VASHTI HARRIS/ STAFF

Jamesburg police chief announces start of merit award program

JAMESBURG–Striving to honor officers for their work within the borough, the Jamesburg Police Department will be implementing a Merit Award program.

“The Jamesburg Police Department has never had a Merit Award program and I felt that it was very important to establish one and this was a long time ago,” Chief of Police James Craparotta said during the Sept. 19 council meeting. “It’s been a long time to me and it was cumbersome to come up with the policy. … Going forward there will be a process to recognize officers and civilians in our community for going above and beyond.”

Craparotta presented Detective Sgt. Jason Muller and patrolmen Kyle Worster, Joseph Quinn and Raymond Durski with the General Duty Commendation award for their actions.

Worster and Durski allegedly witnessed a 32-year-old borough resident assault a person on Sedgwick Street around 11:10 p.m. on July 27 while on patrol, according to Craparotta.

“Worster and Durski quickly ended the fight [and] one suspect was transferred to a local hospital with serious injuries. The perpetrator was arrested, charged and lodged at the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center,” Craparotta said. “[Mueller] followed up with the assault and filed an additional complaint on the suspect. Once he was brought to headquarters and referenced to additional charges he confessed to a series of car burglaries that have plagued the Borough of Jamesburg the past several evenings.”

In other news, the council approved a resolution to appoint two new probationary officers, Patrolman Michael Sansone and Durski, to the police department. Both officers were sworn in by Borough Clerk Susan Boulogne.

Sansone is a resident of Matawan and previously served as an Special Law Enforcement Officer (SLEO) Class II in Seaside Heights. Since March, Sansone has been working in Jamesburg as an SLEO II officer, according to the police department.

Durski is a resident of Jamesburg and has been working in Jamesburg as an SLEO II since May, according to the police department.

For more information, visit www.jamesburgborough.org/departments/police_department.php or the department’s Facebook page.

Contact Vashti Harris at [email protected].