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NEW JERSEY COPS n AUGUST2014
Higher Ground
PBA members gathered with brothers and sisters from the FMBA
and NJEA to let the governor know he can only go so far.
n BY MITCHELL KRUGEL
n PHOTOS BY ED CARATTINI JR.
Brendan Kerlin arrived at the park by
the bay across from the police department in Long Beach Township at 6 a.m.
The first-year State Delegate for Long
Beach Township Local 373 dug in for a
day in the park that might last 12 hours
or more.
Kerlin knew this ground well. Last
year, he spent several days with firefighters and teachers building a playground on this site. The playground is
a tribute to Lauren Rousseau, a teacher
killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting and part of the
renowned Sandy Ground Project former FMBA President Bill Lavin has led
to construct a memorial playground to
each of the 26 shooting victims.
“That playground represents a great
“He wasn’t here because somebody picked the location
out of a hat or because they threw a dart at a map of NJ.
He’s here because he knew the emblems of our union are
all over and this was a place where he could come and
completely disrespect what we stand for.”
PBA PRESIDENT PAT COLLIGAN
sense of accomplishment for our
members,” Kerlin began. “We will
never forget how grateful and humbled
the (Rousseau) family was when we
dedicated the playground. I will drive
by here every day for the rest of my
career and I will always think of that.”
Here is the context for why Kerlin
arrived so early on this July 22 morning.
He will do whatever it takes to protect
this turf. And on this day, 200 PBA
members, firefighters and teachers
joined him to make sure a certain New
Jersey governor wouldn’t tread on or
smear the playground with a town hall
meeting he scheduled for this location.
So into the park rode the 200 for
what NJ State PBA President Pat Colli-