Harry F. Gwynne, 77, police officer

Harry F. "Dutch" Gwynne, 77, a retired captain with the Philadelphia Police Department, died of a stroke Nov. 30 at a hospital in Dunedin, Fla., near Palm Harbor, where he lived.

He started as a patrolman in 1957, then rose through the ranks, becoming a detective in 1962, sergeant in 1964, lieutenant in 1968, and captain in 1969. He retired in 1977.

In 1974, while captain of the 22d Police District, he received an award from True Light Church of God for his service to district residents, his family said.

Capt. Gwynne also worked with the South and West Detective Divisions, Major Crimes and other units, and served as a commanding officer of the Police Academy.

In the late 1970s, Capt. Gwynne moved to Pinellas County, Fla., and started a second law-enforcement career as a training officer. During that period, he disarmed a suspect brandishing a loaded .45-caliber revolver, and earned an award for showing restraint.

In 1983, Capt. Gwynne became the police chief of Belleair, Fla. He retired a second time in 1997.

He served in the Navy during the Korean War, aboard the destroyer Wren. From 1974 to 1992, Capt. Gwynne served in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve, retiring from that duty as commander of the reserve station in St. Petersburg, Fla.

A South Philadelphia native, he graduated from Bartram High School in 1950, and from Temple University with a degree in education in 1972. He earned a master's degree in criminal justice from Villanova University in 1980.

From 1977 to 1979, he was a professor of criminal justice at St. Petersburg Junior College, where he served as assistant director for the Florida Institute for Law Enforcement. He also taught at Florida Metropolitan University from 1998 to 2006.

A son, Kurt F. Gwynne, said his father made class interesting because he drew from experience. "My Dad had so many stories of what he had seen while with the Philadelphia police," he said.

He met his wife, Annemarie, in the sixth grade. The two married in 1962.

In addition to his wife and son, he is survived by two other sons, Harry Jr. and Karl C.; a daughter, Sharon A.; and five grandchildren.

Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. next Friday at Fernwood Cemetery, 6501 Baltimore Ave., Lansdowne.

Donations in his name may be made to the Police Survivors Fund, Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5, 1336 Spring Garden St., Philadelphia 19123.