Sergeant Alton Gray and Police Officer Brenton Dorre Retire from Bronxville Police Department
By Carol P. Bartold
Apr. 22, 2015: When Sergeant Alton Gray and Police Officer Brenton Dorre retire from the Bronxville Police Department, they will take a combined forty-one years of law enforcement experience and knowledge of the village with them.
Sergeant Gray, with 22 years on the Bronxville force, officially retired on March 24, and Police Officer Dorre will retire on June 5 after a 19-year career in Bronxville.
"These are two of the finest men I know," said Mayor Mary Marvin. "The village is losing two terrific police officers and two gentlemen." She added that in her entire time in village government, she never heard a negative word spoken about either man.
Both officers came to Bronxville after serving in the White Plains Police Department. Gray, a career police officer, studied criminal justice at Iona College and noted that, during his years on the city force, crack cocaine made its first appearance and became a significant problem. "It was a much busier department," he said. "There was more crime."
Gray decided to move to a smaller department in hopes of finding opportunities for more community policing. He found that in Bronxville. "You get to know more of the community," he said, "the residents and the merchants. I didn't sit in the office all day. A lot of the time I was out on the road."
Dorre, a broadcast journalism major at Keene State College in New Hampshire, came to police work through the medical field. He worked in a group home as a medical counselor. He said he was drawn to police work in search of a secure career during an economic downturn. "I'm a people person," he said, "and I wanted an opportunity where you didn't know what would happen every day."
Dorre found all of that in Bronxville and said that the one thing he will always take with him is the relationships he formed with the people in the village. "They made the job memorable for me," he said, "because I had the opportunity to interact with such nice people." He also said that young adults he knew as children and teenagers 20 years ago still know him by name.
Gray reflected that technology is the most significant change he has experienced in his career as a police officer. Advances in technology, he explained, have allowed the elimination of paper traffic tickets as well as reports that police officers formerly had to write by hand. Officers print tickets from the computers in their patrol cars and relay their reports to the desk sergeant.
Looking forward to retirement, Dorre will remain in New York for a year until his younger daughter graduates from high school. Then he plans to move to Florida. In the meantime, "I'll be able to get some sleep and live normally a bit."
Gray noted that he plans to take his wife on a vacation. "She put up with me for 22 years working around the clock," he said. He is also considering returning to college to finish his criminal justice degree.
Deputy Mayor Robert Underhill described Gray and Dorre as "great examples of police officers that deeply cared about their community and worked hard to connect with the people that live here."
Trustee Guy Longobardo expressed appreciation for the way the officers "interact with people. They are fair and friendly but know when to be firm as well."
Trustee Anne W. Poorman stated, "Their departure is a great loss for Bronxville. They were both very intentional in mentoring our new police officers. Sergeant Gray and Police Officer Dorre exemplified community policing at its finest."
Pictured here (rotating): Sergeant Alton Gray and Police Officer Brenton Dorre (in front of police station), who are retiring from the Bronxville Police Department.
Photo of Police Officer Dorre by N. Bower; photo of Sergeant Gray courtesy Mr. Gray
Government & History Directory
Bronxville is a quaint village (one square mile) located just 16 miles north of midtown Manhattan (roughly 30 minutes on the train) and has a population of approximately 6,500. It is known as a premier community with an excellent public school (K-12) and easy access to Manhattan. Bronxville offers many amenities including an attractive business district, a hospital (Lawrence Hospital), public paddle and tennis courts, fine dining at local restaurants, two private country clubs and a community library.
While the earliest settlers of Bronxville date back to the first half of the 18th century, the history of the modern suburb of Bronxville began in 1890 when William Van Duzer Lawrence purchased a farm and commissioned the architect, William A. Bates, to design a planned community of houses for well-known artists and professionals that became a thriving art colony. This community, now called Lawrence Park, is listed on the National register of Historic Places and many of the homes still have artists’ studios. A neighborhood association within Lawrence Park called “The Hilltop Association” keeps this heritage alive with art shows and other events for neighbors.
Bronxville offers many charming neighborhoods as well as a variety of living options for residents including single family homes, town houses, cooperatives and condominiums. One of the chief benefits of living in “the village” is that your children can attend the Bronxville School.
The Bronxville postal zone (10708, known as “Bronxville PO”) includes the village of Bronxville as well as the Chester Heights section of Eastchester, parts of Tuckahoe and the Lawrence Park West, Cedar Knolls, Armour Villa and Longvale sections of Yonkers. Many of these areas have their own distinct character. For instance, the Armour Villa section has many historic homes and even has its own newsletter called “The Villa Voice” which reports on neighborhood news.
Village of Bronxville Administrative Offices
337-6500
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Bronxville Police Department
337-0500
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Bronxville Parking Violations
337-2024
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Bronxville Fire Deparment
793-6400
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