Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Clark Police hold swearing-in and awards ceremony; department recognizes officer rescues and arrests
Summary
At the May 19 meeting the Clark Police Department swore in new officers, presented awards for life-saving actions and investigative work, and the mayor and police leadership announced the appointment of Patrick Grady as police director.
The Clark Police Department held a swearing-in and awards ceremony at the start of the May 19 council meeting, introducing newly sworn officers, recognizing a series of life-saving rescues and investigatory successes, and announcing a new police director.
The mayor and Officer-in-Charge Miguel Acapul led the ceremony. New members sworn in included Police Officer Amate Obito and Special Law Enforcement Officer Class I Edward Fiennes; several officers and dispatchers received platoon awards, exceptional-service awards and written commendations for incidents including a man removed safely from a bridge on May 1, 2024, and an arrest tied to a reported peering incident near the Holiday Inn. Detective Joshua Weber received a distinguished service award for locating a stolen firearm during a shoplifting incident.
Police leadership also acknowledged three officers who rescued a crash victim from a burning vehicle on the Garden State Parkway; Officers Giovannina Prisco and Tariq Ricks were treated for minor abrasions and smoke inhalation, officials said.
Mayor Angel Albanese and Officer-in-Charge Miguel Acapul also introduced Patrick Grady as the township's new police director, noting his local roots and lengthy experience in county and municipal public safety and in private-sector operations. The mayor described the appointment as providing leadership to support current command staff.
Why it matters: the ceremony highlighted the department's operational work and recent incidents where officers intervened in life-threatening situations. The department also stressed the broader role of police in community safety and the health of dispatch and detective functions.
Attributions: all direct quotes in this article come from speakers who spoke at the ceremony and during council remarks. The ceremony and awards were presented publicly at the start of the May 19 meeting and were recorded in the meeting transcript.
