A‘ framily’ affair
For 19 years, Dawn Stevens worked dispatch for the Lacey Township Police Department. But on a fateful Jan. 8, 2015, she fielded the call that found her husband, Ocean County Prosecutor’ s Office Detective John Scott Stevens, the victim of a motor vehicle accident. Stevens succumbed to his injuries on Jan. 21, and his name was added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Wall during the 2016 Police Week. In his honor, 10 Lacey Township officers – eight riders and two support members – rode the Police Unity Tour under the name“ Team Lacey Township.” For seven of the 10, it was their first ride.
“ They all did it for this reason,” stated Lacey Township Local 238 member Joe Soto.“ He was a good friend of all of ours, and it makes the Unity Tour real – it definitely hit home.”
Soto recalled a few times on the road – specifically when pushing up the big D. C. hills – that almost made him want to quit.“ But I thought about him and Dawn and I just kept going.” Standing at the Memorial after the Tour arrived, Dawn Stevens, who retired after her husband’ s death, recognized the dedication of the members of Team Lacey Township.
“ The fact that these guys all raised money and took their time and did this to honor my husband and my family means the world to me,” she said.“ Working where we work, we become a family because a lot of times you spend more time with the guys you work with than you do with your own family. They’ re more than friends – they’ re my‘ framily.’ It’ s incredibly touching and I’ ll never forget what they did this year.” d
-Joshua Sigmund
Check mates
In the Unity Tour’ s storied tradition, it’ s challenging to recall a time when the support and fundraising wasn’ t rolling in. Along with the few riders who were there from the start, so too was the State PBA.
“ We went to our NJ State PBA and we asked them for help,” explained Unity Tour Executive Director Harry Phillips.“ They fronted us these little cards that we sold for $ 20 each that cost five dollars. That’ s how we started in that second year and we were able to get through it.”
Phillips introduced State PBA President Patrick Colligan, but not before specifying how much the PBA’ s support for the Unity Tour has meant throughout its history.
“ Every single year they never fail to help us out,” Phillips surmised.“ Last year they paid $ 25,000 for all the buses that brought us through Baltimore and every other area when the officers of Baltimore needed the support of the other officers.”
Colligan reiterated that PBA’ s support would continue long into the future of the Unity Tour.
“ We’ ve been here for 19 years and we’ ll be with you forever,” promised Colligan.“ My Vice-President Marc Kovar is out there with some of my Executive Board and, on behalf of the 33,000 members of the NJ State PBA, we would like to give you $ 25,000.” d
-Jennifer Trattler
Hit the ground riding
Cranford Local 52’ s Unity Tour began with a change of scenery that differed from the usual course. Local 52 members requested permission to kick off the first leg in New York with Chapter 37.
“ It’ s the one leg that runs through Union County and it gave our families a chance to see us off before the ride,” rationalized Cranford Local 52 member Joseph Stulpin.“ It was also a one-time opportunity to leave from Ground Zero. The whole point of the Unity Tour is to raise awareness of fallen officers and nowhere is there a greater history of law enforcement loss.”
For Stulpin, it meant so much more as he happened to be in New York the morning of the 9 / 11 terrorist attacks and had yet to return to Ground Zero nearly 15 years later.
“ It took it to another level,” emphasized
Stulpin.“ You left full of emotion after riding around those reflecting pools and coming back around Ground Zero before riding through the Holland Tunnel. It was very powerful.”
The itinerary change allowed Local 52 members to ride with their brothers from Jersey City Police Department, which was important for the team’ s support point, Matthew Seissel, who attended the police academy with fallen Jersey City comrade Officer Melvin Santiago.
“ They graduated together and a few months later Santiago was killed,” stated Stulpin.“ It presented an opportunity for us to be a part of his memorial ceremony, support the Jersey City guys and for Seissel to have that emotional connection.”
The day came full-circle for Stulpin ar-
From left, Cranford Local 52 members Joseph Stulpin, Daniel Donnerstag, Guy Patterson and Derek Farbanec stand before the Freedom Tower in New York City to kickoff the Unity Tour. riving in Washington D. C., overwhelmed with emotions, and for Seissel who vows to ride in his friend’ s honor next year. d
-Jennifer Trattler
www. njcopsmagazine. com ■ JUNE 2016 35