SHREWSBURY – The family and former colleagues of retired Shrewsbury Police Sergeant Jim Carlin are mourning his loss.
Carlin battled colon cancer and underwent surgery to remove it. However, the surgery was unsuccessful, and he was placed on life support. Carlin died peacefully Oct. 22, according to his son, Chris Carlin.
“He was a great father. I’ll always follow in his footsteps,” Chris Carlin said.
Jim Carlin: ‘Quintessential community police officer’
Carlin began his career with the Shrewsbury police department in 1967 and retired as a sergeant in 1998. He continued to work for the department as a special police officer for many years after retiring, according to a Shrewsbury Police Department Facebook post.
Shrewsbury Police Chief Kevin Anderson worked with Carlin for many years prior to his retirement.
“Jim was the quintessential community police officer. Jim will be missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him and working with him,” Anderson said.
Carlin leaves behind another son, Shawn, and four grandchildren.
Chris Carlin said his daughter, Gabriella, and his stepdaughter, Kayla, miss their grandfather.
“It’s really sad because I feel like I could still call him. It doesn’t feel like he is actually really gone. I felt like I had a really close bond with him,” Gabriella said.
Shawn said his father enjoyed “a simple life” of traveling, spending time with friends and family and serving as a police officer.
“He loved being a police officer and serving his community. I admire how hard of a worker my dad was,” Shawn said.
While growing up, Chris said he spent time working around the house and doing carpentry with his father. However, some of his fondest memories are when he tagged along with his father for rides in his police cruiser, which inspired Chris to become a police officer.
Chris said that working for the Shrewsbury Police Department was “all he talked about.” When his father became sergeant, Chris had “never seen him happier.”
“That was his life,” he added.
Following in his father’s footsteps, Chris also worked for the Shrewsbury police department doing details in 2020.
“The department has a great group of people who always look out for you,” Chris said.
The officers, firefighters and those who work for the Department of Public Works, were among his father’s closest friends, according to Chris.
Fire Chief Jim Vuona said Carlin was his “friendly” neighborhood police officer when he was growing up near Jordan Pond. Years later, Vuona said he and Carlin became colleagues and friends.
“Jim was a fun loving guy with a great sense of humor, and we will all miss him,” he said.
