LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Captain A. Daniel Shea upon the occasion
of his retirement after 34 years of distinguished service to the Town of
Hamburg Police Department on January 23, 2009

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and honor
those distinguished officers and citizens who would devote themselves to
public service, demonstrating great courage and diligence in providing
for the care and welfare of the citizens of their communities and this
great Empire State; and
WHEREAS, Within every community of the State of New York there are
certain individuals who, by virtue of their commitment and dedication,
command the respect and admiration of their community for their exem-
plary contributions and service on behalf of others; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to honor Captain A.
(Arthur) Daniel Shea upon the occasion of his retirement after 34 years
of distinguished service to the Town of Hamburg Police Department on
Friday, January 23, 2009; and
WHEREAS, A South Buffalo native, A. Daniel Shea is a graduate of South
Park High School; he was drafted by the United States Army when he was
19-years-old and proudly served in Vietnam; and
WHEREAS, After serving his tour of duty, Captain Shea returned to the
area, married his wife of 37 years, Linda Whitted, went to work at
General Motors, and began to take the initial steps in becoming a police
officer; and
WHEREAS, Demonstrating great commitment and dedication to police work,
A. Daniel Shea was hired by the Town of Hamburg Police Department; he
attended the Police Academy, which lasted only five weeks and then
returned to Hamburg for on the job training in March 1975; and
WHEREAS, For eight years, A. Daniel Shea worked as a patrol officer,
often teaming up with the late Joe LaRosa, who served as his partner for
seven years; as he gained experience, he moved up in the ranks; and
WHEREAS, In 1983, A. Daniel Shea became a detective, in 1990, he made
lieutenant, in 1999, he became captain and in 2001, he was promoted to
captain in charge of the detective bureau; and
WHEREAS, Captain Shea has been an integral part of the investigative
team for the Town of Hamburg Police Department; he helped to establish
the Department's forensic lab and is the go-to expert on fingerprinting,
a talent numerous law enforcement agencies have come to rely on; he is
also one of only six people in Western New York that is a certified
latent fingerprint expert; and
WHEREAS, The FBI was so impressed with Captain Shea's fingerprinting
ability, they suggested he attend their fingerprinting school in Virgi-
nia, thus beginning Shea's many years of additional training that would
keep him on the top of his field; today, he shares his expertise with
students at Hilbert College as a Professor of fingerprinting techniques
and tools; and
WHEREAS, Throughout his career, Captain Shea has been a top-notch
detective and forensics expert; he has built a reputation as one of the
best interrogators in Western New York; however, he is most known for
his compassion and for continously going above and beyond by working
closely with local families to try to help kids who are in trouble; he
keeps in touch, follows up with them and encourages them to stay on the
straight and narrow; and
WHEREAS, His magnanimous efforts have helped to transform the lives of
many individuals; he has truly improved the quality of life for the
residents of Hamburg and has made the town a safer place to live; and

WHEREAS, Captain Shea, a man of singular distinction, whose wisdom,
guidance and most of all unparalleled professionalism, earned him the
admiration, esteem and affection of all those he has come in contact
with throughout his 34 years of serving the Town of Hamburg Police
Department; and
WHEREAS, With him throughout have been his wife, Linda, and their son,
Daniel, both of whom feel privileged to be a part of his life and
rejoice in his achievements; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that those dedicated
public servants who unselfishly devote their lives to the preservation
of order and the protection of others are worthy and due full praise for
their commitment and noble endeavors; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Captain A. Daniel Shea after 34 years of distinguished service to
the Town of Hamburg Police Department; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Captain A. Daniel Shea.