Response Time
A conversation with a prominent NJ State PBA member
This month
Bergen County Local 102 Past State Delegate Glenn Tutschek
The Vitals
• Grew up in Maywood
• Started with Hackensack Local 9 in 1994
• Hired to Maywood Police Department in
1995
• Bergen County Local 102 State Delegate
March 2015-September 2018
• Member of Bergen County Conference
Political Action Committee
• Husband of retired Maywood Police
Department Sergeant Mary Tutschek
• Father of Rebecca, Katrina, Nicola and
F irst Response
Anthony
How did you become Local 102 State Delegate and what did you like
about it?
It kind of just became an opportunity at the right time. I had sat in every seat within the Lo-
cal, from sergeant-at-arms to president. (Previous) State Delegate Joe Eppe retired and I was
elected into the spot. I liked that the job was broader. You’re not only dealing with your local
towns as a Local president does. It was a little more demanding being the State Delegate, but
I was able to be a part of the state and make connections for my Local. It’s amazing how the
connections you can make are innumerous, not only with law enforcement but business and
politics.
Conversation pieces
How did you start your career in law enforcement?
I was working security at Hackensack University Medical Center. After a year or
so, the job really started to grow on me. I got to know a couple of the Hacken-
sack offi cers who passed in and out of the emergency room. They told me what
their benefi ts were, and I thought it sounded pretty good. The hospital benefi ts
were good, but the PBA’s were better. And so was the pension. I decided to leave
the hospital and take the civil service test.
Was it hard for you to step down from serving as State Delegate after
you were promoted to sergeant?
Just before I was promoted in July, I was re-elected to a second term as State
Delegate. I’m down to 14 months left on the job. It was either take the promo-
tion so I can get a little bit more in the pension or stay State Delegate. I talked to
a couple of members who were State Delegates and they recommended that I
take the promotion. I’m going to miss being a State Delegate.
What advice have you given your successor as State Delegate?
We sat down with Jarrett Cooke from the Hasbrouck Heights Police Department.
He’s got a good personality. You need somebody who can talk. He’s knowledge-
able and has a lot of common sense. My advice would be to not take anything
personally. Sometimes it’s hard getting members to be active and you end up
getting stuck doing things on your own. That’s the nature of the position.
How are the members of Local 102 staying razor sharp?
Maywood’s new chief, Joseph Natale, let members do No-Shave October to raise
money for a breast cancer facility in Maywood. We’re doing No-Shave November
for the John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack Hospital. And then, we’re
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NEW JERSEY COPS
■ NOVEMBER 2018
going to do No-Shave December and donate whatever money we collect to a
family in Maywood that has been having hard luck and could use some extra
money for the holidays.
What was it like running a household with your wife, who was also a
law enforcement offi cer?
It was like being on autopilot. You didn’t think, you just did. It was tough. (My
wife and I) look back now, laugh and think, “How the heck did we do it?” We
can’t even fi gure it out now. We’ve constantly been running, with both of us
working shifts and having the four kids. It’ll be nice fi nally to breathe and get to
visit with our kids and take care of them.
Last Response
Do you feel like you’ve checked all the boxes of what you wanted to
achieve in your career?
Yeah, pretty much. I never thought I would have made sergeant. I run Maywood (Police
Department’s) Firearms Unit and Special Police. I do the toy drive in December. I started No-
Shave November for us and got it up to three months. I was doing the Torch Run for a while.
This kind of all led up to me becoming State Delegate. It meant a lot to get the approval from
(NJ State PBA President) Pat Colligan and (Executive Vice President) Marc Kovar to take the
promotion. They told me I did a great job, which means a lot. I’m going to miss a lot of the
connections and friendships I made while I was State Delegate.