Hoboken Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla, Public Safety Director Ken Ferrante, and Police Chief Steven Aguiar congratulated the recipients of the 2023 Hoboken Police Department Awards, as well as four officers who recently retired from the force, at a ceremony at Stevens Institute of Technology on October 19.
Before their families and peers, the department recognized more than 50 members of the HPD for their dedication and service dating back to 2017. The awards honor detectives, sergeants, lieutenants, officers, and others for their outstanding professionalism and often life-saving measures in recent years.
“I fully support our police department, and the men and women who serve our community,” said Mayor Bhalla. “I congratulate all of the award recipients on their much-deserved honors, and believe it is extremely important to acknowledge the risks they take, the lives they have saved, and the time they, and their families, dedicate to the City of Hoboken.”
"I want to congratulate this year’s award recipients who, without hesitation, do whatever it takes to keep our community and City safe,” said Public Safety Director Ferrante. “Our officers up and down the chain of command work tirelessly to safeguard our entire City, and often do so putting their own lives at risk.”
“It has been too long since we’ve come together to show our appreciation to those who put their lives on the line each and every day,” said Chief Aguiar. “No one becomes a police officer for the recognition and these awards, but it is important to acknowledge those who have gone above and beyond their duties, and continue to make this department, and this City proud. “
Among the honorees are nearly two dozen Hoboken officers who responded to an active shooter situation in Jersey City on December 10, 2019, during which Jersey City Detective Joseph Seals and three civilians were murdered by domestic terrorists. The officers were commended for their quick intervention, their evacuation of innocent civilians and school children while the shooting was taking place, providing crowd control, and taking command of communication duties, among other acts of heroism all of which were critical in preventing further tragedy and more loss of life.
During the ceremony four recently retired officers were also honored. Captain Michael DeTrizio, Captain John Petrosino, Sgt. Arbend Drishti, and Sgt. Michael Miranda, who stepped down from the force last spring, were thanked for their decades of combined service to the Hoboken Police Department, the City, and its residents.
For a full list of winners, and an explanation of the awards, see the full program here: https://hobokenpdnj.gov/2023-hoboken-police-department-awards-ceremony/.
