FOP NEWSNewJerseyF R AT E R N A L O R D E R O F P O L I C E W I N T E R 2 0 1 0

Building FundOn Hold

E-Board EventAttendance Reduced

Travel ExpensesSlashed

Charitable GivingTemporarily Reduced

Care packages for U.S. soldiersFOP wife finds new calling

Welcome to three new lodges• Florence Township

• Customs & Border Protection• Camden County Corrections

Get on board with NJMNJ’s best auto insurer

now offers FOP discount

CDG out of Business

Board pushes

self-sufficiency

through cutbacks

& higher dues

Economic Trickle-DownMeets the State Lodge

2 NJ FOP NEWS

The New Jersey FOP News is publishedquarterly by New Jersey FOP Newspaper,Inc., a subsidiary of the State Lodge. It isan independent commercial publicationsanctioned by the NJ FOP and is mailedon a complimentary basis to all membersand advertisers. Reproduction of any partof The New Jersey FOP News for com-mercial purposes without permission isstrictly prohibited.

PublisherNew Jersey FOP News, Inc.108 West State StreetTrenton, NJ 08608Phone: (609) 599-1222Fax: (609) 599-1221

Advertising InquiriesCall State Lodge headquarters(609) 599-1222, x208or send e-mail to njfopnews@aol.com

Editorial ProductionPatric Communications204 South Branch DriveWhitehouse Station, NJ 08889Phone: (908) 823-9001Fax: (908) 823-9002E-Mail: rpatric@comcast.netEditor: Robin Patric

PrinterA.F.L. Web Printing2 Executive DriveVoorhees, NJ 08043Phone: (856) 566-1270Fax: (856) 566-0110

NJ FOP State Lodge OfficersPresident Ed BranniganExecutive Vice President Bob FoxVice President Dominic RomeoCorresponding Secretary Wayne WinklerTreasurer George KlineRecording Secretary Steve DemofonteSergeant at Arms Ken HawkinsChaplain Andy CastellanosNational Trustee Ron Bakley

Past PresidentsRick Whelan, John Sisto, Jim Forcinito,Harold Shea

Director of Member ServicesSteve Szypulski

FOP State Legal CounselA.J. Fusco, Jr., P.A.

FOP NEWSNewJersey W I N T E R 2 0 1 0CONTENTS

F E A T U R E S

D E P A R T M E N T S

3 From the President’s Desk4 Grand Lodge Update6 Legally Speaking16 State Lodge Briefs18 Richman Report24 NJ FOP Membership Benefits25 Awards26 Dear Steph32 Cop2Cop35 Quickbits36 Local Lodge Officer Elections37 Members on the Move

Civic Development Group out of businessState Lodge campaigns for self-sufficiency with cutbacks & higher dues

FOP wife helps create ‘Project Our Town’Care packages for U.S. soldiers abroad

Jersey City monument to rescuers, itself a doublevictim of crime

8

12

28

S T A T E L O D G E N E W S

11 NJM now offers auto insurancediscount to FOP

11 2010 Mini Conference, Mar. 22-2511 Labor Council on steady pay-down

track15 Rate reduced for 2010 state confer-

ence19 What the FOP can expect from the

Christie administration20 Welcome to three new lodges22 Let the spirit ring! State Lodge holiday

reception photos25 More police switching to FOP26 Middlesex Prosecutor’s Office offers

police suicide seminar

A D V E R T I S E R S

5 Wells Fargo Home Mortgage7 Modern Mortgage9 Stark & Stark10 Allied Mortgage Group13 Thomas Edison State College15 Bagolie Friedman Injury

Lawyers17 The Cushane Law Firm, LLC18 DWC Enterprises, Inc.21 Loop Realty25 Eastern Dental27 Allied Home Mortgage Capital

Corp.29 Santamaria Eye Center40 Cove Haven Entertainment

Resorts

29 River vessel christened in honor ofJersey City’s DiNardo

30 Freak accident paralyzes L-179President Lowe

30 Atlantic Lodge wins schedulingarbitration

31 Rich Sarlo now chief in Collingswood31 Farewell to Erdman, Magee and

Angulot33 Newark’s Gianella recovering from

traumatic car accident34 LaBruno named member of the year

in Mt. Arlington35 Matlock & Fox honored by

Monmouth Lodge

L O C A L H I G H L I G H T S

WINTER 2010 3

Stay Alert, Stay Alive!

F R O M T H E P R E S I D E N T ’ S D E S K

NJ FOP PresidentEd Brannigan

I am frustrated

by the abrupt

increase in

ambush and

rampage-style

assaults on

police officers.

The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund released its preliminary2009 fatality report in December. One inspiring aspect of the report was that line-of-duty deaths were down 5% in 2009 compared to 2008, the lowest in five decades.As encouraging as that drop may be, I am frustrated by the abrupt increase in

ambush and rampage-style assaults on police officers. Law enforcement officerfatalities as a result of gunfire rose 26% last year. We witnessed incredible assaultson police officers with multiple officers being shot.

• Mar. 21, Oakland, Calif. Four police officers were shot and killed by a paroleeduring a traffic stop.• April 4, Pittsburgh, Pa. Two officers responding to a domestic disturbance were

ambushed by a suspect who opened fired with an AK-47, killing both officers. Athird officer was shot and killed as he got out of his car.• April 25, Okaloosa County, Fla. Two sheriff’s deputies attempting to arrest a

suspect for domestic violence were gunned down.• July 26, Seminole County, Okla. Two deputy sheriff’s officers and an officer

from the Seminole Nation Lighthorse Police Department were attempting to serve anarrest warrant. When they approached the front door of the suspect’s home they werefired upon. Both deputies were fatality wounded.• July 16, Jersey City, NJ. Five police officers were shot following an investiga-

tion of two suspects wanted for armed robbery and a shooting. Officers on stake-outattempted to stop the suspects and a fierce running gun battle ensued. Four JerseyCity officers and one Port Authority officer were shot. Det. Marc DiNardo of JerseyCity succumbed to his wounds.• Nov. 29, Lakewood, Wash. Four police officers preparing for their shift were

sitting in a coffee shop working on laptops. The coffee shop, owned by a retiredTacoma police officer, was considered a “safe” hangout for cops waiting to go onduty. A man on line reached the counter, drew a handgun and opened fired on theofficers. One officer was able to return fire and wounded the suspect as he fled. Allfour officers died at the scene. After a massive two-day manhunt, the suspect wasshot and killed by a Seattle police officer.

We have to be ever-vigilant of our surroundings, never letting down our guard.Criminals and domestic terrorists look for opportunities to kill when we are mostvulnerable. Law enforcement officers today are confronted by daring and bizarrecriminals, yet our men and women display remarkable bravery.When I was a young police officer in Newark, we had a dispatcher who, when

broadcasting on Newark Police radio station KRI 750, would always end by saying“Stay Alert, Stay Alive.”

Fraternally,Ed Brannigan, PresidentNew Jersey Fraternal Order of Police

4 NJ FOP NEWS

HEADQUARTERS701 Marriott DriveNashville,TN 37214

PatrickYoesNational Secretary(800) 451-2711

FAX: (615) 399-0400

NATIONAL FOPLEGISLATIVE OFFICES309 Massachusetts

Avenue, N.E.Washington, D.C. 20002

Jim PascoExecutive Director

Phone: (202) 547-8189FAX: (202) 547-8190

CURRENT OFFICERS

President Chuck Canterbury

Vice President Dave Hiller

Secretary PatrickYoes

TreasurerTom Penoza

2ndVice President

Frank Gale

Sgt-at-ArmsTim Downs

PAST PRESIDENTS

Gill Gallegos

Dewey Stokes

Dick Boyd

Leo Marchetti

John Dineen

National FOPDirectory

Day on the Hill,Feb. 8-10FOP Day on The Hill

2010 will be Monday toWednesday, Feb. 8 to 10. TheNational Legislative Officeand the National LegislativeCommittee will host a shortbriefing on the FOP legisla-tive agenda at D.C. Lodge #1headquarters, located at 7114th Street, NW. The one-hourbriefing will take place Mon-day afternoon.On Tuesday and Wednes-

day, state delegations willproceed to pre-arrangedmeetings with lawmakersfrom their respective states.Participants should try tomeet with the representativeor senator in each office, inaddition to their staff.Contact National for hotel

information. A block ofrooms is reserved for mem-bers.

FOP neutral, for now,on big truck weightlimitsSix-axled vehicles weigh-

ing up to 97,000 poundswould be able to operate oninterstates within their respec-tive state boundaries if the“Safe and Efficient Trans-portation Act” is passed. Cur-rent limits allow five-axledtrucks carrying up to 80,000pounds.For law enforcement,

HR-1799 poses issues of offi-cer and highway safety. Moreweight means more potentialhazards and faster road dete-rioration.Some local law enforce-

ment factions support the billbecause current weightrestrictions force large trucksoff the interstates and ontolocal and state roads, puttingall the potential hazards intothe local arena.

In a press statement, theNational FOP Legislative Of-fice wrote, “without greaterconsensus on this issue onthe part of these officers, theFOP will continue its moni-toring and research, but willtake no position at this time.”

Boyd honoredPast National President

Dick Boyd was named inDecember as one of fouroriginal inductees into theOklahoma Law EnforcementHall of Fame.“This is a well-deserved

honor for a brother whom Ideeply respect,” said current

National President ChuckCanterbury.The four inductees each

received the Bill TilghmanAward, named after a famouslawman from Chandler,Okla., where the Hall ofFame is located.Boyd, a 22-year veteran

of the Oklahoma City PoliceDepartment, is a chartermember of Oklahoma CityLodge #123 and served as itsfirst secretary. He was presi-dent of his local and statelodges before serving asnational president from 1983to 1987.

G R A N D L O D G EU P D A T E

Five winter training opportunities

1. Leadership Matters Seminar, Feb. 4-6,Nashville, Tenn. Local and state leaders learn how toconduct lodge business more efficiently.

2. Annual Labor Forum, Feb. 24-25, Harrah’s LasVegas. Grievance processing, officer rights and recentdevelopments in labor issues.

3. Legal Counselors Seminar, Feb. 26-27, Harrah’sLas Vegas. FOP attorneys learn about officer bills ofrights across the country; participate in roundtable dis-cussions on public policy, critical incidents, legal bestpractices and more.

4. Collective Bargaining I,Mar. 27-30, Harrah’sLas Vegas. Bargaining techniques, comparables, eco-nomics, the negotiation process. Involves role playingin mock contract talks. Also covers ratification and in-terest arbitration. For new and experienced bargainers.

5. Collective Bargaining II,Mar. 31-April 2,Harrah’s Las Vegas. Covers health care and economicissues, interest arbitration, mock arbitration hearings,political action, FLSA and using the media.

For information on Leadership Matters, contactJoyce Jackson at National FOP HQ, (800) 451-2711 orseminars@fop.net. For all other seminars, contactLabor Services Director Rick Weisman at (800) 451-2711, (614) 224-1856, or labor@fop.net.

Cont’d on page 6

WINTER 2010 5

Mortgage Rates

Are Still Historically Low!

Act Now!

Refinance with a responsiblelending leader• Lower your monthly mortgage payment• Switch from an ARM to a predictablefixed-rate loan

• Access cash for large expenses or debtmanagement

• Get a shorter term to pay off your mortgagefaster

• Finance your closing costs as part of yournew loan

Looking to Purchase?Bring Your Homeownership Plans to Life• Purchase your first home• Make the most of the equity in your home• Invest in rental properties or a vacation/second home

FHA &VA home financingavailable

NJ PFRS Mortgage

4.77%For First-Time Home Buyers

& Trade-Up Buyers

Call for details

Credit is subject to approval. Some restrictions apply. This information is accurate as of date of printing and is subject to change without notice.Wells Fargo Home Mortgage is a division of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. © 2009 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. 12/09

Exclusive Mortgage Discounts.I am ready to help you. Call Today!

CHRISTINETOWER

Home Mortgage Consultant

201-396-8688 - mobile201-825-1428 - office

866-617-0360 - fax

christine.tower@wellsfargo.com

6 NJ FOP NEWS

Police mobile devices such as cellphones and two-way pagers havebecome common in the workplace,especially in “on call” departments.Internet and e-mail usage policies arelikewise common, but gray areas stillexist. You may wonder how new tech-nology and office policies affect yourFourth Amendment rights and expec-tations of privacy, especially as apublic service employee.This issue was examined by the

9th Circuit Court of Appeals in a casearising out of Ontario, Calif. In brief,the Ontario Police Department pur-chased two-way pagers for theirSWAT team members to communicatemore efficiently. All team members,prior to receiving the devices, signedmemos acknowledging their under-standing of the department’s technol-ogy policy, which allowed for minimalpersonal usage and also warned ofpossible audits. But the city’s “Com-puter Usage, Internet and E-Mail Pol-icy” did not expressly mention pagersand text messages. Instead, employeeswere advised informally on severaloccasions that messages transmitted

via pager were considered e-mail andthus covered under the city’s policy.For several months before the

audit, a few SWAT members continu-ously exceeded their monthly al-lowance. After eight months, thechief of police ordered an audit todetermine whether a higher-limitmessaging plan was necessary. Theaudit revealed that one employee hadsent and received explicit messageson the two-way pager. Once con-fronted, the officer and his wife initi-ated a lawsuit on grounds that theirFourth Amendment expectation ofprivacy was violated by the audit. Thesuit included the service provider forreleasing the records of messages tothe police department.The court held that the plaintiff’s

Fourth Amendment rights were vio-lated because a less intrusive searchcould have reached the same conclu-sion — that the department wasexceeding its contract with the textmessage service provider. Further, thecity’s policy did not expressly men-tion the inclusion of pagers and textmessages. The court dismissed claims

against the service provider ongrounds that the contract was betweenthe police department and theprovider. Accordingly, the providerwas permitted to release the informa-tion to its client upon request.I advise you to review your depart-

ment’s internet and technology policy.Also, be cautious of your messageusage on devices sponsored or ownedby the department. If your departmenthas yet to address these issues, youshould still be wary of using the de-vices for personal reasons. By doingso, you may avoid future headachesand embarrassment. With time, morespecific policies will be put in place toregulate personal usage of high-techdevices. Until then, contact your FOPrepresentatives if you have any con-cerns or questions regarding yourdepartment’s policies. �

LEGALLY SPEAKING

Watch out if you’re sending personalmessages on departmental devices

By State LodgeAttorney

Tony Fusco

Anthony J. Fusco, Jr., Esq. and his firm,Fusco & Macaluso, LLC in Passaic, are theadministrators of the New Jersey FOPLegal Defense Plan. They can be reachedat (973) 779-1163.

Driver license guides stillavailableNeed help identifying fake IDs and

preventing underage access to alcoholand tobacco at retail locations? Miller-Coors still has thousands of copies of the2009 Drivers License Guide, developedin partnership with the FOP.The guide displays color reproduc-

tions of drivers’ licenses and ID cardsfrom all 50 states and nine Canadian

G R A N D L O D G EU P D A T E

provinces. Samples fromAmerican Samoa, Guam,Northern Mariana Islands,Puerto Rico, U.S. VirginIslands, Northwest Terri-tories, Nunavut Territory,and Yukon Territory arealso shown, as is the driver'slicense from the U.S. Depart-ment of State. Accompanyingtext describes the corresponding

Cont’d from page 4

minors’ licenses and identifica-tion cards, and security featuresdisplayed on the front andreverse sides. Guidelines tohelp verify authenticityof legal IDs are printedon the back cover.The guide is free except

for shipping. �

WINTER 2010 7

C

8 NJ FOP NEWS

S TA T E L O D G E N E W S

Civic DevelopmentGroup, the nationwide publicsafety fundraising machine,closed shop in December.For 20 years, the companyraised millions for publicsafety organizations, includ-ing the New Jersey FOP andmany other state lodgesacross the country.Since 1994, the New

Jersey FOP was receivingincome from CDG’s ongoingresidential solicitation, butthe economic downturntightened donor pockets andsqueezed the company out ofbusiness.At the Dec. 16 State

Lodge meeting, President EdBrannigan announced, “Wedo not have a solicitor as ofthis moment. What we’vebeen telling you over andover again has come true:We can’t rely on the generalpublic to run our business.”

State officers have con-tacted several fundraisingcompanies to maintain mini-mal income until the nextstate conference in August.At that time, they will askmembers to approve a signif-icant per capita increase —from $12.50 to $52 a year.The change would make theState FOP entirely self-suffi-cient.If members say yes, “we

won’t have to rely onfundraising any more,” saidBrannigan. “We’re doingwhat we can to survive untilwe can get the increase.”Cost-saving measures in-

clude board members payingtheir own way to manyevents. For example, “I’mgoing to a four-day confer-ence in Las Vegas and pick-ing up three nights myself,”he said.

In the current-year budget,State Lodge costs are calcu-lated at $63 per member, ac-cording to Treasurer GeorgeKline. If per capita were $52,the State Lodge would needthe equivalent of $11 permember to cover remainingcosts. Kline said the differ-ence is already met by StateLodge merchandise sales,primarily travel cards, FOPlicense plates, gold shields,holders and wallets.Right now, out of the

$12.50 per capita, there aretwo automatic allotments: $2for the NJ FOP PoliticalAction Committee and $5 forthe building fund (to financeconstruction of larger head-quarters in Florence). “Thatleaves $5.50 to run the busi-ness,” said Kline.Compared to other dues-

paying organizations, FOPper capita for state affiliation

is remarkably low. PBAmembers pay $54 to theirstate organization, membersof the Professional Firefight-ers Association pay $120,and teachers pay $731 to theNational Education Associa-tion of NJ.“We’re not out to make

money off the members butwe should be paying our ownway,” said Kline.The board has now

launched a campaign to sellthe idea of cutbacks and in-creased dues to local lodges.They are presenting the strat-egy to local members onelodge at a time. By deadline,they had visited 15 locallodges.“We seem to have their

support,” said Kline. “Wehaven’t had anybody saythey’re going to leave theFOP because of the increase.”Some members have

Civic Development Group goes out of businessBoard pushes for self-sufficiency through cutbacks & higher dues

Building FundOn Hold

E-Board EventAttendance Reduced

Travel ExpensesSlashed

Charitable GivingTemporarily Reduced

WINTER 2010 9

pressed the board on spend-ing practices. “One big ques-tion is the four cars,” saidKline. “It’s actually cheaperto have a company-ownedcar over a period of manyyears than paying gas andmileage for a personal car.We always pay the cars offup front so there’s no inter-est, plus we double up in onecar when we go places. It’sdefinitely a big savings.”Brannigan said the

biggest cut in expenses was

postponing construction ofthe new FOP headquartersbuilding in Florence Town-ship. Another was cuttingout receptions at the Chiefsof Police Expo in AtlanticCity and at the national con-ference.Board members are at-

tending fewer events, such asthe annual Special Olympicsbanquet and fewer locallodge affairs. “We’re sendingone or two people from theboard” to reduce the cost intickets and gas,” said Branni-gan.Board members also are

doing more work from homeinstead of driving to the of-fice.The ongoing residential

solicitation conducted byCivic Development Groupallowed the FOP to be gener-ous to charitable groups likeDeborah Hospital, SpecialOlympics and Easter Seals.But for daily business, “weneed to pay our own way,”said Kline.

At $12.50 per memberper year, current State Lodgedues amount to 25¢ a week.So what’s the difference ifthe increase is approved?“We’re talking about a

dollar a week,” said Kline.Sean Grannan, president

of Gloucester TownshipLodge #206, said his mem-bers reacted favorably to thepresentation at their recentlodge meeting. Thirty-fiveout of 110 members werepresent.

“If dues need to be raised,so be it,” he said. “Every-thing goes up. Nobodyminds paying an increase incable dues, and running alodge is the same way.”At most local meetings,

state board members arehearing cost-cutting sugges-tions. For example, Lodge#206 members suggested nomore out-of-state confer-ences. “When we’re jettingeverywhere, it cuts down onattendance and it’s a prettybig cost, for local lodges andthe State Lodge,” saidGrannan.Executive board visits

will continue until next sum-mer. The final decision onper capita will come in a del-egate vote at this year’s stateconference in Myrtle Beach.To set up your lodge’sadvance visit with executiveboard officers, call the stateoffice at (609) 599-1222 orsend e-mail to njfop@fop.net.�

Dollars & CentsCurrent State Lodge per capita: $12.50 (25¢/week)Proposed new per capita: $52 ($1/week)

Comparative State Union DuesPBA - $54 • PFA (firefighters) - $120NEA (teachers) - $731

STARK & STARKNJ FOP STATE CIVIL COUNSEL

Lawrenceville, NJ 609-896-9060

800-53-LEGAL www.Stark-Stark.com

Marlton, NJ856-874-4443

Experience You Can Trust.

For over 75 years, STARK & STARK has represented working families with sound legal advice when they need a lawyer the most. Our Workers’ Compensation and Personal Injury attorneys work tirelessly to protect the rights of injured workers.

With over 100 lawyers and 250 support staff, STARK & STARK stands ready to protect you and your family’s rights in all areas of civil law.

Please call your New Jersey State Civil Counsel for a

concerning any civil law issue.

10 NJ FOP NEWS

WINTER 2010 11

S TA T E L O D G E N E W S

New Membership Benefit!Get on board with NJM, the state’sbest auto insurance company

Your FOP membershipnow brings you access to thepreferred auto insurance poli-cies of New Jersey Manufac-turers. If your automobile iscurrently insured by anothercarrier, you are encouragedto call NJM and find outabout savings as high as 23%on personal auto insurance.By calling the company

and using the exclusive FOPmembership number, you canfind out whether NJM wouldoffer savings over your cur-rent auto policy. To obtainthe membership number,check with your local lodgepresident or call State LodgeHQ.A flyer prepared for the

FOP by NJM lists the follow-ing benefits:• 23% savings on per-

sonal auto insurance. On av-erage, NJM policyholderspaid $803 per car in 2008,

while the statewide averagewas $1,041.• Dividends paid every

year since 1918.More than$4.8 billion has been re-turned to policyholders, notstockholders, over the pastnine decades.• No rate hikes or sur-

charges for accidents or tick-ets. Premiums never go upand dividends never go downdue to occasional drivingincidents.• A++ (superior) rating

for financial strength. NJMreceives the highest ratingfrom A.M. Best Company,the nation’s premier insur-ance rating agency.To contact the State

Lodge about the new benefit,call (609) 599-1222. Formore information direct fromthe company, call (800) 232-660, or visit www.NJM.com.�

Bally’s Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City will be thesite for the 2010 New Jersey FOP Mini Conference,Monday to Thursday, Mar. 22 to 25. Events begin withthe State Lodge Board meeting on Monday from noon to4 p.m. Conference sessions will be Tuesday to Thursday.Conference highlights will include:

� A talk on officer-involved shootings by prominentFlorida FOP member George Hachigian.

� A one-day seminar on bargaining, grievances, un-fair labor practices and representation elections.

� A presentation on PAC fundraising by Tim Richard-son from the National FOP Legislative Office in Wash-ington, D.C.

� PERC, Civil Service and the Pension Division willbe back after their absence last year. “We’re bringingthem back because of all the shake-ups” in state govern-ment, said conference organizer Ron Bakley. He urgesmembers to ask questions during the agency talks. “Ifyou don’t want to ask yourself, send your questions toWayne Winkler or me and we’ll ask for you.”

� A Texas hold-em poker tournament may be heldone night.

The final agenda will be e-mailed to all local lodgesand posted on the State Lodge website.The FOP room rate is $73 per night single occupancy;

$20 for an additional person. Members must register byMar. 4 to get the reduced rate. Call (800) 345-7253 andbe sure to say you are with the NJ FOP. Or reserve onlineat www.njfop.org and use the Bally’s Atlantic City link.Concurrent with the conference, the NJ FOP Labor

Council annual meeting will take place the morning ofMonday, Mar. 22.A downloadable conference registration form is avail-

able from the opening page of the State Lodge website.Registration is $150 for the labor conference and $30 forthe Labor Council conference. �

Unlike most businesses,the New Jersey FOP LaborCouncil had a good year in2009. Increased membershipincome allowed the councilto pay down $44,000 on along-term loan from the StateLodge. The latest increment,$20,000, was handed over atthe December State Lodgemeeting.The council’s reversal in

fortunes is a boon to theState Lodge, which last yearscrunched its budget belt tothe max.The State Lodge loaned

more than $250,000 to theLabor Council in its start-up

Labor Council on steadypay-down track

years. Treasurer George Klinespeculates, “In a few years,it’ll all be paid off.”Increasing membership is

the biggest reason for thefinancial turn-around. Forexample, Princeton BoroughLodge #208 and LawrenceTownship Lodge #209 bothchartered last year and quicklyjoined the Labor Council,bringing nearly 80 new dues-paying members at a rate of$300 per member per year.“We didn’t even think

about the financial cost, be-cause we want the best repre-sentation for our membership,”

Sign up now for the

2010 NJ FOPMini Conference

Mar. 22-25 in Atlantic City

Cont’d on page 19

12 NJ FOP NEWS

S TA T E L O D G E N E W S

FOP wife devotes herself to carepackages for U.S. soldiers abroad through

One item at a time, CarolBlake has learned the neces-sities of life in a war zone.She also has learned howmuch soldiers watch out forone another, knowing whogets care packages fromhome and who doesn’t.Carol, the wife of New

Jersey Investigators Lodge#174 member Bill Blake, has

found a way to spread thelove. As the keystones of“Project Our Town,” she anda good friend ship basic ne-cessities and small treats tohundreds of U.S. soldiers infar away lands.“Every day I get up and

first thing I do is check mye-mail to see if I’m hearingfrom the kids,” says Carol.

(“I’m 66; they’re kids,” shesays as an aside.)Project Our Town is a

grassroots military supportprogram operating out oftwo houses in JacksonTownship — the Blakes andtheir good friends Deniseand Bill Allmann. The cou-ples’ selfless service hasearned them kudos from theArmy, local government andhundreds of individual sol-diers.But the two women are

the heart of the project. Eachweek, Carol and Denise shipan average 35 care packages.Each recipient gets three 15-pound boxes: a “man box,” a“woman box” and a foodbox. The idea is for recipi-ents to share as they see fit.It all came about because

of one special Marine. LastFebruary, the Blakes“adopted” the Allmann’s sonWill who was deployed fornine months in Iraq. “Westarted sending packages tohim . . . well, my wife andDenise did,” said Bill Blake.They were sending about

three packages a week. Aftera month or so, young Willsaid, “Please don’t send mepackages. We’ve got peoplehere who never get pack-ages.”That’s when Carol began

asking Will for names viae-mail. “We started sending

individual packages. Weonly send to individuals be-cause we want the ones whoneed it to be the ones whoget it,” she said.Whether male or female,

every recipient gets a manbox and a woman box be-cause everyone knows peo-ple who would appreciatethe goodies.

Typical Man Box: Shav-ing cream, razors, soap,shampoo, hand sanitizer,mouth wash, sunscreen, Q-tips, body wipes, lip balm,deodorant, eye glass cleaner,eye drops, flea collars, tissuepackets, foot powder, anti-fungal creams or sprays,long white socks, hand andfoot warmers, magazines(except porn).

Typical Food Box: Driedmeats like beef jerky andpepperoni, wax-coated hardcheese, microwave popcorn,breakfast bars, protein bars,gum, nuts, hard candy,chocolates (in winter), Host-ess or Drakes cakes, instantpowder drinks, dried soups.

The packages average 15pounds and contain up to 50items, with an estimatedaverage value of $50 per boxplus $11.95 postage. Theyalso get an enclosed notefrom Carol and Denise withcontact information.Often recipients respond

via e-mail with thanks andan address for another sol-dier who could use a carepackage.Carol is the official

e-mail contact. “I look ate-mail 10 times a day,” shesays. “We get a lot of e-mailsfrom soldiers. They thankher for caring and “send mepictures of themselves orgroups of their friends. I getthree or four new names aweek.”

What do American soldiers in a war zone want?

� Coffee granules to slip under their tongues to stayawake at night.

� Flea collars for their ankles to deal with nagginginsects.

� Toothpaste, since it’s $5 a tube in base supply stores.� Eye drops for sandstorms.

‘Project Our Town’

Project Our Town founders andoperators, Carol Blake, left, andDenise Allmann, right, shown withtheir favorite Marine, Will Blake.

WINTER 2010 13

00327

Visit www.tesc.eduor call (888) 442-8372.

Finish your degree. Anytime. Anywhere.Sometimes people in your line of workdon’t get the credit they deserve.

- Bachelor of Science in Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness

- Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice

- Graduate Certificate in Homeland Security

- Master of Arts in Liberal Studies – Homeland Security

Earn credit for college-level knowledge you’ve gained through training:

ourses

“It’s all about having akey person in a place,” saysCarol. “We keep a log ofwhat we packed and who gotit the last time. The soldiersdistribute as they see fit.”“It’s been a learning

process,” she said. “Theyreally want candy but westopped sending chocolate insummer.” Also, “we stoppedsending rolls of toilet paperbecause it’s an item they canget on base and it takes uptoo much room in the box.They’ll let us know if thatchanges.”

Carol and Denise alsoget soldiers’ names frompeople in their community.“I was on line in the grocerystore and I saw a lady with amilitary key chain,” saidCarol. “I asked if she hadanybody in the military andshe said she had a son. I tookhis address.

“We tell everybody. Ispoke with CongressmanChris Smith last week. Hewill likely send a donation.”Project Our Town dona-

tion cans can be found in aJackson Township dollarstore, a liquor store and abagel shop. A small lunch-eonette draws contributionsof almost $100 a week.“I go in maybe once a

week to see what money isthere. I use that to buyitems,” said Carol.In the Blake family are

several teachers who runclassrooms collections. Dur-ing the holidays, studentsembraced the project androunded up more than 1,000Christmas cards and otherholiday supplies. The class-rooms started collecting forValentine’s Day back in De-cember.Local senior communi-

ties also have been generous.

One adult community gave acheck for $500. “Half wentto postage and the other halffor supplies,” said Carol.“It’s whatever we need themost of right at the time.”

Shipping is a huge partof the effort. Each packageis allowed to weigh up to 15pounds to qualify for thespecial rate of $11.95 perbox. “Sometimes the pack-ages are overweight, but thepostmaster lets it go,” saysCarol.“I have a special date at

the post office every Tuesday— an hour and a half beforethey open to process thepaperwork. Everything hasto be signed in front of thepostmaster. It takes 10 daysfor a package to get there.”Some people who’ve

heard about the programwrite checks for $12 to thepost master general, whichsimplifies matters for Carol.

“It’s a lot of work, youbetter believe it,” she says.“But there’s people over

Know someone who will be deployed?Contact Carole Blake with the name and military

address of the soldier. The Project Our Town team willmake sure your special soldier receives a care package.Call (732) 928-6099 or send e-mail to jerzgram@aol.com.Donations may be sent to the Blake’s home. Make

the check payable to Project Our Town, 30 South BakerDrive, Jackson, NJ 08527.

Cont’d on page 14

14 NJ FOP NEWS

there that never get any-thing.”Project Our Town started

on Carol’s dining room table.“Now we have banquet ta-bles in Denise’s basement.”All of the collected box con-tents are organized in cate-gories and strategicallyplaced around the tables.Once a week, the two womenconduct an assembly line topack the boxes. Bill Blakemanages the internationalpaperwork and Bill Allmannlabels the boxes and haulsthem to the post office.Much of the work falls to

Carol because she is retired,a former emergency roomnurse. Denise still works fulltime as an executive secre-tary for Bristol Myers.Both women are poor

sleepers and often, instead ofgoing to bed, they get ajumpstart on the week’spacking. Carol wraps herselfin a robe, jumps in a car forthe 10-minute drive toDenise’s place and the two ofthem package in their paja-mas until they decide they’reready to sleep.When the project started

“it was a lot of money” forBill and Carol. “It had gottento be about $200 a month

Letter from Carol and Denise(in every care package)

Please accept these items from the citizens of Jackson,NJ as a small token of thanks for everything you do tokeep us safe. Feel free to share with everyone as there willbe more coming for as long as you are away from home.God bless all of you and keep you safe, and God blessAmerica.

- Denise Allmann & Carol Blake

E-mails from Recipients

Thank you again for the box of snacks and letters. Wereally appreciate the time and effort you have taken tosend us these gift boxes. Please thank all the children toofor their beautiful cards. We put them up around ourwork places to remind us of what we are here for.

- M. Sgt. Ken Gestring, USAF

On behalf of the 42nd MLB, I would like to thank youfor all the much-needed items you sent. Believe me theywere very much needed since the majority of us cannotleave our locations for hours on end.

- Sgt. Jean LaTortue, Bagram

We seem to go right through those packages. Thesoldiers love the chicken noodle soup because it’s a mealon the go. Your support group has truly been a blessing tous. Oh yeah! We are hanging the children’s cards and let-ters on our wall. I will try to see if I can get a picture sentto you guys.

- Spec. Ra-kia Morgan, USAR

Thank you a lot for the wonderful holiday decorations.We put them all up and gave the Hannukah stuff to ourtwo Jewish soldiers. It was awesome! Gold bless Americaand especially God bless you. You are why we do whatwe do.

- 1st Sgt. Carmela Wong

Please extend our gratitude to your group of fine citi-zens. Our mission was long and arduous but we enduredas Americans always do. Your gifts helped us get throughit all.

- Sgt. Anthony Henderson

S TA T E L O D G E N E W S

‘Project Our Town’

Cont’d from page 13

out-of-pocket. Now, thanksto donations, “we spendmaybe $50 or $100 a monthbetween us,” she said. “Youdon’t always have pocketsfull of money to give to peo-ple, but this to me is anothergood work of charity.”And there other rewards.

Like the military medicalunit that will be cominghome soon. “They’ve invitedus to greet them at Fort Dix,”said Carol. “You feel likethey’re your kids. You reallywant to meet them.”The medical unit will

present the Blakes and All-manns with flags from theirmission. Carol and Denisealso have received a Free-dom Team Salute, an Armycommendation thankingdedicated civilians for thevalue they bring to the Armyfamily.“It’s a commitment. It

definitely is,” says Carol.“But you know what? Youget these e-mails and they’reso happy. It makes it allworthwhile.“I am Catholic by reli-

gion,” and not particularlydevout, she adds. “I just feelI make bargains with God.I’ll do this if you’ll bringthese kids home.” �

Carol Blake is the wife of Bill Blake, trustee of New Jersey InvestigatorsAssociation Lodge #174. He helps out with “Our Town” paperwork.

Myrtle B

each

August

2010

WINTER 2010 15

EVER HAD SHOULDER SURGERY?YOU MAY HAVE A LEGAL CLAIMDid you have a pain pump installed?If yes, following the shoulder surgery

Do you experience . . .• Increased shoulder pain whether the shoulder is in motionor at rest

• Shoulder joint clicking, popping, or grinding• Stiffness or weakness of the shoulder• Decreased shoulder range of motion

You may have a legal claim.Contact us NOW for a free & confidential evaluation.Call Toll Free 1-866-333-3LAW (1-866-333-3529)

Shoulder surgery pain pump lawsuits are being pursued for those who haveexperienced cartilage damage following shoulder surgery. The use of shoul-der surgery pain pumps has been linked to the development of postarthro-scopic glenohumeral chondrolysis, also referred to as PAGCL. The painfuldisorder causes permanent deterioration of shoulder cartilage, which couldlead to complete shoulder joint replacement.

Q. HELP! I was hurt at work. Whatdo I do?A. You must report the accident or in-jury as soon as possible, even if youmight not lose time from work or needimmediate medical care. Report all in-juries to all body parts, no matter howminor they may seem. Remember thatthe report you write will be used if youneed to apply for an accidental dis-ability retirement pension. Chooseyour words carefully!

Q. My job will NOT give me anMRI. Can I still get one?A. Your doctor controls the treatment,not risk management. If you need anMRI and the job will not approve it,the experienced attorneys atBAGOLIE FRIEDMAN can fight toget it approved at no cost to you.Workers’ comp should be paying forALL benefits, not your health insur-ance. You should NOT be using yoursick time.

Q. Can I collect money even if I havepreviously injured the same bodypart?A. Yes, the job is responsible for allnew injuries or aggravations of old in-juries. Don’t let the job tell you differ-ent.

Q. Can I only collect money if havean accident? What about my expo-

sures to asbestos, fumes, noise, andblood?A. You can collect money, medicaltreatment and benefits for lung dis-ease, cancers, hearing loss and Hepa-titis, even if you are retired.

Q.Will I have to pay any money outof my pocket to find out if I have aclaim?A. No, the Law Offices of BagolieFriedman will evaluate your claim forfree and will set up a no-risk doctor’sexamination. If there is no case you donot pay a fee.

Q. Does Bagolie Friedman knowabout the rights of Police Officers?A.Yes, Ricky Bagolie and Alan Fried-man have successfully representedhundreds of Police Officers, have lec-tured to other attorneys on the rightsof workers and Ricky Bagolie is an as-sociate member of FOP Lodge #46.

Q. What do I do now?A. Call Ricky Bagolie or Alan Fried-man toll free at 1-866-333-3529 nowfor a confidential and free consulta-tion. If you have sustained an injuryfrom a take-down or accident, experi-ence shortness of breath, coughing orhearing loss or have been diagnosedwith cancer or Hepatitis, BagolieFriedman will fight for your right toobtain just compensation.

BAGOLIEFRIEDMANINJURY LAWYERS

660 Newark Avenue • Five Corners BuildingJersey City, NJ 07306 • 201-656-8500

ACCIDENTS • LUNG DISEASE • HEARING LOSSRICKY BAGOLIE

BFFOP-Lawyer.com Ricky Bagolie, member NJ FOP Lodge #46

INJURED ON THE JOB?LEARNWHAT YOUMUST DO TO PROTECT YOUR

WORKERS COMPENSATION & DISABILITY RIGHTS!Questions and answers about your rights as a police officer.

Rate Reducedfor 2010 state conference hotel

The room rate at thisyear’s state conference hotelhas been reduced from $155to $145 per night. The hotelalso has reduced the guaran-teed room reservation andmeeting space requirements.The 31st biennial NJ FOP

State Conference will be heldMonday to Friday, Aug. 16to 20 at the Sheraton Hotel inMyrtle Beach. Local lodgedelegations are encouragedto stay there to help hostlodges that have invested inthe guaranteed room mini-mum.The Sheraton is a con-

temporary hotel with onerestaurant and one bar and17,000 square feet of meet-ing room space. It is located10 minutes from MyrtleBeach Airport. All guestrooms have wireless Internet.There is an indoor pool and afitness center.Nearby is “Broadway at

the Beach,” an area that in-cludes 300 acres of shopping,dining, nightlife and attrac-tions. Several golf courses,water and amusement parks,an aquarium and CoastalGrande Mall are within a 10-minute drive. The beach isone mile away.This year’s conference

hosts are five GloucesterCounty lodges: DeptfordLodge #72, GloucesterCounty Regional Lodge #86,

Glassboro Lodge #108, Mon-roe Township Lodge #125 andClayton Lodge #130.Ed Giordano of Lodge

#86 said “the conference fa-cilities are fantastic” and foodvendors will be available allday.Room reservations can be

booked directly through thehotel at (843) 918-5000.When calling, say that youare with the NJ FOP confer-ence to obtain the reducedroom rate.A conference registration

fee of $100 will be charged toeach delegate and alternate,including $50 for registrationand a $50 out-of-state feecharged by the State Lodge.Both fees must be paid in ad-vance to the State Lodge toreceive credentials.A conference registration

link soon will be provided onthe host website: www.fopnj86.org, or at www.njfop.org.For more lodging informa-tion, e-mail the hosts atfopmb2010@comcast.net.Conference apparel is

available now through theState Lodge Ways & MeansCommittee.Two conference deadlines

to be aware of:• Deadline to submit 2012

state conference bids, May 19.• Deadline to submit by-

laws at this year’s conference,June 18. �

FOP: The Voice of Law Enforcement

The Fraternal Order of Police is the world's largest organi-zation of sworn law enforcement officers. We have324,000 members in 2,100 lodges. We improve memberworking conditions and safety through education, legisla-tion, community involvement, and employee representa-tion. No one knows the dangers and difficulties faced bytoday's police officers better than another officer, and noone knows police officers better than the FOP.

16 NJ FOP NEWS

S T A T E L O D G E B R I E F S

Two wins for FOP bargainers!

Two more FOP lodges have de-feated the PBA in recent union repre-sentation elections.

• East Orange Lodge #11 bestedPBA Local 64 by a vote of 77 to 64.The Sept. 22 election at police head-quarters was run by the state’s PublicEmployment Relations Commission.Out of 250 eligible voters, a little morethan half voted. State Lodge PERCCommittee Chairman Ken Hawkinssaid, “The PBA gave them a run fortheir money. It wasn’t an easy win.”

• Lawrence Township Lodge #209routed PBA Local 119 by a vote of 39to 12 among the rank and file, and 12to 1 among superiors. The mail-in bal-loting was managed by PERC. PresidentDrew Lee said the election was neededbecause the PBA local was being man-aged as a dictatorship and State PBAofficials refused to intercede.

Makin’ nice with the new guy

Governor-electChris Christie hassaid he’s not puttingmoney into statepensions, unlike JonCorzine whom theFOP endorsed.Nonetheless, it’scozy-up time forthe FOP and Presi-

dent Ed Brannigan sent a swift letter tothe new gov following the Nov. 3 de-feat of Corzine.

“I congratulated him and told himwe’re willing to work with him con-structively on anything he wants.”

Brannigan said he met Lt. Gov.-elect Kim Guadagno at a Dec. 5 dinnerfor Monmouth Lodge #30. “I put myhand out to her and she said, ‘I knowwho you are.’ We got to sit down andmeet,” said Brannigan. “We’ll see!”

To plunge or not to plunge

If you haven’t done it yet, now’sthe 11th hour for plunge sign-ups tobenefit Special Olympics. The annualNew Jersey FOP Polar Bear Plungetakes place Saturday, Jan. 16 at theWildwoods Convention Center. Theevent includes a motorcycle rally fromCamden to Wildwood boardwalk, hottubs, lunch buffet and indoor facilities

for registration and changing.A beef-and-beer event will be held

the Friday night before the plunge atBolero Hotel & Resort in Wildwood. Forplunge information or registration call(609) 896-8000, or go to njpolarplunge.org. For room reservations at the Bolero,call (609) 522-6929. The rate is $75 perroom plus tax.

Are your insurancebeneficiaries up to date?

The widow of Jersey City Det. MarcDiNardo was having a hard time gettingbenefits following her husband’s shoot-ing death on July 16. Special legislationwas developed in December to give hersome relief. The problem? When Di-Nardo married about seven years ago,he never updated his life insurancepolicy; his mother and father were stilllisted as his beneficiaries when he died.The legal tangle to change the benefici-aries is “a long drawn out process,” saidState Lodge President Ed Brannigan. Toomany officers divorce and don’t updatetheir insurance documents.

Do you know who’s listed on yourpolicies?

Milgram out, Dow in

State Lodge President Ed Branniganhas had no dealings so far with PaulaDow, the outgoing Essex County Prose-cutor who was tapped by Governor-elect Chris Christie as the new AttorneyGeneral. “She has done a good job inEssex and I will be reaching out to meetwith her in the near future,” said Branni-gan. “My biggest concern is Camden.They’re understaffed by about 75 offi-cers and everybody’s working over-time.”

Brannigan had numerous meetingswith outgoing Attorney General AnneMilgram regarding Camden. “We neverseemed to get any headway with her,”he said. “I hope we can turn thingsaround with the new AG.”

Jersey members reappointedto national committees

Seven New Jersey FOP membershave been reappointed to National FOPoperating committees.

• President Ed Brannigan - GrievanceCommittee.

• Executive Vice President Bob Fox -Healthcare Committee.

• Corresponding Secretary WayneWinkler - Compliance and Audit Com-mittee.

• New Jersey National Trustee RonBakley – chairman of Member Recruit-ment.

• Ed Giordano, NJ FOP Labor Coun-cil - National Labor Committee.

• Jim Sharrock, Jersey City Lodge#4 - National Legislative Committee.

• Lenny Whetsel, Scott WamplerLodge #148 - History Committee.

State conference deadlines

• Deadline to submit 2012 stateconference bids – May 19.

• Deadline to submit bylaws propos-als for this year’s conference – June 18.

Get ready for a health benefithosing

The Senate version of the proposednew health care bill includes an excisetax on insurance companies and planadministrators. National FOP PresidentChuck Canterbury says, “The cost islikely to be passed on to our membersin increased premiums, less coverage, ora combination of both.”

For example: an individual plancosting $10,850 would be taxed $400.The insurer would most likely increasepremiums by more than $500 or offer$400 less coverage to pay for the tax.The tax applies to self-insured state andlocal governments and insurers whoprovide the coverage.

“We’re going to get hosed,” saidLabor Council Executive Director RonBakley.

He noted how the Labor Councilwill be affected. “We have eight em-

Cont’d on page 19

WINTER 2010 17

18 NJ FOP NEWS

S TA T E L O D G E N E W S

Steve Richman serves as labor counsel to the State Lodge andthe FOP Labor Council. His firm, Markowitz & Richman, maintainsoffices in Haddonfield, NJ, New York City and Philadelphia. He canbe reached at srichman@markowitzandrichman.com or (215) 875-3114.

Know the difference betweenshift selection and job assignments

by State Lodge Labor Attorney Steve Richman

THE RICHMAN REPORTLABOR LAW UPDATE

The Public EmploymentRelations Commission recent-ly denied restraint of arbitra-tion by a county employerregarding changes in workhours. PERC did, however,restrain arbitration over tem-porary reassignments.County of Union and PBA,Union County CorrectionOfficers Local No. 199, 36NJPER 130, P.E.R.C. No.210-28 (October 29, 2009).The PBA claimed that

Union County violated thecollective negotiations agree-ment when it reassignedcorrection officers from theirnormal assignments to fillvacant posts rather than callin qualified officers to workovertime.In 2008, the county estab-

lished a new shift assignmentcalled the “SupplementalRelief Post.” The SRP cutovertime costs by ensuringan available group of correc-

tions officers to fill temporar-ily vacant posts caused byleaves or other reasons. TheSRP would cover vacancieswithout using off-duty offi-cers at overtime rates.At the time of the griev-

ance, not all SRP officershad been fully trained. Whencertain vacancies occurred,the county reassigned offi-cers on shift to the vacantpositions and brought in theSRP officers to cover vacan-cies created by the reas-signed officers. The PBAcontended that the employerhad used the SRP officers tocircumvent the expressprovisions of the contractconcerning shift bidding andovertime opportunities.PERC determined that

the dispute implicated twoprinciples of case law:1). Public employers and amajority representative mayagree that seniority can be afactor in shift selectionwhere all qualifications areequal and managerial prerog-atives are not otherwisecompromised; 2). Publicemployers have a non-nego-tiable prerogative to assignemployees to particular jobsto meet the governmentalpolicy goal of matching thebest qualified employees toparticular jobs.In this case, PERC deter-

mined that because the PBAgrievance involved employeeshift changes to avoid over-time, the grievance involveda mandatory negotiable sub-ject that can be submitted tobinding arbitration. However,the grievance involved only achange in assignment withina shift to avoid overtime and

to assign regularly scheduledcorrection officers to posi-tions for which they arequalified, so the subject ofthe grievance predominantlyinvolved the managerialprerogative to assign dutieswithin a shift and within ajob description.PERC determined that

even if the parties had agreedthat employees who had bidfor a particular post shouldnot be reassigned, it wouldsubstantially limit govern-mental policy to permit thePBA to enforce that agree-ment when the reason fordeviating from the allegedagreement was to avoidovertime costs and to be ableto assign officers to positionsfor which they are qualified.PERC concluded that theinterest of an employee inworking the post he or shebid for is real but to permitarbitration would unduly re-strain the employer’s abilityto assign duties to those bestqualified to perform themwithin their regular workhours. Accordingly, PERCrestrained arbitration to theextent that the grievanceconcerned temporary assign-ments within a job classifica-tion and work descriptionand did not involve a changein work hours.Please contact the New

Jersey State FOP Lodge orthe New Jersey FOP LaborCouncil if you have ques-tions concerning the scope ofnegotiations process or theinterplay between shiftselection and the managerialprerogative to assignemployees to particular jobs.�

DWC Enterprises Inc.862-205-1376 • dwcscrty@aol.com

NJ County Corrections promotional exampreparation programs

100%MONEY-BACKGUARANTEE

Individual tutoring • 16-week prep classesCutting-edge materials

CALL FORINFORMATION PACKETYour future is in your hands.

Make it count.

WINTER 2010 19

S TA T E L O D G E N E W S

ployees and all of them have their own pensions. We havea $400,000 a year budget and now we’ll have to cough up$16,000 in additional taxes to the federal government.”

Scholarship applications due now!

Mar. 1 is the deadline to apply for theNew Jersey FOP Scholarship pro-gram. Six graduating highschool seniors who are chil-dren of New Jersey FOPmembers will be selected forthe $4,000 four-year collegescholarships. The awards aredistributed in increments of $1,000 per year. Recipientsmust maintain at least a C average to continue earning theyear-to-year grant. Students whose educational plans weredelayed by military service are welcome to apply. All recipi-ents will be announced this summer. For an application,call the State Lodge at (609) 599-1222, or e-mailinfo@NJfop.org.

Deborah down, Bowman Fund up

The State Lodge’s 2009 donation to Deborah Hospitalwas $7,000, way down from the $25,000 that has beenstandard for years. “It’s the economic times,” said Debo-rah Committee Chairman Kevin Karcher.

Meanwhile, it’s sunny times for the George BowmanSurvivors Fund. Chairman Bob Fox said investments lostduring the worst of the recession have been recouped andthen some, with the fund now standing at $391,000. Lastyear’s golf tournament alone resulted in a $32,000 profit.

Sharrock voted PTC vice chair

Jim Sharrock has been voted in as vice chairman of theNew Jersey Police Training Commission, a vote taken inOctober by the 16 commissioners of the regulatoryagency. Sharrock has been a commissioner since 1995representing the interests of the New Jersey FOP. He alsochairs the standards committee.

Past President Shearecuperating

“They lost me twice. I’m veryfortunate to be here,” said past StateLodge President Harold Shea, whoreported in December on his recent14-week stay in a Florida hospital.Shea thanked all the members whosent cards and best wishes. �

Cont’d from page 16

S T A T E L O D G E B R I E F S

Harold Sheain a 2003 photo

It’s a new day in Trenton under the helm of GovernorChris Christie. Here’s what some FOP people had to sayabout it at the December State Lodge meeting . . .

Tony Pace, Monroe Lodge #125 – There’s been a lot ofnews about the way benefits are distributed in police and firedepartments. The media has made public the excesses andsick-day abuses and sentiment is growing for a freeze onemployment. Where is the FOP going to be on this?

NJ National Trustee Ron Bakley – “Christie said he’sgoing to notify everyone of an economic crisis and he maydo that freeze.”

FOP Legislative Agent Pete Guzzo – “CWA is ready tooppose that and 85% of the abuses are attributed there. Con-solidation of services is definitely going to come up underChristie.”

Bakley - “The public is against us right now but they’rereally hammering on teachers. They’ve left us alone mostlyfor the past couple of months.”

Guzzo – “With the new legislature there’s going to be ashift in power. It’s shifting to the south. (Senator Steve)Sweeney feels public sector unions should be treated thesame as private unions. He says they should be paying 8.5%into their pensions, which is what PFRS members are payingalready. It’s the others that need to catch up . . .“The pension system is going to change for new employ-

ees. It’s going to go to 401K instead of defined benefits . . .“I’ve noticed that Christie doesn’t come down as hard on

police and fire as on other public employee unions . . .“The League of Municipalities always wants to get rid of

binding arbitration, but Christie is saying he doesn’t want todo that . . .Hmmm. . . . Maybe the new governor won’t be the bad-

die some of us have anticipated. Then again . . .

What the FOP can expectfrom the Christie administration

said Lodge #209 PresidentDrew Lee. His lodge in-cludes roughly 70 members.Lawrence members

heard about the Labor Coun-cil before joining the FOP.“A lot of guys don’t have theability and experience todeal with contracts andgrievances,” said Lee. “It’sbetter to have the LaborCouncil go in there for us.”

Cont’d from page 11Labor Council pay-downRobert Currier, president

of the Princeton Boroughlodge said some of his mem-bers have resisted joining theLabor Council, but success inbehalf of the current sub-scribers could spur them tosign on. “Many of us are newto contract issues andprocesses that go along withthat and so far we have noexperience with the LaborCouncil.” �

20 NJ FOP NEWS

S TA T E L O D G E N E W S

All 25 officers inthe Florence Town-ship PoliceDepartment haveformed a new FOPlodge, ending along-term affilia-tion with regionalBurlington CountyLodge #2.“It’s not that we had any

issues with Lodge #2, butnow any issues that arisewill be our own and themoneys we raise will be forus,” said Lodge #210 Presi-dent Jim Ford.The new lodge was char-

tered on Sept. 29. It includesall ranks from patrol to ChiefStephen Fazekas. Ford saidsome retirees are still trans-ferring from Lodge #2.“Our officers considered

doing this a while ago,” hesaid, “but we never followedthrough. When I becamepresident of the (independentbargaining) association(under Lodge #2), I felt theclimate in the departmentand attitude of the officerswas right to bring bothretired and current officers

under oneumbrella andbecome our ownentity.”The new

lodge has twoseparate bargain-

ing units, the PatrolOfficers Association and

the Sergeants Association,just as before under theLodge #2 umbrella. Ford saidmembers haven’t yet consid-ered whether to join the NJFOP Labor Council.“We have a lot of young

guys in our department, anew chief and a new captain.Things are moving along inan aggressive manner,” hesaid. The new lodge is “an-other thing to move us alongin the future.”Along with Ford, other

lodge officers are Vice Presi-dent Brian Boldizar, SecondVice President Jon Greenberg,Secretary Michelle Hollins,Treasurer Albert Jacoby,Chaplain Charles Levach, andDelegate Darryl Fisher. �

Out of 200 Customs and BorderProtection officers in the New Jersey,eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware “port or entry,” 40chartered a new FOP lodge back in October.President Russ DeNault said he led the push for FOP

membership because “I wanted to build morale and Iknew the FOP would be good for that. There’s com-radery and loyalty between brother and sister officers inthe FOP.”A January/February member recruitment drive is ex-

pected to draw even more members. The lodge includesno supervisors.Customs and Border Patrol is a component of the

U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Its mission iskeeping terrorists and their weapons out of the U.S. Theofficers secure trade and travel while also enforcingimmigration and drug laws.Members of Lodge #211 are headquartered out of

Philadelphia. They work at tri-state airports, seaportsand land borders at air and sea ports of entry. Their bar-gaining is conducted by the National Treasury Enforce-ment Unit.DeNault said that while his lodge would like having

the FOP as the bargaining unit, “that won’t be happen-ing any time quickly.”He said the impetus for joining the FOP was im-

proved comradery in the agency. “I’ve dealt with FOPofficers for 30 years. I know the morale,” he said. “I didnot see that in federal law enforcement.”Other executive board officers are: Vice President

Bob Rogo, Secretary Sean Butler, Treasurer AmandaGolden, State Delegate Francisco Casasnovas, andChaplain Frank McCarthy. �

Sixteen superiorofficers, from lieu-tenant to deputywarden, charteredLodge #212 in De-cember. PresidentFrank Franceschiniwas anticipatingmore sign-ups in the weeksahead.Camden County Correc-

tions Department has a total320 officers. Bargaining forall ranks was previously

managed by PBA351A. Franceschinisaid the switch to FOPcame about becausesuperiors “were notreceiving the kind ofhelp and representationfrom the PBA that we

felt we deserved.”The new lodge is now

seeking bargaining-unit statusthrough the Public Employ-ment Relations Commission,a process that should be sim-

ple since the PBA has put upno resistance. The new lodgemembers already know theywant to join the NJ FOPLabor Council for bargain-ing and grievance assistance.“I hope that we have a

(PERC) ruling soon,” saidFranceschini, “so we canstart our contract negotia-tions. Our contract expiredDec. 31, 2008. We attemptedto start negotiating a new

contract but the county justkeeps jerking us around.With the Labor Council theywill not be able to do that soeasily.”Other members of the

lodge executive board areVice President Albert Richer,Secretary Karen Taylor,Treasurer Michael Murphy,State Trustee Carla Taylor,and Sergeant-at-Arms RobertRiemer. �

Customs BorderProtection Lodge #211

Camden County Corrections Lodge #212

Three New Lodges!

FlorenceTownship

Lodge #210

WINTER 2010 21

45-Day RuleSigned July 28, 2006 –

Requires that all complaintsagainst law enforcement offi-cers for violations of anagency’s internal rules mustbe filed within 45 days of es-tablishing grounds for a com-plaint.

IntergovernmentalTransfer Program

Signed Aug. 2, 2006 – Di-rects the commissioner of theDepartment of Personnel toprovide by regulation that lawenforcement officers may optto participate in the intergov-ernmental transfer program.

Blue Heart Law Enforce-ment Assistance Program(FOP Initiative)

Signed Mar. 21, 2007 –Provides counseling support

for wounded law enforce-ment officers.

Carrying Rightsfor Retired Officers(FOP Initiative)

Signed Jan. 13, 2008 –Revises the qualifications forretired law enforcement offi-cers to carry handguns (maxi-mum age increased from 70to 75 years). Other changesregard the filing time framefor a permit, and the law’sapplicability for retirees livingin New Jersey who were em-ployed out of state.

Correction OfficerCarrying Rights(FOP Initiative)

Signed Jan. 13, 2008 –Clarifies that appropriatelytrained and qualified countycorrections officers are au-

thorized to carry firearms at alltimes while in the state.

Family Leave BenefitsSigned May 2, 2008 -

Extends temporary disabilityinsurance to provide familyleave benefits for workerscaring for sick family mem-bers, newborn and newlyadopted children.

Park Police PowersSigned July 15, 2008 –

Expands state law enforce-ment powers of the U.S. ParkPolice.

Scrap Metal DealersSigned Jan. 27, 2009 –

Requires scrap metal dealersto maintain certain recordsregarding purchases as an aidto law enforcement.

Cap on PayWithholdingSigned Mar. 5,

2009 – Provides thatcertain law enforce-

ment and firefighters canregain pay status when ap-peals of termination are notresolved within 180 days.

Kelly LawSigned Mar. 18, 2009 –

Extends payment of acciden-tal death benefits in PFRS,SPRS, PERS and TPAF tosurvivors of certain membersof reserve components of thearmed forces and NationalGuard.

10 law enforcement laws signed by Gov. Corzine

22 NJ FOP NEWS

Let the spirit ring!

State Lodge President Ed Brannigan greets PFA PresidentDominick Marino.

Manning the registration desk during the reception are State LodgeTreasurer George Kline, office secretary Virginia Cordasco, and Mem-bership Services Director Steve Szypulski.

From East Orange Lodge #111 are Will Shirden, Diedra Booker andCraig Epps in front, and Fred Kearse in back.

Mike Brosnan and Steve Gerdingof Dover Township Lodge #156.

Keith Johnson of Rutgers Lodge#62.

From NJ Investigators Lodge #174, left to right, are Fred Irons, MattGasper, Sean Tonner, Wayne Robbins and Bill Blake.

Edward Green, Howard O’Neil and Bob Adams of Neptune Lodge#19.

Members of the New Jersey FOP and the Professional

Firefighters Association of New Jersey mingled on Dec. 14

when their sixth annual combined holiday reception was

held at the Trenton Marriott. The lawmaker turnout was light

this year, but the event is a chance for police and firefighters

to meet their Assembly and Senate representatives and dis-

cuss issues important to public safety. The two-hour recep-

tion included a buffet and open bar.

WINTER 2010 23

Shaun Welthy, Brian Fergusonand Ralph Lutz of WestamptonLodge #147.

Jerry Caldarise of Law Enforcement Officers Lodge #169, left, with Tim Ahearn and Dave Voorheesof Law Enforcement Officers Lodge #69.

The Brannigan brothers, Ed and Patrick,are equally familiar with the ways ofTrenton. While Ed serves as president ofthe NJ FOP, his brother is executive di-rector of the New Jersey Catholic Confer-ence.

Camden’sJohn

Williamson

Labor Council President Nick Barbella at left, is shown with State FOP Executive VicePresident Bob Fox, State Chaplain Andy Castellanos and State Sergeant-at-Arms KenHawkins.

Above, Sean Lavin of Mercer CountySheriff’s Officers Lodge #140, and JimMcGuire of Jersey City Lodge #4.

Above right: Rich Szoellar of Law Enforce-ment Officers Lodge #169 with his friendState Trooper Anthony Mangelli.

Right: Senators Bob Gordon and Jeff VanDrew spoke briefly during the reception.

Jim Stoddard and Harry Delgado of South BrunswickLodge #51.

24 NJ FOP NEWS

M E M B E R S H I P B E N E F I T S

NJ FOP Legal Defense(active members only)

Legal defense for criminal,civil, and administrative proceed-ings arising from law enforce-ment activities. Unlimited legalfees, court costs, and transcriptfees. State Lodge Attorney TonyFusco administers the plan. Cost:$103 per member per year inlodges with 100% participation;$136 per year for individualmembers. Call (973) 779-1163.

Counseling & Critical Inci-dent Debriefing Center, LLC

CCIDC of Manalapan, NJ, isan independent service for lawenforcement officers and firstresponders. It has no connectionto any police department orgovernment agency. Counselorsare trained in post traumaticstress disorder, critical incidentstress management, addictivebehavior, relationship issues, anddepartmental issues. Three plansare available to FOP members.

Officer Assistance Programwith Critical Incident Debriefing($40 per officer or $35 with100% lodge compliance) - foractive officers and immediatefamilies. Includes debriefingwithin 48 hours, two succeedingsessions, and follow-up sixmonths later. Includes threecounseling sessions on any topicwithin one year.

Officer Assistance Program($25/officer, or $23 with 100%lodge compliance) - for officersand their immediate family mem-bers. Three counseling sessionson any topic within one year.

Retired Officer AssistanceProgram ($20 per year) - forretirees and immediate familymembers. Three counselingsessions on any topic within oneyear.

Call Stephanie Samuels,(732) 577-8300, x1.

FOP License PlatesSpecially designed New Jersey

FOP license plates are $60 a pair.Applications are available fromlocal lodge secretaries. The platesmay be purchased ONLY by amember or the member’s imme-diate family (those living in themember’s household).

FOP ShieldsSpecially designed FOP

shields are available to locallodges through the State Lodge.Members may display themONLY in the rear window of theirown automobile, or in the auto-mobile of an immediate familymember (someone who lives inthe member’s household).

Associate ID HoldersLeather holders for associate

ID cards have plenty of room forother wallet-sized cards. Locallodges can purchase them fromthe State Lodge.

15-20% Off Home & AutoInsurance

Since the State Lodge be-longs to the NJ Business and In-dustry Association, all activemembers can get discountedhome and auto insurance throughNew Jersey Manufacturers Insur-ance Company (retirees eligible ifthey enrolled before retirement).Average dividends are 15% to20% per year off normal insur-ance rates. Ask your local lodgesecretary for the company phonenumber and FOP code number.

Expert ConsumerAssistance for Car Buyers

The free Motor Vehicle Certi-fication Program (MVCP) offersexpert advisors to FOP membersbuying new cars. Advisors pre-negotiate car prices with thedealer, considering invoice, trade-in values, vehicle options, incen-tives, factory rebates, and dealerprofits. After the buyer’s visit to

the dealership, MVCP double-checks the transaction and resolvesany errors. Call 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.Monday to Friday, (800) 345-0990.

Discount Vision Plan forMembers & Families

Premier Vision Care Network(PVCN) in Livingston offers adiscount vision care plan for $31per year, for members and theirimmediate families. The plan in-cludes more than 150 independentoptometrists, opticians, andopthalmologists statewide. Presentyour PVCN ID card to any networkprovider and get 10% to 60%discounts on most commonlypurchased optical products (i.e.,frames and contact lenses) andservices, including eye exams andLASIK surgery. The plan featuresunlimited use of benefits, no claimforms and guaranteed renewablemembership. Out-of-networkprescriptions are accepted. Visitpremieroptionbenefits.com/pvcn.htm, or call (888) 234-7826.

Pocono Vacation DiscountsFour Ceasars resorts in Penn-

sylvania’s Pocono Mountains offer20% vacation discounts to NewJersey FOP members. Cove Haven,Paradise Stream, and PoconoPalace cater exclusively to couples,while Brookdale accommodatesfamilies or couples. Get 20% dis-counts on midweek packages(Sunday through Thursday) and10% on weekend packages, allyear round. Call (800) 245-8807.Refer to Getaway Club Number19592.

Income Security PlusAFLAC offers accident, sick-

ness and disability insurance:• Off the job disability benefit

(optional)• Sickness disability certificate

rider benefit (optional)• Accidental death and dis-

memberment benefit• Accident emergency treat-

ment benefit• Accident follow-up treat-

ment• Accident hospital income

benefit• Physical therapy and pros-

thesis benefit• Wellness benefit• Ambulance transportation

and family lodging benefit• Family coverageContact Douglas Karpf or John

Brattelli, Officers Counseling and

Planning Group, Inc., (856) 427-0006, or (800) 220-7057.

Voluntary Dental PlanDental Services Organization,

Inc. offers affordable dental serv-ices to individual members whoenroll in a voluntary group pro-gram with no co-pays for exams,x-rays, cleanings or fillings. Mini-mal co-pays apply on other serv-ices, but there are no deductibles,annual maximums, nor claimforms to file. There are 13provider offices in New Jersey.For rates and enrollment informa-tion, call (800) 982-5529, or(732) 750-1130. Ask for EdAndryszczyk, x140.

Auto Insurance DiscountsQualified FOP members and

their immediate families canreceive a 13% discount on autoinsurance through National Com-puterized Agencies (NCA), part ofthe National FOP insurance pro-gram offered by NCA and under-written by First Trenton IndemnityCompany, a subsidiary of Travel-ers Insurance. Buy home andproperty insurance get another10% off your auto rates. Call(800) 542-0764.

Discounted Home AlarmSlomin’s Shield offers dis-

counted home security systems toNew Jersey FOP members. Thesystem and installation are freefor the FOP homeowner whoagrees to use Slomin’s own cen-tral station monitoring for fiveyears. Call 1-800-ALARM ME.

A free system with no moni-toring charge is offered to thesurvivor of any officer killed in theline of duty. To apply, call theState Lodge.

NJ FOP Civil CounselStark & Stark is a team of

lawyers and paralegals who prac-tice only in workers’ compensa-tion for clients injured on the jobin traumatic accidents, throughoccupational diseases, injuriescaused by toxic substances, oreven stress. Retrieve lost wages,get payment of authorized med-ical expenses, and, if appropriate,a cash award for your injuries.Offices in Princeton, Marlton,Philadelphia and New York. Call(800) 53-LEGAL.

New JerseyFOP MemberBenefits

WINTER 2010 25

S TA T E L O D G E N E W S

Eastern Dental MAKESHealthy SMILESa Family Tradition

www.easterndental.com1-800-982-5529

Melvin Feiler, DDS Aaron Feiler, DDS

Full Service DentistryCosmetic Services incl. whitening & veneersLocations throughout New JerseyExtended Office HoursWeekend And EveningsAccept Most Dental Insurance

We're proud to be a family-owned dental office.

Our family is here to take care of your family and you'll

get the friendly, personal attention you're looking for!

Award of Courage

Patricia Raines and Robert GeverdAward notification made by NJ Investigators Associa-tion Lodge #174

A formerBaysideprisonnurse andher grand-son werethe heroesafter amotorvehicleaccident leftLodge #174member JosephWilliams with severe injuries.Williams, an investigator with the NJ Department

of Corrections was traveling home from Bayside onJuly 16 on a rural road in Cumberland County. AnSUV turned into Williams’ lane to go around a thirdvehicle that had slowed to pull into a driveway.Williams swerved his Crown Victoria to avoid a

head-on collision but his vehicle spun out of controland struck several trees. He was left unconscious insidethe vehicle. The other driver, whose vehicle was notdriveable, fled the scene on foot.Patricia Raines, a former Bayside nurse from

Vineland and her grandson Robert Geverd of Millvillehappened along and spotted Williams’ wrecked car.They stopped and immediately pulled him from thevehicle, just moments before it was engulfed in flames.Williams, age 35, was air-lifted to the trauma unit at

Cooper Medical Center in Camden. He was treated forhead trauma and a fractured leg. He has been at homerecuperating from the accident.The other driver was apprehended the next day.“If not for the unselfish act of heroism by Patricia

and Robert, Joe would not be with us today,” saidLodge #174 President Neil Layden. �

Cumberland County residents Patricia Rainesand Robert Geverd got a standing ovation at

the December State Lodge meeting.

Trenton newspaper notices morepolice switching to FOP

When Lawrence Township police switched from PBA toFOP back in September, they became the second MercerCounty bargaining unit to leave the PBA, following Prince-ton Borough’s superiors. That was the gist of a story thatappeared in a Nov. 27 article in the Times of Trenton.Reporter Alex Zdan wrote, “Though the catalyst was

different in each department, representatives said they weredriven to bolt from the powerful New Jersey bargainingcollective because of a cumbersome infrastructure and unre-sponsive leadership.Nick Sutter, secretary of Princeton Borough Lodge #208,

said the FOP “is a much more inclusive atmosphere.”Lawrence Township Lodge #209 President Andrew Lee

told the Times his members left the PBA “because they basi-cally turned their backs on us. They would only listen to thedelegate if there was a problem with the [local],” he said.“They wouldn’t listen to the member.”The FOP presence in New Jersey is still not as strong as

the PBA. Nationwide, the FOP has more than 325,000 mem-bers in 2,100 lodges. Its lobbying presence is significant inTrenton and Washington. �

S TA T E L O D G E S E R V I C E AWA R D S

26 NJ FOP NEWS

Dear StephLaw enforcementcounseling advicefrom psychotherapistStephanie Samuels

Got a question for Steph? Contacther at: Dear Steph, c/o CCIDC, 501Iron Bridge Road #6, Freehold, NJ07728 Phone: (732) 577-8300, x1E-mail: CCIDC@optonline.net

Drug-addicted officerconsiders suicide

Dear Steph,I had an injury off the job and took

an extended leave. Things got bad finan-cially but I’m working through that. Ibegan taking prescribed pain killers forthe injury and, yes, I’m addicted. I havemedication to sleep, to get up and tofunction. Fellow officers know I have aproblem but no one has openly ad-dressed it. Instead they come to me ask-ing for medication. They are not sayinganything about my problem so I don’tsay anything about theirs. My wife hasthreatened to leave me, finances aretight and I’m starting to have thoughtsof ending it all. I know this is wrongbut I feel like I am living my life in afish bowl and can’t get out.

- Overwhelmed

Dear Overwhelmed,Addicted police officers often don’t

get help when they fail urine testsbecause their prescriptions cover themand they don’t get intervention. Go to aCOPS AA group. It is a safe place withno judgment. Two locations are nearyou and I advise you to call Cop 2 Copfor the addresses and meeting sched-ules. You will meet other officers whohave prescription drug addictions. I’venever known an officer who attendedCOPS AA who did not like going and

did not benefit.Alternatively, you could consider a

confidential treatment program. Thereis a center in Florida that is supportedby the FOP.I also suggest that you seek coun-

seling with a therapist familiar withaddiction. It is confidential and you canuse your own insurance.The MOST important thing to

remember is that there is help and nomatter how alone you feel, you are not.Reach out to Cop2Cop (866) 267-2267.It’s there 24 hours a day. If you are notcomfortable telling them about thepills, then say alcohol. The most impor-tant thing is to say “something.” Writ-ing to me was a major first step. Keeptaking those steps. It won’t be easy, butyou won’t have to do it alone.

Hire the pit bull divorcelawyer or not?

Dear Steph,I’m in a nasty divorce. I have tried

to be fair, but she is rejecting every-thing. There was no infidelity, we havetwo kids, and I have grown apart frommy wife. We have done couples coun-seling and individual counseling. I amcoming to the end of my career. Ourchildren are grown and finished withschool. I have always worked two jobsand a lot of overtime. I’m tired. I wantto move on and finally relax.

Here lies the problem: I have acompany that brings in as much if notmore than my police job. I paid off myhouse and the cars and thought I wassitting pretty for retirement, but nowI’m facing a nightmare. My wife stayedhome to take care of the kids. She is ateacher who never worked. I am toldshe is entitled to half the business, halfthe house and half my pension. If I shutdown the business, she still gets half ofwhat I earned last year. I didn’t want tohire a pit bull attorney, but I see noother solution. My wife is telling mesince I wanted this I will pay for it. Thekids are divided. I’m thinking it’s easierto stay in a loveless marriage the rest ofmy life than to continue working andhave little.

- Did the Right Thing

Dear Right Thing,You tried in a fair and equitable

manner, but it appears that a pit bull iswhat you need. Depending on the as-sets in the house and the value of yourpension, you may be able to keep yourpension intact. If your wife wants halfof the house and assets, you will stillget the other half to buy something justfor you. The business is tricky. Youneed to talk to your accountant andyour attorney. If you wait to bedivorced and show little to no businessincome, it might help. You should beable to show that your wife can make aliving, that she has the skills and educa-tion to do so.Your frustration, anger and resent-

ment are real. You have survived 25years in a difficult career. Try to lookforward to a more fulfilling life of loveand happiness that doesn’t include risk-ing your life daily. �

Police stress, depression and theroles they play at work will be the focusof a police suicide training seminar onTuesday, Mar. 16 in Edison. Law en-forcement officers, spouses and signifi-cant others are encouraged to attend.The 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. event is hosted

Training OpportunityMiddlesex Prosecutor’s Office offers police suicide seminar

by the Middlesex County Prosecutor’sOffice, Middlesex County Chiefs ofPolice and the Middle Atlantic-GreatLakes Organized Crime Law Enforce-ment Network.Trainers are Las Vegas Police Sgt.

Clark Paris and registered nurse Tracie

Paris.The cost-free conference will be

held at the Middlesex County CollegeStudent Center, main theater, 2600Woodbridge Avenue in Edison. Check-in begins at 7 a.m. To register or forinformation, call (800) 345-1322. �

WINTER 2010 27

28 NJ FOP NEWS

J E R S E Y C I T Y L O D G E # 4

L O C A L L O D G E N E W S

Jersey City’s monument to rescuers is itself a doublevictim of violent crime

In the gritty hub of Hud-son County is a crime victimmore violated than mostyou’ve ever heard about.Severed at the legs, decapi-tated, quartered and dis-persed over many miles. Andnot just once. This victim re-covered . . . only to suffer thesame treatment 14 yearslater.The Jersey City Police

Department statue, now lo-cated behind City Hall, has acrime-victim history of glory,grit and neglect that some-how makes it a fitting tributeto the city’s seasonedguardians.Richard Kist, a retired

Jersey City police officer,composed the story of thestatue for the Jersey CityPolice Emerald Society web-site . . .

In 1887, the trustees ofBayview Cemetery in JerseyCity presented two burialplots — 292 square feet perplot — to the Jersey CityPolice Department. The plotswere to be used solely forofficers who died withoutrelatives, or had no means tobe buried elsewhere. For 20years, the department’s offi-cers were assessed 8¢ a yearfor upkeep of the plots. Butwhen the assessmentstopped, the spaces wereneglected and forgotten.Then in 1935, the local

VFW presented a flag polemarker to honor officers inthe plot. Then-Chief DanielCasey proposed a specialmonument for the site and anew 10¢ assessment wasestablished (25¢ for captainsand above). Officers paid

granite cube was used for thebase and the names of fivepatrolmen buried in the plotwere engraved on the base.In 1961, thieves with

hacksaws cut off the statue atthe ankles and hauled itaway.The next day, police spot-

ted a heavily laden car beingdriven by a youth near thecemetery. They followed andfound the statue in pieces.The head was buried in tarand the torso was buried inweeds near the Standard Oiltanks in Bayonne. The legswere found in the youth’shome.Archimedes Giacomanto-

nio was called upon 25 yearslater to repair the massivedamage. Reportedly, his feewas “next to nothing.” Hewelded it back together andplaced it on its pedestal.Then, in 1975, thieves

struck a second time, againcutting off the statue at itsankles. Detectives Jack Glee-son and Jack Cassidy foundthe legs on a weighing scalein a local scrap yard. Theyhad been scrapped for $30.The detectives arrested theowner for possession ofstolen goods, whichprompted him to reveal thename and address of the

thief. Gleeson and Cassidyfound the torso in the thief’sliving room. It was restingon a table, its head in anearby garbage can.Again, Giacomantonio,

then 70 years old, respondedto the call and volunteered torestore the statue."It was terribly dam-

aged,” recalled the sculptor.“The head was cut off, thebody was in two pieces andthe legs were separated. Itwas terribly smashed and cutby sledges and hacksaws.”With a welding assistant andpainstaking care, Giacoman-tonio spent one year restor-ing the statue.To discourage any future

hacksaw attempts, Giaco-mantonio placed one-inchsteel shafts in the statute’slegs, and instead of returningthe statue to the unguardedcemetery, it was erected atthe intersection of Mont-gomery and Hendersonstreets in a grass medianbehind city hall. FOP Lodge#4 was cited for financialhelp during the restoration.The granite block from

the original site still standsin Bayview Cemetery. Studsprotruding through the topof the memorial are mutetestimony to the odyssey ofthe statue that once proudlystood there. It reads, "Inmemory of the deceasedmembers of the Jersey CityPolice Department, erectedby their comrades.” �

monthly for one year.Sculptor Archimedes

Giacomantonio, a renownedJersey City native who alsosculpted busts and statues ofBenito Mussolini, AbrahamLincoln, Christopher Colum-bus (in Journal Square), pres-idents Woodrow Wilson andDwight Eisenhower, wasengaged to create the 1,500-pound bronze statue.Sgt. Harry Morse, an

instructor in the department’sAcademy of Physical Train-ing was the model for thebody of the 8-1/2 foot statue.Morse was “all muscle,”more than 200 pounds andtaller than six feet. He posedfor seven weeks, more thantwo hours a day. Ptl. ArthurMorrissey was the model forthe statue’s head.The statue was unveiled

on May 25, 1936. A 4x4

YuletideYikes!

Catch more ofJersey City’sholiday fun onpage 30.

WINTER 2010 29

J E R S E Y C I T Y L O D G E # 4Police river vessel christenedin honor of Marc DiNardo

Deceased Jersey CityDet. Marc Anthony DiNardois proudly memorialized onhis department’s new Home-land Security River Opera-tions Vessel. The ceremonytook place Sept. 29 on theJersey City waterfront.DiNardo was slain in the

line of duty on July 16, 2009while attempting to appre-hend a violent felon wantedfor several homicides.His father, Paul DiNardo,

Ret. Lt. Paul DiNardo,father of Det. Marc AnthonyDiNardo, was presented atthe December lodge meetingwith a $5,000 check from the“Tickets for Charity” golfevent. Held in August at Lib-erty National Golf Club inJersey City, the event was afundraiser for the DiNardofamily.Lodge # 4 and the Jersey

City Detectives BenevolentAssociation participated inmemory of DiNardo, whowas killed in a gun battle lastJuly.Shown left to right at the

event are NJ FOP PresidentEdward Brannigan, Lodge #4President Greg Kierce, PaulDiNardo, Deputy Police Di-rector Arthur Pease (Marc’sgodfather), and DBA Presi-dent Ed Dolan. �

Golf event raises $5K for DiNardo family

a retired Jersey City lieu-tenant, broke the bottle ofchampagne during the cere-mony. DiNardo’s wife andtheir three children, togetherwith Lodge #4 PresidentGreg Kierce stood by to ob-serve.Also present were Mayor

Jerramiah Healy, PoliceChief Thom Comey, PoliceDirector Sam Jefferson andDeputy Director ArthurPease. �

30