BY KAREN F. RILEY
Correspondent
PLUMSTED — Dubbing the final Township Committee meeting of the year as Police Recognition Day, Mayor Ronald S. Dancer said he hoped the first recognition ceremony would become an annual event. The meeting was held on Dec. 27 in the municipal building.
“We look forward to doing this every year to thank the police for all they do — tonight we will hear some of the highlights, but we want to recognize all of our officers,” Dancer said.
Public Safety Director Michael Lynch was on hand to present the honors.
“The police department really does a fine job and we’re here to recognize them for that,” Lynch said.
Also present was Ocean County Freeholder Joseph H. Vicari, who previously served as police commissioner of Dover Township, as well as a five-term mayor of that municipality.
Each Plumsted officer received a framed commendation from the Township Committee presented by Lynch; a framed certificate of recognition of their efforts from the Ocean County Board of Freeholders, presented by Vicari; and a legislative citation from the state Senate and General Assembly, presented by the representatives of the 30th Legislative District, one of whom is Dancer.
Each officer in attendance at the meeting was called up to the podium to be recognized for his personal efforts during the year and to receive his citations.
Lt. George Titko, the first officer to be called up, stated that “recognition like this goes a long way for law enforcement. Sometimes the job is dangerous, sometimes we have down time where we’re not putting our lives at risk, but that can change at any time and we really appreciate the recognition of the Township Committee, the freeholders and the public.”
Dancer noted that out of 33 municipalities in Ocean County, Plumsted has the lowest crime rate per 1,000 people. He credited the work of the police department for helping the municipality to achieve that figure.
Following the meeting, Vicari stated, “After 9/11, kids today look to police and emergency workers as their role models, not sports figures and those in entertainment like in my day. Plumsted works closely with the police and the schools and that is why the crime rate is down in this town. Even though Ocean County has grown so fast, the police in Plumsted continue to volunteer their time back to the community after hours and that’s what it’s all about.”