To the editor:
I wanted to take the time to write a thank you to Chief Michael Paquette, who has served the community of South Brunswick very honorably and professionally over the last 27 years. He worked his way up from the rank of patrolman to South Brunswick’s police chief and will be retiring at the end of March.
As a 20-year resident of South Brunswick, I have seen many changes occur in town from the number of people, new homes, and office buildings grow each year. This has lead to many pressures on the Police Department and the chief, his staff and his officers were always there for the community.
One of the things we tend to overlook and take for granted is the ability of the Police Department to quietly grow in order to protect us and ensure our safety. The chief put into place many programs within town to help ensure that safety and put many people’s mind at ease.
Chief Paquette’s ability to manage that department and provide a professional corps of dedicated officers has made him a real life role model in our town and in our schools. His vision included many things and one particular aspect, the implementation of community policing, opened the police force to the township and built open relationships within the thriving diversity of the community. As a result, we have seen crime decline in the township.
His dedication also has lead to national police recognition and involvement in protecting South Brunswick from a national security protection perspective.
As every one of us continues the hustle bustle of day-to-day errands, we should all stop and thank Chief Paquette for over two decades of dedicated police service and a top notch Police Department committed to our safety. We should also thank his family for allowing the chief, their husband and father, to share his talents in taking care of all of us.
The chief leaves a lasting impression here in South Brunswick, and I am grateful for his service and I am sure the whole town is as well.
Brian Fisher
Dayton
