Marc Kovar Executive Vice-President
My holiday wish list
Happy Holidays! Be safe! Thanks for everything you do! Wishing you a great 2017! A simple holiday message captures just about everything I wanted to say to our members this time of year. Just about everything. I would be remiss if I didn’ t add a couple of thank-you notes for what you all continue to do for the NJ State PBA. First off, let me thank all of our 2016 Valor Award winners … I felt very honored and humbled to be standing next to all of you. A lot of times, we don’ t know about these jobs. Nobody is calling the office to tell us about what you are all doing to protect the community, literally run down the bad guys as some of you did – and one of you did with a broken leg – and save lives. A lot of times we don’ t know about these courageous and brave acts.
We don’ t get involved in the process of selecting the winners; our Valor Awards Committee does a phenomenal job recognizing this amazing work, and I think this year’ s event was one of our biggest and best ever.
The highlight for me was being able to shake hands with all the recipients, and think to myself,“ Now, that’ s a real hero.” I know they don’ t feel like heroes, and when they say they are just doing their jobs, they really believe that. I wish the public could hear about these stories.
And I must continue to thank our members for showing up like they do …
Election Day 2016 was, of course, the latest in an ongoing series of positive, productive, political action that spread from Bergen County to Ocean County to Sussex County and so many counties in between and beyond. And now Passaic County, too, where nearly 200 of our members showed up in Wayne on the night of Dec. 7 to support one of our own who has been wrongfully terminated.
As we filled the town council chambers, we made another statement that the NJ State PBA is a force to be reckoned with and not to be shucked with. Members from dozens of Locals showed up, not to argue the termination but to let the elected officials know that we aren’ t going to tolerate a police chief who continues
to run a kangaroo court when it comes to handing out discipline.
What’ s really impressive about this evening is that it all came together in about 36 hours. Robert Ormezzano, chair of the Passaic County Conference, and Kevin Kearney of the Wayne SOA stepped up at the state meeting the day before to ask for support. And you all came out in force. The town council and the mayor will not forget what happened, and if they do, we will remind them when they are looking for votes in their next election. And to Atlantic City … So, if you haven’ t heard, we had an unprecedented experience in Atlantic City a week before Thanksgiving. We handed out about 500 turkeys to residents, and it turned out to be more than a thank you to citizens who have stood by the members of Atlantic City Local 24 as they do everything they can to battle through the financial challenges the city continues to face.
I never anticipated something like that, getting to shake the hands of those people who don’ t take for granted having a turkey for Thanksgiving. I have never felt such appreciation. Now, I have made the donations and I have signed the checks, but being able to hand out the turkeys gave me more fulfillment than any charitable contribution I have ever made.
Thanks to the members of Atlantic City Local 24. Thanks to our members who came down with John Hulse to work our trailer. Thanks to the Port Authority PBA. And thanks to the State Troopers NCO. We were fortunate to be able to do the right thing for a town that needed our help. And one more thing … A day like the one we had in Atlantic City and night like we had in Wayne has me looking forward to next year already. It keeps you going, believing we are doing something right. These weren’ t the results of a request from the top. This was you making the decision to make a change. I think that’ s a great indication that next year will be our biggest ever.
Finally, we would like send our condolences out to sisters and brothers at the STFA and the family of NJ State Trooper Frankie Williams, who was killed when responding a call of an erratic driver in Millville on Dec. 12. d
New State Delegates in the house
Recording Secretary Meg Hammond gave the oath of office to the following new State Delegates at the Nov. 15 NJ State PBA meeting at Caesar’ s in Atlantic City:
Carmine DeCaro, Madison Local 92; James Peterson, Ramsey Local 155; John Birnie, Tenakill Local 180; Thomas Falk, Middlesex Borough Local 181; Randy Gawrylo; Elmwood Park Local 185; Paul Honan, New Jersey Treasury Agents Local 281. d
www. njcopsmagazine. com ■ DECEMBER 2016 7