NJ Cops March2018 | Page 70

Grand Occasion Nutley honors President Colligan as Grand Marshal of St. Patrick’s Day Parade The Honor Guard and Pipes and Drums from Port Authority Local 116 helped lead the parade. Nutley Police Officer of the Year Joe O’Halloran. Members of Nutley Local 33 wore shirts with green PBA shields. 70 NEW JERSEY COPS ■ MARCH 2018 St. Patrick never has seen luck of the Irish quite like this: Murphy, Colligan, Wieners and especially an O’Halloran. NJ State PBA President Tony Wieners recommended to the Essex County Emerald Society that current President Pat Colligan be honored as Grand Marshal of the 2018 Nutley Irish American Association St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 3. Colligan invited Governor Murphy to join him in leading the parade. The event also honored Nutley Police Officer of the Year Joe O’Halloran. Now, here’s where the luck really helped. March 3 was the Saturday following the first Nor’easter, that shed 60-miles-per-hour winds on New Jersey. The storm threatened to blow out the parade. “We were supposed to line up at noon and start at 1 p.m.,” explained Colligan, who wore a green-and-gold “Grand Marshal” sash. “The wind literally died down at noon. I guess it was Irish luck.” The parade turned into a true St. Patrick’s Day gala, starting with the four-leaf-clover-laced pants that the governor sported. Presi- dent Colligan invited the vaunted Port Authority Local 116 Hon- or Guard and Pipes and Drums to help lead the parade, and PBA members from throughout Essex County joined the march, includ- ing large contingents from Bloomfield Local 32 and Belleville Local 28. Belleville accompanied its longtime member Wieners. Ray Nelson, a member of the Essex County Emerald Society, rep- resented Sheriffs Officers & Court Attendants Local 183. West Essex Local 81 State Delegate Brett Keepers led a group from his Local, as did Bernards Township Local 357 State Delegate Hank Werner. State Delegate P.J. Sandomenico was part of a large contingent from Nutley Local 33 that wore specially made shirts with green PBA shields to support O’Halloran. The vice president of Local 33 since 2000, O’Halloran has served as the township’s traffic safety officer and its first motorcycle officer in 20 years. He has many specialized training certifications, mostly in crash investigation, traffic control and enforcement. Topping off the festivities was the presence of President Colli- gan’s entire family. His wife, Lynette, was honored with a “Wife of the Grand Marshal” sash. “It was an awesome day,” Co