Essex County Conference honors its finest
The Essex County PBA Conference held its 33rd Annual Valor
Awards and Scholarship Ceremony on April 17 at the Nutley Elks
Lodge in Nutley.
Throughout the evening, officers who have distinguished themselves during the past year through excellence in police work were
honored. Awards were given out in three categories: those who displayed unusual bravery; those who displayed merit; and those who
displayed dedication to police work.
Five officers received Police Officer of the Year Awards including:
Lieutenant Stewart Townsend, Irvington Police Department; Detective Andres Lebron, Irvington Police Department; Detective Nick
Rizzitello, Essex County Prosecutor’s Office; Sergeant Michael
Williams, East Orange Police Department; and David Strus, Nutley
Police Department.
In addition, Unit Citations were awarded to Nutley Police Department’s Patrol Division Day Shift/Detective Bureau and Orange
Police Department’s Patrol Division.
“It has been my honor to present these officers with these awards
that they so deserve,” announced Essex County Conference Chairman and Montclair Local 53 State Delegate Joseph Savittieri at the
ceremony. “Working as a police officer in Essex County is no easy
task, however these office