This month’s “Spotlight” honoree is Benjamin Patton. Ben has served faithfully for the Cerberean Society as Financial Secretary and 1st Vice President (Jacques Maurice Administration), 1st Vice President (Richard Beck Administration) and as the Society’s President from 1977 to 1985 (8 years!). After retirement he served as the Recording Secretary during Alex Gilchrist’s presidency and is presently the Vice President of the Retired Guardians Fraternal Association. This is a list of service that should not and cannot go unrecognized!

Benjamin Patton was born November 4, 1937 in Brooklyn, New York. He is a graduate of Boys High School and has earned a Bachelor of Science degree from CCNY. He joined the NYC Transit Police Department in May 1965. As a patrolman, Ben received the Department’s highest honor, The Medal of Honor, in 1972. Ben worked in Districts 1, 4, 20A, the Detective Division and the Police Academy. He was the department’s first certified New York State Police Instructor in 1976. After Ben, all Academy Instructors were required to be state certified.

Ben is a divorced father of two children. He has three grandchildren and lives in Hollis, New York. he can be reached via e-mail at Ben2736@aol.com.

Ben feels that his proudest moment of service came in 1975, when he was part of the legal suit that was instituted against the Transit Police Department concerning the disparity of disciplinary procedures. It was the first such suit ever in the United States. While there was no monetary award, the suit resulted in the rewriting of disciplinary procedures in the Transit Police Department.

Ben Patton, not afraid to serve then....and continuing to serve today!

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