, bringing experience and a strong commitment to our community.
"He has become an invaluable member of my command staff. We’re proud to have him serve on the Countywide SWAT team, where his leadership and expertise shine. Congratulations to Tom on this well-deserved recognition from the Irish Echo – a true honor for a deserving and valued law enforcement leader.”
Tom lives in Rockland with his bride Theresa and their three teens, Jennifer, Kate, and T.J.
As is not uncommon with family connections in the Long Blue Line, Theresa’s parents are the well-respected retired Chief John Seymour and his wife Margaret.
Tom Dolan is truly representative of all aspects of the Long Blue Line embodying Irish-American dedication to history, culture, heritage and public service.
