1. law, govt and politics
2. law enforcement
3. police

NJ LUENOW
Volume 6 ~ Issue 4
May 2015
New Jersey’s Independent Voice of Law Enforcement
www.NJbluenow.com
All eyes
on you
The Law
Giving Thanks for an
Often Thankless Job
Spotlight
Valor &
Courage
Remembrance
Officer Thomas
Edward Gorman
00:00:05
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Why Not You.
contents
NJ LUENOW
Team
™
16
PUBLISHER
Envisage Productions
Editor-In-Chief
Daniel Del Valle
Senior Managing Editor
John Welsh
50
MANAGING EDITOR
Capt. Donna Roman-Hernandez (Ret.)
MANAGING EDITOR
George Beck
DESIGN EDITOR
Dari Izhaky
42
writers
George Beck
Capt. Donna Roman Hernandez (Ret.)
Rafael Rosa
Robert (Bob) Bianchi, Esq.
Sgt. Anthony Gangi
Daniel Del Valle
Kyle Macci, Esq.
Matthew A. Peluso, Esq.
Lt. Joseph Pangaro (Ret.)
Frank Generoso
Jonathan Golden, Ph.D.
Jay Martinez
Sgt. Eddie Molina
Joseph Celentano
editor’s point of view
WEBSITE/SUBSCRIPTIONS
www.njbluenow.com
EMAIL
[email protected]
ADVERTISING
John Welsh
201.881.5100
OFFICE
279 Belmont Avenue
Haledon, NJ 07508
ph: 973.653.3446
fax: 973.653.3447
6
Daniel Del Valle
captain’s corner
8Captain Donna Roman
Hernandez (Ret.)
fitness
10
K-9 Officer Rolando Rodriguez
health
Social Media Challenge Sheds
11
Pounds
the law
NJBlueNow is published 9 times a year. ©Copyright
2011 NJ BLUE NOW, LLC. All rights reserved. While
every reasonable effort has been made to ensure that
the information is accurate as of publication date,
NJ BLUE NOW, LLC and its employees, agents,
clients and distributors shall not be liable
for any damages arising from the use of or
reliance on the information contained in this
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The www.NJBlueNow.com website is powered by
ENVISAGE PRODUCTIONS, LLC.
Layout & design by Dari Izhaky
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God Bless Our Troops!
Please share and recycle this magazine.
retirement
Plan and Prepare Now
34
for Successful Retirement
up close
36Let’s Bring Youth Police
Initiative (YPI) to New Jersey
training
38Like A Glove
blue events
40New Jersey Women in
Law Enforcement Election
12Giving Thanks for An Often
NOBWLE Newark Chapter’s
Trailblazer Awards
Scholarship Brunch
women in blue
Thankless Job
16
Why Women Ride
inside view
Mutualism: Humans and
18
Animals in Law Enforcement
Legal news
20How We Can Protect Police
Officers in an Era of Public
Distrust
corrections
22The Importance of
Cross -Gender Supervision
The opinions and information provided in this
magazine are the sole opinions of the editor and
contributors and not their employers.
44
cover story
26All Eyes on You
spotlight
30
Valor & Courage
prevention
Incorporating Case Law
32
Into Your Report Writing
EP Envisage
Productions
Charity Basketball Game
42
Mark Owen’s Event
Korean American Brotherhood
in Law Enforcement (KABLE)
43NJHL 47 Annual President’s Ball
Memorial Ceremony Fair Lawn
44
th
Officer Mary Ann Collura
Dedication of Benches
Zumbathon
Congratulations Butler Police
Sgt. Colleen Pascale
Morris County Law Enforcement
Career Development Course
entertainment
46
he Best Cop Movies of
T
All Times
remembrance
Officer Thomas Edward Gorman
48
blue paws
50Law Enforcement Officers
and Their Canines
Is This You?
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editor’s POINt of VIEW
May
is a very important month for law enforcement. A proclamation signed by President John F.
Kennedy in 1962 designated May 15th as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which the date falls as
Police Week. Many officers from all over the United States and beyond meet in Washington, D.C. to partake
in the many planned events to honor those who’ve made the ultimate sacrifice. We at NJ Blue Now salute the
survivors of every fallen law enforcement officer. We feel your pain and support you. To all those cycling to
Washington, D.C. on the Police Unity Tour, be safe and thank you for participating in this significant event.
Our cover story explores the reality that currently all eyes are on law enforcement. There has not been a single day where the
mainstream media has not featured reports of officers. Some of this attention is misplaced and some is justified. We don’t
deny there have been egregious acts committed by a few bad apples in law enforcement, but those bad apples don’t represent
the entire bunch. With that said, will officers make mistakes in the performance of their duties? Yes, of course, we make splitsecond decisions, and at times can make a mistake. But, make sure the mistake you may make is not criminal. Try at all times
to control yourself and not let your emotions overcome your reaction.
In a way it’s like officers have become the new celebrities, where their every move is tracked and they are constantly hounded
by paparazzi. Another problem this poses is that many unstable people out there are incited by the hype and believe all police
officers are bad, and consequently they may lash out and kill more officers. Therefore, all officers must remain vigilant and
stay alert. Don’t let all the media sensationalism drop your guard. Your life is more important than what any of the pundits
say about us. We know the overwhelming majority of officers are decent, honest human beings, who do this dangerous job
with courage and pride. And please remember where officers are involved in high-profile incidents, let’s be careful not to be
so quick to judge, and pray that in the end, justice prevails.
Once again, this issue is packed with informative articles from the top voices in the law enforcement community. We feature
articles about what’s trending now, including anti-law enforcement sentiment by the media, cross-gender supervision in
corrections, women in law enforcement, success in retirement, entertainment, youth and police initiatives, and so much
more. We spotlight Detective Kennedy Murray (Ret.) whose long career of valor and courage is impressive. Thank you,
Kennedy, for all you have done to use your experience to help our fellow brothers and sisters in Blue. We appreciate you.
So grab hold of this issue, take it with you on vacation, discuss it with family and friends, and most importantly, enjoy it!
Till next time!
Stay Healthy, Stay Strong, Stay Blue!
2015
I hope to see all of you at our upcoming 4th Annual Law Enforcement Appreciation Dinner at The Brownstone on June 29th,
at 6:30 pm. For tickets call Gabrielle at 973-653-3446.
NJ Blue Now’s
4th Annual
Law Enforcement
Appreciation Dinner
will be held at
The Brownstone
on Monday June 29, 2015
at 6:30 pm
Daniel Del Valle
Editor-in-Chief
Tickets are $50
NJ LUENOW
6
NJBlue now | May 2015
™
For tickets,
please contact
Gabrielle at 973-653-3446
To Advertise Call: 201.881.5100
captain’s corner
policeunitytour.com
I
t’s that time of year when local fundraisers are being held by Police Unity Tour members to
raise funds for their trek to Washington, D.C. in mid-May for their participation in the largest
annual gathering of law enforcement officers in our nation at the National Law Enforcement
Officers Memorial. In law enforcement circles, National Police Week is when we grieve for our fallen
heroes and show support to their survivor families.
This year three of our New Jersey law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty in 2014 will be remembered and
honored at the Memorial: Detective Melvin Santiago of the Jersey City Police Department, Officer Christopher Goodell of
the Waldwick Police Department and Reinaldo Arocho, Jr. of the Newark Police Department. May they rest in peace.
I attended National Police Week for the first time in 2004, a year after my friend and colleague, Fair Lawn Officer Mary Ann
Collura, was gunned down. When I saw the thousands of officers’ names inscribed on the memorial walls, I was reminded
how an officer’s life can be taken in an instant. I did not want my name to wind up on that wall.
The arrival of the Police Unity Tour was awesome. It was emotional and filled with Blue pride. Although, it was heartbreaking
to watch the officers escort the survivor families to their seating. The adult survivors fought back tears, trying to be strong for
their children. During the candlelight vigil, I was overwhelmed by the enormity of it all. So many lives senselessly sacrificed.
I felt blessed to be alive and proud to be a part of the greatest profession on earth: law enforcement. Since then, I attend
National Police Week ceremonies annually.
If you are a law enforcement officer who has never attended National Police Week, I strongly encourage you to do so at least
once during your law enforcement career. That’s our time to honor our fallen brothers and sisters.
For decades one mainstay during National Police Week has been Captain Robert (Bob) Kneer of the Fair Lawn Police
Department. I want to personally thank Captain Kneer for his decades of service and devotion to leading the law enforcement
honor guard protocols at the Memorial in D.C. and all year round in New Jersey.
Stay safe!
Captain Donna Roman-Hernandez (Ret.)
Managing Editor
Photo Credit: NLEOMF
If you would like to submit stories,
pictures, or suggestions,
send us an email at:
[email protected]
8
NJBlue now | May 2015
To Advertise Call: 201.881.5100
Once Public Employees,
Now Practicing Attorneys.
Get to know who’s on your side.
John D. Feeley, Esq.
Sr. Partner
Tony F. LaRocca, Esq.
Sr. Partner
J.D., Seton Hall University School of Law
B.S. cum laude, Fire Science/
Criminal Justice
J.D., Quinnipiac University School of Law,
(Formerly Birdgeport School of Law)
B.A. Criminal Justice, Kean University
John Feeley, Esq., is a practicing attorney
who devotes the majority of his practice to
the areas of disability pensions for public employees and worker’s
compensation claims. Prior to starting his legal career in 1997,
Mr. Feeley served as a police officer and firefighter in the City of
Orange from 1983 to 2008, where he was also a Union President
of the FMBA Local 10 and FMBA Local 210 for 17 years. He has
a unique understanding of the legal options available to public
employees and has successfully argued many cases, including
Russo v. the Board of Trustees for Police and Firemen’s Retirement
System, 206 NJ 14:17A.3d 801 (2011).
Tony LaRocca, Esq., is a practicing
attorney with 27 years of legal experience.
His primary expertise lies in workplace injuries, with a strong
emphasis on worker’s compensation benefits and pension benefits
for police officers, correction officers, firefighters and public
employees. He currently holds a position as an adjunct professor
of criminal justice at Kean University. Prior to his legal career, Mr.
LaRocca served as a corrections officer for 9 years in the Union
County Department of Public Safety where he received the Award
of Conduct Above and Beyond the Call of Duty.
THE LAW OFFICES OF
FEELEY & LAROCCA, LLC
“Protecting the rights of those who protect the public”
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Accidental Disability
Ordinary Disability
Worker’s Compensation/Work Related Injuries
Disciplinary Termination Matters
Contract Negotiations
Promotion Appeals
Appeals for Removal From Eligibility List
Personal Injury (Auto Accidents,
Slip and Fall, Assaults, etc.)
· Discrimination
John D. Feeley, Esq.
[email protected]
Tony F. LaRocca, Esq.
[email protected]
Essex County Office: 973-821-5360
Union County Office: 908-486-3003
Fitness
K-9 Officer
Rolando Rodriguez
2015 NPC Steve Stone
NY Metropolitan Championships
3rd Place Novice Division
2015 John Kemper Classic
Championships
Overall Novice Award
1st Place Novice Division
1st Place Open
Lt Heavyweight Division
2015 Vermont Championships
2nd Place Open
Lt Heavyweight Division
NJ Blue Now Congratulates
NJ State Park Police
K-9 Officer Rolando Rodriguez
on his recent fitness achievements
and bodybuilding competition wins!
Photo credit: Chris Keeley
Here’s Officer Rodriguez’s message in his
own words:
I
Photo credit: Chris Keeley
n 2007 Officer Rodriguez joined the
Paterson Police Department. Three
years ago he transferred to the NJ State
Park Police and is currently a K-9 officer.
He began bodybuilding as a hobby in
2013 and has excelled gaining notoriety at
several bodybuilding competitions in the
northeast.
As law enforcement officers, it is vital that
we stay in optimum physical health. Every
officer has the ability to improve his or her
overall physical health! Start today and you
will be amazed what can happen when you
commit to getting healthy.
10
NJBlue now | May 2015
It would seem self-evident that an occupation such as policing would demand that
police officers stay fit as a part of the job
requirements. Police officers are engaged
in physical challenges on a daily basis. For
instance, they chase fleeing suspects; they
climb over fences and onto rooftops; they
subdue resisting arrestees. These daily
job tasks require physical strength and
endurance. All officers can improve their
physical abilities through a combination of
aerobic and anaerobic exercise.
In addition to physical demands of our
job, we have to wear several pounds of
equipment on our waistband. This often
causes strain and discomfort. Strength
training can help officers stay in shape and
avoid injury.
Fitness is an important and vital factor
for the success of policing, and I hope to
inspire those who seek to improve their
level of fitness. I would have never thought
that I would be this successful in achieving
a high level of fitness to better serve my
community, my department, and my fellow
officers. But, as I have found out: Anything
is possible in life. You can reach your goals
too!
Thank you to the NJ
State Park Police for
being very supportive toward my competitions. I’m also
grateful to have the
support of my wife,
friends, family, and
the team at NJ Blue
Now. Through all this
support, I have been
able to accomplish
my goals and I am
forever appreciative. I
know I couldn’t have
done it alone.
Photo credit: Chris Keeley
To Advertise Call: 201.881.5100
Health
Social Media Challenge
Sheds Pounds
“You just can’t beat
the person who
never gives up.”
~Babe Ruth
W
hat began as a challenge on
social media soon turned
into several astonishing transformations that proved all of us in law
enforcement can better our overall health
and fitness with the right motivation
and effort.
The challenge initiated from the Fit for
Duty C.O.s Facebook and Instagram site,
which is run by Passaic County Sheriff ’s
Department Corrections Officer Jose
Gonzalez. It began on January 17th with
a free health and nutrition seminar by
Officer Phil Avella. Officers who accepted
the challenge had 12 weeks to shed as
many pounds and body fat percentage
as possible. On April 11th, the winners
were announced. To get an accurate score,
weight and body fat percentage were taken
at the starting and finishing lines.
Twenty-nine officers stepped up and
By Daniel Del Valle
and George Beck
accepted the challenge. They committed
to several lifestyle modifications, which
included intense physical training,
combined with proper nutrition, and
positive thinking. Goals were set and
officers encouraged each other to reach the
next milestone -- to push further ahead
when at times the arduous conditioning
seemed physically and mentally impossible.
But as law enforcement officers have proven
over and over, they have the mettle to
achieve against all odds.
“The social media site really motivated
everybody to keep going,” Officer Gonzalez
said. “I also traveled to different gyms to
work with them.”
By the end of the grueling 12 weeks, 10
chose to participate in the final weigh-in.
The results were incredible! Combined
they lost a total of 220 pounds or an average
of 22 pounds per person. Of the 220 missing
pounds, approximately 141 were pure body
fat. These impressive results also revealed
over 181 inches (approximately 18.1 per
officer) were lost during the journey.
The grand prize was given to the officer who
lost the most body fat percentage. Officer
Joseph Celentano and Sgt. Dan Beck tied,
both presenting a startling
10% of body
fat reduction.
The
second
prize went to
Officer Joseph
Celentano who
shed a hefty 53
pounds in 12
weeks. Third
Officer Joseph Celentano
place was also
a tie. Officer Joseph Celentano and Sgt.
Italo Lacognata both trimmed 27 inches off
their bodies. Yes, you heard that correctly.
Between the two of them, a combined 54
inches were gone in just 12 weeks!
These impressive accomplishments show us
what’s possible when true grit and resolve
are brought to the table every day. We all
should aspire to work harder to optimize
our health.
NJ Blue Now congratulates all of the
winners and contestants! We are proud of
your accomplishments and wish all of you
much success as you continue to keep the
weight off and stay healthy.
“This challenge was about more than just
losing weight,” Officer Gonzalez said. “It
was about helping each other outside of
work when we don’t have the uniform on.”
We salute Officer Jose Gonzalez for all his
efforts to help these officers transform their
lives. It’s officers like you who inspire all of
us to do more to help each other.
Many of the officers continue to achieve tremendous results. Staying fit has become a
part of their lifestyle. We are happy to learn
some officers were pleasantly surprised when
they went for their physicals at their primary
physicians. Not only did the weight come off,
but also their health improved, and some no
longer needed prescriptions they were on for
many years. Clearly, every bit of the sweat
and pain was worth it. Job well done!
Sgt. Dan Beck before and after
Officer Joseph Celentano before and after
N JBlue now | May 2015
11
the law
GIVING THANKS FOR
AN OFTEN THANKLESS JOB:
An Appreciation of Law Enforcement
During A Difficult Time By Matthew A. Peluso, Esq.
“If you think people are inherently good… get rid of the police
for 24 hours – see what happens.” ~ Sylvester Stallone
T
imes are particularly tough for
law enforcement officers right
now. It seems that a day can’t pass
without a negative incident involving a
law enforcement officer dominating the
national news. Worse, a lot of this negativity
appears to be justified. When the public sees
an officer shooting an unarmed suspect in
the back, or a “wanna-be” cop mistakes
his firearm for his Taser, it is not difficult
to understand why public hostility towards
law enforcement officers is increasing
exponentially. Clearly, in the public’s mind,
a crisis of respect and trust has arisen with
regard to the law enforcement community,
which is of great concern to those of us who
know and represent officers.
As psychologist Michael Friedman, Ph.D.,
has found: “This lack of trust undermines
the legitimacy of law enforcement and
creates an unequal society in which some
feel comforted by law enforcement while
others feel suspicious and distrustful.
Members of the community are more likely
to feel safe and cooperate in investigations
if they trust law enforcement; thus, it is
in the best interest of all stakeholders
to understand and build trust in law
enforcement.”1 When the law enforcement
community and the citizens they serve are
at odds with each other, everyone loses.
However, this month provides the law
enforcement
community
nationwide
with an opportunity to come together en
masse and remind the public about their
primary and irreplaceable role in American
society. In 1962, President John F. Kennedy
designated May 15th as “Peace Officers
Memorial Day,” and the week in which that
date falls as national “Police Week.” The
proclamation signed by President Kennedy
stated that the day was intended: “To pay
12
NJBlue now | May 2015
tribute to the law enforcement officers who
have made the ultimate sacrifice for our
country and to voice our appreciation for
all those who currently serve on the front
lines of the battle against crime.”
During National Police Week, tens of
thousands of law enforcement officers
congregate in the Nation’s Capital. The
National Law Enforcement Officers
Memorial is located in Washington, DC
and is the nation’s monument to law
enforcement officers who have died in the
line of duty. Dedicated on October 15,
1991, the Memorial honors federal, state
and local law enforcement officers who
have paid the ultimate sacrifice for the
safety and protection of our nation and its
people. At the time of dedication, the names
of over 12,000 fallen officers were engraved
on the Memorial’s walls. During National
Police Week, new names are added to the
Memorial walls every year at a Candlelight
Vigil. Currently, there are 20,267 names of
fallen officers honored on the Memorial.
According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, one law
enforcement officer is killed in the line of
duty somewhere in the United States, on
average, every 58 hours. A total of 1,466
law enforcement officers died in the line of
duty during the past 10 years. The Memorial Fund serves as a nationwide clearinghouse of information and statistics on law
enforcement line-of-duty deaths. This year,
37 police officers have already lost their
lives in the line of duty. According to FBI
statistics, 49,851 law enforcement officers
were assaulted while performing their duties in 2013.
The world watched as over 25,000 officers
from numerous countries lined the streets
in a sea of blue to pay their respects to
murdered NYPD officers Rafael Ramos
and Winjian Liu this past winter. Then,
the world watched again as hundreds of
thousands lined the streets of Paris in
response to the brutal murders of three
police officers in the terrorists attacks at
Charlie Hebdo and a kosher supermarket.
The President of France, Francois Hollande
said at their funerals: “They died so that we
could live free.”
Thus, despite the current negative image
of law enforcement officers, violence is
directed more toward, than by, police
officers. In his remarks at the National
Peace Officer’s Memorial Service on May
15, 2013, President Obama expressed the
duty that all citizens owe to law enforcement
officers:
“As difficult as times may be, as tough as the
losses may be, your mission does not stop.
You never let down your guard. And those
of us who you protect should never let slide
our gratitude either. We should not pause
and remember to thank first responders and
police officers only in the wake of tragedy.
We should do it every day. And those of us
who have the privilege to lead should all
strive to support you better -- whether it’s
making sure police departments and first
responders have the resources they need
to do their jobs, or the reforms that are
required to protect more of our officers and
their families from the senseless epidemics
of violence that all too often wrack our
cities and haunt our neighborhoods.”
In response to the increasing violence
against law enforcement officers in this
country, the U.S. Department of Justice,
Bureau of Justice Assistance (“BJA”),
(Continued on page 14)
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the law
(Continued from page 12)
created the VALOR (“Preventing Violence
Against Law Enforcement and Ensuring
Officer Resilience and Survivability”) Program in 2010 to help prevent violence
against law enforcement officers, and ensure
officer resilience and survivability following
violent encounters during the course
of their duties. VALOR was developed
to address the increase in ambush-style
assaults that have taken the lives of many
law enforcement officers in recent months.
According to the BJA, VALOR provides
critical nationwide training and technical
assistance to sworn state, local, and tribal
law enforcement officers through a variety
of delivery mechanisms and conducts and
disseminates analysis of violent encounters
in various forms, including after-action
reviews. Training covers topics including
how to anticipate and survive a violent
encounter by using “The Deadly Mix”
framework (officer, offender, and the
circumstances that brought them together),
techniques for identifying concealed
weapons and/or armed gunmen, high-risk
tactical considerations (e.g., active shooters,
hostage), and specific threat groups and
violent criminals.
In addition, with the increasing danger
posed by so-called “home-grown” terrorists, law enforcement will play an increasingly expanded and significant role in
protecting the citizenry of our country
as the first-responders in the event of a
terrorist attack. On the recommendation of
the 9/11 Commission, Congress created the
Office for State and Local Law Enforcement
(“OSLLE”) in 2007 to “lead the coordination
of DHS-wide policies related to state, local,
tribal, and territorial law enforcement’s role
in preventing, preparing for, protecting
against, and responding to natural disasters,
acts of terrorism, and other man-made
disaster within the United States.”
Over the last few years, law enforcement
agencies at the federal, state and local
level have collaborated in preventing
numerous attacks planned by terrorists in
this country, and other countries. Further,
these are only the foiled attacks that were
made public. There are dozens, if not
hundreds, of potential attacks about which
the public is never made aware. With the
serious threat from ISIS and al-Qaeda,
the law enforcement community needs
to be supported, both financially and
emotionally, by the citizens of our country,
and unified among its various agencies, in
order to protect our country from potential
disaster. As all officers know, they are
often despised until an attack or potential
attack, and people realize how vulnerable
we all are without strong and effective law
enforcement.
Thus, despite the tragic incidents that have
placed law enforcement officers in a bad
light over the last year, every reasonable
citizen in this country knows that a highly
functioning, and fair, law enforcement
community is necessary to the well-being
of our country. As novelist Brad Thor said:
“We have an incredible warrior class in
this country - people in law enforcement,
Your WorlD Uncensored
with Valerie Stetz
Saturday 9 am -10 am
Matthew A. Peluso, Esq.
Statewide Civil Litigation
and Trials
www.yourworldddv.com
THE BEST IN INTERNET TALK RADIO
www.ddvradio.com
14
NJBlue now | May 2015
Diverse Uncensored Opinionated
Matthew A. Peluso, Esq. is an
attorney based in Princeton.
He has over 20 years of
experience in numerous
types of complex litigation,
including
employment,
insurance and business
law. Mr. Peluso has successfully represented
police officers in employment and contract
disputes involving wrongful termination,
failure to promote, race, gender and age
discrimination, hostile work environment
and whistle-blower actions. Mr. Peluso is a
graduate of the University of Miami School
of Law and George Washington University.
He can be reached at: 609-306-2595. His
e-mail address is: [email protected]. His
experience can be reviewed on Linkedin.com
and on his firm website: mpelusoesq.webs.
com. The opinions expressed by Mr. Peluso in
his article are not intended to provide legal
advice. Anyone interested should consult
a qualified attorney prior to making any
significant employment or legal decision.
Tier talk with Anthony Gangi
Saturday 6 pm - 7 pm
tiertalkddv.com
• May 2nd: Brian Bradberry (My 24 Years in Prison)
• May 16th: Dan Willis Captain, La Mesa Police
• May 31st: NYPD Det Eric Reynolds
Friedman, Michael, Ph.D. (2014) “What Happens When We Don’t Trust Law Enforcement?
The Importance of Law Enforcement’s Role in
Our Society’s Well-Being.” Psychology Today.
Online. Sept. 09, 2014 published in Brick in
Brick.
1
• April 25th: Major David McMillan and
Major David Kidwell (Wreath Laying Ceremony)
• May 9th: Doris Johnson Detective JCPD
• May 23rd: Dr. Michael Doblin Dentist.
Treating sleep apnea and cosmetically
enhancing faces with Botox as dermal fillers
intelligence - and I thank God every night
we have them standing fast to protect us
from the tremendous amount of evil that
exists in the world.” During this month of
May, it is important for the law enforcement
community to remind the public of that
reality.
Proudly Representing
New Jersey
Law Enforcement
Officers
609-306-2595
[email protected]
• May 9th: Chris Omodt and Pat Matter
(Breaking the Code)
• May 16th Gary Cornelius (Inmate Manipulation)
• May 23th: Skip Connor (Less than Lethal Training)
• May 30th Michael Wohlfert (Justifiable Force)
THE BEST IN INTERNET TALK RADIO
www.ddvradio.com
Diverse Uncensored Opinionated
To Advertise Call: 201.881.5100
[email protected]
Why Women Ride
By Captain Donna Roman Hernandez (Ret.)
“A hero is someone who has given his or her life
to something bigger than oneself.” ~ Joseph Campbell
This year’s National Police Week motto is:
Honor Courage, Salute Sacrifice.
Photo Credit: NLEOMF & Donna Roman Hernandez
16
NJBlue now | May 2015
National Police Week is a unique annual
gathering of officers and survivor families
at the National Law Enforcement Officers
Memorial in Washington, D.C. that
provides a unique collaboration of many
organizations, all dedicated to honoring
America’s law enforcement officers killed
in the line of duty. It draws in between
25,000 to 40,000 officers from departments
throughout the United States as well as
agencies throughout the world. The Police
Unity Tour’s arrival is always a highlight of
this event.
The PUT
The Police Unity Tour’s law enforcement
officers ‘ride for those who died.’ Their
mission is to raise public awareness and
honor our nation’s law enforcement officers
who have died in the line of duty and to raise
funds for the National Law Enforcement
Officers Memorial and Museum. The PUT
To Advertise Call: 201.881.5100
Photo Credit: Donna Roman Hernandez
Women in blue
Photo Credit: NLEOMF & Donna Roman Hernandez
was started in New Jersey by Chief
Patrick P. Montuore of the Florham Park
Police Department as a way to unite law
enforcement officers for a cause. Since then
it has grown into nine chapters nationwide
consisting of more than 1,800 members
who annually ride to remember, honor and
pay tribute to our fallen heroes.
Women Riders
Sgt. Greg Boyle, a retired West Orange
Police Sergeant and a 12-year veteran of the
Tour, serves as its Chaplain. Pastor Boyle
is dedicated to mentoring and serving the
spiritual needs of the riders. “As Chaplain,
my role is to lend spiritual support, prayer,
and to bring a word of inspiration to help
each member of the Tour to know from God
how important what we do is.” I asked the
Pastor if he thought the men and women of
the Tour ride for the same reasons. He said,
“I believe they ride for the same reasons,
but the women are more welcoming to talk
with me about the spiritual things they are
feeling. These women often share with me
their grief and passion to complete the Tour
because of the meaning behind it. They are
sacrificing Mother’s Day celebrations with
their children and their own mothers. I
tell them that God really appreciates their
additional sacrifice and representation.”
Pastor Boyle estimates there are more than
350 women riders with the Tour this year.
He added, “It’s a remarkable thing to see
all the riders in unison and unity pedaling
their bicycles from Newark, New Jersey to
Washington, D.C. But to see the women
do it is powerful. These women are just as
prepared and able to complete the trip as the
men are. Women also ride the motors, are
support staff on vehicles and ambulances,
are in charge of the hotel reservations
and accommodations, and represent an
important part of the whole team. It’s about
police unity and it’s only right they have a
great representation on the Tour.”
Why She Rides
Recently I spoke with a female officer about
what motivates her to ride with the Police
Unity Tour. She told me about the rigors
of training for the ride, raising funds to
support the cause, and why she and other
officers from her police department are
riding in honor of the Jersey officers killed
last year in the line of duty. She allowed
me to share her feelings with you. “My
participation is not about me, but about the
officers who made the ultimate sacrifice.
The first year I rode in the Police Unity
Tour I didn’t understand the meaning of it
until I arrived in D.C. and actually walked
alongside those large walls of the Memorial.
I saw thousands of officers’ names inscribed
there. Then I understood what it all meant.
I’ll continue riding yearly as long as God
gives me health.
This year we are honoring the sacrifice
of 118 officers nationwide. I personally
ride for each of them. One officer’s death
Tough Justice
Donna Roman Hernandez
www.ddvradio.com
SATURDAY 5 pm - 6 pm
is one officer too many. For me, it’s about
helping where I can. I want my children to
grow up with that feeling of servitude. We
can’t make a difference in this world if we
are all about ourselves. We ride for those
that died.”
Captain Donna Roman
Hernandez (Ret.) is a
domestic violence police
specialist,
domestic
violence subject matter
expert and consultant.
She is the founder and
President of Violence
Intervention & Prevention Specialists, LLC.
She is the host of Tough Justice Internet Talk
Radio Show (www.toughjusticeddv.com) and
The Jersey Beat Blog Talk Radio Show (www.
thejerseybeat.blogspot.com). Her awardwinning feature documentary-memoir The
Ultimate Betrayal: A Survivor’s Journey
is available for download or purchase at
Amazon.com – Prime Instant Video. Contact
Donna at [email protected] or
www.blueforcefilms.com.
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INTERNET TALK RADIO
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Diverse Uncensored Opinionated
30+ Years Experience
Triple Board Certified
Chairman of Podiatry Dept.,
St. Joseph’s Wayne Hospital
973- 595-1555
401 Hamburg Turnpike
Suite 110
Wayne, NJ 07470
northjerseypodiatry.com
N JBlue now | May 2015
17
INSIDE VIEW
Mutualism:
Humans and Animals
in Law Enforcement
T
hroughout history, animals
have been pivotal in helping
humanity reach their highest
potential. From the bloody ills
of war, through the cancer wards of the
sick and dying, animals have provided
protection, guidance and comfort to their
human counterparts for centuries. Key
among these animals of distinction are
police dogs and horses whose versatility
and good-nature has allowed them to
undertake numerous roles with unfaltering
obedience and commitment.
Since their domestication, dogs have been
man’s best friend and faithful companion.
Perhaps this fruitful relationship is seen
most evidently in the partnership between
police officers and canines. According to
Dogs for Law Enforcement, a nonprofit
organization geared toward preserving
the history of police canines, dogs have
been used for protection and security
since Roman times. The dogs’ keen sense
of smell, coupled with their menacing
characteristics and dexterity, makes them
prime candidates for police work. Among
these heroic dogs is K-9 Lakota of the
Clayton County Sheriff ’s Department in
Georgia.
K-9 Lakota’s apprehension record is perhaps
the most astounding in the country. In
less than four years of service, K-9 Lakota
nabbed over eighty suspects and seized
numerous illicit drugs from the streets.
Lakota’s many accomplishments are among
the most respected and honored in the law
enforcement community, thus earning him
numerous meritorious medals and awards.
Surely, these accolades represent a welldeserved honor for a remarkable animal,
which has devoted a great deal of his life
to public service. Regrettably, K-9 Lakota
and partner, Officer Travis Fox, were
injured in a car accident forcing the canine
to prematurely retire. Nonetheless, K-9
18
NJBlue now | May 2015
By Rafael Rosa
Lakota is just one of several well-trained
police dogs across the country that serve
their community with a heightened sense
of justice and equality.
Equally heroic and resolute are police
horses whose mere size and prowess
is equivalent to the strength of ten
police footmen. Arguably, no modern
technology has surpassed the ingenuity and
effectiveness of police horses in crowd and
riot control. Their mere presence alone is a
strong deterrence that is further maximized
by the efforts of the officers who handles
them. Verbal commands such as diagonal
right and left, troop line, wedge and others
are only a few examples of how simple
formation techniques can coalesce a group
of horses into an efficient, effective and
formidable crime fighting mechanism.
In recent years, horses have assisted officers
in all sorts of functions. From stopping
uprisings and violent crimes to issuing
traffic tickets and entertaining children,
horses have facilitated the work efforts of
their human companions for years. Their
natural versatility provides the officer with
all the necessary requirements needed to
conduct his duties effectively and efficiently
in the twenty-first century. The numerous
apprehensions conducted by police horses
and their handlers across the nation are
a clear example of two living organisms
working together for a common good.
The standards in which police horses are
expected to perform today parallels the
expected quality of the community it
represents. As a result, all across America
police horses are being used for various
duties that exceed the mere responsibility
of providing riot control.
To many onlookers, there is no sight
more assuring than a patrol officer on
horseback. The added height allows the
mounted officer, and citizen, to see each
other from a distance, thus reassuring
law and order within the immediate
vicinity. Aside from crowd control, traffic
enforcement, proactive crime deterrence,
and patrol, horses also serve as great
community relation ambassadors. Within
any topography, the horse’s presence
attracts countless people to the area; some
of these people bringing tasty treats such
as apples and carrots to the horse as a way
to pass their time. On numerous occasions,
horses have provided comfort to stressful
workers who enjoy touching and feeding
them. Of all visitors, children are the most
enthralled and are often mesmerized by the
ludic behavior of these animals. Parents,
too, partake in the fun by taking pictures of
their children, with the police horse poised
in the background, as a keepsake. Horses
also enhance the aesthetics of the city by
complementing the landscape with their
majestic walk and audible neigh.
Overall, horses, and dogs, are the “superstars” of every police department that
employs them and an indispensable tool to
any law enforcement organization.
Rafael Rosa has been a
police officer since 1999.
He presently holds an
associates and bachelor’s
degree in Criminal Justice,
two master’s degrees and is
a doctoral candidate.
To Advertise Call: 201.881.5100
legal news
How We Can Protect Police Officers in an Era of Public Distrust
By Robert (Bob) Bianchi, Esq.
T
he newest police case of notoriety is
the shooting of Walter L. Scott by
Officer Michael T. Slager. In a video
taken by a citizen, the event captured a
chilling abuse and wholly unnecessary use
of force in my opinion.
I am a great supporter of the police, and
was so as head County Prosecutor and even
now as a criminal defense attorney. I have
always advocated that we can maintain
effective and aggressive police enforcement,
while protecting the civil rights of the
citizenry. In other words, the two concepts
are not mutually exclusive, but work in
tandem with one another. To feel that they
are not workable in the same framework,
is an archaic thought process that needs to
be addressed with vigor to set the proper
vision for all officers.
Witnessing any police officer charged with
murder is painful for me, as it affects all of
the so many fine law enforcement officers
throughout the country. It is great that the
department has acted with professionalism,
transparency, and speed. But nevertheless,
it is clear that this event plays into a larger
national narrative allowing those that are
“anti-police” to wrongly fit this event into
notable cases like Michael Brown and Eric
Garner, which are in truth wholly different
matters altogether.
Despite the “truth” or legitimacy of these
tortured comparisons, the effect is the
same. The police in the United States are
under attack and need to desperately stop
the “anti-police” sentiments that these cases
have wrought upon them. And, they need
to be proactive to launch a public relations
campaign so that their voices can be heard.
There are some takeaways
from these cases:
• The police agencies throughout the
United States would be wise to publically
condemn the shooting in South Carolina,
to show that they too do not condone the
actions of officer Slager.
• Like the issue of dash-cams (which the
20
NJBlue now | May 2015
police fought with every ounce of strength
back in the day) there now needs to be an
acceptance of body-cams.
In fact, police organizations should be
publically, and proactively, calling for bodycams for their own protection. The public
needs to learn through video the great work
officers perform every day. There should be
no fear of body-cams, except from those
that are doing things that make them unfit
to be police officers in the first place.
On this score, many officers feel that bodycams (like they did with dash-cams) will be
used to unfairly attack them. But in reality,
we have seen time and time again that dashcams have exonerated police officers from
bogus claims, showing to the public that
pays their salaries, exactly the challenges
and danger officers face across this nation.
Accordingly, body-cams protect them, with
the added benefit of being a great public
relations tool.
For years, I continue to emphasize proactive
community affairs relations is a must in
every department.
The problem with many of the tensions
we have recently observed is fear, division,
and miscommunication that cause the
community and police to be suspect of
one another. This is not a good culture to
operate in as a police officer.
Community relations salves that wound.
It brings the community together because
when we have relations with others, we trust
one another more. It also helps the officers
build relationships that lead to more tips,
assistance, and data from the community to
accomplish what both “sides” want – safer
communities.
In all, it is my belief that the federal government needs to federally fund projects that
make the above recommendations required
components mandatory among all police
agencies in the United States. The dividends
to the police will be amazing, despite their
fear that doing these simple things will be
counterproductive to them. Each time this
fear has been expressed, only a few short
years later, the police realize that what they
objected to was ultimately a “win” for them.
Why is that?
The reason is that an overwhelming number
of police officers are doing an excellent
job and are great public servants. Hence,
allowing the public to see them at their best,
at the most dangerous and heroic times,
and to witness the stresses they encounter
on a daily basis cannot help but make rightminded people respect the job they do.
Over the years, as an attorney involved with
police practice cases, I have represented
many police officers. I have sued the police,
prosecuted the police, defended police
officers, supported the police, as well as
everything in between.
It is saddening to me when I see an entire
profession maligned when, in reality, they
should be applauded. A few very “bad
apples are spoiling the bunch.” It is time
for those excellent police officers to stand
up and accept and advocate for more
police accountability, transparency, and
mechanisms that document their actions
– not only for their protection, but also for
the need of the community to ensure they
are acting appropriately.
If these “reforms” mean that temperamentally unfit police officers are removed
before a tragedy occurs, I say great. As
a result, those that are deserving of the
profession can lift those already doing a
great job to even greater heights.
Robert A. Bianchi, Esq.,
served as the Morris County
Prosecutor from June 22,
2007 through February 8,
2013. The New Jersey Supreme Court has awarded
him the distinction of being
a Certified Criminal Trial Attorney, with less
than 1% of the attorneys (approximately 250
attorneys) in this State who are so qualified.
Mr. Bianchi is a nationally recognized TV
Legal Analyist on many networks and regularly appears weekly on Fox News Network.
To Advertise Call: 201.881.5100
195 US HWY 46, Suite 12
Totowa, NJ 07511
873-837-8173 | metroankle.com
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corrections
The Importance of
Cross-Gender
Supervision
By Sgt. Anthony Gangi
P
rimitive arguments against crossgender supervision relate to an oldfashioned turn-key style of lock up,
where no effort is made to prevent
recidivism and interaction with the inmate
population is limited. These arguments fail
to recognize that corrections has evolved
and rehabilitation is now the new focus.
Rehabilitation is a process that defines the
evolution of corrections. It’s a progressive
step forward to produce an inmate who
is ready to re-enter society. The aim is to
provide inmates with opportunities to
grow, so post incarceration they can make
better choices. Rehabilitative programs
are reality-based and concentrate on the
personal needs of each inmate. Through
rehabilitation, inmates have a chance of
becoming productive citizens and even, in
some sense, payback their debt to society.
Therefore, we as a society can benefit from
ex-convicts who are more equipped to
adapt to societal standards.
For rehabilitation to occur, everyone must
play their part, including custody. Custodial staff is now required to communicate
with multiple departments (mental health,
education, social services, etc.) and help
them discover what works best with each
inmate. Inmates are currently classified in
accordance to, not just safety and security,
but what programs benefit them the most.
The classification process consists of highly
trained individuals from multiple departments working as a team to maximize the
rehabilitative potential of each inmate.
Their focus is to find ways where they can
prepare the inmate to adjust to society’s
rules and norms and set forth an individual
who will become a productive member of
society. This is where cross-gender supervision becomes paramount. Cross-gender
supervision becomes an important part of
the rehabilitative process because it exposes
22
NJBlue now | May 2015
inmates to the opposite gender and develops their ability to interact properly with
the opposite gender.
Let’s look at it like this: Imagine being a
female who was constantly abused by a
male. After years of abuse, you lose control
and commit an act of violence that lands
you in prison. During incarceration,
you now spend your days away from the
opposite-gender. Through separation, the
fear of the opposite gender may never
subside. Why would it? Your view will
remain limited because you were never
given the proper chance to change your
tainted perspective.
Cross-gender supervision will create the
dissonance needed to challenge the inmate’s
pervasive perspective and create the proper
alternative viewpoint for behavioral
adjustment. It will highlight professional
members of the opposite-gender that will
paint the proper picture of true, reality
based, rehabilitation. Without cross-gender
interaction and supervision, the inmate
will remain within their original frame of
reference and, once released, will eventually
find his or her way back into the system.
Recent attempts by Federal standards
are being made to prevent interactions
between officers of the opposite gender and
the inmates that reside within their line of
authority. This has generalized all officers
of opposite gender as bad seeds that must
be eliminated. This generalization is unfair.
It creates a stigma without any sense of
regard toward those of the opposite gender
that remain professional in their duties and
has proven themselves to be an asset on allneeded levels of the agency. In other words,
logically, these officers are being judged by
their gender rather than the merit in which
they perform their duties.
Generalization, like the one mentioned
above, become the centerpiece in which the
uninformed derive their legislation. This
presents a sense of dishonor to those who
have held true to the badge they are sworn
to uphold. Eventually, through unfair
legislation, certain officers will be looked
at as a liability, as opposed to being seen as
true professionals.
In closing, the need to run a safe and secure
facility is still and always will be paramount.
But, since corrections has evolved, we must
make room for second necessities, like
cross-gender supervision and the vital role
it plays in rehabilitation.
Within the wall, measures are taken that
ensure a productive change can occur in
the heart and mind of the offender so they
can be of value once they are released. If
you look at it from a business perspective,
recidivism is money wasted.
Corrections is mandated, within their
means given, to release a product that can
be of value to society. If failure occurs, the
system must be able to stand tall enough
so people on the outside will begin to look
at the individual. Corrections cannot force
someone to change, but they can provide
them with the tools they need. Crossgender supervision is one of those tools
worth deploying and maintains that sense
of reality that the inmate will face once
their re-entry to society takes place.
For over twelve years,
Anthony Gangi has worked
in the correctional setting
dealing with both male and
female offenders. He served
on the custody level and has
moved through the ranks from line officer
to supervisor. He has a degree in psychology
and a true passion for the written word.
To Advertise Call: 201.881.5100
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NJBlue now | May 2015
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cover story
All Eyes on You
By Daniel Del Valle, Kyle Macci, Esq., and George Beck
I
n our modern world, officers are in a
sense the new celebrities. Their every
move is tracked, video recorded and
quickly offered on social media and other
outlets like YouTube. Sometimes the video
goes viral and within minutes nearly every
media entity across the globe is covering it.
All officers know the new motto to live by
is: “All eyes on you.”
Recently, we have seen hordes of people
across the country filming officers with
their cellphones. It doesn’t take long to find
hundreds of these videos on the Internet.
They stem from simple interactions where
an officer was issuing a motor vehicle
summons to arrests that get physical, and
in a small number of cases, force that was
unjustifiable. Sometimes the unjustifiable
force is based on an appearance when
viewed only in the prism of the snapshot
version of events offered by the cellphone
camera. In other words, sometimes the
video captures the entire situation, other
26
NJBlue now | May 2015
times it doesn’t. And yes, there have been
cases where the officer’s conduct was
questionable and other times egregious.
Nobody is denying law enforcement officers
are imperfect. They’re as flawed as every
other community, but in our modern times
there is no room for error. Every officer at
one point or another will make a mistake.
But don’t make mistakes that are criminal.
Officers are expected at all times to act
properly. Don’t let emotions overcome
reaction.
A quick view of the many videos flooding
the Internet will show another trend: In
many cases, abuse and outright hate is
vehemently shouted at officers while they
are acting in the performance of their
duties. Welcome to the new world we live
in. Kick a cop, punch a cop, spit on him or
her, and call them every profanity in the
book. It’s not what officers signed up for,
but it’s now reality.
Officers know the appropriate response is
to remain calm and alert should the verbal
assault turn physical. But they are human
and not robots. They fear like every other
person. Yet, their human component is
largely ignored. They are often portrayed
as “part of a system” of injustice where the
majority of law enforcement is violently
seeking to hurt innocent people. This
kind of thinking leads the public to a false
sense of security that the world is absent
of extremely dangerous people, and it’s the
police who are the ones to fear.
How did we get to this point?
Technology and
Law Enforcement
Nothing has affected law enforcement in the
last decade more than technology. In such a
short period, many technological advances
have revolutionized the profession. This has
caused law enforcement to quickly adapt
and adjust to meet the demands of the
To Advertise Call: 201.881.5100
modern world. We have reached a point
where an officer’s every move is secondguessed, and at times it seems they can’t eat
lunch without being recorded on a camera
phone. It all happened so quickly.
Not that long ago, many veterans remember
hand writing incident reports or inking
prisoners and then typing their biographic
info with a typewriter. They remember
having to pull over to call headquarters on
a payphone, or radio the desk officer to run
a license plate. Even further beyond those
days, many retired officers recall not having
a single computer in the stationhouse.
But with technology on the rise, the older
methods are quickly becoming obsolete.
Today, nearly every police cruiser is
equipped with a computer. Prisons
and jails use high-tech equipment to
monitor inmates. Recent advances in
cellphone technology have modernized
communications and the way in which
officers interact with the public. Other
advances include MVR’s, body cameras,
Tasers, and the list goes on and on.
But technological progress can have both
positive and negative impacts on the law
enforcement profession. Take for example
cellphone cameras. It would be pretty hard
to find somebody in America without
one. Many cellphones are equipped with a
camera, video recorder, and smartphone
technology that basically has made the
device a handheld computer.
news van camps outside their home and life
as they knew it has changed forever.
Mass and Social Media Can
Move at Lightning Speed
The power of the mass and social media
should not be underestimated. Within
seconds after completing a traffic stop or
other interaction with the public, cellphone
video taken by anyone, whether or not they
were directly involved in the incident, can
be uploaded and within minutes go viral,
where news agencies from around the
globe will feature the story. It can happen
in minutes.
Some have argued this has increased the
accountability of law enforcement, since
their actions can now be memorialized in
audio and visual representation. In some
respects, this argument is correct. If a rogue
officer is intentionally out there harming
innocent people, then to capture his or
her conduct on film would be beneficial
to society. But incidents where officer
misconduct is blatant and purposeful make
up an overwhelmingly small minority of
the total. The majority of officer and civilian
interactions are peaceful. There are far
more incidents of hyped-up and inaccurate
videos out there on social media and the
Internet where the account of the incident
is often one-sided and designed to depict
officers as brutal savages. It’s also the bad
apples who get all the attention.
But video cameras are also good for law
enforcement. They have vindicated officers
Yet, video cameras are not new. They began
over a century ago with the production
of silent films. Over the 20th century,
advancements in video camera technology
eventually led to Sony producing the first
consumer camcorder in 1983. Initially,
video cameras were expensive and reserved
only for those who could afford the luxury.
But recently, new technology has placed
affordable cellphone video cameras in
nearly every person’s pocket.
It seems nowadays many citizens using their
cellular phones are constantly recording
officers. A recent recording that surfaced of
an NYC detective hollering at a motorist is
an example of how all eyes are on the police
at all times. In a flash, people in every corner
of the world know the officer’s name, home
address, and all other personal details. A
N JBlue now | May 2015
27
cover story
from false accusations. Take for example
the recent apology by “Empire” actress
Taraji P. Henson, who claimed the Glendale
Police racially profiled her son during a
traffic stop in October of 2014. Her account
clearly changed when the video showed
otherwise.
“I would like to publicly apologize to
the officer and the Glendale Police
Department,” the “Empire” actress said in
an Instagram message. “A mother’s job is
not easy and neither is a police officer’s.
Sometimes as humans we overreact without gathering all the facts. As a mother
in this case, I overreacted and for that I
apologize. Thank you to that officer for
being kind to my son.”
Looking Ahead
As we have seen, technology can have both
positive and negative effects. But one thing
is certain: Technology has revolutionized
the profession and in many ways enhanced
it. Therefore, remember at all times that
law enforcement officers are in many ways
like celebrities constantly being hounded
by paparazzi. Surreptitious recordings of
police are trending right now, whether they
tell the entire story or not.
Have we reached a
point where an officer
being attacked, injured
or killed is acceptable?
What puzzles law enforcement is that
nowadays there are videos of officers being
attacked and assaulted with bystanders
choosing to video record rather than render
aid. Clearly this is not always the case.
There are many good Samaritans out there
who help an officer when he or she is being
attacked. But those preferring the cellphone
camera over rendering aid have many in
law enforcement wondering why. Have
we reached a point where an officer being
attacked, injured or killed is acceptable?
eliadam.com
We as law enforcement know the truth. So,
let’s focus less on the anti-law enforcement
sentiment that is getting all the attention
right now and more on remaining safe and
making a difference in a difficult world. The
overwhelmingly majority of officers are
good, decent human beings who do the job
with honor and pride.
In closing, the best way to understand the
ever-evolving law enforcement profession
is to remember why one chooses a career
in law enforcement. It’s to help others,
and make society a safe, stable and
peaceful place to live and raise a family.
Law enforcement is a difficult job, but it’s
important and necessary. A society without
law enforcement is one that nobody would
want to live in. These basic fundamentals
have been part of the profession since its
inception. So as technology continues to
change law enforcement, let’s keep adapting
and adjusting, use it to our advantage, and
most importantly, remember why we chose
a career in law enforcement: to leave this
world a little better than we found it.
Eli Adams
Jewelers
• Watches
• Jewelry
114 Essex St, Rochelle Park, NJ 07662 | 201.880.4130
28
NJBlue now | May 2015
Law enforcement trusted
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Spotlight
Flashback 2012 Cover Story
Valor
&
Courage
A
pinkish glow in the east was
erasing the stars as the Newark
patrol car raced to the hospital’s
emergency room. It was a dry morning, no
different than many other July dawns, but
on this one, Detective Kennedy Murray, 37,
was bleeding out in the rear seat.
As the emergency lights flashed and the
siren’s wail pierced the early morning
stillness, Kennedy, mortally wounded from
a gunshot wound to the abdomen, pressed
his hand against the wound to control the
bleeding. He was bleeding faster now and
the rear seat was slick with blood.
The patrol officer raced as fast as the
engine allowed, cutting sharp corners and
slamming the accelerator to the floor. He
knew Kennedy had only a few minutes to
live at most.
Suffering through intense pain, Kennedy
saw familiar places along the way. First
was his church in Newark’s South Ward, a
red brick building with tall white columns
and a stately white cross that makes the
structure appear twice as tall. It brought
on a fresh memory of his recent wedding
30
NJBlue now | May 2015
ceremony. It was only eight months ago
he and his bride had exchanged vows and
began what was expected to be a peaceful
and happy life together.
Dodging through the city streets, outside
the left window his elementary school came
into view. A large brick building with a tall
flagpole and green grass that was vacant
for summer recess. It reminded him of his
youth and all the days he spent laughing
and playing with his classmates.
And then he darted passed the block he
grew up on. He thought of his beloved
family and friends. With these memories
included Kennedy’s deceased father-a massive man with broad shoulders,
standing 6’5” tall, who in 1946 became
one of the first African-American cops on
the Newark police force. Seeing the places
he loved sparked cherished memories,
and it startled him. It was at that moment
Kennedy realized it was probably going to
be his last day on earth.
The Newark patrol car skidded up to the
emergency room door and the fatiguing
detective managed to hold on. Even after his
By George Beck
breathing had stopped during emergency
surgery and his body lay lifeless for two
minutes, the doctors had revived him, and
Kennedy courageously fought his way back
to health, returning to work a little over a
year later.
A Career of Heroism
I recently sat down with Kennedy to
get a better sense of valor and service.
Kennedy, a well-spoken and intelligent law
enforcement veteran (now retired since
April 2013), spoke of the satisfaction of
helping others and how all the little things
officers do every day make a huge impact
in the lives of so many people struggling
to make ends meet. For Kennedy, being an
officer was less about having a badge and
gun, and more about making a difference
in an increasingly violent world.
Kennedy worked for the Essex County
Sheriff ’s Department and spent time on
loan to the United States Marshal’s Regional
Fugitive Task Force, where his responsibility
was to go after those criminals the world
fears, the most dangerous who don’t care
who they kill and how they do it.
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“There are a lot of violent people out there
who will kill you,” Kennedy said. “And it
doesn’t matter if you work in Newark or
Cherry Hill or Holmdel, this is real. You
can be killed anywhere.”
That’s a well-taken point when currently the
mainstream media leads viewers to believe
the police are the ones who are violent. This
kind of thinking mistakenly creates a false
sense of security – that the world is absent
of very bad citizens. Ask any officer who
has patrolled the tiers or worked the streets,
and they will quickly inform you this kind
of thinking is far from reality.
myself down the stairs and then radio
headquarters to let them know I had been
shot,” Kennedy said. “There was so much
commotion, loud blaring sirens from patrol
cars racing to the scene. Then the marked
Newark unit appeared and I knew if I didn’t
get in that car and get to the hospital, I
wouldn’t be here talking to you.”
“What the public is not seeing is all the
assaults on law enforcement, all the
stabbings and broken noses, and pricks
with needles,” Kennedy said. “I’d even
known an officer who was pushed down the
stairs. There’s so much violence out there,
and it’s not the overwhelmingly majority of
good officers who are doing it.”
Kennedy tells his story with confidence
knowing that he did everything he could to
survive and save the lives of his fellow officers. The criminal who had shot him had
two guns: one he shot Kennedy with and
the other he used on himself.
In the recent wake of anti-law enforcement
videos flooding the Internet and social
media en masse, those who’ve shown
valor and courage and who’ve sacrificed
greatly to uphold peace and stability in
an increasingly violent society have been
set aside.
The day Kennedy nearly had died is a prime
example. On July 2, 2004, he was executing
a raid on a residence in Newark where a
suspect wanted for murder was believed to
be hiding out. As he stood outside the door
with the ballistic shield and the officer with
the battering ram next to him, he knocked
on the door and heard scurrying inside.
Moments later he was confronted with the
homicidal criminal opening fire on him,
striking the ballistic shield, which twisted
him in a vulnerable position, and allowed
a bullet to sear into his stomach just below
his bulletproof vest.
NJ LUENOW
“It felt like somebody had broken my ribs. It
was intense pain,” Kennedy said. “I saw the
blood go from a lighter to a deeper shade of
red. Blood was all over the place.”
Detective Kennedy J. Murray
Beyond the door was the criminal and
Kennedy had known if he didn’t hold his
position other officers would also be shot,
so he bravely held the ballistic shield and
crossed the doorway, covering his fellow
officers until another officer was in tactical
position to cover the door.
“I don’t know how, but I managed to walk
Volume 3~Issue 8
NOVEMBER 2012
™
New Jersey’s Independent Voice of Law Enforcement
WWW.NJBLUENOW.COM
Interview:
Atlantic County
Sheriff Frank Balles
Remembrance
In closing, Kennedy has this message
for fellow brothers and sisters in Blue:
“Anything can happen in a moment’s
notice. Remain alert, stay vigilant, stay alive
and protect yourself at all times.”
Officer C. Amoroso
BLESSED TO BE ALIVE
NJ BLUE NOW | NOVEMBER 2012
Therefore, we at NJ Blue Now want to
spotlight and salute officers like Kennedy
who served with valor and suffered greatly
to make a difference. We understand there
are so many officers across the country like
Kennedy and we wish we could feature all
of them, but we don’t have enough print
real estate, so know this: We appreciate and
support all of you.
1
“Man, I always hate that another man’s life
was taken, but that was a choice he made,”
Kennedy said. “He had said he wasn’t going
back to jail and that’s that.”
In a world where violence can happen in a
flash, officers across the country are tasked
with the responsibility to stem the tide-- to
hold back the most ruthless from preying
on the innocent.
George Beck is a police
detective, writer and a
Drew University Ph.D.
candidate. He’s earned
several degrees including
an associate’s, bachelor’s
and two master’s degrees.
He is the author of The Killer Among Us
(Noir Nation Books) and several other
books. His nonfiction and short stories have
been featured in magazines and anthologies
nationally and internationally.
Creators of
NY LUENOW
Spring 2015
New York’s Independent Voice of Law Enforcement
™
www.NYBlueNow.com
Uniting Law Enforcement
One State at a Time.
ED
AMBUSH
www.envisageproductions.com
Thank You For Your Service
www.njbluenow.com
www.nybluenow.com
www.ctbluenow.com
N JBlue now | May 2015
31
prevention
Incorporating Case Law
Into Your Report Writing
By Lt. Joseph Pangaro (Ret.)
T
he courts of New Jersey always
look very closely at police officers
and the actions we take out in the
field, especially when we conduct a search
without a warrant. If it is drugs we uncover
during a warrantless search, the scrutiny of
our work will be even greater.
It is always best to get a warrant to conduct
a search, but, as anyone who has been involved in police work knows, circumstances
are very fluid and the luxury of obtaining a
warrant is not always as easy as it is portrayed
to be. That being said, our obligation to
protect the constitutional rights of the
citizens we are sworn to serve demands
we adhere to the high standards, unless
one of the recognized exemptions to the
search warrant requirement is present. The
key then to conducting a valid warrantless
search will hinge on a few facts such as:
exigent circumstances and officer safety.
Exigent circumstances arise from a couple
of random actions. The unplanned nature
of a motor vehicle stop and the danger to
the officers associated with the stop and
the occupants of the vehicle can be a factor.
If you have these elements you may be
permitted to conduct a warrantless search.
The facts that led you to believe you needed
to conduct a warrantless search have to be
specifically documented in a report.
It is with that understanding that we have to
make sure we do things the right way and
within the guidelines the court has set forth.
While the vast majority of police officers
do a great job in the performance of their
duties on the street, an area that is often
neglected is the written report.
The formal police report is vital to any
prosecution and will follow a case through
every stage of the process. If your search and
arrest is a substantial one, you don’t want
to lose it because of an insufficient report
during the trial stage or later in an appellate
review. Throughout my career, I have found
that a solid report is one that is presented in
a clear manner, covers all aspects of the stop
and search, and includes a narrative that
provides the reader with a sense of exactly
what it was like during the stop.
32
NJBlue now | May 2015
The details of the stop that led you to search
without a warrant must be very specific.
You need to list these points very plainly
so everyone reading your report, not only
knows what you did, but understands why.
In fact a few Supreme Court cases in the
past few years have addressed this exact
topic and provided the guide we need to be
aware of and document in our reports.
• The courts will also look outside your
agency when evaluating your assertion of
exigent circumstances. If you say you were
alone with three defendants, the court
will want to know about the availability
of officers from a neighboring jurisdiction
to determine not only that you were
alone, but that there was no reasonable
expectation that help was available.
What the courts have been clear about is
that they are looking for some key elements
specific to your stop that will justify a
warrantless search. They will rely on these
elements to make their decision about the
validity of your actions.
Based on this information it is up to every
officer to ensure that, if these facts are
present in your case, you document them
in detail. The court has said that each will
be viewed on a case by case basis. But it is
clear the court will be looking to see if your
warrantless search was actually necessary or
if you were simply shortcutting the process.
Some of the main elements they look for and
have cited in previous court cases include:
• The time of day of your stop. Was it 2:00
p.m. or 3:00 a.m.? The courts have a
tendency to see the overnight activities
as more dangerous. Therefore, they often
give more leeway to the officer.
• Where did the stop take place? Was it on
a highway along a shopping corridor or in
a residential area, or was it in a desolate
part of a rural highway removed from
the general public? Again the courts
tend to see the isolation of your stop as
an important factor in determining the
reasonableness of your actions.
• Another important element is how many
police officers were on the stop and how
many suspects were in the vehicle. Were
you alone with three suspects in the car,
or were there four police officers and two
suspects? The ratio of police to suspect(s)
will provide a lot of insight for the court.
• Th
e court will want to know if you
stopped the car in an area where there are
confederates of the suspect(s). If so, is it in
an area where people know the suspect has
drugs and if you leave the car there is it a
reasonable possibility that someone could
get into the car and remove the drugs? The
court might also want to know if there was
a potential danger to the officer if only one
officer remained to guard the vehicle while
you tried to obtain a warrant.
Case law is a series of layers made up of
incidents and court findings built on top of
another. You must take the time to know
the law and the case law that governs your
actions out in the street. Look up the courts’
findings and be sure to include every vital
fact in your report. Describe the weather,
the location of the stop, the time of day,
how many suspects were there and who was
available to help you. If you find that you
desire to search a car without a warrant is
strong but your circumstances are weak,
then take the long road, do it right and get
a warrant. And remember, as cops we are
the good guys and the good girls. Protecting
the rights of everyone is one of our main
obligations as much as making a good arrest.
Lt. Joseph Pangaro retired
after serving 27 years in
law enforcement in a police
department in Monmouth
County, NJ Pangaro is a
graduate of the Certified
Public Managers Program
(CPM) through Fairleigh Dickenson University and served his department as the Lead
Training Officer. He’s a newspaper columnist who writes about the rigors and joys in
law enforcement. Joseph Pangaro is the CEO
and President of Pangaro Management and
Training and Management and Pangaro
Global Training, an online training company.
Email Lt. Pangaro @JPangaro194@yahoo.
com or Twitter: @Pangarotraining
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retirement
Plan and Prepare Now
for Successful Retirement:
You Are
Worth It!
By Frank Generoso
T
he walk from the locker room to
the property room seemed to take
forever. It is amazing what you notice
when you know you will never see a place
again. The next 15 minutes or so seemed
pretty uneventful to the property officer, but
were a bit overwhelming to me. Magazine
pouch… check, holster… check… Smith &
Wesson 9mm handgun… check. And just
like that one fall day in 1998, I found myself
leaving police headquarters for the last time
as an active officer.
I retired way ahead of time due to an
unavoidable back injury. I recall the
emotions I felt. Anger and frustration
perhaps dominated them. But, I am grateful
that I had served in a very professional and
progressive police department. During
my time on the job, I was given many
opportunities, which included: detective
bureau, juvenile crimes, and various uniform details. It was fun, it was great, but it
was all over. Just like that. Now what?
Like most of my brothers and sisters in
Blue, my police career was everything to
me. Everything I did revolved around law
enforcement. I took great pride in putting
that uniform on and going out day after
day. When the thought of not being able to
do that became a reality, I was caught offguard, as many are when they separate from
service due to an injury. The first couple of
years after retirement were spent rehabbing
34
NJBlue now | May 2015
and going through a strenuous physical
therapy program. As I got better it was
apparent that I would need to do something
with myself in the years that would follow.
The biggest help I received during this time
came from my wife. God bless her. She
and a lot of the spouses deserve medals.
It is not easy being the spouse of a cop
and it’s even harder to deal with a newly
retired cop on disability. Because of my
wife’s career and outgoing personality, I
was always meeting and befriending other
people outside of the law enforcement
community. This association was vital in
seeing life other than through an officer’s
eyes and perspective. I began reading on
various careers and learning about human
behavior and success. I entered into a
business partnership that took me way out
of my comfort zone. I was selling, growing
sales teams, and learning a heck of a lot
about the private sector and business. It was
all going well but depression had entered
the picture. I missed being an officer. I
never realized how my entire identity was
wrapped up on “the job.” Some days were
better than others. Don’t ask me why but I
actually agreed to counseling. For someone
who was as prideful and independent as I
was, counseling would normally not even
be an option. But a wife and children can
sometimes change that perspective. And it
did in my case. It helped tremendously.
Eventually, things got better. It seemed
like an eternity but life did improve. I
was slowly appreciating my new life after
policing. I had a great support group (by
default) around me. And as reclusive as I
was at times, I managed to make some good
friends along the way that provided great
advice and guidance.
Like many officers, I hadn’t given much
thought to work after policing because it
was a job I loved and hoped to do it for as
long as possible. But at some point, I knew
I had to reinvent myself.
Fast forward 15 years my career is very
different. I ended up self-employed in
the training and consulting business. I
often teach Communications Mastery to
professionals. We cover everything about
connecting with people, relating to different
behavior styles as well as conflict resolution
and customer service.
It was 17 years ago when I took that last
walk from police headquarters. Some days
it seems like centuries ago and other times
it feels like it was yesterday. I look at some
of the young officers and cannot help but
wonder how far I would be able to run with
them before collapsing! It seems like the
faces get younger and younger: which also
means I am getting older and older. But life
is great. Not perfect, not free from challenges and some scary moments, but it is good.
To Advertise Call: 201.881.5100
Looking back over the years, I
noticed a pattern that definitely
helped to pull me up when I was
down. I tell this story so other
officers out there can think about
planning for life beyond law
enforcement. Planning is a huge
part of the process. Here are some
things I did that I found helpful:
• I started reading on a daily basis
and eventually went back and
earned my degree. Most of my
early retired days were spent on
my back at home due to pain. But
I was able to pick up a book and
learn something. I knew I would
have to prepare myself for the
future. So I read. And I continue to
read to this day. Reading allowed
me to expand my thoughts beyond law enforcement.
• Association was vital. Hopefully
you are fortunate to have family
around you. If not, who you
spend your time with can make
or break you. There are a lot of
organizations out there where
you can meet and make new
friends. Whether it is a hobby,
trade or profession, there is never
a shortage of people willing to
assist and share. But you have to
take the first step.
• Counseling was instrumental. I
was able to vent to someone that
would not judge me or be biased.
He or she would listen and give
some objective advice. This went
on for a long time. And it helped.
Do not be timid in seeking help.
You are worth it. Your family
is worth it. You will be better
because of it.
• I eventually let go of the past.
Easier said than done. But the
past will keep you in shackles,
whereas thinking of the future
and the endless possibilities will
free you. I heard a very successful
man once say, “When your vision
of the past is greater than your
vision for the future, you are
dead.” Not literally of course but
metaphorically. Think about it: a
lot of people are “dead” mentally
and spiritually because they dwell
on the past. We all get caught up
in it. I did and I still occasionally
do. But I started focusing on the
future and of all the possibilities
out there.
The road after retirement can be a
very windy and challenging one.
But there is a future out there and
you too can assimilate and become
a well-adjusted citizen. Plan and
prepare now. You are worth it.
Frank Generoso is owner of GT
Global Performance LLC, a sales
and customer
service training
company
in
Bergen County,
NJ He retired
from the police
force after 8
years due to an
on-duty injury.
Advertise with us…
It doesn’t cost…
It pays.
201.881.5100
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• Oral Appliance during sleep. This happens because
therapy (OAT) for our muscles relax during sleep and
sleep Apnea and then gravity pulls the airway closed.
Snoring
Momentary suffocation develops
• Communication producing excessive stress on the
body. Some common signs of
with your referring
or primary care sleep apnea are excessive daytime
sleepiness,
loud
physician
to or disruptive snoring, gasping or choking
during
sleep,
depression
and irritability.
inform
them
of
OSA
can cause memory loss, headaches, irritability,
your
symptoms,
depression,
sexual
dysfunction,
impaired
diagnosis,
treatment,
andand
follow
up. concentration.
Sufferers are at higher risk of stroke, heart attacks, congestive
• Coordination with your insurance company to
heart
failure, hypertension,
and benefits.
are most likely to be involved
maximize
your insurance
in accidents at the workplace or while driving. They are
twice as likely to die in their sleep. If left untreated, their life
Get your life back by
expectancy is 55.
a good
The good news is, there are solutionsgetting
available,
andnight’s
the
rest.
Dr.
Doblin
sooner you or a loved one takes the steps to get screened, is
dedicated to helping
tested and treated, the better the outcome. Bytreat
taking
action,
and solve
patients’ sleep problems will be a nightmare
of
the
past
obstructive sleepas
apnea
they not only improve the restfulness andand/or
lengthsnoring
of their
so that
you of
canlife.
sleep better
sleep, but also their overall health and quality
tonight, for a better
tomorrow.
most medical insurance plans
cover sleep apnea solutions.
most medical insurance plans cover sleep apnea solutions.
Dr. Michael Doblin
201.396.9338
26-07 Broadway, Fair Lawn, NJ 07410
185 Linden St., Hackensack, NJ 07601
Email: [email protected]
www.athomesleepsolutions.com
N JBlue now | May 2015
35
up close
Let’s Bring Youth Police
Initiative (YPI) to New Jersey
By Jonathan Golden, Ph.D.
I
n a seminal article on community
policing in 1979 Herman Goldstein
argued that law enforcement needed
to expand its mission to become more
proactive in problem-solving, as opposed
to reactive, simply responding to calls for
service. Policing, he lamented, had become
blind to the problems it was meant to solve
by disregarding the root sources of social
disorder (Goldstein Weisburd et al. 2008).
Nearly two decades later, James Forman
(2004) suggested that we “build on existing
community policing models to develop an
approach that would, for the first time in
modern policing, fundamentally alter the
relationship between police and the young.”
This is precisely what the North American
Family Institute (NAFI) had in mind when
it launched a program called the Youth
Police Initiative (YPI). Designed to help atrisk youth avoid lapsing into lives of gangs,
guns, and violence, YPI has two primary
goals: 1. to build rapport between law
officers and the communities they police;
and 2. to give young men and women the
tools needed to resolve conflicts peacefully
and avoid getting involved in the justice
system in the first place. Working toward
these goals, YPI teaches both the police
officers and the youth to engage in respectful
communication and interactions with one
another. They are taught to understand each
other’s roles and situations. All participants
learn to recognize and avoid stereotypes
and biases. YPI was first launched in Baltimore in 2003,
then went to White Plains and Yonkers,
New York, followed by Providence and
Hartford, before moving west to Spokane.
The program began as part of training
for recruits at police academies but soon
shifted to a community-based model. Using
this approach YPI can tailor each program
to meet the particular needs of individual
neighborhoods and districts served. This
strategy implement is by partnering with
local organizations that already have
traction in the community. For example,
36
NJBlue now | May 2015
in Spokane the police work with schoolbased organizations and will soon launch a
program that offers students who get into
trouble the opportunity to complete the
YPI program as an alternative to removal
from school. YPI programs also partner
with local faith-based organizations. Local
community leaders select the young men
and women that participate in YPI. How Does it Work?
YPI programs typically consist of four
full-day sessions that are run as interactive
forums engaging police and youth
participation. According to Spokane Police
Chief Frank Straub, who has overseen
the implementation of YPI in several
cities, “this creates a safe space for young
people and officers to wrestle with difficult
subjects.” It offers both men and women
– six young women graduated from the
Albany Police Department’s YPI Program
in February of 2015 – a chance to engage
in dialogue with the very officers who
patrol their neighborhoods. They share
their personal stories and engage in honest,
though often difficult, conversations.
Facilitated discussions offer police officers
an opportunity to speak candidly with
the youth, who in turn are more inclined
to express their own concerns directly to
members of their local police departments.
We have all seen national polls that
reflect a distrust and fear of the police in
many communities, particularly among
minorities, but it is quite different when
the police hear testimonials directly from
the young men and women themselves.
This presents a “teachable moment,” an
opportunity for police officers to learn
what is driving certain behaviors and to
suggest ways they could react differently
when approached by police. When youth
participants reveal why they sometimes
flee from police, officers explain how
this behavior makes police suspicious
and can lead to needless escalation.
The Department of Justice’s Director of
Community Relations Service, Grande
Lum, fears that some young men operate
under the false assumption that if they are
wrongfully stopped they have the right to
resist. How can they be taught otherwise?
YPI has offered one solution by simulating
‘car stop’ scenarios that teach cooperative
strategies. Through these and similar ‘role
play’ exercises, participating police and
youth are able to better understand the
impact of their personal decisions and gain
an appreciation for open communication. Together, participants discuss a range of
issues related to race, stereotypes, and
privilege. Through these conversations
they are able to grow greater empathy,
a core principle of conflict resolution.
Police officers and youth develop an
understanding of each other’s beliefs,
values, and experiences, and thus break
down the barriers between the two groups. Participants also take part in a variety of
team-building exercises, which has the
dual effect of imparting useful skills while
encouraging better communication and
respect. At the conclusion of the program
certificates of achievement are awarded
to each youth participant, and in the ageold tradition of making peace by breaking
bread, all sit down to share a meal.
Implementing YPI has not always been
easy. Introducing the program into Boston’s
Franklin Field Public Housing Development, a neighborhood plagued by violence
and a high murder rate, came with considerable challenges. Yet to date, over 25 communities have successfully employed YPI.
How Do We
Measure Success? With new, innovative approaches, the
indicators used to assess outcomes must
change accordingly. Success in communityoriented policing is measured not by the
number of arrests made, but by arrests
not made. In communities that have
implemented YPI programs, reduced
To Advertise Call: 201.881.5100
juvenile crime rates are paired with greater
educational achievement. How do we
measure increased understanding? NAFI
has reported the following results based on
surveys of YPI participants:
• 50% increase in police officers’
understanding of adolescent
development.
• 65% increase in police officer
knowledge of urban socialization
issues.
• 50% improvement in the use of
effective communication strategies
involving de-escalation, crisis intervention and problem-solving skills.
Programs that can improve relationships
between our youth and the police officers
are badly needed, programs that place an
equal emphasis on helping the community
to understand the police and for the
police to learn about their communities,
in all their diversity. Ultimately, the aim
of community-oriented policing is to
transform these relationships by creating
an environment where there is greater
communication, collaboration, and shared
problem-solving. This leads to greater
trust of and commitment to one another.
Programs like this empower both the
police and the community, cultivating an
environment where there can be mutual
respect. As Skolnick and Bayley (1988) put
it, the community acts as “co-producer” of
public safety. Greene, Jack R. 2000. Community Policing
in America: Changing the Nature, Structure,
and Function of the Police. Volume 3: Policies,
Processes, and Decisions of the Criminal Justice
System: NCJ
The only question, really, is why there are
not more programs like this. In an effort to
expand its reach while containing costs, YPI
has recently developed a Train-the-Trainer
program. Why not train trainers in police
departments around the country? “There is
a hunger for this type of thing,” urges Lum.
Programs like YPI can benefit everyone,
giving at-risk youth a better chance, providing a counter-narrative to negative perceptions of police, and leading to less crime
and more education. Let’s bring the Youth
Police Initiative to New Jersey.
Somerville, Paul. 2008. “Understanding
Community Policing.” Policing: An International
Journal of Police Strategies & Management
32(2):261–77. Forman, James, Jr. 2004. “Community
Policing and Youth as Assets.” Criminal Law &
Criminology 95(1):1–48. Goldstein, Herman. 1979. “Improving Policing:
A Problem-Oriented Approach.” Crime and
Delinquency 25:236–58.
Skolnick, Jerome K., and David H. Bayley. 1988.
“Theme and Variation in Community Policing.”
In Crime and Justice: A Review of Research,
edited by M. Tonry and N. Morris. Chicago, Ill.:
University of Chicago Press.
Weisburd, David, Cody W. Telep, Joshua C.
Hinkle, and John E. Eck. 2008. The Effects
of Problem-Oriented Policing on Crime and
Disorder. In Campbell Systematic Reviews
Jonathan Golden (Ph.D.,
UPenn) is Acting Director
of the Center on Religion,
Culture and Conflict at Drew
University, and Convener
of the Caspersen School’s
graduate certificate in Conflict Resolution
and Leadership. To learn about this
program visit drew.edu/grad and attend
our panel discussion on May 27 drew.edu/
communitypolicing.
Caspersen School of Graduate Studies
Graduate certificate in
Conflict
Resolution &
Leadership
Law enforcement tuition discount.
Apply now for fall 2015.
drew.edu/CRL
Drew University
Madison, NJ 07940
973.408.3110
N JBlue now | May 2015
37
training
LIKE A GLOVE
A
s of 2014 there has been a 68%
increase in police-related shooting deaths. Furthermore, ambush
style attacks on officers are becoming more
prevalent. No officers want to be involved
in a shooting and no officers wants to die.
So if you want to live, take firearms training
seriously and never let your guard down.
We have to re-group and circle the wagons
and introduce our departments to modern
combat shooting principles. We have to
trim the fat and get razor sharp with our
intent so we can stop the bleeding!
This is what we are encountering nationwide:
• National police shooting statistics: threat
is- 5-7 yards and closing (not retreating), 3
seconds, 3 rounds.
• 3 out of 5 officers are killed with their own
weapon. Protect your weapon!
• Officers lack a warrior mindset when it
comes down to fighting with their weapon
system and having gross familiarity when
dealing with movement, malfunctions and
basic tactics such as: gravitating towards
cover, tactical and combat reloads, low
light encounters, weapon handling skills;
transitioning from primary to secondary
weapons system (if applicable).
• Officers need to be more prepared to
render aid to one’s self and partner.
Recently I spent an entire month on the
range training police officers in firearms,
mindset, equipment and the finer details of
prevailing within the parameters of a deadly
force, firearms encounter. Furthermore, I
focused a great detail of attention on debunking various myths and inconsistencies
within firearms training. We trained like
warriors in every phase and were rewarded
with positive muscle memory investment.
The skinny is simple: You are either a target
(paper) shooter or a combat shooter. Think
of it like this: When you go to the gym, are
you the type to do some basic weights, and
a few minutes of walking on the treadmill
while reading the sports page? Or are you
that person who needs a barf bag every
session? I am talking about the one whose
training begins with a four mile run and an
additional twenty minutes on the elliptical,
38
NJBlue now | May 2015
followed by circuits of pull-ups, box jumps,
heavy bag strikes, and ball slams! Clearly,
how you train can make a huge difference
in results.
With this in mind, you must step up and
make combat shooting principles fit like
a glove.
As we progress forward in pursuing the true
essence of a combat shooter we realize that
two urgent matters are working scientifically against us. First, action beats reaction. So,
what can place us on a parallel plateau of
action? The only thing that can compete with
action is moveable reaction. Muhammad
Ali would pick his opponents apart, because
he floated like a butterfly and his jab stung
like a bee. The only defense was for the
opponent to bob his head like a floating
apple in order to slip his jab and counter.
A soccer striker will beat the goalie in a
penalty kick situation if the goalie sits there
and does not employ a pro-active solution
by gauging and moving strategically.
Tick Tock does not mean a diner that serves
disco fries. Tick tock means time is being
shaved off of our projected three seconds to
stop an armed threat. Mental chronometry
refers to an analyzing period. During that
period the officer will impress upon their
nervous system, to shoot or not. Now we
are left with an unflattering 2.6 seconds to
deal with the threat. So by the time you say,
Texarkana, Texas or Polly wanna a cracker,
you better have moved, draw stroked (the
act of un-holstering and punching out your
weapon) and engaged your threat with
surgical precision with as many shots as it
takes to stop your threat.
The threat is only 5-7 yards away on average
during a police confrontation (literally 5 ½
paces away from you). Always remember
NFL football players can cover 40 yards
in approximately 4.5 seconds or faster.
The threat can reach out and cut you or
shoot you in approximately 1.25 seconds.
Movement allows us to derail the plans
initiated by the antagonist by encompassing
OODA loop. The attacker has to re-track his
prey, because movement has now snafued
his action.
By Jay Martinez
As a combat shooter you need to develop the
muscle memory of creating that supreme
grip while the weapon is in your holster.
Next, you need to perfect upholstering
your weapon and punching it straight
out onto your projected threat. Punch out
means exactly that you do not un-holster
and “lasso” (go around in a semi-circle),
“rainbow” (from the top to the threat), or
“anteater” (down and up on threat).
Remember, if you are not taking firearms
training seriously, if and when the time
comes down to seconds to decide if you
will live or die, you will be pressed on
time when every millisecond counts.
Furthermore, a combat shooter has to
practice point shooting. They cannot afford
to line up sights and close one eye during
this exchange and from such an intimate
distance. Officers need to master trigger
squeeze, not trigger pull, jerk or slap.
A combat shooter knows that once fired,
you must assess and cover the threat with
your finger on the trigger so you can
engage subsequent rounds in order to stop
the threat, if needed. Remember a combat
shooter always remains concealed in movement. So keep moving! Once the threat has
subsided, index and bring that weapon to a
disciplined high compressed ready (holster
only when clear, no speed holstering).
Lastly, communicate your actions and your
requests to central communications, by
speaking calmly (the secret is to breathe
deeply and slowly). Follow your PD’s
protocol thereafter.
In 2015 we cannot afford to train halfheartedly. We must place some oomph and
hot mustard behind it. A note for trainers:
Psychology is part of the understanding of
what our officers will endure once they have
to engage their weapons during a deadly
force confrontation. Prepare them by giving
them a module or two that is indoctrinated
with the science of combat psychology and
physiology. We must prepare officers to
survive. If you have any questions, please
contact me and visit my company’s training
website at warningorder.net. Chance favors
the prepared, never stop training, and stay
safe. Ooo-rah.
To Advertise Call: 201.881.5100
www.GunForHire.com • 888-Gun-For-Hire (486-3674)
blue events
March 25, 2015
New Jersey Women in
Law Enforcement Election
of Executive Board Officers
Congratulations to Captain Lori Mambelli (Ret.) on your
recent election as the President of the New Jersey Women in
Law Enforcement and to the newly elected executive board
members. Pictured are President Mambelli, NJWLE board
members and supporters.
February 28, 2015
National Organization of Black
Women in Law Enforcement
Newark Chapter’s
2nd Annual
Trailblazer Awards
Scholarship Brunch
Congratulations to all the recipients of the National
Organization of Black Women in Law Enforcement
Trailblazer Awards: Deputy Baltimore State’s Attorney
Patricia DeMaio; Cumberland County Prosecutor Jennifer
Webb McRae; Ret. Deputy Chief Officer Deneise Dungee;
Ret. Captain Donna Roman Hernandez; Middlesex
County Sheriff Mildred Scott; Assistant Vice President
of Law Enforcement at the Federal Reserve Bank of
Cleveland Carolyn Williams; Assemblywoman Shavonda
Sumter; Corrections Officer Lakia Gaillard and Assistant
Attorney General Wanda H. Moore. Also pictured is
NOBWLE Newark Chapter President Kareen Campbell.
Not pictured is award recipient Jennifer Horton-Jenkins.
April 19, 2005
Charity Basketball Game
Harwood Arena, Kean University
The Hispanic Law Enforcement Association of Union
County hosted a three-on-three basketball tournament and
full-court game at Kean College in Union to benefit a new
scholarship through the Shields of Dreams Foundation in
honor of Elizabeth Police Detective Edwards Shields who
died of cancer in 2011.
40
NJBlue now | May 2015
2015 Heroes on the Court Champions Franklin Township Police Department
To Advertise Call: 201.881.5100
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Charlie has been a managing director of numerous financial firms for over 30 years.
A former bond trader on wall street, Charlie possesses a thorough understanding of
the mortgage industry. He can expertly find the best interest rates while routinely
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offers immense value to all union members.
Mobile: (732) 239-4212
Don Reddin serves as Director of Business Development for Liberty Union Mortgage.
Don retired in 2008, after serving 31 years with the Paterson Police Department,
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blue events
Mark Owen’s Event
On February 25, 2015, NJ Blue Now hosted an
event featuring Mark Owens, who was one of
the three men who killed Osama bin Laden.
Owens, a Navy Seal Team 6 member, told a
large group of top law enforcement professionals about how he took the shot heard around
the world -- the one that ended Bin Laden’s
reign of terror, brought justice to the victims of
9/11 and offered a modicum of relief for their survivors.
Owens, a well-spoken and intelligent military professional, discussed the challenges of BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition/
Seal) training and how it prepared him for future missions, such
as raiding the residence of Osama bin Laden. He also spoke
about how the selection process to get on Seal Team 6 is focused
around competence, teamwork and commitment.
However, Owens didn’t talk much about what it felt like to take
down the world’s most wanted man. Rather, he opted to explain
how his focus was strictly about accomplishing his missions and
taking care of his teammates. Owens also discussed his highly
acclaimed book: No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the
Mission that Killed Osama bin Laden (2012). Attendees left with a
sense of vigor and pride knowing that highly trained and skilled
Americans like Owens are out there protecting our country.
This event served to underscore how NJ Blue Now continues
to bring the law enforcement community the highest level
of commitment, dedication, and events that are comparable
to none.
Korean American Brotherhood in Law Enforcement (KABLE)
The Korean American Brotherhood in
Law Enforcement (KABLE) is a nonprofit
fraternal organization. Their mission is
to strengthen the relationship between
the Korean-American community and
members of law enforcement, as well as
educate, inform and assist other KoreanAmericans who are interested in pursuing a
career in law enforcement. The membership
consists of law enforcement officers on
42
NJBlue now | May 2015
the local, county, state and federal levels.
Detective Shawn Lee is KABLE’s president.
KABLE partners with other organizations to
enhance the standard of living for members
of the Korean-American community as
well as other cultural communities. Their
purpose is to create a more informed public
through information, advocacy and service
of law enforcement sponsored events.
Through their efforts, they consistently
promote positive police-community relationships.
KABLE’s 2015 golf outing to benefit the
scholarship fund will be held on May 20,
2015, at the Emerson Golf Club. For more
information and to register, visit www.
kablenjny.org.
To Advertise Call: 201.881.5100
blue events
47th Annual President’s Ball
Nj Honor Legion
The Brownstone
ApriL 10, 2015
Photo credits: Mike Coletta
N JBlue now | May 2015
43
blue events
April 17, 2015
Memorial Ceremony Fair
Lawn Officer Mary Ann
Collura Dedication of Benches
As part of a memorial tribute to slain Fair Lawn Officer
Mary Ann Colllura, three benches were donated by
the widow of Fair Lawn Captain Robert Gajarsky and
unveiled at the Officer Collura memorial.
April 22, 2015
Congratulations
Butler Police Sgt. Colleen Pascale on
your well-deserved promotion. Colleen
was the first female officer hired by the
Butler Police Department and the first
female Sergeant in its history. Pictured
with Colleen is Butler Police Chief
Ciro Chimento.
April 4, 2015
Zumbathon
The Jersey City Cycling team held a Zumbathon fundraiser for their Police Unity Tour’s ride
to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C. for National Police
Week in mid-May.
April 27, 2015
Morris County Law Enforcement Career Development Course
More than 80 students from 17 colleges
and universities graduated from the 2015
Morris County Law Enforcement Career
Development Course, a ten week program
44
NJBlue now | May 2015
designed to prepare them for careers in law
enforcement. This program is sponsored by
the NJ Police Community Affairs Officers
Association in conjunction with the Morris
County Sheriff ’s Office and the Morris
County Board of Chosen Freeholders.
To Advertise Call: 201.881.5100
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From the New York Times Bestselling Author
From Jailer
to Jailed
My Journey from Correction and Police
Commissioner to Inmate #84888-054
I
be happening with what really
n this hard-hitting, raw and oftentimes
politically incorrect memoir, Bernard B.
happens behind prison walls. He takes readers
Kerik, former head of the New York City
deep into what he calls the “wasteland” where
Department of Correction, America’s Top Cop and
inmates are warehoused and treated like animals,
decorated 9/11 hero — and Federal Prison Inmate
abused by those with power and authority, and
#84888-054 — lays it all on the line. He details
deprived not only of their freedom but of respect
his stunning fall from grace that whipsawed him
and basic human dignity. Even those whose
through the criminal justice system, landed him in
crimes were nonviolent—tax offenders, doctors
prison for 3 years and 11 days, and now fuels his
who overbilled, commercial fishermen who
unwavering and deeply personal fight for
caught too many fish — suffer draconian
criminal justice reform.
sentences that leave them without hope.
In an ironic turn of events, Kerik’s
Kerik exposes the willful, devastating
highest honor of being personally
collateral damage the prison system
chosen by President George W. Bush
inflicts and the consequences
to lead the Department of Homeland
to American society. He makes a
Security sparked his downfall.
compelling case for reform and calls
for wholesale change that will make
This retired New York City Police
Bernard B. Kerik,
Commissioner was himself handcuffed, retired New York City America “smart on crime” and forestall
Police
Commissioner
what he calls “the erosion of the very
shackled, and — for a time — held in
fabric of our society.”
solitary confinement.
From
Jailer
to Jailed is more than a powerful
Bernard Kerik offers a riveting, one-of-a-kind
memoir: it is an impassioned and singularly
perspective on the American penal system as he
insightful rallying cry for criminal justice reform
details life on the inside with the experience of
in a nation Bernard Kerik devoted his life to
an acclaimed Correction Commissioner from
serving and protecting.
the outside. He compares what is supposed to
Get Your Copy Today —
Available at Bookstores Everywhere.
N JBlue now | May 2015
45
entertainment
The Best Cop Movies…
of All Time
By Sgt. Eddie Molina
I thought of this article
as I watching Beverly
Hills Cop on HBO.
It came to me at the
point when Axel Foley
(played by Eddie
Murphy) is getting
thrown around the back of a box truck
hauling cases of Lucky Strikes and Pall Mall
cigarettes. It’s a great movie. I can watch it
over and over again.
I began daydreaming about all the other
cop movies out there and which ones are
among the best. Some of the first that came
to mind were: Police Academy, 48 hours
and The Other Guys (my personal favorite
starring Will Farrell and Mark Wahlberg).
In my opinion, those movies are classic cop
movies. But, I know I have a peculiar sense
of humor and unusual taste for movies, so I
went onto Facebook (where the rest of the
world seemingly is) and asked everyone I
knew which they thought are the best cop
movies. My intention was to get a clear sense
of the best cop movies and how they rank
among each other. I received an immediate
response and a pattern of selections quickly
developed.
But then I thought about it further and
wondered what made these movies the
best? I knew there had to be a way of
declaring one movie better then another,
so I devised a scoring system including
several categories as listed below. By
creating a definitive scoring system, I
reduced any personal bias or favor about a
particular movie. My scoring system works
like this: in each category a score from 1
to 10 is registered and the total score of
all categories declares what is the best cop
46
NJBlue now | May 2015
movie. I know it’s not a perfect science, but
the results were startling:
no denying its reputation --the higher the
score the higher the popularity.
Scoring Categories
Police Academy
Box Office Ticket Sales: This is selfexplanatory. How well did the movie do in
sales --plain and simple.
Public Perception: This is an important
category, especially lately since law
enforcement activity has been gathering
media frenzy. This score explains whether
the movie has a negative or positive
interpretation of law enforcement and what
impression it may leave with the viewing
public. A score of 1 indicates the most
negative impression, and 10 as the most
positive.
Realism: This is a score of how realistic the
movie scenario is and whether it could ever
happen. It is a challenge to make any movie
both realistic and entertaining so scoring
the movie is an indication of its creative
success.
Movie Budget-to-Box Office Sales Ratio:
There’s something to be said about a movie
that costs far less to make than it earned at
the box office. Some movies are made with
huge Hollywood budgets but that is not
always indicative of its success. The higher
the score, the better the budget-to-sales
ratio, regardless of total sales.
Viewer Popularity: There are some movies
that age well and increase in popularity over
time, even if the box office sales don’t show
that much success. This is also voted on
mostly from people in the law enforcement
community so it may be different than the
average civilian vote. These movies may be
difficult to justify its popularity but there’s
Box Office Ticket Sales: 5.5/10
Public Perception: 5.5/10
Realism: 5/10
Budget-to-Sales Ratio: 9/10
Viewer Popularity: 8/10
Any movie that has five sequels and a
television series is worth mentioning. It
didn’t have the blockbuster budget or an
explosive car chase scene but it is lighthearted and easy to watch. Its comedic
theme gives it a somewhat positive
perception, but also makes law enforcement
look a bit goofy, specifically Lt. Thaddeus
Harris. However, the realism is middle of
the road because as many of us know, the
academy is not that strange.
Total score = 33/50
Super Troopers
Box Office Ticket Sales: 3/10
Public Perception: 6.5/10
Realism: 5.5/10
Budget-to-Sales Ratio: 9/10
Viewer Popularity: 7/10
Another comedy, this easy to watch story
about a goofball police department, grabs
the attention of any viewer. To be honest, I
have never really enjoyed the movie but the
feedback was overwhelming and impossible
to ignore. It has a similar public perception
to Police Academy where it’s not bad for law
enforcement but doesn’t make us look like
scholars either. However, the supervisors
are a bit more competent.
Total score = 33/50
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End of Watch
Box Office Ticket Sales: 5/10
Public Perception: 8/10
Realism: 9/10
Budget-to-Sales Ratio: 9.0/10
Viewer Popularity: 8/10
This movie is basically about two regular
cops who sincerely care about their jobs
and the community, but aren’t always at
their best. This first person view camera
work gave the movie an added level of
realism. Although many of the scenes
had a flare of Hollywood hype, the survey
participants weren’t too far off by giving it
a high realism score. This movie touched
home with many law enforcement officers
and gave an overall good message of public
perception. Of course it wasn’t a perfect
perception, but it was far better than most
cop movies.
Total score = 39/50
The Green Mile
Box Office Ticket Sales: 7/10
Public Perception: 7.5/10
Realism: 1.5/10
Budget-to-Sales Ratio: 3.0/10
Viewer Popularity: 7/10
This correctional setting movie is a classic
and one that aged well. I still watch it
whenever it comes on. The storyline did
consist of some mystical and magical
powers that significantly affected its
realism, but it was necessary to the story.
The brilliant Tom Hanks nailed the role
of a sympathetic, level-headed corrections
supervisor. But that begs the question:
How successful would the movie have been
without him?
Total score = 26/50
Beverly Hills Cop
Box Office Ticket Sales: 10/10
Public Perception: 7.0/10
Realism: 6.5/10
Budget-to-Sales Ratio: 8/10
Viewer Popularity: 8/10
Another hit comedy featuring Eddie
Murphy in his prime, raked in a monstrous
$230 million yet falls just shy of Police
Academy’s budget-to-sales ratio. But it has
a good public perception because all of
the cops portrayed are mostly competent
and concerned with bringing down the
bad guys for the sake of the community.
Realism took a slight dip since no real law
enforcement officer could ever pull off Axel
Foley’s antics without seeing IA and the
mental health department. However, the
storyline can be somewhat believable.
Total score = 39.5/50
there never may be a correct answer. Much
of my ranking system is interpretative. It
all depends on how you determine what is
considered the best box office sales, DVD
rentals, cast, viewer popularity, accuracy,
and so on.
Training Day
There were certainly a few movies you may
feel were missing. Here are some of the
movies that came up in smaller portions
and, at the very least, deserve honorable
mentions: Demolition Man, Die Hard,
Lethal Weapon, Dirty Harry, The Other
Guys, The Untouchables, Seven, Serpico,
Rush Hour, Bad Boys, 48 Hours, Colors,
and Cobra.
Box Office Ticket Sales: 8.5/10
Public Perception: 3.0/10
Realism: 8/10
Budget-to-Sales Ratio: 1.5/10
Viewer Popularity: 8/10
This movie is one of those big budget films
with plenty of effects and a great cast. I gave
it a high realism score because we can relate
to the situation of a veteran officer with a
questionable moral code. Most of us have
worked with someone that walks the line
between policy and personal preference,
which puts us in an unusual spot. How
we handle that is something every law
enforcement officer will eventually face. As
far as budget-to-sales ratio, it was way off.
Total score = 29/50
The Departed
Box Office Ticket Sales: 7.0/10
Public Perception: 5.0/10
Realism: 6.5/10
Budget-to-Sales Ratio: 1.5/10
Viewer Popularity: 9/10
Leonardo DiCaprio led this amazing cast to
instant classic status. Following two cops,
one corrupt and the other undercover, this
movie ended with twists that are typical of
Martin Scorcese. Although, it didn’t score
as well as you would think in the box office
and even more so in the budget-to-sales
ratio, it’s still one of the best cop movies.
Total score = 29/50
The movies featured here are among the
best and most popular movies of our
generation. There were many others but
these are the movie titles that came up most
often in personal conversation, surveys and
research. You can agree or disagree and
But for purposes of my fanatic study, the
results indicate the best cop movie of
all time is Beverly Hills Cop with a total
score of 39.5 out of a possible 50 points. I
assure you this win was purely coincidence
since this was the movie I watched when I
thought of this article.
So next time you’re sitting around chatting
with some of your fellow officers, ask what
their favorite cop movie is. Be sure to ask
why they feel it is the best. The chances
are good that their response may surprise
you. Like me, you will likely find a variety
of answers, and no exact science, but a lot
of fun.
Writer Eddie Molina is
an Officer with the NJ
Department of Corrections
and an Officer with the NJ
Army National Guard. He
specializes in Organizational
Leadership and blogs about it
at www.Leadlikeahero.com.
If you’d like to receive
this magazine free by mail…
please go to our website
www.njbluenow.com
N JBlue now | May 2015
47
remembrance
Sponsored by
www.MomentOfSilenceInc.org
Officer
Thomas Edward
Gorman
O
fficer Thomas Gorman was a 14year Port Authority Police veteran.
He was appointed on February 9,
1987 and assigned to the PATH Command.
Prior to joining the Port Authority, Officer
Gorman was a firefighter for three years at
the Bayonne Fire Department where his
now-retired father, Edward Gorman, was a
captain.
On September 11, 2001 Officer Gorman
responded to the World Trade Center from
the police desk and began rescue operations
with the Emergency Service Unit in Tower
One. The team responded to a report of
a cave-in at the PATH B-4 platform and
cleared it. Officer Gorman remained with
the Emergency Services Unit and was
actively engaged in rescue operations inside
Tower One during its collapse.
Officer Gorman, 46, was born in Bayonne,
New Jersey. He married his wife, Barbara at
Saint. Andrew’s Roman Catholic Church.
They were married
almost twenty years
and though he loved
being a police officer,
he lived for his wife
and three children:
Bridget, Lauren and
Patrick. Officer Gorman was a family man who loved to spend
time with his children. He coached the local basketball and baseball teams and was
instrumental in organizing a girls traveling
basketball team. He was a natural in the
kitchen and enjoyed preparing meals for
his family and friends. He would frequently
have a candlelight dinner ready for his wife
when she got home from her work as a
nurse at Christ Hospital.
in the Michigan-based organization’s 25year history are former First Lady Nancy
Reagan and Enrique Parejo Gonzalez, a
former Columbian minister of justice who
survived an assassination attempt by an
apparent gunman for a drug cartel in 1987.
We are grateful for all Officer Gorman had
heroically done throughout his life to make
this world better. May Officer Gorman
continue to rest in peace.
Officer Gorman was a member of the
Ancient Order of Hibernians, and was an
active donor to the local blood bank and a
member of PRIDE (Parent Resources for
Drug Interdiction Education). The Spirit of
Freedom Award presented by the Parents’
Resource Institute for Drug Education
Youth Programs was presented in Officer
Gorman’s name at the organization’s annual
world drug prevention conference. The
only other two recipients of this award
If you would like to honor a brother or sister in BLUE who lost their life on the job or retired, please submit your story to: [email protected]
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Lt. Mercedes Herman (Ret.)
Passaic County
Sheriff’s Department with “Casey.”
“Rufus”
Sgt. Jaxon T. Thomas
GA Dept. of Corrections.
Jameson “Whiskey”
Potter, a Saint Bernard
and gentleman.
Nurse Tonya Allen Potter
Washington County
Sheriff’s Office (NY).
SCO Paul Jankin
New Jersey Department of Corrections “Charlie.”
Lt. John Gaffney
Saddle River PD
with his buddy “Slinky.”
These two handsome
gentlemen are Merrick
and “Toby.” Toby is
an Autism Service Dog
and is wearing his blue
bow tie for his blue
brothers and sisters!
Photo courtesy of
Officer Jessica Lyons
Hudson County
Sheriff’s Department.
Sgt. Patricia McGill NJ Department of
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Officer Luis M. Santiago
Union Township Police
Department with “Buster”
a 7-year old pit bull.
If you and your dog would like to be featured
in Blue Paws, please email your photo to
Joseph Celentano at:
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Passaic County
Sheriff’s Department
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