We are the good guys
In my 25 years of being a law enforcement officer,
ored at the Valor Awards are but a small representation of the aweI have never seen a time like the past year and a half.
some work we do every day.
Between the press and the President, things are so
One of the best parts of my job is being able to stand up there with
negative for law enforcement that it really makes me
NJ State PBA President Pat Colligan to hand out those awards and
angry.
meet those recipients. You say, “Congratulations.” What you want to
Our women and men are out there working
say is, “holy spit,” after hearing their stories.
nights, weekends and holidays. They are saving
And you know what the wow factor is about all this? The law
thousands of people a day across the country. But all
enforcement officers being honored don’t walk around saying, “I’m
Marc
you read about is one or two bad incidents. Why
a hero.” They don’t think of themselves as heroes. They think, “I’m
Kovar
don’t
we
hear
about
the
officers
who
had
to
work
just doing my job.”
Executive
I think some of the honorees were almost embarrassed to be up
Vice-President Thanksgiving or the one who miss their kids’ birthday parties or the corrections offithere. But the rewarding part is that some of these
cers who are constantly working
The law enforcement members have been on the job for 15 years or
double shifts?
more, and they finally get to see 800-plus people
How I wish the press and The President and officers being honored cheering for them. Like I said, I’m not an
the public could have been in Atlantic City for
guy, but that really gets to me.
don’t walk around saying, emotional
our NJ State PBA Valor Awards in November.
And so as we head into the new year, let’s
Now, as many of you know, I’m not a very “I’m a hero.” They don’t remember that we are the good guys. The State
emotional person. But when I heard the story of
PBA has made amazing strides, and that’s because
think of themselves as we have membership’s confidence behind us. If
Vineland Local 266 Officer Dominic Ferrari
giving a kidney to a fellow officer, I almost cried.
we didn’t have that army of 33,000 behind us, we
When Dominic came up to receive his Lifesaving heroes. They think, “I’m wouldn’t be where we are.
Award, I didn’t know what to say to him. To me,
Just the other day, an issue came up and nearly
just doing my job.”
that’s a definition of a true hero— just like our
a dozen state senators and assembly reps called
members who run into burning buildings, stare down bad guys
me on my cell phone. A year ago, nobody would have called me.
with knives and helped rescue disabled kids.
Like the Valor Awards confirmed, if we do our jobs the right way,
That night, I heard some stories that I didn’t even know. And even
good things will happen.
though New Jersey residents didn’t get to hear those stories, the fact
I want to thank all the members for believing and giving us the
that more than 800 officers and supporters of law enforcement filled
power to do what we need to be doing. It makes you feel very proud
the room and stood to cheer each person honored helped me get
that our hard work and vision is starting to pay off. Without Pat’s
over the anger that has built up the past year and half.
help, and help from Rob Nixon, Pete Andreyev, Kevin Lyons and, of
Hearing the stories and seeing the reaction made me believe that
course, John Hulse, as well as the entire team at the State PBA office,
the average law enforcement officer still has the faith. These wome