Two decades of valor Essex County Conference Valor Awards celebrates 20 years of law enforcement achievement
Two decades of valor Essex County Conference Valor Awards celebrates 20 years of law enforcement achievement
Beaming with pride and mutual admiration, over 100 members and supporters of New Jersey law enforcement attended the 20th annual Essex County Conference Valor Awards on May 20. Enjoying a traditional beefsteak dinner at the Nutley Elks Lodge 1290, attendees paused between bites to applaud the past year’ s heroic efforts of their friends, family and fellow law enforcement officers.
Members from 15 of the 20 Locals throughout Essex County received awards for outstanding service to their communities, including hundreds of officers who received awards for lifesaving calls to homicide cases. For proving instrumental in the apprehension of a bank robbery suspect in Edison, Irvington Sergeant Jaime Velez, Jr. received the coveted Officer of the Year award.
Distinguished speakers in attendance included Essex County Conference Chair Joe Savittieri( Montclair Local 53), Scholarship Chair P. J. Sandomenico( Nutley Local 33) and the evening’ s emcee Michael Cassidy( West Orange Local 25), who helped organize the event along with the Essex County Conference Executive Board.
Each year, scholarship awards comprise a compelling portion of the ceremony’ s festivities. This year, the Board named the scholarship fund for the late William“ Billy” Brennan, who served tirelessly as Essex County Conference Chair for more than 20 years.
Savittieri graced the podium to collectively honor each recipient of both Valor and scholarship awards.“ Law enforcement officers are never‘ off duty,’” he said.“ They are dedicated public servants who are sworn to protect public safety at any time and place that the peace is threatened. We need all the help and support that we can get.”
For the men and women who serve Essex County throughout the year, facing unknown circumstances and hostile situations daily, the Valor Awards ceremony serves not only as a measure of gratitude, but a reminder of their fortitude and their physical and emotional sacrifice for the protection and preservation of the communities they serve.
" I am honored to be the County Chairman of the Essex County Conference PBA,” Savittieri stated, before the Board began presenting individual awards.“ There are many calls for service throughout Essex County where the men and women have continued to protect and serve and go above and beyond the call of duty." d
Local = 34 members = receive Unit Citation award for the Millburn Police Department. = = = = = = =
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NEW JERSEY COPS ■ JUNE 2016