By Mark Rosman
Staff Writer
ALLENTOWN – Mayor Greg Westfall and members of the Borough Council have commended an Allentown patrolman who arrested a man who was subsequently charged with criminal sexual contact and lewdness in a borough park.
At a meeting on Nov. 29, Councilwoman Angela Anthony, who serves as the public safety liaison, read a resolution to Patrolman Anthony Rando and, on behalf of the governing body, thanked him for his actions on Oct. 18.
Rando received a round of applause and a standing ovation from members of the governing body and from residents who were in attendance at the meeting.
According to police, just before 3 p.m. Oct. 18, two adults went to police headquarters and reported that a man was standing in Pete Sensi Park pleasuring himself and staring at people who were walking by.
Individuals who were walking through the park at that time included children who were on their way home from school from the Upper Freehold Regional School District complex on High Street, Rando said in an interview on Oct. 19.
After receiving the reports from the two adults, Rando responded to the area of Pete Sensi Park and observed a man sitting in the only vehicle that was parked in the lot.
Police said the man saw Rando and quickly tried to place his car in reverse and leave the area. Rando blocked the man’s vehicle and asked him to step out of the car.
The man was subsequently identified as Miguel Flores, 54, of Jackson. Flores is a registered sex offender stemming from a 1997 incident, according to police. Flores was arrested by Rando and charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact and two counts of lewdness.
Police posted news of Flores’ arrest on social media and Rando subsequently told the Examiner several people told police they had seen Flores in Allentown in the days prior to Oct. 18.
The resolution passed by the council on Nov. 29 states that “the Public Safety Committee recognizes how fortunate the community is to have an officer like Officer Anthony Rando as a member of their police department” and recognizes Rando “for his bravery, decisiveness and quick thinking during his response to the incident … His swift response prevented additional crimes of (an) illicit sexual nature being committed against other innocent individuals.”