Born on August 17, 1896, Gustav Albert Koerner Sr. had a long and distinguished career with the Camden Police Department. He began his service on June 16, 1923, and quickly rose through the ranks. By February of 1928, he was one of Camden’s motorcycle policemen, and by 1935, he had been promoted to Detective Sergeant. In June of 1944, he was serving as a Captain of Detectives and was still with the force when the 1947 Camden City Directory was compiled, living at 807 Haddon Avenue with his wife Mary and their son Gustav Albert Koerner Jr.
By December of 1951, Koerner had reached the pinnacle of his career, becoming the Chief of Police for the City of Camden. He served in this position until his retirement on April 19, 1960.
After leaving the force, Koerner moved to 430 North 38th Street in East Camden. He lived there for many years, as evidenced by his listing in the New Jersey Bell Telephone Directory at that address as late as 1977. Finally, in January of 1987, Gustav Koerner passed away, leaving behind a legacy of dedicated service to the city he loved.
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