Perth Amboy celebrates police promotions, welcomes new hires
PERTH AMBOY - Four city police officers have been promoted while 11 others have been sworn in as officers, special police and auxiliary officers.
The achievements were celebrated by city officials, family and community members during a recent ceremony in the auditorium of the Raritan Bay Area YMCA during which Police Chief Larry Cattano spoke about the promoted officers' merits and Mayor Helmin Caba administered the oath of office.
'I am pleased to celebrate the accomplishments of all the brave officers promoted at our ceremony and welcome all the new officers to the department,' Caba said. 'All these men and women exemplify what it means to be dedicated to the community and serve honorably. Congratulations to all of them, and I know they'll make our city proud.'
Newly-promoted Capt. Mabner Terron is a Perth Amboy High School graduate and veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard basic training program who has received multiple honors, including the 2019 Perth Amboy Police Supervisor of the Year Award. He has led numerous major narcotics and criminal investigations.
Lt. Brandon Bucior received the 'Top Gun' award for most driving while intoxicated arrests and served as PBA Local 13 president from 2013 to 2016.
Sgt. Benjamin Batista is a graduate of Perth Amboy Public Schools and received a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Kean University after attending Middlesex College. He received the merit award from the Cape May County Police Academy in January 2017 and was honored as Police Officer of the Year in 2018.
Sgt. Thomas Fazio received an associate degree in criminal justice from Middlesex College and was named Officer of the Year in 2023.
More: Perth Amboy waterfront redevelopment boom continues with $400 million investment
Five new officers were sworn into the police department.
Officer Gabriel Morales is a 2008 graduate of Perth Amboy High School who has a black belt in Tang Soo Do through his father's karate program.
Officer Kevin Marte is a graduate of New Brunswick Health Sciences and Technology High School and is a father to two daughters.
Officer Matthew Lopez attended Perth Amboy Public Schools and Bishop George Ahr High School in Edison and served as a sergeant in the U.S. Army.
More: Baby's death under investigation in Perth Amboy, prosecutor says
Officer Angel Velazquez-Fernandez is a 2021 Perth Amboy High School graduate who is pursuing a degree in criminal justice at Middlesex College.
Officer Azad Jhaj previously served with the New Jersey Department of Corrections as a correctional officer and holds the rank of captain at Iselin Volunteer Fire Company No. 1.
Perth Amboy has four new special police officers, Jaden Cruz and Janely N. Perez-Grullon, who are both studying criminal justice at Middlesex College; Lisette Tellez-Velazquez, the first woman in her family to pursue a career in law enforcement; and Erik Efsen who formerly served as a Perth Amboy auxiliary police officer.
The two new auxiliary officers are Joshua Mota, who is CPR certified, and Jury Jose Breton Crus, who has served as an EMT and Red Cross operations supervisor.
Email: srussell@gannettnj.com
Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime, courts and other mayhem. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Perth Amboy celebrates police promotions, welcomes new hires
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