Anthony (Tony) Bertoni, a legendary law man both at the Detroit Police Department and as United States Marshal, died this past Sunday at the age of 95.
The Bertoni family grew up on the eastside of Detroit during the difficult years of post World War I and the Depression. Like many bright and capable young Irish Catholics of his day, Tony became a policeman in the Detroit Police Department. He was a courageous young officer who also had great people skills. He was well known for being able to solve problems for the people on his beat and precinct. His career was filled with awards and commendations for bravery and service.
His work ethic and recognized ability moved him steadily up through the ranks to the positions of Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, Inspector, Precinct Commander, and finally as Superintendant of the Department from 1973 to 1975.
In 1978 he was selected by President Carter to be the United States Marshal for the Eastern District of Michigan and was confirmed unanimously by the U. S. Senate. His selection was supported on a non-partisan basis as evidenced by his re-appointment for two terms by President Reagan. He served until 1990.
There were limited working ties between City and federal law enforcement systems at the time of his appointment, especially above the street level. One of his many accomplishments was to help bridge this gap and encourage cooperation, joint task forces, and constructive dialogue at the management and command level.
Tony quickly became the dean of the federal law enforcement leadership community. He helped U. S. Attorney Jim Robinson establish a Federal Law Enforcement Council, which met monthly to discuss common problems and resolve differences. He also was one of the first to help plan and participate in the Great Lakes Division of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force.
At these and other forums, when Tony talked everyone listened, His counsel was pragmatic, never argumentative of self-aggrandizing, but always with generous common sense and a full understanding of the concerns of everyone involved.
One of his many attributes was a genuine respect for all with whom he came in contact, from the newest Deputy Marshal to every member of the federal bench. You never heard an unkind or critical word about Marshal Bertoni.
In some ways Tony stood for old fashioned morality and values. Ethics and principles were paramount to him, and he had little sympathy for those who had betrayed the public trust or were habitual slackers. Loyalty, hard work, dedication to the positive goals of his various endeavors—these were the unquestioned values in his public service.
But he also recognized the need to overcome historical inequities in law enforcement and to promote progress and more modern methods. Having lived through the events of the summer of 1967 in Detroit as a District Inspector, he supported the advancement of qualified African American officers and deputies.
Likewise, although always the chivalrous gentleman, he was as gender neutral on the job as the most progressive law enforcement managers of his generation. Female AUSAs in particular seemed to like to work with him. Of course, he was the best looking guy in the U. S. Courthouse.
Tony wasn’t all about work. Most of all, he loved his wife, Frances, and his large family of 6 children, 12 grandchildren, and 22 great grandchildren. Like all patriarchs, he fretted over their struggles and was proud of their accomplishments. He was an excellent fisherman and a day on the lake with a family member was a joy to him.
He also was a man of quiet faith and a proud Italian American, who enjoyed talking about their many accomplishments in helping to build the City of Detroit.
For the rest of us, nothing was more enjoyable than eating a slow lunch at Roma’s Café with him. It was common for politicians, businesspeople, and beat cops to stop at his table, pay their respects and share a story or two about the old days. But the best storyteller was always Tony, who had an encyclopedic memory of the people and events in Detroit during the 20th Century. The stories were an oral history of the City, always fun and illuminating. One left these lunches reluctantly but with the feeling that you had chosen right to be part of the law enforcement fraternity with someone like Tony.
It is fitting that Tony’s long and well lived life extended into 2015, the bicentennial year of the first U. S. Marshal in the Michigan Territory, Thomas Roland, appointed in 1815 by President Madison.
Tony Bertoni would have been a lion in any generation. We are so fortunate that he chose ours. He was the epitome of the best in law enforcement, the best counselor and the best friend.
