November 2014

NJ LUENOW
Volume 5 ~ Issue 8
November 2014
™
New Jersey’s Independent Voice of Law Enforcement
www.NJbluenow.com
Remembrance
Officer Stephen
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contents
NJ LUENOW
Team
™
PUBLISHER
Envisage Productions
50
Editor-In-Chief
Daniel Del Valle
Senior Managing Editor
John Welsh
MANAGING EDITOR
Capt. Donna Roman-Hernandez (Ret.)
48
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
George Beck
DESIGN EDITOR
Dari Izhaky
Copy Editor
Capt. Donna Roman-Hernandez (Ret.)
writers
Matthew A. Peluso, Esq.
Officer Jay Martinez
Officer Eddie Molina
Sergeant Anthony Gangi
George Beck
Daniel Del Valle
Vincent D’Amico
Lt. Joseph Pangaro (Ret.)
Capt. Donna Roman Hernandez (Ret.)
photographers
Willis Hulings
Officer Marc Loveland
Vincent D’Amico
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God Bless Our Troops!
Please share and recycle this magazine.
24
40
our editors speak out
Protecting Our Waters
Captain Donna RomanHernandez (Ret.)
feature story
Daniel Del Valle
6
the law
Love the Camera and It
8
Will Love You Back: Law
Enforcement Should Embrace
Video Evidence
up close
The Eye of the Tiger
12
technology
A Look at High-Tech Weapons
14
and Equipment
communication
Communication is
20
Information Wealth
in the news
Manhunt Complete
22
cover story
24
Active School Shooter
Coming Soon
EP Envisage
Productions
Doing Double Duty
28
30Echoes from Newtown
Women in BluE
Seeking Equality
36
blue Events
40NJ Honor Legion
42 NJ Police Golf Outing
44Riding for a Fallen Hero
46Blessing of the Badge
Sergeant Promotion Hazlet PD
Law Enforcement Career
Development Course
remembrance
48Officer Stephen Huczko Jr.
blue paws
Law Enforcement Officers
50
and Their Canines
Our editors Speak out
T
he new school year is in full swing,
and we are again reminded of the everpresent dangers of active shooters
arriving on our campuses. Have we reached a point
where yet another school shooting is coming soon?
I believe we need to continue to pay attention to the
current and future school safety threats we face. Our
children are priceless. Nobody wants a child to die at the hands of an
active shooter. This should never happen. Schools must be safe and
secure.We should feel comfortable sending our children off to school,
to learn, develop, and experience the wonderment of youth. Therefore, I
ask our readers, in light of what you will read in this issue about school
safety and security, what will you do to help solve this problem?
Each of us plays an important role in combating the rising number of
school shooting incidents. Therefore, the next time you are dropping
your children off at school, have a look at the potential security threats
and weaknesses. Make note of them and speak up.
In this issue we hear from Sandy Hook Elementary School parent
Michele Gay, who offers us vital information to prepare and prevent
future tragedies. I’d like to thank Michele for becoming a school safety
and security advocate after suffering such a great personal loss. We are
grateful for your work.
November is a time of appreciation. We at NJ Blue Now honor all of the
veterans who served in the US Armed Forces. We salute and support
you and all you have done to keep us safe.
I’d also like to thank the writers and staff who keep NJ Blue Now
headed in the right direction. May all of you have a happy and healthy
Thanksgiving.
It is with great enthusiasm I commend our brothers and sisters in
blue who hunted the cowardly savage (whose name is not worth
mentioning) who killed Pennsylvania Trooper Cpl. Bryon Dickson
and critically wounded Trooper Alex Douglass. Once again it is proven
that miscreants out there who kill or harm one of us will be hunted and
brought to justice.
And lastly, on December 03, 2014, NJ Blue Now will feature an event like
no other to recognize and honor the men and women in New Jersey’s
state and local emergency services, SWAT and special operations unit.
Our guest speaker, internationally acclaimed terrorism expert Bernard
Kerik, former NYPD Police Commissioner and interim Minister of the
Interior of Iraq, will discuss current extremist trends and what we need
to know to keep our homeland safe. Also appearing will be Michael
Waltz, author of Warrior Diplomat: A Green Beret’s Battles from
Washington to Afghanistan. It’s sure to be a memorable experience.
So grab hold of this issue and enjoy. There are a lot of informative
articles.
Till next time!
Stay Healthy, Stay Strong, Stay Blue!
T
hanksgiving is a holiday celebrated
primarily in the U.S. as a day of
giving thanks, an expression of
gratitude for the blessings of the harvest and of
the preceding year. For most Americans it’s a
time to celebrate eating a delicious dinner with
family and friends including a long weekend of
laziness. For many law enforcement officers, it’s
quite the opposite. Working the holidays is part of the job.
During the holiday season, officers handle an increased number of
domestics, motor vehicle crashes and more. Although officers are
accustomed to dealing with the darker side of life, handling these
calls during the holidays makes the job all the more difficult with the
contrast between the holiday spirit and the dose of human tragedy.
Officers long to be home celebrating the holidays enjoying a normal
life with their families and friends. They want to be emotionally
upbeat and cheerful, but it’s difficult to feel that way when officers
are responding to alcohol-fueled family battles, refereeing bar fights,
processing DWIs or walking tiers.
There are many holiday stressors for officers to deal with both on and
off the job. Anxieties in households and in communities heighten
during the holiday season and it can become especially dangerous
for law enforcement officers when the bad guys think they get free
passes for their criminal behavior. The holidays are also a time for
short and long time reflection about family and career. Officers are
susceptible to melancholy, thinking about the passing of a family
member or a member of law enforcement. Job stressors get in the
way of feeling joyful about the true meaning of the holidays: being
grateful.
We should take some quiet time at Thanksgiving to give thanks that
our children and families are healthy and safe. It doesn’t matter how
difficult your life is in the moment; there is always something to be
thankful for and moments to show gratitude to those we love and
love us.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Captain Donna Roman-Hernandez (Ret.)
Managing Editor
this issue is sponsored by
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Tri-State
Daniel Del Valle
Editor
[email protected]
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NJBlue now | november 2014
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the law
Love The Camera
And It Will Love You Back:
Law Enforcement Should Embrace Video Evidence
By Matthew A. Peluso, Esq.
“The camera
photographs
what’s there.”
Jack Nicholson
In September, Governor Christie signed a
bill that will now require all new municipal
police vehicles to be equipped with an incar camera. This bill arose, in part, from
the personal experience of a New Jersey
assemblyman who had been wrongfully
arrested and charged with DWI, only to be
completely vindicated by video evidence
obtained from the arresting officer’s
dashboard camera.
A recording of the assemblyman’s arrest
showed multiple discrepancies between the
arresting officer’s actual conduct and what
the officer later wrote in his reports. The
dashboard video evidence confirmed that
the assemblyman was illegally stopped and
targeted by the arresting officer, who is now
facing criminal charges including official
misconduct, falsifying a police report and
harassment.
Then, in October, a trial judge in Ocean
County made rulings with regard to public
access to videos obtained from dashboard
cameras in police vehicles that, if upheld
on appeal, could have a significant effect on
the use of such videos in all future trafficrelated prosecutions. In two separate
cases, a trial judge ruled that videos of
traffic stops from dashboard cameras are
not protected from production under
8
NJBlue now | november 2014
New Jersey’s Open
Public Records Act,
N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq.
(“OPRA”).
In one of the cases, Paff
v. The Ocean County
Prosecutor’s
Office,
an
open-government
activist sued the Ocean
County
Prosecutor’s
office to obtain the
dash-camera videotape
of an incident involving
a police officer who
is alleged to have let
his police dog attack and bite a woman
after she failed to pull over for a traffic
stop. Allegations have made been made
that the officer involved tried to cover up
the incident, and he was subsequently
suspended for official misconduct and
aggravated assault.
In Paff, the court found that it was required
to address the issue of whether a police car’s
dash-cam video of a traffic stop is exempt
under OPRA as a “criminal investigatory
record” within the meaning of N.J.S.A.
47:1A-1.1. The prosecutor had argued that
N.J.S.A. 47:1A-3 exempted the video from
OPRA’s disclosure requirement under the
“ongoing investigation exception.” Also,
the prosecutor argued that the Attorney
General’s Internal Affairs Policy and
Procedures Guidelines (IAPP) exempted
the requested video from disclosure.
In addition, the prosecutor argued that
N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1.1 exempted the video
from disclosure as a “criminal investigatory
record.” Finally, the prosecutor argued
that, even without any exceptions under
OPRA, the driver’s reasonable expectation
of privacy justified its withholding of
the requested video under the holding
in Asbury Park Press v. Ocean County
Prosecutor’s Office, 374 N.J. Super. 312, 331
(Law Div. 2004).
Similarly, in the other case, Ganzweig v.
Township of Lakewood, the same Ocean
County judge again ruled, over the
objections of the subject municipality,
that dashboard videos are not criminal
investigatory records, and, thus, are not
exempt from public access under OPRA.
The judge found that: “OPRA manifests
the State’s public policy of transparency in
government. Under OPRA, “government
records shall be readily accessible for
inspection, copying, or examination by
the citizens of this State, with certain
exceptions, for the protection of the public
interest, and any limitations on the right of
access… shall be construed in favor of the
public’s right of access…” N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1.
“The purpose of OPRA ‘is to maximize
public knowledge about public affairs in
order to ensure an informed citizenry and
to minimize the evils inherent in a secluded
process.’” Times of Trenton Publ’g Corp.
v. Lafayette Yard Cmty. Dev. Corp., 183
N.J. 519, 535 (2005) (quoting Asbury Park
Press, supra, 374 N.J. Super. at 329). Thus,
in general, OPRA requires a municipality
to disclose any “government record”
requested by a member of the public, unless
the request falls into one of the statutory
exceptions to the otherwise mandatory
disclosure. Id. If a government agency
objects to production of any record, OPRA
requires that the public body produce
sufficient specific evidence to support its
denial of the information request. Courier
News v. Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s
Office, 358 N.J. Super. 373, 382-83 (App.
Div. 2003).
One such exception to production under
OPRA is that the request seeks a “criminal
investigatory record.” N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1.1.
“When a public agency denies an OPRA
request based on the “criminal investigatory
record” exception, the public agency
“must meet both prongs of the definition
(Continued on page 10)
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John D. Feeley, Esq.
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Tony F. LaRocca, Esq.
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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.
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John D. Feeley, Esq.
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N JBlue now | november 2014
9
the law
(Continued from page 8)
of ‘criminal investigatory reports’ for the
documents to be inaccessible to plaintiff
under N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1.1, that is, they
must ‘not be required by law to be made,’
and they must ‘pertain[] to any criminal
investigation or related civil enforcement
proceeding.’” O’Shea v. Twp. of West
Milford, 410 N.J. Super. 371, 380-81 (App.
Div. 2009).
However, the judge in both Paff and
Ganzweig denied that exemption, and,
despite the arguments of the government
entities involved, found that the release of
such videos will not jeopardize on-going
criminal investigations. The court in Paff
found that the Ocean County Prosecutor’s
Office had failed to meet its burden
of showing that the video constitutes
a criminal investigatory record under
N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1.1, since, among other
things, the requested video was “required”
to be made. Also, the judge in both Paff and
Ganzweig rejected the government entities
objections to production of dashboard
videos under the IAPP. The IAPP requires
the investigator to examine and retrieve
all video recordings, and clearly states
that: “The nature and source of internal
allegations, the progress of internal affairs
investigations, and the resulting materials
are confidential information.”
To support its argument, the municipality
in Ganzweig relied upon the decision of
the Government Records Council (GRC)
decision in Blaustein v. Lakewood Police
Department, GRC Complaint No. 2011102 (June 26, 2012). The Blaustein decision
involved a request to produce police mobile
video recordings and radio transmissions
for two police complaints. In that decision
the GRC ruled that the video recordings
were confidential under the IAPP.
Accordingly, the municipality in Ganzweig
argued that, since IA investigations had
been initiated relating to the disputed traffic
stop, the video recordings of the stop itself
were subsumed within that investigation
and, thus, were outside OPRA’s reach under
the IAPP guidelines.
However, the judge in Ganzweig ruled
that the contemporaneous recording of a
traffic stop by a police dashboard camera
that was required to be maintained and
10
NJBlue now | november 2014
activated during a traffic stop is not exempt
from production under OPRA. The court
found that: “The fact that an internal affairs
investigation may use or mandate the
acquisition of the requested records does
not change their status as an accessible
government record… The recordings
sought by plaintiff are a record of the
events. They are not the internal affairs
investigation.”
Lastly, the court in Paff rejected the
prosecutor’s privacy arguments. The trial
judge found that the driver involved in the
traffic stop did not have any reasonable
expectation of privacy to support the
withholding of the video. “The video
requested under OPRA depicted an incident
involving an arrest following a traffic stop.
The content of the video would contribute
to the public purpose of OPRA and provide
insight into a police officer’s conduct
during an arrest.” Further, the court in Paff
did not find the recording to be “so horrific
or chilling as to warrant its nondisclosure.”
Further, the court ruled that, since the
video depicted a motor vehicle traffic stop
in a public area, the driver did not have any
expectation of privacy.
The government entities involved in
the Ocean County cases have vowed to
appeal the recent rulings. Regardless, law
enforcement officers in New Jersey should
clearly be aware that video evidence of their
conduct at every traffic stop will now, more
than likely, be available to the suspect and
defense counsel in every case as part of the
discovery process. Therefore, it is important
for law enforcement officers to ensure that
any summons they issue is supported by the
video evidence. Also, to the extent possible,
officers should attempt to have the suspect
observable on video as much as possible
during each stop.
Further, factual assertions made in police
reports will have to be consistent with the
video evidence established by dashboard
cameras. Consequently, law enforcement
officers should review the video tapes of
their traffic stops in preparation of their
written reports, and should refer with
specificity to the suspect’s conduct in the
video that supports the charges made in
any issued complaints.
enforcement officers in New Jersey should
fully embrace video technology, since it will
help to significantly reduce false allegations
of officer abuse and misconduct. Between
the recent law mandating dashboard videos
in all new police vehicles, and the reality
that a similar law will more than likely be
passed regarding mandatory use of bodycameras by law enforcement officers in this
state, the writing is clearly on the wall, so
to speak. So cops should try to love the
camera, and, in turn, hope that it will love
them back.
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 whistleblower 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: http://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.
NJ LUENOW
™
Magazine
We’re not here
to filter your message,
we’re not here to give you
a one-sided argument.
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all views, from any and
all in law enforcement.
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up close
The
Eye
of the Tiger
By P.O. Jay Martinez, Deputy SWAT Commander,
Certified Tactical and Academy Instructor
Willpower creates victories
2014 has been a year that can easily be dismissed
for some of our favorite local sports teams.
The more I watch them perform, the more I
believe they are simply getting overmatched
on the diamond, frozen pond, hardwood
and gridiron. Having been a former athlete
and, now, as a current spectator, I can easily
tell you when a team is just being physically
dominated. You can look at the score, but
that can, usually, only provide you with half
the story. We need to take a look towards the
other half of the provided proof given to us by
the victorious team. Compared to the losing
team, you will notice that the victorious team
did several things to a higher level and with a
greater sense of urgency. They also sacrificed
more, didn’t take short cuts and believed in
their ability. Thus the slogan, “Winners are
only willing to do what losers are not.”
One of the most important intangibles in
stern competition is a team’s willpower.
Willpower is forged in the baptism of fire.
Once we have gained a strong will, our
attitude and behavior will strengthen. An
individual’s willpower cannot be bought,
leased or borrowed. It can only be created in
the heat of the summer, or in the sharpness
of the January air. Willpower is best built on
a long, lonely dusty trail, with rusty pull-ups
bars, swaying-squeaky heavy bags, and an
endless set of stairs. The bigger the challenge,
the more willpower will repay you.
Willpower can only be honed through the
type of intense, rigorous and quality training
that convinces a person, or a team, that they
cannot be defeated. “Willpower road” is not
for everyone. Some hop off of it as soon as
they encounter the nearest exit. Then there
are others who will silently allow “willpower
road” to unleash its fury on them and accept
it without a single complaint. Once you have
experienced “willpower road” and digested its
goodness, nothing will ever feel the same. The
person who has sacrificed, bled and cried his
way through it has, within himself, a special
soul. He walks with a special bounce to his
step; he is in possession of a special radiance
12
NJBlue now | november 2014
and a certain look in his eye.
Fluff style training
is annihilating us
Lately, we are experiencing the type of attacks
on law enforcement personnel that have
us backpedaling and searching for answers
on the type of training we have received.
I refer to this type of training as, “all meat
and no potatoes.” This type of training has
been hollowed out and serves no functional
combat purpose.
Recent attacks
•A
x wielding maniac attacks NYPD
officers
•M
an armed with AR-15 kills three
sheriffs in California
• Former
Marine and combat vet kills a
responding police officer with AR-15 in
California.
Any experienced tactical trainer knows that
these aren’t your average types of attacks.
These attacks possess specific factors that
demand a special brand of training to defeat
them. Equally as demanding is the importance
of trainers spending quality time discussing
the valuable essence of the warrior mindset,
the physical conditioning that is needed and
the possession of the proper equipment. Have
we truly lost our eye of the tiger?
Gaining the eye of the tiger
again
Do we find comfort in not paying the price
that only reality based, robust training
can offer? With a tempest on the horizon,
have we grown soft and lost our willpower?
Collectively, as unit trainers, we must never
lose sight of the purpose for solid and effective
training. We must always remember that good
solid and effective training provides a strong
warrior mindset, positive muscle memory,
stresses the urgency of physical conditioning,
and provides the trainee with the professional
approach of donning all of his protective and
tactical equipment.
“The road
to success
runs uphill.”
Willie Davis
The beauty of serving in a military line
unit is that everything you do possesses
a fundamental purpose that correlates to
combat. From the reveille call to lights out,
you exist in a bubble that has one sharp
function and that function is referred to
as combat readiness. Readiness is created
through miles of running, hours of shooting
and moving, hand-to-hand combat and unit
exercises that foster and create an espirit de
corps.
I realize we are not a military unit, but after
squeamishly watching ISIS crucifixion and
beheading videos, I also realize that the U.S.
Marines or Army Rangers will not ascend
onto our streets to defend our communities
if a Mumbai style attack should rear its ugly
head. In closing, if we expect to extinguish
formidable and life-threatening attacks, we
cannot allow ourselves to be dominated by an
opponent who possesses a stronger will than
we do. The key to victory is the assembly and
training of professional peacekeepers that
have the mental and physical tools to prevail.
Stay safe, note the following training at Essex
County Police Academy on November 10 &
24, Tactical Operation Planning and Body
Language and pre-indicators of violence.
Go to www.warningorder.net and register
today!
Written by Jay Martinez,
Husband-Dad, Cop and
former Recon Marineooorah! Look out for
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now | ACCESSORIES
november 2014 13
technology
A Look at
Part 1 of a 2 part series
High-Tech Weapons and Equipment
Once Considered Sci-Fi, Now Becoming Reality
By Officer Eddie Molina A
s law enforcement, we usually
have an admiration and appreciation for handguns, rifles and
other weaponry and equipment. Not a
creepy obsession, but more in the line
of a respectful relationship between the
officer and his weapon. Law enforcement
personnel may also have a greater
understanding of the effect and power a
particular weapon can have when used.
We treat these items with total respect,
provide regular maintenance on our own
personal weaponry, and handle them
carefully at all times. Since we are not
in Hollywood, you will never see a law
enforcement professional point a handgun
at a target using a sideways technique.
Instead, we use proper technique, form
and judgment. These three factors are
essential when it comes to fulfilling our
law enforcement objective.
That being said, as professionals, who have
to occasionally use weapons, tools and
equipment as part of our regular duties, it is
common practice that we acquire a personal
interest in the owning and operating of our
personal weapon.
Each department surely has their own
Tackleberry (from the movie Police
Academy) who owns an arsenal of
handguns, rifles and tactical gear. But
for the average officer, a general personal
interest is enough for us to occasionally
pick up a handgun magazine, check out
an online article about weaponry used
across the world, or spend extra time at the
uniform store browsing through the glass
cases near the register.
So, in regards to this article, I took the time
to look up some of the most interesting
weapons, equipment and law enforcement
tools that may not be known by most
people. Just keep in mind that some of the
14
NJBlue now | november 2014
Researched By Jeomar Alicea
featured items may never have been used
in a law enforcement capacity and may still
be in the testing phase. With that in mind,
they are only meant to peak your interest
and curiosity since--chances are--you
appreciate the craftsmanship of todays and
tomorrows weapons.
Self-Correcting Laser Rifle Sight
If you’ve taken a
moment to think
about this, you
have probably already concluded
that it’s a Rifle Sight that makes corrections
for the shooter. In order to avoid miscalculations, engineers at the Oak Ridge
National Laboratory have developed a
Rifle Sight that makes slight adjustments
to the shooters barrel.
According to Rebecca Boyle of Popular
Science Magazine, “It works by measuring
slight variations across a rifle barrel. High
caliber rifles usually have a series of grooves
on the exterior, called flutes, which help
reduce weight and dissipate heat, allowing
the barrel to cool off more quickly after
firing a round. ORNL researchers added
glass optical fibers to these grooves. Laser
diodes send a beam of light into the optical
fibers, which split it in two directions, along
the top and side of the barrel.
From there, algorithms calculate the sights
to the position of the barrel. Additionally,
environmental conditions are also
taken into account and adjustments are
automatically made.”
Although most people would think
that humidity and temperature would
have no effect on anything as small as a
bullet, they are wrong. In regards to the
accuracy of an artillery explosive, as an
artilleryman in the Army, I can attest to
the complicated calculations needed to
compensate for temperature, humidity,
barrel imperfections, and even the rotation
of the earth. In this case, a bullet needs far
more accuracy since it is usually targeting
something relatively small in size.
These corrections can be used for distances
of up to two miles. The farther the distance,
the greater affect an imperfection has on the
trajectory. This technology does have the
potential to be used in a law enforcement
capacity, but, as of now, has yet to be
employed.
Hyper Stealth or Quantum Stealth
Invisible Cloaks
By reading the title of this item, there’s a
good chance the movie Harry Potter came
to mind--and rightfully so. It is practically
what it sounds like. It is a garment made of
a special fabric that has the ability to bend
light around an object and give people the
illusion of invisibility. Although the Hyper
Stealth cloak doesn’t render the wearer
completely invisible, it is effective enough
to throw off almost any suspect. This
technology has virtually limitless military
applications and also has the potential to
aid law enforcement agencies as well.
For example, if a law enforcement sniper
has to close the distance between him or
herself and a suspect, this cloak would allow
the officer to inch toward the target while
remaining nearly undetectable. It could
also serve in a limitless reconnaissance and
surveillance capacity as well.
(Continued on page 16)
To Advertise Call: 201.943.3800
technology
(Continued from page 14)
The Corner Shot
The Corner Shot
is a high tech
weapon that enables its shooter
to ‘look around
a corner’ without
exposing
him or herself to potential targets that may
have dangerous intentions. The operator’s
shooting accuracy is improved due to the
laser guided camera aiming system and the
screen crosshairs. The camera system also
provides a live feed to the command post
that can aid in better decision making and
overall mission accomplishments. Between
the shooter, the Corner Shot camera, and
other assets located in the area, the departments are given greater flexibility in quelling potential threats with the least amount
of force- this of course is every department’s
main concern. More information can be
found at www.thecornershot.com
NJ LUENOW
The Metal Storm Sentry Gun
This struck me as the most bad-ass (for
lack of a better term) weapon system that
is still in design. Bottom line--it can shoot
at a rate of a million rounds per minute.
Now, I can’t honestly imagine a legitimate
law enforcement objective that would call
for this type of weaponry, but who cares. It
can still shoot a million rounds per minute.
According to futureweapons.org, “Metal
Storm has no moving
parts because all
the bullets are fired
electronically.
As
opposed to conventional machine guns,
metal storm ammunition is case-less, and,
therefore, there are no spent, or ejected
cartridges. The bullets are pre-sealed in a
stack configuration inside the barrels. The
word stack means that all the bullets are
one behind the other and the barrel itself
forms the ammo magazine. Thus, the
magazines do not need to be reloaded;
the operator just replaces the preloaded
barrels.”
Now, although some of these items may, or
may not be practical for law enforcement
application, at the very least, they are
certainly interesting. So, next time you are
out shopping for your next gadget, consider
one of these items--Who says you couldn’t
use a million rounds-per-minute gun in
your inventory?
Make sure to check out Part 2
of this series in the next issue
of NJ Blue Now, as I research
even more high-tech weapons
and equipment for your reading
pleasure. Stay tuned!
™
Magazine
New Jersey Blue Now and
Envisage Productions
invites all the men and women in New Jersey’s state and local police emergency services, SWAT and special
operations units, to be recognized and honored as our guest on Wednesday December 03, 2014.
With the increasing threats of global terror, there has never been a more important time
in our country’s national security than today.
Please join us for dinner and an evening of networking amongst our state’s emergency services and SWAT
team members, who on a daily basis go above and beyond the call of duty. Our guest speaker, internationally
acclaimed terrorism expert Bernard Kerik, former NYPD Police Commissioner and interim Minister of the
Interior of Iraq, will discuss current extremists trends and what we need to know to keep our homeland safe.
Also appearing will be Michael Waltz, author of Warrior Diplomat: A Green Beret’s Battles from Washington
to Afghanistan. Michael Waltz is a lieutenant colonel in the Special Forces (reserve component) and former
commander of a Special Forces Company. He worked as a policy advisor to Vice President Cheney and served
as a Green Beret in the mountains of Afghanistan, directly implementing the strategy in the field that
he helped devise in Washington.
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NJBlue now | november 2014
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communication
Communication is
Information Wealth
By Sergeant Anthony Gangi
I
nformation brings about situational
awareness. In order for emergency
personnel to be more proficient,
emergency personnel must have the
information needed in a timely manner.
When an emergency situation occurs, some
departments may find themselves limited
on information that can compromise a
successful response. A collective effort
of information must be maintained in a
manner that provides quick
distribution to those leading
the emergency response. This
collaboration is defined by
the multiple departments that
can provide aid during an
emergency situation.
Jaime Barrios, retired Lieutenant of the Hackensack Police
Department
believes
that
“Efficient, reliable and correct
communication during all
types of crisis will facilitate
the desired goal. Nowadays,
with the ability to coordinate
efforts based on real time,
up to the minute changes,
emergency response personnel can arrive
on a scene with the knowledge needed to
be truly effective.” It’s through multiple
levels of communication that information
is shared. Labors to maintain effective
communication during an emergency
situation, in which essential information is
passed fluidly, can be seen as the heart of
governmental agencies like FEMA (Federal
Emergency Management Agency). FEMA’s
primary purpose is to coordinate disaster
and catastrophic emergency responses.
FEMA’s use of effective communication
between departments and agencies helps to
ensure a more useful response.
Today, as more emergency personnel are
20
NJBlue now | november 2014
being trained in ICS (Incident Command
System) 100 and 700 courses, we become
more aware of the importance of effective
information sharing and communication.
ICS is a FEMA sponsored program that
aids in the coordination of departmental
emergency response teams. ICS training is
offered online through the FEMA website.
The Incident Command System is an onscene management concept that was created
through a collective effort by multiple
agencies. Through proper coordination,
ICS limits the amount of people reporting
to one supervisor and provides all agencies
with faster communication between
departments by advising all agencies to
get involved in the same type of communication. It further maintains ongoing
reliable incident information, and offers a
structure to coordinate planning among
agencies. Multiple agencies distribute all
information to the Incident Commander
who is responsible for all aspects of the
response, including developing incident
objectives and managing all incident
operations. This provides the coordinated
efforts needed to successfully handle the
emergency situation.
During an emergency, the rapid flow of
information becomes a major tool in regards
to a well-prepared operational response.
Every day technological advancements
help ensure the information needed rapidly
reaches those who are sent to respond.
These advancements include a secured
central database in which information
gets stored from multiple agencies and
departments, moment-to-moment updates
on critical, need-to-know information,
and cross level communication
between multiple department and
agencies nationwide.
As a law enforcement professional, the ability to respond
depends solely on the information provided. Nowadays,
with computer aided dispatch,
officers in the field will attain,
within seconds, information
that will increase the officer’s
knowledge and safety. Dispatch
officers will also have within their
grasp a Geographic Information
System (GIS) that quickly
locates and sends coordinates
and information during an
emergency. With this level of intelligence,
the emergency response becomes more
proficient and, most importantly, more
resourceful. Law enforcement personnel
nationwide have utilized this web of
information to detect, prevent and respond.
Take for example, in the event of an inmate
escape, the immediate dissemination of
info can aid in the swift apprehension of
the inmate. “If we are going to effectively
apprehend the inmate, we must maintain
communication and information sharing
with multiple departments. Information
in some cases can be more effective than
a tracking bloodhound,” said Senior
Correctional Officer Joseph Calabrese.
To Advertise Call: 201.943.3800
Clearly, communications with multiple departments is an approach worth
considering. The police portable radio
has proven this throughout the years.
In many cases, broadcasting messages
over the portable radio through multiple-agency channels has proven to
be very helpful in the apprehension of
a fleeing criminal. Information can be
mightier than the sword.
The more law enforcement is able to
keep up with technology, the more
likely they will be able to remain a
step ahead of the bad guy. Another
good example to illustrate the power
behind shared information
by multiple departments is
apparent when searching for
a missing child. Amber Alerts
can be given on a national
level. These Amber Alerts
rapidly relay the message to
the public with a description of the
missing child and, if possible, the
suspect involved in the kidnapping.
Multiple agencies respond to the alert
and a nationwide search commences.
For agencies that choose to outsource
this level of advance communication,
they will find that more outside
companies are evolving in a manner
that suits the department’s needs.
Companies, like New World
Systems, believe their affiliation
with public safety associations, like
the International Association of the
Chiefs of Police, the International
Association of Fire Chiefs, National
Sheriff ’s Association, and National
Fire Protection Association has
given them the ability to meet the
ever changing needs of the industry.
They stand by their commitment to
provide a strong partnership that
begins before the installation of the
software and lasts through the life
of the software. Law enforcement
personnel are able to voice their
concerns and then watch as changes
are made in a manner that suits the
need of the agency.
Information sharing is essential
and provides the community with a
greater sense of protection. As
information is shared, the power
of emergency response personnel
will strengthen. A collective effort
by multiple agencies will decrease
the response time and increase the
manpower. Local, federal and state
departments need to embrace the
change. They need to take note
of the current trends in advance
communication and make the
attempt to move forward. The safety
of the emergency response personnel
relies heavily on the advantages that
are provided through technology.
As for law enforcement,
criminals are evolving every
day and their techniques
to overcome the law are
centered on technological
advancements. Criminals are
finding ways to electronically
track drug shipments, monitor law
enforcement personnel, open bank
accounts that span the globe, and,
overall, commit crimes that break
away from local jurisdictions. The
need for law enforcement personnel
to respond in a manner that is
effective will highly rely on the
information that is gathered from
multiple agencies on a national level.
On an added note, with terrorism
on the rise, the need for emergency
response personnel to competently
act as one has never been higher.
The ability to share information on a
grand scale, in a rapid fluid manner, is
paramount to stopping an organized
terror attack. Embrace the change and
act now. Don’t wait.
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.
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N JBlue now | november 2014
21
in the news
Manhunt
Complete
Capturing the cowardly
savage who ambushed
Pennsylvania Trooper
Corporal Bryon Dickson II and
Trooper Alex T. Douglass.
By George Beck
Trooper Corporal Bryon Dickson II
O
n September 12, 2014 at 10:50
p.m., Trooper Corporal Bryon
Dickson II, 38 and Trooper Alex
T. Douglass, 31 were leaving the State
Police Barracks in Blooming Grove, Pike
County when they were ambushed by an
unknown gunman hidden somewhere in
the darkness. They had no chance to defend
themselves. Corporal Dickson, a married
father of two, and Marine Corps veteran,
was killed; Trooper Douglas was critically
wounded.
As the breaking news dominated the news
cycle, law enforcement was fit to be tied.
This craven act was the straw that broke
the camel’s back. Law enforcement had had
enough.
By the time Corporal Dickson was killed,
2014 had so far seen 75 officers die in the line
of duty, 33 deaths as a result from gunfire.
We had been pushed to a breaking point.
Come hell or high water, the degenerate
responsible for killing Corporal Dickson
and wounding Trooper Douglass was going
to be brought to justice, even if that meant
chasing him to the ends of the earth.
22
NJBlue now | november 2014
Trooper Alex T. Douglass
In the immediate days following the
attack, Pennsylvania troopers and assisting
agencies trudged through the surrounding
wooded areas searching for the coward
who ambushed these troopers, while
locally and nationwide the law enforcement
community roared.
By Monday morning, September 15, 2014,
a resident phoned the Blooming Grove
Barracks and reported a slightly submerged
green Jeep Cherokee that appeared
suspicious. It was a much-needed lead.
Through this abandoned Jeep, a suspect
was identified and within a few days
confirmed, and shortly thereafter added
to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list. In an
exhausting manhunt that spanned 48 days,
law enforcement eventually apprehended
the fugitive.
In a fitting end, the Pennsylvania State
Police had a special pair of handcuffs setaside at all times with an on-duty member
of the Blooming Grove barracks.
They were Corporal Dickson’s.
A sergeant who worked with Corporal
Dickson delivered the cuffs in Dickson’s
patrol vehicle, and slapped them on the
criminal’s wrists before transporting him
back to the barracks in Dickson’s patrol
vehicle.
The brave men and women in blue who
stayed committed to bringing this lunatic
to justice must be commended. All of
law enforcement is proud of their efforts.
They’ve once again reassured us that justice
will be brought to those who attack and kill
our brothers and sisters in blue. We will not
tolerate this cowardly behavior. In the end,
justice must prevail.
Let’s continue to pray Corporal Dickson
is resting peacefully and for Trooper Alex
Douglass’ speedy recovery. May God bless
their families, the Pennsylvania State Police,
and all of law enforcement. Be safe out
there. United we are strong. Job well done.
If you would like to submit
stories, pictures, or
suggestions, send
us an email at:
[email protected]
To Advertise Call: 201.943.3800
ry
o
t
s
r
e
v
o
c
active shooter
coming soon
Are We Prepared?
By Daniel Del Valle, Anthony Gangi, and George Beck
24
NJBlue now | november 2014
To Advertise Call: 201.943.3800
The Rate of School
Shootings Is Climbing
As the 2014 school year reconvened after
summer recess, within the first two months,
there were seven school shootings that left
seven teens dead, and six others wounded
at different schools across the country. If
that sounds alarming, consider there have
been 34 school shootings so far this year
and there is no indication the pace will
slow down. January was the most active
with thirteen incidents, whereas May so
far was the deadliest, claiming the lives of
seven students. The evidence indicates the
number of school shootings is growing
exponentially.
We as law enforcement officers must
continue to train, prepare and do whatever
we can to combat the increasing number
of school shootings. Have we reached a
point where school shootings and mass
homicides on campuses across the America
are commonplace?
have been made with regard to training
personnel once the incident occurs.
These programs have been centered on
preparation and have dealt mainly within
the realm of reaction. Programs like
ALICE (Alert Lockdown Inform Counter
Evacuate) are centered directly on the need
to react and, therefore, limit our ability to
see ahead and prevent.
Prevention is taking a step in the right
direction. The days of being only reactive
must be put behind us. Action is imperative.
The time has come to recognize that being
reactive without prevention is no longer
a viable option. We as law enforcement
are tired of hearing excuses and beliefs
that it can’t happen. We don’t think that
way. We train like it will happen and pray
it never does. We want the public to see
the seriousness and potential of a school
shooting in our community. We endeavor
to educate them in hopes to shatter the “It
can’t happen here” mentality.
The website Stoptheshootings.org lists 387
school shootings that occurred in the 21
years between 1992 and 2013. Yet, in the
span of 228 years from the first recorded
incident in 1764 up until 1992, an estimated
171 shootings occurred at schools across
America. In other words, in only 21 short
years, school shootings spiked 126% higher
than all recorded such events for the
previous 228 years.
“What if three guys
with training, practice
and a plan walked into
an elementary school.
It’s going to be
a massacre like
never seen before.”
A closer look at the evidence also reveals
that school shootings can happen anywhere.
These crimes span across the country,
from Newtown, Connecticut all the way
to Moses, Washington. Schools present the
attacker with a target-rich environment
that will have an emotional toll both locally
and nationally.
Prevention saves lives. On the same day a
tragedy occurred at the Sandy Hook school
in Newtown, Connecticut, an incident
was prevented in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.
The collective response by the community
ensured that the tragedy that happened
elsewhere would not happen there. The
welcoming environment and education
that was encouraged by the school allowed
students with information to report their
findings.
The evidence is indisputable: An active
shooter is coming soon somewhere on our
American campuses. It’s our responsibility
to work together to do what we can to
prepare and prevent future attacks. We have
no greater responsibility.
Prevention vs. Reaction
Law enforcement has made multiple efforts
to assure the public that the schools are
safe. These efforts include everything from
increasing security measures to carrying
concealed weapons on campus. Efforts
We know that the overwhelmingly majority
of active shooters plan their attacks. These
attacks are statistically not impulsive and
patterns could have been detected through
a shared effort with law enforcement and
the school community. To detect these
patterns, a partnership must be maintained
between students, teachers, administration,
parents, the community, and lawenforcement officials. This is a method that
has proven to work.
We Now Face
Potential Increased
Security Risks
As if the skyrocketing number of school
shootings is not alarming enough, the
potential for the problem to get worse is
being predicted by Bernard Kerik, the
former police commissioner of New York,
who helped rebuild the city in the wake
of the September 11th attack. Kerik is a
nationally renowned expert on security
risks and threats. Kerik believes the
possibility of the killing of students at
school campuses across the country by
American and foreign nationals is real and
probable in the near future and should not
be taken lightly. He’s seen what is going
on in other countries, where the terrorist
group ISIS is murdering children. We
recently spoke with Kerik, and his vitally
important message is worth considering.
“The biggest risk is that a series of small,
coordinated terror attacks could occur
in multiple schools across the country,”
Kerik said. “If tomorrow morning at an
elementary school somewhere say in New
Jersey, Indiana, California, and Georgia,
you have four teams of three assailants
walk into the school and start assassinating
children with automatic weapons, or one
holds people at bay while the other two
start decapitating kids, it’s going to have a
worse negative impact on American than
9/11. It will send an enormous shock wave
through the country,” Kerik fears.
“Take for example the shooting in Newtown,
Connecticut,” Kerik said. “That guy had
no real training, no practice, no plan, and
look what happened. What if three guys
with training, practice and a plan walked
into an elementary school. It’s going to be a
massacre like never seen before.”
Kerik bases his assessment on what is going
on with ISIS and other similar terror groups
in other parts of the world. “The savage
brutality is worse than anything I’ve seen
to date. I’ve watched every video, every
execution, and nothing disturbs me more
than watching them take 5-, 6-, 7-, 8- year
old boys, lining them up before a pit, and
then slaughtering them with an AK-47 or
standing there cutting their heads off.”
N JBlue now | november 2014
25
cover story
Kerik tells how he doesn’t fear another
attack with airplanes like on 9/11. “We’ve
made a lot of advances in security and
intelligence to combat another coordinated
attack on America using airplanes,” he said.
“It’s the other stuff I worry about, the stuff
that is easily doable and would hardly cost
anything.”
Kerik tells how he bases his fear on the
reality that perhaps nearly 1000 of the
activists involved with ISIS in Syria and
Iraq are Americans who went over there on
American passports.
“The people who are in Iraq and Syria
have been doing this for six months. They
are American citizens. They are over there
doing what most of the terrorists do. If they
come back to our country, do you think
they’re going to work at UPS?”
Kerik goes on to remind us, “We have to
remember, we are fighting an enemy who
plans on dying for their cause.”
When asked what Kerik would say to
those who are against securing schools
with armed guards, or ballistic doors and
windows, or security cameras, or other
technological security devices to prepare
schools should such an attack take place,
concerned this would compromise the
learning environment, he expressed
disbelief that people would take this
approach.
“I don’t understand their argument,” he
said. “It makes no sense. Nowadays the
technology is advanced and unless you
tell the children and point it out to them,
they will have no idea it’s even there. Being
prepared is what’s going to save lives.”’
Recently, a threat of cutting the heads
off elementary school children in three
communities in Johnston, Warwick, and
Cranston, Rhode Island has frightened
parents, teachers, and the community
to their core. The attendance record
speaks directly to the horror the parents
underwent. In the immediate aftermath of
the threats, the Johnston elementary school
reported an absenteeism rate of 43 percent,
with students in high school and middle
school also staying home. One-third of the
students in Warwick were absent. Cranston
schools had 39 percent absenteeism
26
NJBlue now | november 2014
The empty halls are a clear representation
of the creditability of the threat the parents
and students perceive. We believe they have
good cause to take this and every threat
seriously.
We pray horrifying events like a planned
terrorist attack at our schools never
happens. But for now, we must be aware
of the possibility. Had we known terrorists
would have used commercial airplanes to
attack us on September 11, 2001 we could
have implemented all of the present airport
security procedures and flight security
measures prior to the attack. After all,
secured cabin doors that separate the pilots
from the passengers were installed after the
attack and have since been effective.
“It’s the other stuff
I worry about,
the stuff that is easily
doable and would hardly
cost anything.”
Identify School
Security Risks and
Speak Up
As we have shown, as long as school is
in session, active shooters are arriving at
school campuses across our great country.
We must acknowledge these active
shooters are coming soon and continue
to take the necessary steps to address this
uncomfortable reality.
Schools also now face a potential increase
in security risks from terrorists, who have
no regard for a child’s life. Terrorist groups
like ISIS hate America. These zealots know
we take exceptional pride in the education
of our youth. They know attacking our
children can have a nationally crippling
effect, worse than 9/11. Take a moment to
think about the horror that consumed the
Rhode Island parents, who feared if they
had sent their children to school a savage
killer would cut off their child’s head. Also
consider for a moment if the children who
were brutally murdered at their schools in
Iraq and Syria could speak, what would
they tell us? We believe they would tell us
to be vigilant and remain on the offensive
so that no other child should ever face such
a horrific death.
At this point, we thankfully do not have
any incidents of terror groups like ISIS
attacking our schools, and we pray we
never do, but we believe knowledge and
awareness on the national and local level
is paramount. We offer Kerik’s perspective
to promote awareness. We believe burying
our heads in the sand and pretending it
can’t happen is what will ultimately cause
the most devastation.
We cannot sit idle and wait for active
shooters to arrive. We must remain on
the offensive and keep working toward
prevention and preparedness. We commend
teachers, staff, and school and community
leaders who take school safety and security
seriously. Nationwide, our schools will
become safer and more secure when we
shatter the “It can’t happen here” mentality,
and take steps to protect the children.
The next time you are on patrol or dropping
your children off at school, have a look at
potential security threats and weaknesses.
Make note of them and then take action.
If the main doors are not secured, speak
up and insist something be done. If there
is no police or security officer on campus,
discuss creative ways to make this happen.
If the police department does not have
the staffing to assign an officer, we believe
hiring an armed retired police officer is the
best alternative. In the unfortunate incident
of an active shooter arriving on the school
campus, only an armed officer will be
prepared to eliminate the threat before the
shooter advances further into the school
building.
As the media and politicians continue
to bash law enforcement on the national
stage, let’s focus less on their criticism and
more on what needs to be done to protect
our children. We believe the protection
and safety of our children is our greatest
responsibility.
For now, let’s keep
working together to
combat the reality
that somewhere on a
school campus across
our great country,
an active shooter is
coming soon.
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N JBlue now | november 2014
27
Protecting Our Waters
Doing Double Duty
By Vincent D’Amico
A
fter Mike Witte and Jason Jablonski
finish their workweek as first
responders, they wear uniforms
as reservists in the U.S. Coast Guard.
Witte and Jablonski are both 10-year law
enforcement veterans. Witte serves with the
NYPD and Jablonski with the NJ Juvenile
Justice Commission.
other hazards to ensure our waters are safe
and secure.
Witte and Jablonski have proudly served
with the U.S. Coast Guard for the past
fifteen years. They constantly receive
training from first aid to law enforcement
investigations. As U.S. Coast Guard officers
they have maritime powers to board boats
and check for illegal activity, suspicious
conduct, proper safety equipment, and
In our modern times, the U.S. Coast Guard
invested a great deal of money to outfit their
boats with the most affiliated electronic
devices to monitor our waterways, and
increase the services each unit could
perform. They also spared no expense to
make these boats as safe as possible for
reservists to perform their duties around
Witte and Jablonski have handled all types
of water rescues and emergencies including
capsized vessels with stranded boaters.
These men go above and beyond their call
of duty.
The crew Jason Jablonski, Mike Witte, Anthony Thomas and Cesar Bellido
the clock seven days a week.
I was given the honor to see first hand the
professional job Witte and Jablonski do as
U.S. Coast Guard reservists. To say the least,
I was fascinated and impressed. I am proud
of them. They are humble and modest and
diligently perform their duties selflessly.
When I asked why they continue to work
double duty serving with the U.S. Coast
Guard, their response was simple: They like
to help people.. I commend both officers
for the work they are doing to protect all of
us. It’s officers like these who make all law
enforcement proud.
Photo credits: Vincent D’Amico
Cesar Bellido and Mike Witte, Anthony Thomas in the back of the boat.
Left Jason Jablonski,
Right Mike Witte
28
NJBlue now | november 2014
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[email protected]
N JBlue now | november 2014
29
feature story
Echoes
By Lt. Joseph Pangaro (Ret.)
from Newtown
T
he early morning of December 14,
2012 in Newtown, Connecticut was
filled with promise. The holidays
were just around the corner. All of the
festivities, food, lights, pageants and joy
that are part of our national heritage were
unfolding. The holidays are a magical time
for children. It’s a time of wonderment and
innocence.
I first met Michele several months after
the school shooting at one of her speaking
events. She and her friend, Alissa Parker,
another Newtown mom who also lost an
angel, were invited to speak to local law
enforcement and educators about their
experience and lessons learned as parents
who lost children in the Sandy Hook
shooting.
Newtown is a small community in Fairfield
County Connecticut. It boasts a population
of roughly 28,000 residents without any
type of serious crime problem. The families
that live there work hard to make their lives
and the lives of their children better. The
tree-lined streets with rows of lovely houses
depict the quintessential America town.
When Michele and Alissa first arrived
everyone in the room froze in respectful
silence. The moderator introduced the
mothers to the crowd and we all sat
motionless, not sure what we were about to
hear or how we should react. Most of us in
the crowd are also parents and this tragedy
had affected all of us. Then they began
to speak.
What the residents didn’t know was
that they shared their beautiful
community with a demon.
The demon (whose name I will not mention)
was a tortured soul suffering from a mental
disease. He was removed from the outside
world, living in a fantasy world of violent
blood-drenched video games. On that quiet
December morning this demon decided to
unleash his dark side on the community.
First, he killed his mother in her sleep
for reasons we will never know. Next, he
traveled to the Sandy Hook Elementary
School to finish his mission of pain and
death. He attacked the school without
warning, invaded the sanctity of the
innocent and in a five minute rampage
forever changed the lives of so many,
including the twenty children and six adults
who lost their lives.
Michele Gay’s family suffered an
unimaginable loss that day. Michele’s
beautiful daughter Josephine “Joey” was
one of the angels taken by the killer.
30
NJBlue now | november 2014
First they spoke about their children
telling personal stories that pulled at our
heartstrings. Then they told us details
about the attack that most people did not
know and still today are not fully aware of.
I watched grown men and women holding
back sobs, twisting in their seats to shake
the stress off. It was hard to hear the facts
and not imagine the scene as it unfolded.
I was amazed by these two brave mothers.
I couldn’t imagine talking about such an
event only a few months after the fact,
but once I heard them speak, I realized
that every word was a way of fighting
back. They were strong and eloquent and
it was clear the love for their children was
their motivating force. By speaking out
and trying to help other schools, parents,
children and communities, they found
strength and in doing so provided a way to
honor their lost children.
Michele and Alissa went on to create a school
safety non-profit foundation called Safe
and Sound. They are joined by nationally
renowned safety professionals and travel
the country, visiting and speaking to school
communities. Michele is now a recognized
national school safety advocate. I asked to
participate in this interview to bring her
message and experiences to our readers.
Joe Pangaro: Michele, you
and your family were at the
epicenter of a terrible incident at
the Sandy Hook School. Can you
let our readers know who you
are and how you have turned
this tragedy into a positive?
Michele Gay: Yes, we lost our youngest
daughter, Josephine (Joey) at Sandy Hook
School in the shootings on December 14,
2012. Being Joey’s mother was one of the
greatest privileges of my life. She was an
extraordinary little person, full of love and
joy. As her mom, a former elementary school
teacher, and the parent of her two schoolaged sisters, working to prevent school
tragedies like ours has become my mission.
I co-founded a non-profit foundation, Safe
and Sound: A Sandy Hook Initiative with
Alissa Parker, mother of Emilie, one of Joey’s
classmates and friends who was also killed
that morning. With the support of other
parents and the Sandy Hook Community
members, we’ve reached out to the nation
that supported us through this tragedy. Our
humble initiative is now a national effort
to empower school communities to make
their schools safer. We visit communities
all over the country to speak and assist in
the development of improved safety plans,
practices, and curricula.
As someone who was directly
related to the Sandy Hook
School shooting, what do you
believe are the most important
lessons that police and schools
can learn?
(Continued on page 32)
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31
feature story
(Continued from page 30)
Collaboration:
A multi-disciplinary safety team comprised
of representatives from student, parent,
educator, administrator, police, fire, and
mental health groups is essential. Working
together and making use of a variety of
perspectives and disciplines is the only way
to ensure responsible and comprehensive
safety for our schools. Without conscious
collaboration, it is too easy to assume that
someone else is taking care of that or to
fall into complacency and denial. Multidisciplinary teams can establish protocols,
educate the community, develop adequate
communications and help prevent violence.
Why did you start this
organization?
Alissa and I both immediately saw the
need to better prepare our schools for
emergencies. As we lived through the day
at the Sandy Hook firehouse, we learned
a lot about what was needed and what
we could do better. We couldn’t believe
that in this day and age, decades after so
many school tragedies, our schools were
no better prepared. The responses of law
enforcement and emergency services had
certainly evolved, but school communities
had made precious little progress in safety
education, measures and practices.
Education and Training:
Simply teaching students and staff how to
respond in an emergency can save lives. I
often point to the example of fire safety. The
fire safety campaign of the past 56 years has
saved countless lives. No one has died in a
school fire since 1958. The education and
training for staff and students in other areas
of safety will no doubt save more.
What are the goals of the
organization?
In short, to empower school communities
to make their schools safer through
collaboration, education, and practical
problem solving. We aim to provide the
best tools and resources, expert opinion and
discussion, and the frameworks for active
participation and community collaboration
in school safety.
Communication:
Redundant systems and clear and common
language for communication during an
incident are critical to emergency response.
And as we learned on December 14th every
second counts in an emergency.
It is important for the staff to be informed
during a crisis and for them to be able to
communicate with emergency responders.
Our school had planned to use the PA system
to alert students and staff of emergencies,
but because the attack took place in the
office area and immediately incapacitated
our leadership, the emergency could not be
announced this way. This cost time.
How did you start your
organization?
At Alissa’s kitchen table. I met Alissa on the
phone the day after the tragedy. We talked
for hours about our girls. They were great
friends. After their deaths, we were drawn to
each other to heal. Soon our conversations
became about the nation’s response to our
losses. We were amazed at the love and
support but bewildered about the lack of
discussion about securing our schools. We
invited mothers of other children killed
at Sandy Hook to the table and with their
support, we started Safe and Sound.
32
NJBlue now | november 2014
One of the things I have
found as a trainer of both law
enforcement officers and public
officials is that many agencies
are not actively preparing to
respond to a school shooting
incident. How important is this
preparation?
Many communities aren’t preparing for this
level of crisis because it seems unlikely to
happen in their community or because it
seems frightening.
We’ve discovered that in communities
that are preparing thoughtfully for worstcase scenarios like an active shooter,
students, staff, and parents are more
confident, empowered, and prepared for a
variety of more common emergencies. We
believe strongly that creating a safe school
environment involves much more than
locks and alarms. It’s just as important to
foster a sense of safety and empowerment
over danger. The only way to deliver that is
through education and training. To teach
safety is teaching life skills that will serve
our students a lifetime. It is as important
as reading, writing, and math to a happy,
healthy life.
Another area I don’t believe
is adequately discussed in the
public and private sectors is the
reality of what one of these
terrible incidents can do to the
larger community. What effects
does a major incident like
Sandy Hook have on the larger
community; the businesses,
governmental agencies, and
other parts of a town that
are not directly related to the
shooting?
Life in our community came to a standstill.
Whether or not you lost a loved one,
friend or colleague on December 14th, you
were hurt in some way. The community’s
need for recovery resources alone was
overwhelming.
The enormous media presence in town hurt
local businesses, and ground traffic to a halt
in town. Police escorted us to the funeral
home, church and burial site to protect
our privacy and get us through traffic.
Otherwise, we stayed home to avoid the
chaos that had overtaken the town.
Our town government relied on an aroundthe-clock army of volunteers to sort mail
and deliveries and fielded endless calls from
reporters and those offering condolences or
help from across the country. Police from
neighboring towns provided extra patrols
at the schools, churches, and throughout
the town. Schools and one of our churches
received threats and had to evacuate on
several occasions. Our own elementary
school had to be relocated in order to
serve the surviving staff and students. We
wondered if life would ever continue in our
community.
By VOA (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAmr-A-F8K8)
[Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
(Continued on page 34)
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feature story
(Continued from page 32)
What advice would you give to
the police, public officials and
school administrators on how
to prepare to respond to an
incident like Sandy Hook in the
days and weeks afterward?
I would tell emergency responders to be
sure that they are a part of the school’s
emergency planning and preparation. They
bring a level of expertise and perspective
to the table that parents and educators
desperately need, whether we are ready
to admit it or not! We need the first
responders in our buildings, learning our
faces, and being a part of our culture. We
need them to help us spot problems and
think through safety scenarios. We need to
feel like we are a part of a team with you.
On the flip side, I would ask administrators to
include emergency responders in education,
planning, and practice, and invite them into
the building regularly. Because our plans
all fell apart, emergency responders took
control of the scene. Having them a part of
the plan in the first place would have made
an immeasurable difference in both our
readiness and our response.
Public officials have to be prepared to be a
part of reunifications, announcements and
managing the media and public response
to a tragedy. Their leadership, sense of
calm, and advocacy for victims’ families
is essential. The worldwide response to
our tragedy took tremendous manpower
to manage. It was just impossible for us to
absorb the tremendous response.
The Sandy Hook school community was
relocated to an empty school building one
town away. The entire school was packed
up and moved. The empty school building
was retrofitted and decorated in time for
students to return to school two weeks later.
Substitute teaching staff was at the ready
to step in for staff members who needed
assistance or to leave the classroom at any
moment. Mental health professionals set up
counseling centers in the community and in
each school in the district to address student
needs. And School resource Officers (SRO’s)
were stationed at the schools to give students
and staff the sense of safety they needed.
Going back to the Sandy Hook
School, was there any safety
34
NJBlue now | november 2014
equipment that could have
prevented the shooter from
getting into the school or
slowed him down and prevented
some of the injuries?
Certainly. While we maintained a locked
single point of entry to the building during
school hours and utilized a buzz-in system
to control traffic during the school day,
we had no other barriers to access. Our
classroom doors all had to be locked from
the outside, in the hallway manually by
the teacher in a lockdown. My daughter’s
substitute teacher that day was never issued
a set of keys to the classroom. Teachers in
the front hall and throughout the building
did not have time to lock their doors to
keep him out. One teacher at the end of the
front hall sustained a gunshot wound as
she bravely stepped into the hall to lock her
classroom.
Barricade training would have greatly
enhanced the safety of students and staff in
classrooms. Our gunman gained entry not
through the locked front door, but through
the glass window beside it. He simply
shattered the glass with a few bullets and
stepped in. Protected or reinforced glass
would have prevented use of this window
as an entry point.
Our only means of communicating an
emergency (other than fire) was the PA
system. With the office staff hiding under
their desks for their safety, they were unable
to announce a lockdown or inform the
actions of students and staff during and
after the lockdown.
And while there are many other life-saving
innovations available, quick lock capability
on classroom doors, barricade training or
tools, protected glass at the school entry,
and redundant communication systems
would have likely bought us the precious
four minutes until the police arrived and
our gunman shot himself.
I also believe that a police presence on
campus may have deterred our gunman
altogether. He drove by two other schools
on his way to Sandy Hook. Each of those
schools was known to have a school resource
officer present either full or part-time.
When the message first went
out to parents and guardians
that there was a problem at the
school, how did the authorities
make that notification and what
could have been done better?
The notification I received was an
automated recording of the Superintendent
stating that our schools were in lockdown
due to a shooting at one of our schools, but
we were not told which school was involved.
Knowing which school was affected and
where parents could go to reunite with their
child would have been helpful.
As a parent directly involved in
the incident, what preparation
did the authorities have for your
arrival at the school and what
would you suggest to other
districts to prepare for this type
of situation?
There was no preparation for our arrival at
the school or firehouse. Our administrative
staff was all gone, either killed or taken
to the hospital. No one was left to take
command. Having a plan ready to go before
an incident is the best thing to do.
One of the things you told me
about an incident like this was
the reality that there are large
numbers of people who will
prey on the victim’s families.
What types of things have
happened to you or other
Sandy Hook families?
I have to say that we received far more
support and positive outreach than
negative. But it is always shocking to learn
about how some will look to take advantage
of the pain of others. Our families were
quickly overcome by the media response
to our tragic losses. Overzealous reporters
and photographers called incessantly and
came to our homes and funerals. People
and organizations performed fundraisers
and collected money “for the families” only
to keep it for themselves or their preexisting
agendas.
Similarly, we found that many organizations
formed overnight (or had been waiting at
the ready to use a tragedy like ours) to serve
their predetermined political, business, or
career agendas. And probably the most
unbelievable to us were the “hoaxers”
who set up websites devoted to defaming
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our loved ones and families. But the most painful and frightening
to us was the threat of the release of the crime scene and autopsy
reports of our murdered children and teachers. They had suffered
hideous crimes. The thought of the details and images of their
deaths and injuries becoming publicized was torture.
We offer a very large area of
Christmas trees to choose from.
What are the most important lessons learned
from the Sandy Hook School Shooting?
Denial is dangerous. Pretending that we will never face tragedy
leaves us woefully unprepared to prevent it and overcome it.
On a personal note, I am amazed at your energy
and dedication to make our schools safer and
protect the kids who attend the schools in the
USA. How do you manage to do the work you do?
I rely on my daughter and the support system I have in my
faith, friends, family and mental health support. It is definitely
a challenge to manage the care of our healing family on top of
the work of our foundation, but I am determined to make a
difference in her honor.
How can someone help your organization, make
a donation, or get involved?
That’s easy. Simply visit our website safeandsound-schools.
org to make a donation, print off free materials for your school
community, subscribe to our blog, and follow us on Twitter and
Facebook. We’ll continue to develop and add new tools and
materials to the site as our funds allow. We need your support to
help schools stay Safe and Sound.
We are open the day after
Thanksgiving till December 20th.
Please bring your families and enjoy!
We look foward to seeing you!
Saint Paul’s Abbey Tree Farm
Route 206 North, Andover NJ
Thank you for your time. You are a tremendous
example to all of us about how we can make a
difference.
Thank you. I am grateful that I am not alone in this. I have met so
many folks that are truly dedicated to keeping our schools safe. It
is my honor to shine a light on them and share their wisdom and
expertise through Safe and Sound!
Lt. Joseph Pangaro retired after serving 27 years
in law enforcement in a police department in
Monmouth County, New Jersey. Pangaro is
a graduate of the Certified Public Managers
Pro-gram (CPM) through Fairleigh-Dickenson
University and served his department as the
Lead Training Officer. He also writes a weekly
newspaper column dedicated to helping his
readers understand the rigors and joys of a
career 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 @
[email protected] or Twitter: @Pangarotraining
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35
Women in blue
“As women
we must stand up
for ourselves.
As women we must stand
up for each other.
As women we must stand
up for justice for all.”
Michelle Obama
Seeking
Equality
By Captain Donna Roman Hernandez (Ret.)
W
omen and men are equally capable
of being law enforcement officers.
Female officers work side by side
with male officers performing their duties
and in command positions, breaking the
myths and skepticism that women are
incapable of handling the job.
Once Upon a Time
This may be hard to believe but policing
had once been viewed by Americans as a
male occupation. The early history of duties
for women police officers in the 1900s was
social service in nature. They were assigned
primarily to clerical, juvenile and matron
duties and were not permitted to perform
basic patrol duties.
The female police officer character
portrayed by actress Angie Dickinson in
the 1974 television series Police Woman was
glamorized and misrepresented, an image
that has no place in modern policing today.
In the 1970s female law enforcement
officers represented only 2% of our nation’s
law enforcement work force. By 1991, 9% of
all police were female and in the year 2000
it rose to 11.2%.
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NJBlue now | november 2014
Status of Women Officers
The last century in U.S. history has seen
the emergence of more women in policing,
their contributions to our criminal justice
system and their ultimate sacrifices made
to protect our communities and nation.
However, men still are the overwhelming
majority of police officers in our nation.
According to data given to the FBI in 2011,
women represented nearly 12% of about
700,000 police officers in the U.S.
Women are still underrepresented in the
highest ranks of law enforcement, but not
in D.C., where women hold top spots at six
major institutions, including the DEA, FBI,
Secret Service and D.C. Police.
Women Warriors
John M. Wills, an award-winning novelist
and a former Chicago police officer and
retired FBI agent, has recently assembled
a series of true stories in a book, Women
Warriors: Stories From The Thin Blue Line.
It’s a first of its kind anthology featuring
narratives written by the women in law
enforcement who lived them. He has
published more than 125 articles on police
training, firearms and street survival.
I spoke with Wills and he told me why he
wrote about women in law enforcement.
“During my law enforcement career I’ve
trained scores of women in a variety of
disciplines: defensive tactics, firearms
and fitness, to name a few. I’ve seen their
determination and tested their mettle. I’ve
watched as some quit, not unlike their male
colleagues, and marveled as others fought
through adversity and won. I’ve seen a few
make the ultimate sacrifice and lay down
their life for their fellow man. I am inspired
by the daily battles waged by our women
in blue. Their compelling stories give an
insight into the minds of these exceptional
women, and I refer to them as Women
Warriors because they fight tenaciously and
savagely to uphold the oath they swore. It’s
time their stories are told.”
Forcing Change
It’s never easy being the ‘first’ of anything,
especially for women who work in a
male-dominated profession. Some police
departments in New Jersey have not hired
their first female officer or have hired a lone
female officer.
(Continued on page 38)
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N JBlue now | november 2014
37
Women in blue
(Continued from page 36)
Former Chief of Detectives William
Schievella shared his perspective on the
status of women on the job. “Women make
up a vital part of the law enforcement
community today. I believe that women law
enforcement officers often have superior
conflict resolution skills and can manage
stressful situations to a positive outcome.”
Women have been in law enforcement for
over one hundred years, however, bias and
barriers still exist in many police
departments and police agencies in
hiring, selection practices and recruitment
policies keeping the numbers of women
in law enforcement down. Female officers
are often encouraged to overlook or
minimize the discrimination they face
because it ‘comes with the job.’ When they
seek change, frequently it comes through
litigation, forcing agencies to change their
written policies and attitudes and courtordered plans are necessary to get some
of departments/agencies to implement
policies for equality and to retain and
promote women.
Whistleblowers are perceived as traitors
and those female pioneers in law enforcement that have opened the door for future
women to pass through have paid a price,
often times facing retaliation and ostracism
from the hiring authority, supervisors and
co-workers for filing gender discrimination
and sexual harassment lawsuits or for
exposing other acts of misconduct.
In August of 2014, the US Department of
Justice filed a federal lawsuit against the
commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the
Pennsylvania State Police alleging that the
state police have engaged in a pattern and
practice of employment discrimination
against women. The DOJ alleges in its suit
that the Pennsylvania State Police excluded
qualified women from consideration as
entry-level troopers by requiring candidates
to pass a physical fitness test that did not
test for physical skills necessary to perform
the job.
The DOJ is seeking a court order to end
the physical fitness test and to require
defendants “to provide make-whole relief,
including back pay with interest, offers of
employment, retroactive seniority, and
other benefits to women who have suffered
38
NJBlue now | november 2014
losses or will suffer losses” because of the
state police’s policies.
Embracing Women in Blue
The National Center for
Women & Policing
Since 1995, the National Center for Women
& Policing (NCWP) has been educating
criminal justice policy makers, the media
and the public about the impacts of
increasing the representation of women in
policing. Their goals include ensuring that
gender is always considered during the
analysis of contemporary policing issues,
and that law enforcement agencies strive
for gender balancing their departments.
They promote increasing the numbers of
women at all ranks of law enforcement as
a strategy to improve police response to
violence against women and strengthen
community policing reforms.
The New Jersey Women
in Law Enforcement
Founded in 2004 by a group of female
law enforcement executives representing
federal, state, county and municipal
agencies, the New Jersey Women in
Law Enforcement, Inc. (NJWLE) is a
professional organization of women
and men who are working together to
strengthen public recognition of the unique
contributions of women to the profession
of law enforcement. Their mission is to
strengthen the law enforcement profession
through the celebration of diversity and
collaborative leadership and to mentor the
next generation of women leaders.
The International Association
of Women Police
The IAWP was first organized as the
International Policewomen’s Association
in 1915. The mission of the IAWP is to
strengthen, unite and raise the profile of
women in criminal justice internationally.
Their vision is for women officers’ lives to
be free from discrimination, valued for
their contribution, and treated with respect
and dignity.
The IACP Diversity
Coordinating Panel
The IACP Diversity Coordinating Panel
focuses on issues affecting recruitment,
hiring, retention, and promotion, which
pertain to all under-represented groups,
particularly women and minorities.
The Panel works from a perspective
that diversity is essential in enhancing,
strengthening, and advancing the law
enforcement profession and is guided
by the principle that workplace diversity
enhances the tenants of professionalism,
community service, and the protection of
civil rights for all persons working in law
enforcement agencies.
Don Wactor, a former Orange Police Captain and the President of the NOBLENorthern New Jersey Chapter feels that
most women in law enforcement bring
a kinder, gentler perspective to law
enforcement, something that is needed
in today’s police department. “The female
officers that I have worked with have been
dedicated, conscientious, reliable and
dependable. The ones I depend on most
with NOBLE are women. During my three
years in office as President I have presented
six member of the year awards and five of
them were to women… this says something
about their abilities and commitment.”
Finally there is a growing acceptance by the
public and within our profession for the
hiring, retention and promotion of women
in law enforcement.
References:
Women Moving Through the Higher Ranks,
USA Today, August 14, 2013.
Policewomen: The First Century and the New
Era, Police Chief, Vol. 73, No. 9, September
2006.
IACP, IAWP, NCWP and NJWLE web sites.
Captain Donna Roman
Hernandez (Ret.) is a
domestic violence police
specialist, domestic
violence subject matter
expert and consultant.
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
award-winning feature documentarymemoir The Ultimate Betrayal: A Survivor’s
Journey is available for download or
purchase at Amazon.com – Prime Instant
Video. Contact Donna at salsacop446@
hotmail.com or www.blueforcefilms.com.
To Advertise Call: 201.943.3800
blue events
Nj Honor Legion
the Fiesta
Wood-Ridge, New Jersey.
October 29th, 2014
40
NJBlue now | november 2014
Photo Credits: Willis Hulings
To Advertise Call: 201.943.3800
www.GunForHire.com • 888-Gun-For-Hire (486-3674)
blue events
New Jersey Police
Honor Legion
5th Annual Golf Outing
October 2, 2014
Photo Credits: Willis Hulings
42
NJBlue now | november 2014
To Advertise Call: 201.943.3800
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Photo credits: Officer Marc Loveland
Orange PD Lt. Keith Jackson, Bloomingdale PD Officer Marc Loveland and
Orange PD Officer Richard Adrianzen.
Inspector Joyce Carnegie, Orange Police Department
End of Watch: 4/8/1999
Riding For A Fallen Hero
On April 7, 2008, Orange Police Officer Joyce Carnegie was shot and killed in the line
of duty by an armed robbery suspect she had stopped for questioning. Carnegie was the
first female officer killed in the line of duty in Essex County, New Jersey. The suspect
pled guilty to murder and was sentenced to life in prison on June 30, 1999. On October
7, 2008 Officer Carnegie was posthumously promoted to the rank of Inspector.
During this year’s Police Unity Tour, Officer Marc Loveland of the Bloomingdale Police
Department rode in memory of Inspector Carnegie and wore a memorial bracelet in
her honor. Recently, Loveland presented the bracelet to Inspector Carnegie’s mother
Ernestine Carnegie at the Bloomingdale Police Department, along with Chief Joseph
Borell and members of his department. Mrs. Carnegie was accompanied by Don
Wactor, a former Captain of the Orange Police Department and President of NOBLENorthern New Jersey and Bill Heinzelman.
Bloomingdale PD Officer Marc Loveland and
Ernestine Carnegie
This is the bracelet Marc wore representing the memory of Joyce Carnegie.
He presented it to Joyce’s mother.
44
NJBlue now | november 2014
Wactor, Loveland, Ernestine, Chief Joseph Borell and Heinzelman.
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blue events
BLESSING OF THE BADGE CEREMONY
September 27, 2014
The National Organization
of Black Women in Law
Enforcement (NOBWLE)
collaborated with several
organizations including
NOBLE Northern New Jersey,
the Passaic County Bronze
Shields, Sisters Beyond the
Badge and Ladies in Law
Enforcement for the first
Blessing of the Badge ceremony,
a non-denominational service
praying over the badges of
law enforcement officers for
violence prevention at St.
Matthew’s Baptist Church in
Roselle.
Sergeant Promotion
Hazlet Police Department
October 28, 2014
Sgt. Jerry Burgos of the Hazlet Police
Department was recently promoted to Sergeant
and members of the National Coalition of Latino
Officers representing various police departments
were on hand to congratulate Burgos on his
promotion.
NJ Police Community Affairs Officers Association/Morris County
Freeholders & Department of Law & Public Safety
Law Enforcement Career Development Course
Fall 2014
This 10-week comprehensive course is
sponsored by the NJ Police Community
Affairs Officers Association and the Morris
County Freeholders along with 15 colleges and
universities. It is held at the Morris County
Public Safety Academy and is designed to
prepare college students for careers in law
enforcement as well as teach students about
the profession as a whole. The course gives
students a closer look at law enforcement
by exposing them to practical scenarios and
hands-on instruction.
46
NJBlue now | november 2014
To Advertise Call: 201.943.3800
N JBlue now | november 2014
47
remembrance
Sponsored by
www.MomentOfSilenceInc.org
Officer Stephen
Huczko Jr.
forward to working in the
medical field as a nurse.
O
fficer Stephen Huczko was a 17year veteran with the Port Authority
Police and was appointed on June
23, 1986. He worked as a Police Officer
at Newark International Airport and was
the coordinator for emergency medical
personnel response at Newark International
Airport.
He was instrumental in coordinating and
distributing defibrillator units at Newark
International Airport. Officer Huczko was
the recipient of numerous police citations
and received the Group Valor Award for his
participation in rescue operations during
the 1993 bombing of the World Trade
Center. He was also proud to be a drummer
with the Port Authority Police Pipes &
Drums.
Officer Huczko was also a licensed
registered nurse and worked at Raritan
Valley Community College in Branchburg.
After his retirement, he was looking
On September 11, 2001, Officer Huczko was scheduled
to be off, but was at the Police Academy waiting for an
interview for a position at
the academy. After learning
of the attack on the World
Trade Center, he responded
to the site with the academy
staff and began rescue operations in Tower One. As the rescue
team climbed, the building shook
and though they heard via radio
that Tower Two collapsed, they
forged on and reached somewhere
between the 24th to 27th floors.
They were then ordered to evacuate and during their descent Officer
Huczko and the team encountered
a woman who was unable to walk
on her own. In an attempt to save
her, they strapped her into a first
aid chair and started to carry her to
safety, but only reached the lobby
when the building collapsed.
couple moved to a small rural community
in Hampton, New Jersey. Officer Huczko
was a dedicated father. He coached summer
baseball for his son’s teams and loved
biking, especially with his children in the
annual New York City bicycle tour. He
was also an avid runner, finished the NYC
marathon in 2000 and encouraged his three
oldest children to participate in a triathlon
with him. Stephen also had a romantic side
and would often surprise his wife when he
came home from work with flowers that he
would pick alongside the road.
Stephen Huczko, age 45, was born in
Manhattan, New York and raised in
Staten Island. Though both he and
his future wife, Kate, attended the
same grammar school, they did not
meet until a friend introduced them
then married three years later. The
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]
48
NJBlue now | november 2014
To Advertise Call: 201.943.3800
Matthew A. Peluso, Esq.
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Brick, New Jersey 08723
732-600-8976
email: [email protected]
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L
aw Enforcement Officers and canines are a natural pairing providing loyalty
and pleasure to each other, forming close relationships and companionship.
Send us a favorite photo of you and your ‘best friend’ to be displayed in Blue Paws!
“Heaven” is a beautiful
3-year old Pit bull.
Sent by Detective Wendell Oms
West New York
Police Department
Officer Mitchell
Passaic County Sheriff’s
Department with “Buddah”
Detective Mark Anacker
Kean University
Police Department
with K9 “Gunner”
Det. Zeno
Woodbridge Police Department
& “Bonnie & Clyde”
Olde English Bulldogs
If you and your dog would like to be featured in Blue Paws,
please email your photo to Joseph Celentano at:
[email protected].
“Zena”
Officer Kevin Garcia
Chicago Police Department
Sgt. John Bell
Rutgers Police Department Newark
and “Preston”
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Joseph Celentano
Passaic County
Sherrif’s Department
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