Response Time
A conversation with a prominent NJ State PBA member
This month
Harrison Local 22 State Delegate Joe Nigro
The Vitals
• Grew up in Kearny
• On the job since March 1993
• Detective who came on with Harrison in
September 2000
• Local 22 State Delegate since 2005
• Former Harrison Local 22 president
F irst Response
• NJ State PBA Executive Board member
since 2016
• NJSPBA Members Committee Chair
• Member of New Delegates and Shields
committees
• Harrison Local 22 Detective
Last we spoke, you were featured in the February 2014 issue of NJ
COPS. At that time, you talked about some hardships that Harrison
Local 22 was experiencing. How is Local 22 doing fi ve years later?
Our numbers are still very low, but the department is moving forward. We’re in
the process of doing backgrounds right now. We’re going to hire anywhere from
fi ve to nine offi cers this year. We have a new chief of police, David Strumolo, who
is very proactive and doing a great job. With all the development that’s taking
place in our town, the mayor and council are working together with the chief to
beef up the department.
Conversation pieces
How does a Local keep up member morale when it is going through
hard times?
That’s not easy. The main thing was that when we did have retirements and got
new hires, it was about grabbing the new guys right away and getting them
involved in the union. You tell them to keep their heads up and that things are
going to get better. You can see how Chief Strumolo is looking toward the future
to make the department stronger. You need to keep the faith. We’re starting to
see the turnaround.
What advice can you give for the best way to get new offi cers involved
with the PBA early in their careers?
I’m involved in the background when new hires fi rst come on. Once we know
who we’re sending to the police academy – or if we get transfers – I talk to
them right away and tell them about the union. That’s what keeps us going.
That’s what protects all of our rights and everything. I was just at the State PBA
offi ce and got two of the newer members to sign up to attend the collective
bargaining seminar. You’ve got to get people involved so they see what’s going
on and aren’t just hearing it from a State Delegate at a meeting for 20 minutes.
Five years ago, you said you’d like to retire after 25 years on the job.
You’re now going on 26 years and you’re just as involved as you’ve
always been. What’s keeping you going?
It’s about just keeping everything going and getting stronger. When you do
something for so long, your heart and soul is in it. It’s kind of tough to give it up.
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NEW JERSEY COPS
■ JANUARY 2019
How much has being a part of a union impacted your life?
Before I was a law enforcement offi cer, I was a union carpenter. My whole
family was union carpenters. So that union blood has been in me from birth.
Even though it’s diff erent labor unions, the union fl ag is still the same. It’s about
protecting your members and doing everything you can for them.
What are you most proud of about your service to the PBA?
Besides the day-to-day operations of the job, probably just getting people
involved and helping members with problems away from the spotlight, having
members come to me in confi dence looking for direction. Being involved with
the State PBA has helped and I’ve grown from that. I like to pass along my
experience by helping out the next guy. It is one big network. My problem today
was somebody else’s problem at some point. We have the answers and can all
stay together. That’s what makes this job rewarding.
What has it been like serving on the State PBA Executive Board?
It’s been great. You aspire to contribute to the membership in any way you can
and help in any way you can. Being on the executive board, for me, has been
fantastic by just helping other members through the committees and allowing
me to meet new people.
Last Response
How would you describe the PBA bond and the network of support it
provides?
Second to none, especially now that everyone has cell phones and those phones
are never off . No matter what you’re dealing with at what time of the day or
what time of the year, you’re going to call somebody and they’re going to an-
swer the phone. The help is going to be there 24/7. Whether you’re a member on
a committee, a State Delegate or Local president or just another cop, everybody
is here for one another.