2018 NJ State PBA
Main Convention
Amoroso leading victims to safety on 9/11.
The convention’s first presentation came from Don Tratola, state chair of the NJ Employer
of the Guard and Reserve, who recognized the many PBA members who wear both law en-
forcement and military uniforms. Tratola noted that 51 percent of those fighting the global
war on terrorism are members of the Guard and Reserve, and he presented the PBA with his
organization’s prestigious Seven Seals award “for meritorious leadership and initiative in
support of the men and women who serve America in the Guard and Reserve.”
Philadelphia Police Officer Jesse Hartnett got members’ hearts racing with his
first-ever public presentation about the January 2016 night when he was am-
bushed by a man with a gun. The shooter declared that his act was in allegiance
to ISIS, and Hartnett explained how he survived the 11-bullet barrage.
Buffie McFadyen of Corrections USA led a breakout session to
inspire corrections officers to combat their greatest challenges by
working legislative channels. And the pièce de résistance came
from Las Vegas Metro Police Department Captain Yasenia Yatomi
and Officer Annette Mullin, who presented a behind-the-scenes,
law-enforcement-only look at the Route 91 Harvest Festival mass
shooting at the Mandalay Bay in October 2017.
Even some of the standard convention reports featured notes
of PBA prowess and power. Director of Government Affairs Rob
Nixon, for example, offered a bit of a motivational speech for
members to get to the polls in the November election by re-
minding them, “The PBA has become a political powerhouse
not because of a big PAC fund, but because we get bodies out
in the street, we get out the vote and we follow the PBA en-
dorsements.”
Attorneys Bob Fagella and Paul Kleinbaum praised the
work of the State PBA and all Locals in analysis of what has
occurred in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on
the Janus case in June. “It’s a fabulous commentary on your
organization that you have no bleeding of membership,”
Kleinbaum commented. He also noted that the ruling does
not require officers in any department to resubmit autho-
rization of membership, and if Locals experience any de-
partment requesting such action, they should contact
their attorneys immediately.
Friends in labor, FMBA President Ed Donnelly and NJ
State Troopers NCO Association President Pete Stilia-
nessis, stopped by the convention to compliment the
PBA on its part in getting the bill passed to achieve inde-
pendence of PFRS. And Freeman came back to the po-
dium for his first-ever report as the PBA’s new Labor Re-
lations Coordinator and gave members another reason
to rejoice by announcing upgrades planned for the 2019
ire…Persevere
presents unforgettable
hting the good fi ght
ugel and Amber Ramundo
Ed Carattini Jr.
Col-
lec-
t i v e
Bargain-
ing Seminar.
By the time Par-
ma captivated the audi-
ence with accounts of his
deployments and how to live
better in the wake of 25-plus years
of service, convention attendees were rife Don Tratola, State Chair of the NJ Employer Support of the Guard
with new hashtags. For more about how to live a bracelet kind of and Reserve, presents his organization’s Seven Seals award to
President Pat Colligan and the NJ State PBA.
life, turn the page.
www.njcopsmagazine.com
■ OCTOBER 2018 37