NJ Cops | Page 35

A path discovered Debbie LaSalle has come a long way since an accident left her in a coma. Now she is paving a path to recovery for all wounded officers. n BY JOSHUA SIGMUND About 20 years ago, Summit Local 55 Member Debbie Conte first donned her new uniform as a police officer. Following her then-husband through the academy, she saw an opportunity to challenge herself and come out with a unique job that could afford her the ability to help people in her community. For about five years, Conte worked in Summit until a fateful shift directing traffic on Jan. 28, 2000, when a vehicle struck her, and then everything – from her drive, to her memories, to even her name – reset. “I don’t remember the accident. I don’t remember stories about being