GREENFIELD — Robert “Bob” Butler, who was chief of the Greenfield Police Department throughout much of the 1980s, died Friday morning, Feb. 12, GPD announced on its Facebook page.
Butler was a longtime member of the department, serving from 1962-91, and was chief of police from 1983-91 under Mayor Keith McClarnon. He retired in February that year after a distinguished career at GPD. He twice was named the department’s officer of the year in the 1960s and also was its traffic safety officer for 17 years.
“People say — ‘Why do you want to become a policeman?'” he said in an interview with the Daily Reporter in late 1990 after announcing he would step down. “I never have been able to answer that…. It’s a rewarding thing.”
Funeral arrangements are pending.
“Our condolences go out to his family and all that knew him,” GPD said in its post.
