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04/0708 - A Chat with Doug Hunter - by Bill

Recently I spoke by phone with Doug Hunter in Florida.  Doug was the only Chappaqua police officer that I remember. The one I shot with a water pistol when I was 11. He doesn’t remember the shooting but I know I shot him. When My mom got word of it she whacked me on the head and sent me off to his house to apologize. Maybe the shooting was so traumatic that he just put it out of his mind. I asked Doug what the most memorable event he could recall while on the Chappaqua beat. He said –

“you’ve got to remember, Chappaqua was a very quiet place. But I do recall that after I became Sergeant I was alone on patrol on Superbowl Sunday and a call came over the radio about a killing on North Greeley Avenue. A woman, known for her drinking, had stabbed her husband four times during an argument“.

Doug retired from the Chappaqua force in ’71 and then worked as a bodyguard for a Chappaqua millionaire, as a security officer, and in data processing for Pepsico. He then started his 2nd career by creating a septic business which he ran successfully for 20 years.

Contrary to my memory, Miss Hamilton, my third grade teacher, was never married to Doug. She must have run off with someone else and I was just plain angry and took it out on Doug. Doug married Janette Boman. They were both HGHS class of ’47.

After Janette graduated she went to work as a telephone Operator in the Chappaqua office. Later on she became a Business Representative for the Westchester Branch. When Doug joined the Chappaqua force Janette was going to be transferred to NYC with a promotion. Doug heard of an opening in the Town of New Castle Office which Janette took. She was Town Clerk for 30 years. Janette’s brother, Charlie Boman, was a star football player at HG and went on to Milliken University on a scholarship.

I asked Doug about any encounters with the Clintons. He told me of two.

On Sunday Bill & Hillary, along with their SS Agents, would take walks into town. They would walk up North Greeley avenue near Doug’s house. Bill would usually smile and say hello but one day he looked rather unhappy and wouldn’t talk to Doug. He had spotted the Bush sticker on the back of Doug’s car.

On another occasion Hillary was taking part in the Memorial Day parade and Doug had his picture taken with her. Doug sent the picture to a friend who was a avid Clinton hater.

Doug is a third generation Chappaquan who now splits the year between Florida and the home base. He is still active in the Chappaqua fire department and an honorary member of the Chappaqua Voluntary Ambulance corps.