Charmed
Toms River and Plainfield Locals come together
to help a boy remember his father
n BY DAN CAMPANA WITH SPECIAL CONTRIBUTION
FROM TOMS RIVER LOCAL 137 STATE DELEGATE JESSE
ROBERTAZZI
The lasting bond between father and
son takes on many forms.
For Hunter Simeon, the connection
with his dad, Romeo, was sustained
through the Plainfield Police Department badge charm Romeo wore during
his career as an officer. Romeo gave the
charm to his son shortly before passing
away in 2014 at the age of 55.
Hunter kept the charm with him constantly as a way to honor his father every
day, which made it all the more devastating for the teenager when it went
missing during the summer of 2015.
However, with the help of Toms River
Local 137 and Plainfield Local 19, the
story didn’t end sadly for Hunter.
“Most of us have children,” Toms River
Local 137 State Delegate Jesse Robertazzi
acknowledged. “That kind of gave us the
passion behind (helping Hunter).”
Robertazzi,
a
16-year-veteran,
detailed the efforts of many from both
Locals in a two-page write-up that he
titled “Charmed.”
Hunter Simeon, son of the late Plainfield Local
19 member Romeo Simeon, receiving his new
charm.
56
NEW JERSEY COPS
n
APRIL 2016
The story begins with Hunter and
friends enjoying a summer day in Pine
Beach when – to keep from losing his
father’s badge – Hunter wr \ Y][