Teaneck Police Department, New Jersey
End of Watch: Sunday, March 14, 1926
Age: 26
Tour of Duty: 1 year
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Motorcycle crash
Date of Incident: March 14, 1926
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available
Patrolman Clifton Dwyer was killed when his police motorcycle collided with a milk truck at the intersection of River Road and Tilden Street during a period of heavy fog in the early morning hours. Patrolman Dwyer's partner was seriously injured but survived.
Patrolman Dwyer was working the night shift with probationary officer Michael Cancro, riding a motorcycle with a sidecar. At the end of their shift, early in the morning of March 14, 1926, they decided to go to Cedar Lane in Teaneck to get coffee at a coffee wagon. The snow on the ground was melting, causing fog early in the morning that day. As they drove on River Road they did not see a horse-drawn milk wagon, parked on the east side of River Road. Patrolman Dwyer swerved and hit a whiffle tree on the other side of the milk wagon.
The milkman found Patrolman Dwyer lying injured in the snow and ran to a nearby home for help, finding Patrolman Cancro injured as well. The men were taken to Holy Name Hospital where Patrolman Dwyer died a couple of hours later. Patrolman Cancro survived but did not pursue a police career thereafter. He opened a restaurant and bar across from where the current police station is today in Teaneck.
Patrolman Dwyer had only served with the agency for one year. He was survived by his wife, 2-year-old son, brother, sister, and niece.