Raymond A. Schafer Jr. fulfilled a childhood dream by becoming an O'Hara policeman, serving the community for 42 years in a distinguished career before retiring as the long-serving superintendent in January 2005.

But he never forgot about being a child and how tough that can be, which is why he decided early in his police career to get kids off of the streets -- not through arrest but by being a role model. He formed the O'Hara Police Athletic League and taught them to box.

Mr. Schafer, 71, of O'Hara, died Monday at Harmar Village Care Center in Cheswick.

"He was the most dedicated man I ever met in my life," said O'Hara Officer Dennis Szafranski, who worked for Mr. Schafer for 26 years.

"He gave his whole career for the residents of O'Hara."

Officer Szafranski said that when he and other young officers came onto the force, they initially bristled at the superintendent's "old school" ways. But now, he said, he realizes how right his long-time boss was.

"We thought his ways were too tough and now that I'm older I see that guy knew everything about the streets and how to help people. His way was the right way."

Officer Jim Hicks, who retired earlier this month after more than three decades on the force, agreed: "I was an MP in the Marines and the Army but when I joined the O'Hara department, Ray Schafer taught me how to be a cop.

"Ray was tough. He didn't put up with anything ... He looked upon police work not as a job but as a vocation. One of his main things was that residents are No. 1, they're the people paying and you need to take care of them.

"He loved the O'Hara Township police and saw it as a family, and it was. If you did something good he let you know and if you did something bad he booted you in the butt.

"He was the best cop I ever met and the best chief anyone could ask for."

Mr. Schafer was born in O'Hara, the area once called "Workhouse Row"-- 18 houses occupied by guards at the old Allegheny County Workhouse near where the RIDC Park now stands. His father was captain of the guards at the workhouse, but of his eight sons and two daughters, only his namesake chose to go into law enforcement.

After graduating from North Catholic High School in 1953, he went to work loading trucks on the night shift for the Armour meat packing plant on Herrs Island. He spent two years in the Army during the Korean War before he joined the O'Hara Police Department in 1957 part time while keeping his Armour job.

He became a full-time officer in 1963 and superintendent in 1971.

In 1967, two years after being named O'Hara's juvenile officer, he formed the P.A.L., headquartered in the second-floor gym at the Sharpsburg VFW. A champion amateur boxer who had six professional fights, he kept it going for more than a quarter-century, sending at least a half-dozen boxers to the Golden Glove National Championships, and teaching kids about boxing, athletics, life.

"He loved kids and he wanted them to turn around," Mr. Hicks said. "If he saw a kid with a glimmer of hope, he promoted that. People in their 40s and 50s would come into the station and say, "Ray, if it wasn't for you, I'd be in jail.' "

In 1977, he graduated from the FBI Academy in Quantico, Va. Two years later he was named the juvenile officer of the year for the state of Pennsylvania. In 1998, he was named "Top Law Enforcement Officer" by the state VFW and in 2000 he received honorable mention for the national Top Cops Awards presented by the National Association of Police Organizations. He received numerous other awards and recognitions during his career.

Survivors include his wife, Mary; three daughters, Mary S. Masterman of Moon, Debbie Schafer of Cheswick and Diane Schafer of Harmar; a son, Raymond A. Schafer III of East Brady; two sisters, Dorothy Scheller and Evelyn Andrews, both of Shaler; and five brothers, Tom of Florida, Jack of Virginia, Paul of New York, Jerry of Crawford County, and Dave of Rosslyn Farms; and six grandchildren.

Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. today and tomorrow at Thomas M. Smith Funeral Home & Crematory, 930 Center Ave., Blawnox, where prayers will be recited at 9:15 a.m. Friday.

A Mass will follow at 10 a.m. in St. Edward Church, Blawnox.

Interment will be in St. Mary's Cemetery, O'Hara.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Stroke Association, 777 Penn Center Blvd., Suite 200, Pittsburgh 15235, or the American Diabetes Association, 300 Penn Center Blvd., Suite 700, Pittsburgh 15235.