Dan Clarke

by Stephanie J. Serrano

Working for the Hudson Police Station can be downright dirty at times. Dan Clarke, Maintenance Technician at the Hudson Police Station since 1995, offers a glimpse of a typical day’s work. “Well, I take care of everything and anything,” says Clarke. This includes tasks such as keeping the floors clean, plowing the parking lots, and sometimes cleaning up an unexpected mess.

Clarke made the transition to maintenance work, following years of working as a mechanic. “I just got to a point where I needed change, the mechanic work was more than I could handle. It was very rough on the body,” explained Clarke, who worked on diesel trucks.

Although his days working as a full-time mechanic are over, Clarke continues to utilize his skills on a smaller scale. His knowledge of how to fix vehicles has eliminated the need to send some police vehicles out for repair.

Clarke says, “I love all the guys at the Hudson Police Department. They treat me with utmost respect. I’ve been treated fairly in the past, but here, they put me up on a pedestal with them.” For Clarke, the police force is like family, next to his own wife and children.

Clarke truly is held in high regard at the HPD. Captain William Pease could not say enough about what a valuable asset Clarke continues to be. “Clarke keeps the station in impeccable condition - so much so, that visitors are amazed to hear that our facility is eight years old. He’s a jack of all trades,” says Pease. Proud to have him on staff, Pease comments that Clarke’s reputation both at the station and within the community is exceptional. “He’s a very personable and likeable individual, with a fine sense of humor.”

With everyday comes a new challenge for Clarke. “Although some things are repetitive,” says Clarke, “there are always those spontaneous happenings.”

Some of the unexpected events that Clarke contends with include situations requiring, well let’s just say a very strong stomach. His job sometimes requires him to “pick up the pieces” following an arrest. “There are times when someone overdoses on drugs or alcohol, which makes for a messy clean up.” Such occasions require Clarke to gear up in a protective suit as well as utilize special chemicals to keep him safe from exposure to potentially hazardous bodily waste. “I’ve had all the special shots that I need. “I’ve been trained very well for dealing with these types of situations, and I always make sure that I’m super cautious. You never know when you’re being exposed to HIV or any other disease.”

Clarke is trained in CPR, and has attended school for mechanics and HVAC. Clarke’s job at the HPD reminds us to appreciate those who work hard, behind the scenes, to help keep our town facilities operating successfully.