Essex County Conference honors members at 30th Annual Valor Awards ceremony
n PHOTOS BY ED CARATTINI JR.
Each year, 20 Essex County PBA Locals gather for a night to honor heroes and commend the many members who do great work for their community and family in law enforcement. On June 16, the 30th Annual Essex County PBA Conference Valor Awards / Scholarship Beefsteak took place at Nutley Elks Lodge # 1290, where uniformed men and women officers— as well as their families— joined to celebrate the great work of Essex County PBA.
Multiple awards were distributed that evening, including Police Officer of the Year to Sergeant Victor Ortiz of New Jersey Transit Police Local 304, and Executive of the Year to Police Chief Todd Conforti of Montclair Local 53 and Police Director
Samuel Demaio of Bloomfield Local 32.
Awards Coordinator Sergeant Michael Cassidy of West Orange Local 25 and Conference Chairmen Joseph Savittieri of Montclair Local 53 and Peter Sandemenico of Nutley Local 33 announced the awards of valor to multiple members and Locals throughout the county. Unit citations were also awarded to many Locals, including Nutley Local 33, Belleville Local 28, Bloomfield Local 32 and Montclair Local 53.
Family members of Essex County PBA officers were also celebrated at the awards ceremony as the 2nd Annual William J. Brennan Memorial Scholarships were distributed to 10 high school students whose parents work in law enforcement within the county. d
Police Officer of the Year: Victor Ortiz, New Jersey Transit Police Local 304
Executive of the Year: Police Director Samuel Demaio, Bloomfield Local 32 William J. Brennan Memorial Scholarship Award recipients:
Girls: Cassandra Rhein, Nutley Local 33; Nina Ricci, Bloomfield Local 32; Riley Cummis, Maplewood Local 44; Madison Gulbin, Montclair Local 53; Danielle de la Fuente, Millburn Local 34; Nicole Bolan, Essex County Prosecutors Office Local 325
Boys: Joseph Savittieri, Montclair Local 53; Marc Ruglio, Verona Local 72; Brian Gilfedder, Millburn Local 34; James Keseling, Nutley Local 33
Executive of the Year: Police Chief Todd Conforti, Montclair Local 53
68 NEW JERSEY COPS ■ JULY 2017