Westwood Mayor Ray Arroyo writes, of a special occasion…
Westwood resident Robert Burroughs has spent a lifetime in service to his community. The borough has honored him with a pathway in his name.
I was invited to a special service at Mt. Zion Baptist Church this past Sunday. It was a surprise tribute for longtime Westwood resident, former Westwood police chief, 68-year Zion congregant, and Senior Deacon Chief Robert “Bob” Burroughs.
Bob is retiring to Maryland at the end of this month and his church family wanted to express its love, gratitude and appreciation for his years of devotion to them.
If you’ve met Chief Burroughs you are immediately struck by his quiet, self-contained, and reserved presence. He is affable and kindly, projecting a dignified gravitas. Steady, calm and unflappable, Bob treads humbly, secure in his devout Christian faith.
Minister Shawn Bland, growing up in Westwood, spoke of Bob as an essential, aspirational role model. “ I wanted to be a man like he was, so he would be proud of me.”
Chief Burroughs—he served 1989–2002 and was president of the Bergen County Chiefs Association 1996—explained how he disdains the spotlight, believes he’s the instrument of a higher power that is working through him, therefore he doesn’t deserve any special recognition or hoopla. “I’m no whiz; I’m just an ordinary guy.”
If you’ve ever met Bob you’ll know this sentiment is genuine—not the false humility that is sometimes deployed to camouflage a narcissistic ego.
To paraphrase Minister Bland, Bob brings the “righteousness without the ruckus!”
Self proclaimed great men are very often neither great, nor even very good men. Usually it’s the quiet men leading by example who have lasting impacts on the people within their orbit.
Bob’s replacement as Mt. Zion’s senior deacon, Vernon McKoy, and retired Englewood police officer, Minister Shawn Bland, gave moving personal testimonies illustrating those durable, positive impacts. They described what Bob has meant to them, and by extension to Westwood, far more powerfully than my words on this page ever could. Their emotional narratives rang true as deeply genuine rather than the obligatory assemblage of nice words for a departing colleague.
Bob graciously, and tearfully, accepted the accolades, including a beautiful bouquet of roses by Mt. Zion elder, Mother Vivian Stubbs; a crystal plaque presented by Church Trustee Chanon McDuffie; a beautiful vocal rendition of “Stand” by Bob’s daughter, Suzanne Burroughs; and a moving performance of “Hero” by Sherma Andrews.
The move to Maryland is a big one for Chief Burroughs. Born in Hackensack, he’s only ever lived in Ridgewood and Westwood. It’s also the longest one considering his intra-town moves within Ridgewood and Westwood were to, and from, homes on the very same blocks!
Deacon Burroughs’s importance to the Mt. Zion Baptist Church congregation was self-evident in the depth and longevity of his faithful service. His WPD tour of duty, in the greater Westwood community, has been a bridge connecting all our residents.
Earlier this year, when the governing body discussed naming the path joining Westvale to Hegeman Park after Bob, the “bridge” metaphor never came up. Perhaps we were being sub consciously steered toward that destination and the symbolism inherent in that connective ribbon of asphalt.
Bob will soon leave his beloved home town. As he put it, it’s time. That is good for him and for his family. But it is sad for Westwood. Every town, every church, every police department in America could use more gentlemen like Robert Burroughs. None can afford to lose them.
But when Chief Burroughs returns to Westwood he can walk the path, joining the parks, that will bear his name: “Burroughs Way,” a physical manifestation of the enduring legacy Bob has contributed to our town.
Westwood Mayor Ray Arroyo