Englishtown Borough Council Honors Their Police Officers

The Englishtown Borough Council held a meeting Wednesday, May 25, at the Borough Hall in order to address several issues that have been recognized over the past season. 

Board members discussed concerns such as vacation policies for snowplow workers and the possibility of further training firefighters and police officers in ice safety.  Both are being looked into and will be resolved on a later date.

Most meetings are limited to discussions amongst the board members with dedicated time for public commentary, according to Peter Gorbatuk, the Municipal Clerk.

However, Mayor Thomas Reynolds announced that this one would end with a special tribute honoring Englishtown’s Police Department for National Police Month.

Councilwoman Cindy Robilotti, who is the Police Commissioner, and Councilwoman Maryanne Krawiec who is the co-commissioner, set up a table with pins and certificates, each with a special honor dedicated to a certain officer.

With family and loved ones in attendance for nearly all eight officers, Robilotti and Krawiec proudly read out each award and presented it to the deserving officer.

Sergeant Richard Settle was recognized for “the completion of 15 years of service and continuing to qualify as being professionally ready to perform and dispatch his duties on the highest level of performance.” 

Robilotti went on to saying she wanted to “apologize to Sergeant Settle.  This is overdue.”  According to Corporal Trevor Martinson, this would be Settle's 17th year of service.

Officer Nicola Costagliola was presented with the first shooting efficiency award, a category that was just created this year, according to Martinson.  Robilotti announced Costagliola had “earned the pistol marksmen badge with an average qualification score of 87.29 percent.”

Officer Scott Zapora’s shooting efficiency award followed, with an average of 89.58 percent.

Fellow award recipient, Corporal Michael MacInnes, had more than just his average qualification score of 92.5 percent to be proud of.  Throughout the evening, his cheerfully energetic son and his newly two-year-old daughter were affectionately kept close to his side.

Although the ceremony went on to recognize Martinson, Settle, Patrolman Alexander Dinicola, Patrolman Philip Accatatta, and Sergeant Peter Cooke for their average qualification scores (each more impressive than the prior) and further accomplishments, the event soon turned its attention from the officers to their loved ones.

At what appeared to be the close of the ceremony, Cooke invited the significant other of every officer to come to the front of the room.

“Being the wife of a police officer is not an easy job, and being a girlfriend is just as difficult.  You never know when your husband, your boyfriend is going to be coming home, and this is just our way of saying thank you,” Cooke said humbly.

Each significant other was presented with a bouquet of red roses by the officer they were there to support, with a single rose for the daughters.