Franklin Township Local 154 crowned Battle
of the Blue basketball champs
Tomorrows Children’s Fund’s 17th annual Battle of the Blue basketball tournament was an extra special event for law enforcement
officers after the organization renamed the event to honor Bergen
County Sheriff’s Local 286 member Brian Beutel, who collapsed
during last year’s tournament and later passed away.
“Brian was the epitome of a true Tomorrows Children’s Fund
Angel,” wrote the organization on its website. “We acknowledge all
of his hard work and dedication throughout his many years as the
Bergen County Sheriff’s Department’s Battle of the Blue team representative.”
The Brian Beutel Battle of the Blue tournament on March 16 at
Farleigh Dickinson University was a 16-team, single-elimination
basketball tournament.
Competing teams included: Franklin Township Local 154, Passaic
City Local 14, Port Authority Local 166, Teaneck Local 215, North
Bergen Local 18, Union City Local 8, Passaic County Sherriff’s Office
Local 286, Fort Lee Local 245, Hackensack Local 9, Bergen County
Sheriff’s Department Local 234, Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office
Local 221, Bergenfield Local 309, Paterson Local 1, West New York
Local 361, Englewood Local 216 and the Jersey City PD.
After a grueling night of hard-fought basketball, Franklin Township Local 154 outlasted Port Authority Local 166 in overtime on a
buzzer beater, taking the championship game.
NFL players, including New Orleans Saints cornerback Kyle Wil-
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NEW JERSEY COPS
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APRIL 2016
Franklin Township Local 154 beat the Port Authority Local 166 team in the
17th annual Brian Beutel Battle of the Blue basketball tournament
son and Indianapolis Colts safety Mike Adams, autographed items
that were auctioned off to raise money for Tomorrows Children’s
Fund, a non-profit organization that helps children with cancer and
blood disorders. d