The President’s Message
NEW JERSEY STATE
POLICEMEN’S BENEVOLENT
ASSOCIATION
EXECUTIVE BOARD
PATRICK COLLIGAN
State President
MARC KOVAR
Executive Vice-President
Peter Andreyev 1st Vice-President
Andy Haase 2nd Vice-President
Henry Werner 3rd Vice-President
Michael Pellegrino 4th Vice-President
Mark Aurigemma 5th Vice-President
Mark Messinger 6th Vice-President
Eugene Dello 7th Vice-President
Keith Bennett 8th Vice-President
Richard Kott 9th Vice-President
Bruce Chester 10th Vice-President
Margaret Hammond 11th Vice-President
Frederick Ludd, Sr. 12th Vice-President
Michael Kaniuk Financial Secretary
George Miller Recording Secretary
John Monsees Treasurer
Luke Sciallo Trustee
Frank P. Cipully Trustee
John Cernek Trustee
Ed Carattini, Jr. Trustee
Michael Freeman Trustee
Bryan Flammia Trustee
Robert Ormezzano Trustee
Joseph Biamonte Sergeant-at-Arms
Terrance Benson, Sr. Sergeant-at-Arms
Rodney Furby Sergeant-at-Arms
Charles Schwartz Sergeant-at-Arms
Patrick Moran Sergeant-at-Arms
Joseph A. Macones Sergeant-at-Arms
Sean Plasket Sergeant-at-Arms
Michael Tardio Sergeant-at-Arms
Michael Heller Sergeant-at-Arms
Keith Curry Sergeant-at-Arms
Chris Ricciotti Sergeant-at-Arms
4
NEW JERSEY COPS
■ AUGUST 2016
HELP WANTED:
Police Officers
So the dirt had not even settled on the graves in Dallas when we awoke to
another ambush in Baton Rouge. What utter hypocrisy: targeting any law enforcement officer who responds to the scene, painting all of us as though we
all put a gun on in the morning in hopes of targeting a young black man. There
are hundreds of questions to be answered, but what we know is that in all of
these senseless slaughters (including the attacks in New York City that killed
two officers) we lost some incredibly bright officers that embodied what we
Patrick
represent and why most of us got into this business in the first place.
Sadly, they will no longer have that opportunity. Their departments and
Colligan
our profession will never realize their true potential. It’s a sad commentary
on those groups that think they are making “change.” Maybe officers Michael
Smith, Michael Krol, Patrick Zamarippa, Brent Thompson, Lorne Ahrens, Montrell Jackson,
Brad Garafola, Matthew Gerald, Rafael Ramos or Wenjian Liu had the magic answer that still
eludes us. We will never know.
I have to take some time this month to thank those of you who travelled with the PBA representing us not only in Dallas and Baton Rouge but literally across the country. Special thanks
to John Hulse and Teaneck Local 215 State Delegate Andy Haase who made both round trips
in the truck. They logged well over 5,000 miles. I wish I could thank the hundreds of civilians
along the way that treated them like rock stars. Job well done!
And now for a look deep into my crystal ball:
We have been attacked for our compensation which is ultimately capped at 2 percent (on
the very best day). The backward slide continues since the ultimate bait-and-switch con job
in 2011. We have been attacked for our benefits. Most of us are paying somewhere north of
$1,000 per month for benefits, and a few legislators seem to think we should fund the Transportation Trust Fund (TTF) out of our benefits too. Our pensions have been under attack for
decades, and it doesn’t appear that Trenton has the stomach to make the right choices there
either.
And now, as evidenced in New York, Dallas and Baton Rouge, we are physically under attack. So legislators, mayors and council persons I have an important message for you: Yes,
you will undoubtedly continue to get applications from people who want to be law enforcement officers. There is no question about that. But there will be less and less of them, and
the candidates won’t quite be the caliber that you are used to. This business of ours has just
changed too much.
Nevertheless, I will help you with writing your new classified add. Here it is:
HELP WANTED, Police Officers
Join us in this exciting career! Prepare to be anonymously ambushed
with superior firepower, second-guessed by those who know nothing
about your business and ridiculed by those sitting in the comfort and
safety of their living rooms. We are looking for excellent candidates
who are willing to work shifts on nights, weekends and holidays for
the next 30 years. We offer fewer benefits than we used to but are
charging you more! Your pay increases will permanently be capped
at 2 percent (and that’s on a great day). We are doing our darnedest
to make sure you might have a pension at the end of this fun and
rewarding career. Yes folks, less pay, less benefits, questionable
pension and the increased opportunity to have a hero’s funeral.
CALL TODAY!