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NEW JERSEY COPS n AUGUST 2014
A proper
sendoff
A week before his passing, Union County Sheriff honored
n BY JOSHUA SIGMUND
A week and a half before he passed away on July 20 following a battle with cancer, Union County Sheriff Ralph Froehlich,
83, was honored in absentia at a July 9 dinner in Clark for his
55 years of service in law enforcement.
“We wanted to acknowledge his distinguished service,” said
Union County Sheriff’s Office Local 108 State Delegate Michael
Heller. Prior to 13 terms as county sheriff, a position he first won
in 1977, Froehlich served as an Elizabeth police officer for nearly 20 years, attaining the rank of lieutenant.
Around 500 politicians, freeholders, judges, sheriffs, police
officers, friends and family attended the dinner, at which
numerous speakers attested to the above-and-beyond service
of their friend, colleague, boss and mentor.
“People came at the beginning and stayed until the end,”
Heller noted about the enjoyable event that was not deterred by
Froehlich’s absence. “Unfortunately he was sick, but it didn’t
stop anybody from recognizing him or having a good time.”
In addition to an official county proclamation honoring
Froehlich, each officer from the Sheriff’s department signed a
group photo, and Local 108 gave the Sheriff a gold lifetime
membership card recognizing him as a strong member.
As if the turnout to his dinner wasn’t enough of a testament
to Froehlich’s impact on his community, his July 28 funeral drew
a crowd of hundreds that included Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, Elizabeth Mayor Chris Bollwage, sheriffs from across the state and
other elected officials to Saint Mary of the Assumption Church
in Elizabeth.
The courthouse was closed that Monday to allow each of his
officers to attend the funeral.
“I was hired by (Froehlich) in 1992 and as I started becoming involved in the PBA, we worked together often,” Heller
recalled. “He was always a fair man; always had his door open
and was open to hearing both sides of the story. I respected
him.”
Froehlich’s accomplishments in office included initiating a
new fingerprinting program for children and the creation of the
Sheriff’s Labor Assistance Program, a work program that functions as an alternative to jail time for nonviolent offenders. He
also established the department’s Missing Persons Unit,
Domestic Violence Unit and K-9 Search and Rescue Unit.
“About five years ago I approached him for starting a youth
academy program,” added Heller. “I went to him with an idea
and he was open to it. He said ‘OK, take a run at it.’ He was
always behind anything that benefited the public; always looking to help the public before himself.”
Froehlich, recipient of the New Jersey PBA Valor Award, the
Elizabeth Police Merit Award and named Policeman of the Year,
was the state’s longest-serving sheriff. And for Heller, this record
will never be broken:
“In my point of view, he’ll be sheriff forever,” he emphasized.
“He was loved. d