LAWRENCE: Police honor citizens

By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
    Five Lawrence Township residents — including a mother and her son — were honored by the Township Council for demonstrating service to the public and helping the township Police Department last week.
    Mayor Michael Powers and police Capt. Mark Boyd outlined the circumstances and handed out proclamations honoring the civilians at the council’s May 18 meeting. The honors were made in recognition of National Police Week, which was May 9-15.
    Maris Bedell and her 8-year-old son, Gavin Bedell, were recognized for their role in helping police catch a burglar in the Colonial Lakelands neighborhood in February. The neighborhood is located opposite the Lawrence Shopping Center.
    Police responded to the neighborhood following three burglaries Feb. 3 and canvassed the area for witnesses, the proclamation said. Ms. Bedell and her son provided police with a description of a suspicious car and its driver.
    About three weeks later, a police officer on patrol in the Colonial Lakelands neighborhood saw a car and its driver that matched the description provided by Ms. Bedell and her son.
    The police officer stopped the car and turned over the driver to Police Department detectives, who determined the man was the burglar, the proclamation said.
    “Township Council hereby recognizes and pays tribute to Marissa Bedell and Gavin Bedell for (their) keen observation and cooperation with the Police Department that led to the apprehension of the suspect,” the proclamation said.
    Although Gavin had no comment, his mother told the council her son “really did it all. This is great. We are happy to have helped. What a shocker. This is such an honor.”
    “The audience couldn’t see it,” Councilman Bob Bostock said after the proclamations were given to the Bedells, “(but) Gavin was looking very serious while the proclamation was being read. But his mother had a million megawatt smile.”
    School bus driver Diana Pannone and school bus aide Ursula Brinkerhoff were acknowledged by the council for helping Princeton Child Development Institute students get off their burning school bus Feb. 3.
    The Police Department received several calls reporting the school bus fire at Princeton Pike and Province Line Road, the proclamation said.
    By the time police and firefighters arrived, the bus driver had pulled the school bus off to the side of the road. The bus driver and the aide had “quickly and calmly” evacuated the children from the bus, the proclamation said.
    “The school bus was totally engulfed in flames and subsequently burned to its shell. Due to the quick actions of Ms. Pannone and Ms. Brinkerhoff, who worked together to evacuate the bus in an efficient manner, no harm came to any of the students on board the bus,” the proclamation said.
    “Township Council recognizes and pays tribute to (Ms. Pannone and Ms. Brinkerhoff) for (their) courage, calm demeanor and professional conduct under this emergency situation, thereby preventing serious injury to the children of the Princeton Child Development Institute,” it read.
    And finally, Tomasz Zakrzewski was recognized for intervening in a domestic violence incident April 4, which Mayor Powers said is one of the most dangerous calls for police officers.
    The victim had been assaulted by her intoxicated ex-boyfriend, who also was attempting to take away their child, the proclamation said. Mr. Zakrzewski, who owned the residence, had responded to the commotion.
    Mr. Zakrzewski saw the woman on the floor, trying to protect the child and herself from further harm, the proclamation said. He confronted the ex-boyfriend, thwarted a punch and subdued him by placing him in a headlock and wrestling him to the ground until police arrived.
    “Were it not for the quick actions of Tomasz Zakrzewski, who intervened at his own personal risk, further harm may have occurred to the victim and her child,” the proclamation said.
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