16
NEW JERSEY COPS ■ FEBRUARY 2015
NEW EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS
Benson will give board
a corrections injection
Joseph Biamonte and Terrence Benson
Joseph Biamonte
continues to do it all
Wood-Ridge Detective Joseph Biamonte is a true union
man. With 21 years on the job, including 15 as a D.A.R.E. officer, Biamonte has been Local 313’s State Delegate since 2001,
often choosing to fight for his members at the expense of
personal gain.
“I’ve always been interested in member benefits and helping members in need,” said Biamonte who has been added
to the NJ State PBA Executive Board as a Sergeant-at-Arms.
“I just thought it was more rewarding than actually moving
up through the ranks in the police department at the time.”
Biamonte has also served as co-chairman of the Bergen
County Conference, as well as on the PBA State Bylaws Committee, Election Committee, and the Shield Committee.
Working on the Shield Committee is where he first met State
PBA President Pat Colligan.
“Pat and I started in the Shield Committee together in
2004,” Biamonte explained. And a decade later, “I want to
assist Pat and (State PBA Executive Vice-President) Marc
(Kovar) and our leadership in anything they want to do. I’m
a loyal guy and I’m here to help out.”
That attitude convinced Colligan to put Biamonte on the
newly structured Political Action Committee.
“I’m proud that I have been able to stand shoulder-toshoulder with the leadership and experience things through
my career like the rally in March 2010,” Biamonte recalled.
“On the Local level, we have a great relationship with the
mayor and don’t have too many issues; on a county level,
recently we were able to help out our members in Glen
Rock.”
Next up for Biamonte is realizing the fruit of his work on
the Convention Committee:
“We’re going to have the vendors like we always do,” he
promised. “We’re still working on speakers, but I’m the type
of guy who shows up and sees what needs to be done. Then
I’m there doing it.” d
Burlington County Corrections Local 249 State Delegate
Terrance Benson had just left the dentist office after having a
tooth pulled and was still in some pain when his phone rang.
“It came up with a 732 area code,” Benson explained. “But
I answered it and when I heard the voice on the other end, I
could tell I was on speaker.”
The voice on the speaker was NJ State PBA President Pat
Colligan.
“When Pat calls me, I think I’m being called to the principal’s office,” Benson continued. “I’m thinking, ‘Is the jail closing down?’”
President Colligan hit Benson with a shot of the best kind
of painkiller, saying, “I want to be the first to congratulate you.
I’ve had you name on my desk for quite some time to add you
to the PBA Executive Board.”
The line went silent. Benson was speechless. He pulled his
car to side of road.
“I’m like, ‘Are you punking me?’” he said. “I never expected
this. It’s always been a goal but I didn’t think it was my time.”
Benson’s 15 years of service in the Burlington County Jail,
in addition to his textbook representation as State Delegate
for Local 249 and Chairman of the Burlington County Conference, has propelled him to the State PBA E-Board as a Sergeant-at-Arms.
Benson said he hopes to follow in the footsteps of corrections officers who have been prominent board members such
as Sixth Vice-President Ken Burkert of Union County Corrections Local 199, 10th Vice-President Mike Kaniuk of
Middlesex County Corrections Local 152 and Trustee Rich
Brown of Ocean County Corrections Local 258, who is also
the chairman of the State PBA Corrections Committee.
“I just want to be a bright shining light on corrections,”
Benson said. “I want to be that guy in the room who people
say, ‘That’s Terrance. He gets it. He cares.’ I don’t want to be
loud about it. I just want to be a voice for corrections and
bring a positive light to the whole PBA.”
Benson said he was elated to hear that Brown was one of
those who supported his selection to the board, and he
immediately reached out to Brown for guidance. Benson
added that he would like to help promote legislation that can
provide benefits to corrections officers similar to what other
cops are receiving.
“I know corrections officers need some representation,”
Benson offered. “Some of our great leaders are coming to the
end of their careers, and it will be left to the younger guys to
carry on. If I can be one of those guys, I will give 120 percent
of my time to do so.” d