This month:
Northern Valley Local 233 member Michael Graham
Response Time
A conversation with a prominent NJ State PBA member
The Vitals
• Grew up in North Bergen Township
• Hudson County Sheriff’ s Office Local 334 member from 1997-1999
• Hired to Northvale Police Department in 1999
• Northern Valley Local 233 State Delegate 2003-2013
• Local 233 Executive Board, NJSPBA Membership Committee, Mayday Missions Board of Directors
• Married to Michele
• Father of Nicole( 15), Natalie( 12) and Demi( 8)
First Response
After serving as Local 233 State Delegate for a decade, what advice would you give PBA members who take on this role?
To be an effective Delegate, it’ s crucial to be engaged in what’ s going on with the State PBA and other Locals throughout the state. This includes getting involved in your own county conference, in addition to getting involved on some state committees. You also need to network. Especially at the Mini and Main conventions, you need to speak with other Delegates throughout the state to see what their challenges are.
Conversation pieces
As a State Delegate, how do you keep your members involved?
The best way to get members involved is for the State Delegate and Local President to keep them informed. Whether it’ s through emails or sending out texts a few times a month, it sets an example and shows leadership so that members think,“ maybe I should get involved.” Keeping members informed on more than just a monthly basis by giving updates on what’ s going on outside of your own Local shows the members that the State Delegate and president are invested.
Why is it important for members to get involved in PBA functions?
It’ s important to participate now more than ever. Besides being a labor organization, we’ re also a fraternal organization. On more than one occasion, our profession has been attacked in the media. Supporting our local and state-wide charities like Special Olympics NJ shows what we’ re really about, and that’ s giving back to our community and worthwhile causes.
What charity events do you usually participate in?
Our Local participates in the Polar Bear Plunge and the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics NJ. One of( Local 233’ s) retired members( Don Nicoletti) also started the Bergen County Toy Drive, which now involves more than 40 Locals throughout the county. One of my passions is running. So, I think my favorite is the Law Enforcement Torch Run. I’ ve been involved in it since 2001.
What factors do you think motivate members to be more active?
Chapter 78 under the Christie Administration has been a call for a lot of our members to get engaged, especially during election season.( PBA President) Pat Colligan and( Executive Vice President) Marc Kovar, along with( Bergen County Conference Chair) Charlie Schwartz
Michael Graham and two of his biggest fans, his daughters Demi( center) and Natalie, at the finish line of the Police Unity Tour in Washington, D. C.
and( Port Authority Local 116 President) Paul Nunziato have done a great job getting the Political Action Committee( PAC) up and running and that gives our members an opportunity to get involved and have an impact. One thing we need to always remind our members is that everything that was given to( the PBA) was done through legislation and politics, and everything that’ s taken away from( the PBA) is done through legislation and politics.
What are some of your personal highlights from serving as State Delegate?
I think one of my highlights was being a chairman of the Regionalization and Consolidation Committee and being co-chair of the Voter Registration Committee that Tony Wieners started after the 2009 election. I’ m still involved, and I still assist whenever I can. The phone definitely rings less, though. That’ s one of the positives about not being State Delegate anymore. It still rings but, not as often.
Last Response
Going on 21 years on the job, what have you found most rewarding about serving the PBA?
I’ ve enjoyed meeting people throughout the state and developing lifelong friendships, first as State Delegate and networking with people outside of my area and throughout the country. For example, I’ m going to a wedding in Florida for a guy who was vice president of the Miami-Dade PBA. That’ s a relationship I had found through the PBA at a convention one year that was held in Fort Lauderdale. That’ s one of the rewarding aspects. And also assisting other Locals when they need help and knowing that these guys will always have your back. It’ s a brotherhood that extends not only in New Jersey, but throughout the entire country.
28 NEW JERSEY COPS ■ JANUARY 2018