Hoboken, NJ - Friday, May 18th, 2018
Dear Residents,
This week, we honor law enforcement officers who made the ultimate sacrifice and gave their lives in the line of duty. Police Week and Police Officers Memorial Day date back to 1962, and the annual tradition honors the more than 21,500 officers who were killed in the line of duty throughout the history of our country.
Since Hoboken Police Department’s inception in 1855, seven of our officers have fallen.
It’s with a heavy heart that we commemorate their sacrifice. They are:
PTLM. Charles Gebhardt End of Watch: July 26, 1898
PTLM. John J. Condon End of Watch: August 15, 1902
PTLM. Bernard Murray End of Watch: October 2, 1918
PTLM. William Gudehus End of Watch: October 10, 1918
PTLM. Joseph M. Jaeger End of Watch: July 6, 1924
PTLM. Patrick J. Lane End of Watch: March 9, 1928
PTLM. Thomas F. McIntyre End of Watch: October 6, 1951
We are fortunate that we have not lost any officers in more than 60 years, but that does not mean they’ve all been spared from harm.
On average, an officer is assaulted in the US every nine minutes. It’s not enough to simply honor the fallen, we must respect those currently serving.
From August 2017 to January 2018, 15 of our officers were attacked, mostly at night by intoxicated bar patrons. It’s why one of my first acts as Mayor was to crack down on establishments that encouraged reckless behavior during SantaCon. As a result, Hoboken saw one of its most peaceful LepreCons to date, thanks to bar owners working with our police department to ensure public safety.
I hope Hoboken will continue to respect the well-being of our officers as we honor the legacy of those we’ve lost.
Very truly yours,
Ravi Bhalla
