MILLTOWN — For many people, the Saturday after Thanksgiving is usually a time to relax after two days of family dinners and activities.
For several Milltown police officers, Nov. 26 instead involved what police said was a tense three-hour standoff at a borough residence.
During its Dec. 12 meeting, the Borough Council honored the nine officers who responded to a 911 call on Clay Street at Saturday evening on a report of a man who was believed to be armed with an assault weapon.
In responding to the incident shortly after 6 p.m., police secured the area and waited until a county hostage team could arrive. Under the belief that the suspect, a 45-yearold male, was armed, everyone was on edge, Milltown Police Chief Ray Geipel said.
“They did a superb job,” he said.
The officers honored at the meeting were: Lt. Doug Cole, Sgt. Brian Knelle, Sgt. Chris Johnson, Cpl. Chris Witt, Patrolman Bill Fama, Patrolman Eric Wachenheim, Patrolman Justin Schlusselfeld, Patrolman Shawn Holland, Patrolman Armando Rosario and dispatcher Laura Smith.
“Anytime that anybody does something that’s outstanding for any reason, they should be recognized and honored,” Mayor Gloria Bradford said.
Geipel said he was confident in his officers that night. However, responding to a situation in which they did not know whether the suspect was armed, what type of weapon he might have, or what his intentions may have been, made for an extremely difficult night. It was not until the hostage negotiator was able to talk the suspect out of the house that it became known the man had an Airsoft rifle, a replica gun that shoots plastic pellets.
“The guys were naturally apprehensive,” the chief said. “Everybody did a really good job that night.”
The suspect was arrested and charged with making terroristic threats, false public alarm, aggravated assault and unlawful possession of a weapon.