Howard Rollins

Photo by Lisa Bul

Police sergeant, Hanover

• “I think I’m one of the only guys who doesn’t want to retire.”
• “The guys all say it: I could talk you into a cell ... and they’ll say thank you on the way out.”
• “That big black pedal in the cruiser is a brake. You step on it and the cruiser stops so you can get out, walk around and meet people.”
• “I enjoy people... You can be amazed what you can you can learn from people.”

THE SKINNY

RANK: Sergeant
AGE: 63
APPOINTED: Permanent intermittent officer in 1974
HIRED IN HANOVER: 1976

BIO: Rollins grew up in East Bridgewater and graduated from East Bridgewater High School in 1963. He served in the Navy from 1963 to 1967, then worked in construction before joining the Hanover force. In 2004, Rollins earned a bachelor’s degree from Western New England College. He has been married for 23 years and has three sons and a daughter.

What did you want to be when you were a kid? An Army soldier

What would you have been if not a police officer? A construction worker

Best advice you ever got? Treat people like you’d like them to treat you.

Person who gave it to you? Former Hanover Police Chief David Zwicker

What do you do in your time off? Rollins is an avid collector of military and police badges. He has more than 3,500 British hat badges, some as old as the American Revolution. He also enjoys playing golf with his wife, traveling and using his metal detector.