Klein: Public Safety Officer by Day and History Buff by Night

Upon first glance, you see a man dressed in a blue uniform. But after talking to him, you find more behind the CCBC Catonsville Public Safety Officer. He's Sgt. James Klein, Sr., shift supervisor by day and historian by night.

For several years, Sgt. Klein has been collecting information about the historic monuments in Baltimore City. He has information on more than 100 monuments and sites. He hopes to compile the information and publish a book.

The Baltimore native was always interested in historic events and became fascinated with the history in his own backyard while a student at Cardinal Gibbons High School. "I've always been a history buff," said Klein, 50.

After graduating from high school, he became a Baltimore City Police officer. Traveling throughout the city while an officer, be became even more familiar with the historic sites in Baltimore and began compiling the data and information. He has since retired from the police department after a 20-year tenure.

Klein's list of historic monuments and data range from information on the African-American baseball great Leon Day to information on a special Wells and McComas Monument at the corner of Monument and Gay streets. Very few people know that the Wells and McComas Monument is where two teenagers killed a general in 1812, which turned the tide toward an American victory. That's the type of historical information Klein enthusiastically consumes.

"Everybody should know their history, good and bad. If you don't, you're going to repeat it - especially the bad," said Klein, who also holds an associate of arts degree in Law Enforcement.

In addition to his book publishing project, Klein want to take his efforts a step further and have the monuments recognized and restored properly.

Klein began his second career as a Public Safety Officer at CCBC Catonsville in January 2002. Not only is he conducting research on historical monuments, but he has been volunteering with the Knights of Columbus for the past 25 years. He is also an active member of St. Jude's Shrine in Baltimore.

Klein lives in Overlea with his wife, Kathy, his two children, Jim and Chris, and two grandchildren.

So the next time you see him, strike up a conversation. You'd be surprised what historical tidbits you'll discover.

Do you know someone at CCBC who is famous for something we don't know about, or happens to be doing something interesting or unusual? E-mail us at hhdavis@ccbcmd.edu