They loved that he was always, always the first one to respond
when one of the bosses put out a text asking for somebody to vol-
unteer for a detail. They admired how he never complained, even
though the life of a motor officer puts you out in the cold, the heat,
the rain or worse on any given day.
And in moving to the part of the tribute where Tamby’s brothers
eulogized him as only officers can, here are some of their thoughts
that describe what made Yagan so cherished.
“He would tell you the way it was, but it was never ‘woulda,
shoulda, coulda,’” Sharon said. “To me, he exemplified what a po-
lice officer should be: professional, treat people the way you want-
ed to be treated and responsible.”
Botbyl admired how Tamby would talk to everybody when out
on traffic duty. He said Yagan believed that treating people with re-
spect because you never knew who might be able to help you was
his way of policing.
“He was caring and compassionate, but if he had to be tough he
did what had to be done,” Botbyl appraised. “The combination of
all that made him the quintessential police officer.”
Paterson Officer Angelo Gencarelli, who worked alongside Yagan
for 11 years, extended that sentiment by saying, “Tamby was good
at making people feel not afraid of the police. He was a gentle gi-
ant.”
Yagan’s care, compassion and desire to do for people probably
spawned from his love of family. And that love grew from the rela-
tionship with his nephew Ceasar Mohamed, now a detective with
the Baltimore Police Department.
Mohamed recalled Tamby being the cool man in the family
whom he would always watch from the bathroom doorway, doing
his hair to get ready to go out. Mohamed did everything like Tamby,
especially becoming a police officer.
When Mohamed moved to Baltimore, Tamby would check on
him constantly. Yagan would give him advice on everything from
making sure to address the smallest details on the job to which
The NJ State PBA Special Services trailer features a wall of honor that includes
patches representing departments that have lost an offi cer in the line of duty.
Since 2016, the Special Services trailer has responded around the country to
these offi cers’ funerals, including Paterson Offi cer Tamby Yagan.
women to date. He recalls that Tamby always asked the questions
that nobody else asked.
“He had such a kind heart, and because of that, he was meant
to be a patrol officer,” Mohamed explained. “He didn’t take the job
because it paid well. He loved the job because he believed every-
body always deserved a second chance, and sometimes people just
wanted somebody to listen to them.”
Retired Paterson Officer Marj Kush knew Tamby before they
came on the job. They grew up in the same Circassian community.
They were like family. Everybody knew who Tamby was, but Kush
was one of his big brothers. He saw something Tamby brought to
the job that he wishes everybody could.
“He brought a charisma, an energy that from the moment you
met Tamby, you were just drawn to it,” Kush relates. “When you’re
on this job, bad things happen. But you try to bring that positive
energy to the people with a smile. That’s what Tamby did.”
‘In our hearts forever’
Merza called that ability Tamby’s gift. Kush added that missing
that energy, that positive attitude, that smile is what will truly leave
CONTINUED ON PAGE 34
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