EDISON — The Middlesex County 200 Club recently honored 10 township police officers for valor and meritorious service in the line of duty, according to township officials.
“The 200 Club awards are certainly well-deserved honors for these individual police officers,” Mayor Thomas Lankey said. “They are also a tremendous source of pride for our entire town. These 10 officers went the extra mile in service to our residents.”
Comprised of leaders in law enforcement, business and public service, the 200 Club provides scholarships and financial aid to the families of law enforcement and public safety officials killed, injured or disabled in the line of duty.
“Each day, our police officers demonstrate their professionalism and devotion to duty,” Police Chief Thomas Bryan said. “It is rewarding for our entire Police Department when their high caliber of service is publicly recognized and appreciated.”
The officers were honored during the 200 Club’s 42nd annual banquet on May 20.
Detective Robert Duffy was commended for valor in recognition of his gunpoint capture of an armed bank robbery suspect on Jan. 7, 2014, after a foot chase and scuffle near the Fulton Bank on Oak Tree Road.
Lt. Ronald Mieczkowski received an award for valor for his off-duty response to a Dec. 21, 2014, house fire. He alerted the homeowners to the fire, then entered their smoke-filled home to rescue their daughter, who was asleep in bed, and bring her outside to safety.
In addition, Mieczkowski was honored for meritorious service along with officers Douglas Zavoda, Scott Luks and Lisa Cimmino for their capture of a suspect in a March 13, 2014, gas station robbery at gunpoint. The suspect ran from officers, but the officers found him disguised as a patient inside a nearby nursing home.
Sgt. Michael Cimmino and officers David Tingle and Jason Chang were honored for meritorious service for their response to a Dec. 26, 2014, house fire. The officers entered a smoke-filled home to rescue a woman who was trying to help her paralyzed father. The officers took the woman to safety, but were overcome by smoke before they could rescue her father from the burning home.
Officers Joseph Chonka and Christopher Felcetto were recognized for meritorious service for their roles in the capture of a suspect who held up the Investors Savings Bank on Aug. 27, 2014, and then led Edison police on a high-speed chase that ended in Newark.