SPOTSWOOD–Pledging to protect and serve their community, Patrolmen Osman Dikiz and Thomas Rachinsky, were sworn in to become the Spotswood Police Department’s newest members.
Chief of Police Michael Zarro said, “With our accreditation standards and best practices in the State of New Jersey, we dipped our hands into the water of the employment pool of police officers. We got some good, some not so good, but we think we got some excellent. I know I did. I’ve been in this game a long time – almost 28 years – I know what we are looking for, I know what’s a good fit for Spotswood.”
Borough Clerk Patricia DeStefano swore in Dikiz and Rachinsky during a ceremony on Jan. 22 during the Borough Council meeting.
Zarro said the department had two openings due to one officer retiring and another leaving the department.
The first officer selected was Dikiz, who grew up and lives in the borough.
“He was a volunteer fireman, but secretly he bled the blue. He did his service for the community but secretly his real heroes were the police, that’s what he really wanted to be,” Zarro said. “So to get his foot in the door, he sat at our communications desk, which we actually call the hole. … So he sat at his desk and [we] are very proud of him. As a young man he put himself through the special police officer academy … then he worked in the summer at Seaside Park while working on dispatch at midnight. So, tough chore to do.”
After applying to the department several times, Zarro said Rachinsky was ultimately chosen by the department and holds the distinction of being the fastest officer to get through its FDA program.
“I don’t normally do this but it is 2020 and it is the era of the millennials. So having taught college [students] and continuing to teach college people do have a choice what police department they want to go to there are a lot of choices out there,” Zarro said. “So I would just like to thank both of them for selecting the Spotswood Police Department as their career choice and I’ll tell you why: I got to train [throughout] my career police officers from all over the country and all over the world and I know without a doubt this is the best 24-man job in this whole great nation.”
Detective Stephen Gallo, who is also an ordained minister, recited a prayer to bless the newly sworn-in officers.
Contact Vashti Harris at [email protected].