Six Bloomfield Police Officers Commended for Dedication

Bloomfield Police Officers Jeffrey Alfonso, George Bambera, Edward Dwyer, Robert Kish, Michael Moleski and Thomas Lutz were commened at the Monday night council meeting for exhibiting high levels of professionalism and dedication in harrowing situations.

Alfonso, Bambera, Dwyer, Kish and Moleski responded to an armed carjacking on Thomas Street April 16, resulting in wild car chase through East Orange and Newark. Kish suffered a hand injury and Alfonso's knee was injured during the course of the chase. The five police officers worked together to recover the carjacked vehicle and a loaded 9MM semi-automatic handgun. The two suspects were arrested.

On April 18, Lutz chased a Mercedes Benz, one of two felony vehicles he encountered traveling closely together at 3 a.m., into Newark and embarked on a foot pursuit after the Mercedes crashed on Halsey Street. No back-up offcers were present at the time of the foot pursuit. The suspect was eventually apprehended at gunpoint and arrested. Recovered were a carjacked vehicle and two handguns.

The six officers received a standing ovation for their hard work in council chambers at town hall.