Chaplain William G. Kalaidjian

A Chaplain
A Cops, Cop
A Friend
And an N.Y.P.D. Legend

Chaplain William G. Kalaidjian,

N.Y.P.D.

Appointed April 25, 1957 - Retired June 6, 1998

A Retirement Dinner was held in his honor.

October 21, 1998

Marina Del Rey, Bronx, New York

The Rev. William Gillies Kalaidjian is the son of The Rev. Mihran T. Kalaidjian who came to the United States and to Ellis Island, New York, in 1900 following his graduation from Saint Paul's Institute, Tarsus, Turkey. The institute was founded by Elliott F. Shepard of New York City. It was established by the Congregational Foreign Missions. Rev. Bill's dad was admitted to Yale University and after completing his academics at Yale he entered Yale Divinity School. He graduated from Yale Divinity School and was Ordained a Congregational Clergyman on Tuesday, October 17, 1905, Deer River, New York.

While Rev. Bill's dad was being educated at college and seminary, back in Turkey the Armenians were being systematically killed, over one million murders, and Rev. Bill's dad had no homeland to which to return, so he became an American citizen, married, raised five children of which Rev. Bill is the youngest. Rev. Bill's oldest sister is Dr. Ruth Davis, Ph.D. and a retired professor from Hunter College, N.Y Rev. Bill's second oldest sister is Marjorie Gottwik, a retired school teacher. Rev. Bill's brother Bob was Vice President of The Columbia Broadcasting System in charge of Personnel and Columbia Records. Rev. Bill's other brother, Edward Curtis Kalaidjian is a retired Admiralty Lawyer who worked for Thacher, Proffitt Prizer, Crawley and Wood in New York.

Rev. Bill's dad married Aimee Gillies who was the daughter of Isaac Gillies, the Comptroller of the New York Life Insurance Company. On September 16, 1920 Rev. Bill's mother's brother, Harold Gillies, was killed in the unsolved Wall Street explosion when a forlorn bay mare drew an old red butter-and~egg wagon, which stopped at Wall and Broad Streets.

One minute before noon the wagon exploded in a frightful roar that rocked lower Manhattan and sent flames 90 feet into the air shattering windows for many blocks. Iron slugs of shrapnel pock-marked the Morgan and other buildings still visible today. Thirty people were killed and 400 had severed limbs and nine of them later died. Rev. Bill was very touched by this event and he often could be found at the location of this unsolved crime, standing in respect and praying for his uncle Harold Gillies and those others who were victims.

Rev. Bill on May 17, 1998 observed his forty-fifth anniversary of his ordination. Having dedicated the renovated Yankee Stadium in 1976 under Mayor Abraham Beame, Rev. Bill has been a staunch Yankee fan. On May 17, 1998 David Wells pitched his perfect game and a Letter To The Editor in the Daily News concerning Rev. Bill's ordination was entitled "The Perfect Anniversary".

Rev. Bill has served his Congregation of the Bedford Park Congregational Church, Bronx, NY for forty-three years, and he has served The New York City Police Department for a full forty-one years and into his forty-second. He has also served as a part-time chaplain at the Bronx VA. Medical Center, where he is presently serving patients in his twenty-second year of service to the U.S. Veterans. Rev. Bill is a past Bronx County American Legion Chaplain, a past New York County American Legion Chaplain and a past New York State Department American Legion Chaplain. He is presently Chaplain of Post 460 American Legion, N.Y.P.D. He believes all veterans should support the various veteran organizations because they are the educators and keepers of our nation's patriotism. Chaplain William Gillies Kalaidjian is still active in the following organizations:

New York Police Department Honor Legion
New York Police Department American Legion Post 460
New York Police Department Captain's Endowment Association
New York Shields, Incorporated
Westchester County P.B.A.
New Jersey and New York Detective Crime Clinic
New York Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation
National Association of Former State Troopers, Incorporated
The 10-13 Clubs of America, Incorporated
The East Coast Gang Investigators Association
The Grand Street Boys Association, Incorporated
The Bronx Rotary International Club
and
President of the Bronx County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, Incorporated
President of the National Association of Police Chaplains, Incorporated

A heartfelt thank you to all who have attended this Retirement Dinner and who have given me sincere support that rises above "political correctness" and who understand the mission of this Chaplain who has always sought to stand firm with cops in trouble or their parents who feel tragic grief and the widows who require our prayers to carry on and to raise their children with the support of law-enforcement people, making scholarships and social events available as part of the healing process. We stand together in spiritual helpfulness to everyone. God Bless you all.

Born in Englewood, New Jersey, December 17, 1925.
Raised in Upper Nyack, New York.
Graduate of Nyack Public Schools.
Served in U.S. Navy, 1944 to 1946.
Served as a police officer, Palisades Interstate Police Department, 1947 to 1952.
Graduated from Adelphi University, B.A. Degree in Sociology, June, 1950.
Graduated from Union Theological Seminary, M. Div. (Master of Divinity), May, 1953.
Ordained and installed as pastor of the Bedford Park Congregational Church, May, 1953; retired November 6, 1996.

Sworn in as Chaplain, New York City Police Department on April 25, 1957, and served until June 6, 1998. During 41 full years of service, and into his 42nd year, Chaplain Kalaidjian earned 12 E.P.D.'s, 3 Meritorious Awards and 1 Commendation, making him the highest decorated chaplain in the history of the Police Department and a legitimate, full fledged member of The New York City Police Department Honor Legion.

Member of the first class of chaplains attending the Federal Bureau of Investigation Academy at Quantico, Virginia. Served the New York Office of the F.B.I. under the leadership of James A. Fox who headed the New York Office.

He is Chaplain for the N.Y.P.D. Honor Legion, Chaplain for the St. George Association, Chaplain for the Detective Crime Clinic of New Jersey and New York, Chaplain for the Westchester County P.B.A., Chaplain for the New York Shields, whose motto is "Cops for Cops", and upon his retirement, he was declared Chaplain for Life for the Captains' Endowment Association of The New York Police Department.

In his years as N.Y.P.D. Chaplain, Chaplain Kalaidjian has participated in or attended more than 450 police funerals. He has been a friend to police widows, Survivors of the Shield (S.O.S.) and Parent Survivors of the Shield (P.S.O.S.), parents who have lost a son or daughter in the line of duty.

Chaplain Kalaidjian says that whenever a cop, anywhere, any time needs a sympathetic ear, he will be available.

Editors Notes: It is by far, the opinion of those who knew Chaplain William G. Kalaidjian (Chaplain "Bill"). That there has been no other, who has done more for the moral and good will of New York City Police Department and it's Officers in his 42 years of devoted service. The unkindly treatment which prompted his premature retirement will be noted as a loss to all who knew him and to those who will never have the honor of meeting this great and compasionate man.