This month
23 NEW JERSEY COPS ■ JULY 2018
Response Time
NJ State PBA Second Vice President and Bernards Township Local 357 State Delegate Henry Werner, retired June 29, 2018.
The Vitals
• Born in Flemington
• One the job since March 1, 1990
• Hired to Bernards Township Police Department in 1994
• D. A. R. E. officer since 2001
• State Delegate since January 2001
• Chair of State PBA Sports and Special Events Committee; member of the State
First Response
Conversation pieces
A conversation with a prominent NJ State PBA member
PBA Collective Bargaining Committee and Recruitment & Retention committees
• Chair of Jack’ s Kids charity organization
• Treasurer of Middlesex / Somerset County Conference
• Married to Lisa
• Father of David and Lindsay Werner. Stepfather of Cassandra and Ernie Yates.
How do you feel about your 28-year career and service to the NJ State PBA?
The whole thing about being involved in the PBA is that you’ re there to educate the rest of the members so that they can have a better career. We can have better benefits, more time off, stuff like that. It is a delicate balance if you can keep your members happy( as State Delegate) while still working next to them. I feel blessed and honored to have served the community and the State PBA for all these years.
What has it been like being part of the NJSPBA Executive Board? The PBA is a family-oriented atmosphere. Working with those guys is like the perfect dysfunctional family. You might argue and yell, but at the end of the day you’ re going to have a beer and a cigar together and enjoy your time.
When you look back on your career on the job, what are your most vivid memories? Bernards Township lost 17 residents during 9 / 11. I attended almost every one of those funerals that was held in town. I got to know most of the families. I’ m still in contact today with some of the widows. I had all their kids in D. A. R. E.
Was 9 / 11 one of the most difficult times in your career? Yes. I went to Ground Zero the night of attack with three other Bernards Township officers. It was a life-changer.
How did your experiences during 9 / 11 change your mindset on the job? It gave me reinforcement that we’ re here for a greater cause. We’ re not just here to hand out speeding tickets. There’ s a bigger picture here. I took teaching D. A. R. E. very seriously after that and did it basically for 18 years. It’ s been one of the most rewarding parts of my career.
Are there any D. A. R. E. students that you felt you were able to impact? There’ s one boy who is now 26 years old. I met him when he was in diapers and his mom and dad were going through a divorce. Fast forward, the parents get divorced, the kid is in fifth grade and he’ s my D. A. R. E. student. We became buddies. He has kept in contact with me during all four years he was in college, where he wrestled and played baseball. He was at my final walkout from headquarters with his mom and dad. The kid struggles with anxiety, and I was always the calming force in his life. His mom hugged me and said,“ You saved his life.”
What was your final walkout like? The walkout was the most amazing thing of my career. It really humbled me. There were nearly 500 people there: officers, fire and rescue, department of public works, Bernards Township employees from town hall, the library, health department, representatives from all the schools. U. S. Representative Leonard Lance presented me with the flag that had flown over the U. S. Capitol building the week prior. That was very moving. I thanked everybody and acknowledged my entire family. Then I asked everyone to join me in the Pledge of Allegiance, and we all did the pledge to the flag hanging from the fire department ladder truck. That’ s how it ended. It was an amazing experience.
What are your plans now that you’ re retired? I will always support the PBA Executive Board members for anything needed. If they call, I will come. My dream job in retirement would be working with the schools in a security position. I am also running for town council in Somerville Borough. I’ m trying to become an elected official.
Last Response
How did you know it was the right time to retire?
I wasn’ t going to leave Bernards Township( Police Department) unless I knew it was in a good spot, and I know that it is now back on top. The State PBA is back on top, too, doing a lot of good work for all its members. For 28 years I’ ve heard,“ You’ ll know when you’ re ready to retire.” Well, I knew. It’ s time to go. Everything is in great shape.