EileenTiernan’smother,PatriciaTiernan,holdstheBibleduringherpromotiontolieutenantin2010.
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TiernanremembersonmorethanoneoccasionbeingforcedtodopushupswiththerestoftheacademyclassduetoTolomeo’shabitofresponding“yeah,”insteadof“yes,sir”tothedrillinstructors.
“Tolomeo,stopsaying‘yeah,’you’regoingtogetusallintrouble,”TolomeoremembersTiernandemandingunderherbreathatthesightofthedrillinstructorsapproaching.
Itdidn’tfazeTiernanthatshewasthelonefemaleinaclassfullofmenbutwhenphysicaltrainingendedeachday,shewassuretomakeabeelinetothefemalelockerroom—onamissiontograbsomewaterpressurebeforethemobofguysstarteduptheirshowersandleftherwithnothingbutatrickle.
“Ithinkshehaditevenharderthanwedidbecauseshewas
EileenTiernanmovesintothechief’sofficeattheWoodlandParkPoliceDepartment.
alonein [herlockerroom ],”considersLouDeLuca,whoalsoremembersgoingthroughtheacademywithTiernan,beforetheybothbeganworkingtogetheratWPPD.“Shehadtofendforherselfwithoutanyonetheretohelpher,whilerushingtogettheuniformtogetherandmakingsureeverythingwaspolishedandclean.”
ButaftergettingtoknowTiernan,itbecameclearthatshecouldfendforherself.TolomeosawthisforhimselfduringthefirstfewyearsthathewasamemberofTotowaLocal80.Onenight,herespondedtoasceneoutsideofaclubwherefightswerebreakingoutinacrowdof200people.TiernanwasoneoftheofficerswhorespondedtoTolomeo’scallforbackup.Amidthecommotioninthecrowd,TolomeowatchedacivilianflickacigarettebuttatTiernan.Hehadtofightbackhisurgetodefendtheofficerwhofeltlikeasistertohim,andknewthatshecouldhandlethesituation
44NEWJERSEYCOPS ■AUGUST`2018