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NEW JERSEY COPS ■ DECEMBER 2014
2014 Valor Awards – Meritorious Service
A brave, swift, hair-raising response
When Big Joe Henry
Sergeant Todd Kelly
read the account of ElizDetective Richard Hernandez
abeth Local 4’s Valor
Detective Raul DeLaprida
Award-winning response
Detective Jose Martinez
to five males attempting
to rob a scrap yard – an
PO Leonardo Nunes
incident that culminated
Detective Manuel Corte
with the suspects firing
Union County Police Local 73
automatic weapons at
officers – an eerie feeling
overcame Sergeant Todd Kelly.
“Honest to God, I was telling my wife that when he was reading
the account, the hair on the back of my neck was standing up,”
Kelly revealed. “I think the brazenness of the crime and the time
of day they did it – these were the most hardcore guys we ever had
to face. That was a scary one.”
The bravery, the courage, the swiftness of the response exemplified the valor that runs deep in Local 4 and the Elizabeth Police
Department. Officers from all units responded to the incident,
including traffic, patrol and even narcotics.
“This was one of those jobs, when it does come in, it doesn’t matter what you’re doing or where you are at, everybody drops what
they’re doing and shows up together,” Kelly said. “We work well
together, and the bottom line is guys just don’t want to lose to the
bad guys.