56
NEW JERSEY COPS ■ JULY 2014
Mercer County honors Sheriff’s Officer of the Year
Mercer County Sheriff Jack Kemler announced the Officer of the Year for 2014 along with special awards for distinguished performance in the line of duty at a ceremony on
May 16 at the Mercer County Civil Courthouse. The Sheriff’s
Office traditionally honors its sworn officers, investigators
and detectives who have excelled in making Mercer County viable and its courthouses safe.
This year’s Sheriff’s Officer of the Year is Officer Gregory
Bezek. The Officer of the Year award is given to a wellrounded officer who has exceeded the duty requirements
expected of his or her position and has demonstrated a distinct and positive pattern of service and professional
achievement.
Bezek, a 13-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office, is assigned
to the Sheriff’s Process Unit, serving various court and legal
documents throughout the county. He is also a noteworthy
representative of the Sheriff’s Office Programs Unit. There,
Officer Bezek has presented hundreds of public programs
throughout his career related to crime prevention and
awareness, community education, and children’s and senior safety such as child car seat inspections and National
Prescription Drug Take-Back initiatives.
Sheriff Kemler also presented Line of Duty Awards to officers, inspectors and detectives who displayed notable performance, heroism or lifesaving.
“These awards speak volumes to each officer’s professionalism, dedication and valor,” said Sheriff Kemler. “Their
commitment to serve is an inspiration to all citizens in Mercer County.”
Sheriff’s Gallantry Medals: Officer Christopher McKenna
and Officer Joseph Tuccillo
For their brave actions when responding to a January
2014 shooting in progress in the City of Trenton, Officers
Christopher McKenna and Joseph Tuccillo have been
awarded the Sheriff’s Gallantry Medals. With a victim on the
ground suffering from a gunshot wound, they followed a
blood trail to a nearby third floor apartment where they
apprehended Eddie Rooks with blood on his hands and a
loaded weapon. Consequently, they ended a violent situation and removed a dangerous criminal from the streets of
Trenton.
Sheriff’s Achievement Medals: Investigator Michael
Paglione and Investigator Suania Negron
For entering a Centre Street home that was fully engulfed
in fire to ensure all occupants were out safely and then
swiftly evacuating surrounding homes in the neighborhood, Investigators Michael Paglione and Suania Negron
were awarded Sheriff’s Achievement Medals.
Letter of Recognition: Detectives Dean Wylie, William
Perez, James Udijohn and James Nizolek
For their joint work with the U.S. Marshal’s Regional Fugitive Task Force to locate and apprehend Lawrence Vernon
in Trenton, wanted on first-degree murder charges for
shooting a man in Fayetteville, North Carolina last year,
From left: Mercer County Sheriff Jack Kemler and Sheriff’s Officer of the Year Gregory Bezek
these detectives were awarded letters of recognition. Under
a combined law enforcement initiative, their actions led to
the apprehension of an extremely dangerous criminal that
journeyed into the community.
Years of Service awards were also presented to officers
with 10 and 25 years of departmental service. Sheriff Jack
Kemler thanked each individual officer