Lower Merion Sgt. Retires After Four Decades

On Thursday, March 28 Sgt. Michael Norman retired from the Lower Merion Police Department after nearly 45 years of service.

Norman was hired on July 8, 1968, and served in "Patrol Platoon 4" for 25 years until promoted to Sergeant in 1993.  He subsequently served in "Patrol Platoons 1 and 2" and was assigned as a Priority Sergeant for a number of years, according to Lower Merion Township.

He received a Merit Commendation for capturing 3 bank robbery suspects at Bryn Mawr Trust Bank and one additional Commendation letter. Norman was also nominated to receive the 2004 Outstanding Front Line Supervisor of the Year.

According to the township, Norman never took a sick day, and was known as "the most generous man in the department, who always privately and quietly helps out any officer in need, according to a description from a polcie official.

Norman served on the Executive Board of the FOP, Lodge #28, in the position of Guard, and is also the Chief of the Manoa Fire Company in Havertown. He served in the U.S. Army from 1966-1968, and  was a Sergeant with the 9th MP Company, 9th Infantry Division at Dong Tam in the Mekong Delta.

He has been married for 37 years and has one son, who is a commercial firefighter for Sunoco.