2016 NJSPBA
Valor Awards
Unit Citations
Bridgewater Local 174
Officer Adam Augliera
Officer John Cooper
Bedminster Local 366
Officers take down
doubly-armed suspect
Officer Paul Piano
On March 10, Officers Adam Augliera, John Cooper and Paul
Piano responded to a report of a subject armed with a baseball
bat and a machete striking cars on a public street. When they
encountered the armed subject, they held him at gunpoint
and ordered him to drop his weapons. The man dropped only
the machete and continued to ignore orders from the officers,
swinging the bat in their direction and then charging them.
When the man threw his bat at the officers, they deployed pepper spray and a brief struggle ensued. The subject was then subdued and placed under arrest. d
Don’t bank on getting away with it
Gloucester County
Local 122
Investigator Stephen Weber
Investigator Jeffrey Pallies
Investigator Richard Penney
Investigator Anthony Scirrotto
Detective Sergeant
Michael Cramer
Detective Brandon Cohen
Detective Louis Damminger
Investigator Eric Lokaj
Harrison Township
Local 178
Detective Adam McEvoy
Summer 2015, Police in Gloucester County responded to five
armed bank robberies. Through investigation, these officers
identified a suspect and placed a tracking device on his vehicle,
closing in on him on after fleeing a bank on Aug. 14. Upon confirmation that the suspect had just robbed the bank, the officers
surrounded the actor in his home. After negotiations, he gave himself up without force or injury to anyone involved. d
Hostage Heroes
Ocean County Sheriff’s
PBA Local 379
Detective Stephen Capoano
Berkeley Township
PBA Local 237
Detective Jason Mroczka
Ocean County
Prosecutor’s Office
PBA Local 171
Detective Brad Frank
Manchester Township
PBA Local 246
Patrolman Charles Gatnarek
On Feb. 6, Manchester Police attempted to serve a warrant when the subject became barricaded inside the residence. Ocean
County SWAT responded, and when numerous attempts by negotiators to resolve the standoff peacefully were unsuccessful,
Detective Capoano employed tear gas, forcing the male and female subjects outside. Once outside, the male took the female
hostage; following further negotiations, he dropped the knife and released her, before producing a second knife and advancing
towards Detectives Mroczka and Frank. When the man refused to comply with directions to drop the weapon, officers shot and
mortally wounded him. d
66
NEW JERSEY COPS
■ DECEMBER 2016