The involvement of Charles Schwartz
Pat Moran, left, and Charles Schwartz take the oath to be sworn in as new State PBA Executive Board members during the State PBA Convention in Las Vegas in September.
Moving up the ranks from State PBA Parliamentarian to become
a member of the Executive Board as Sergeant-at-Arms, Charles
Schwartz continues to embody the concept that hard work, dedication and loyalty pay off.
“I’ve learned that you get out of something what you put into it,”
Schwartz stated. “If you work hard you can get good results. I believe
in what (State PBA President) Pat (Colligan) and (Executive VicePresident) Marc (Kovar) are doing. I’m behind them and I appreciate
them noticing what I’ve done.”
What he’s done – and continues to do – is serve as State Delegate
for Saddle River Local 348, Treasurer of the Bergen County Conference, Committeeman on the State PBA Political Action Committee,
and as of recent, an Area Vice-President for the National Association
of Police Organizations (NAPO).
“That’s a great honor and I don’t take it for granted,” Schwartz said
about the latter role that includes attending conventions and seminars across the country. “It requires more meetings, but you’re making valuable connections with people that ordinarily you wouldn’t
be able to.”
Connections – notably with the Sergeant-at-Arms ahead of him
and longtime friend, Wood-Ridge Local 313 State Delegate Joseph
Biamonte – helped Schwartz hit the ground running at his first
Executive Board meeting as Sergeant-at-Arms in October.
“I look at what Pat and Marc are doing and the Executive Board
they’re trying to put together is one that’s hard-working,” Schwartz
acknowledged. “You work for the president and if he needs assistance in any way you’re there for him. I’m proud to be part of the
team and President Colligan and Executive Vice-President Kovar
know they’ll get 100 percent of me.”
Schwartz is also excited that joining the State Executive Board will
give him an opportunity to represent his Local members with that
100-percent effort.
“When you’re involved in the county and state, a lot of times your
members don’t have the opportunity to see everything you do,” he
related. “They can now see that you’re being recognized by the State
Union and hopefully it inspires them to get even more involved
themselves.” d
Coming from a smaller Local, Berkeley Heights Local 144 State
Delegate Patrick Moran – the newest State Sergeant-at-Arms – brings
to the Executive Board the perspective that, for better or worse, you
can’t hide from your responsibilities; or your chief, who he sees every
day.
“There’s going to be days when you get told to get out of my office
and other days when everybody’s happy,” Moran related. “You’re
going to have those bad and good days. I’ve experienced that. You go
back and forth on the issues, and you learn to hold your ground with
the union aspect, fighting that fight for the members even though
you’re in constant view of the administration. There’s no hiding.”
Moran grew up in Elizabeth, and added that even among such a
large population, he learned that hiding is not an option.
“My parents had to tell me when you’re out on the street you never
know who’s watching you,” he recalled. “Always do things like someone is watching you. If it was helping out at the President’s Cup g