One officer has been recognized for his valor and the other for his meritorious service when they were called upon to risk their lives for the safety of others.
Cranbury Police Officers Robert Giaccone and Jeffrey Morley were honored by the 200 Club of Middlesex County on May 20. The 200 Club is an organization dedicated to supporting public servants.
Officer Giaccone was presented with an award for valor in the line of duty and Officer Morley received an award for meritorious service.
”I submitted the officers for consideration due to their actions in the face of extreme danger,” Cranbury Police Chief Rickey Varga said. “I am very happy to see that the 200 Club has recognized these officers’ courageous efforts. We here at the police department are of course very proud of them both.”
The duo, acting under the direction of Lt. Michael Owens on the afternoon of April 10, 2014, were put to the test when a car fire broke out beneath the drive-up teller canopy of 1st Constitution Bank on North Main Street. The 1989 Chevrolet Caprice, owned by Cranbury resident Beatrice Amend, was fully engulfed in flames.
Ruby Singh, a bank employee, acted quickly and escorted Ms. Amend with her walker across the street away from the flames and danger.
Officer Morley retrieved the fire extinguisher from his patrol vehicle while Officer Giaccone positioned his vehicle behind the burning vehicle.
Officer Giaccone pushed the vehicle’s rear bumper with the front bumper of his patrol car in an attempt to move the burning car away from the bank building to preserve life and property.
Even though the Caprice’s transmission was locked in “park,” Officer Giaccone applied enough torque and force to dislodge its traction with the ground and push it from beneath the canopy. After carefully bringing the vehicle to rest safely in the middle of Westminster Place, Officer Giaccone was stuck in his vehicle between the burning vehicle in front of him and the burning canopy behind him.
”He had no choice but to reverse back through the flames of the burning canopy to remove himself from harm’s way,” Chief Varga said.
Officer Morley used his fire extinguisher to subdue the flames engulfing the Caprice and made sure there were no other occupants inside. Then he turned his attention to the bank building and suppressed the flames that had spread to the canopy and started to compromise the side of the bank building and ATM.
The Cranbury and Hightstown fire departments then responded and took control of the scene, quickly removing any threat to further property damage or personal injury.
