13 New Police Officers Take Oath Of Office In Edison

EDISON, NJ – The Edison Police Department has hired 13 new police officers to join their ranks. An oath taking ceremony was held Thursday at the Municipal Complex Chambers.

Here are the newly hired officers:

• Brian Arboleda
• Michael Calafiore
• Christopher Cimilluca
• Matthew Guerrero
• Azmar Kemp
• Nicholas Moskalow
• Angel Ruiz
• Roland Sams
• Manuel Santiago
• Robert Spadaro
• Martina Stewart
• Bryan Talarico
• Michael Tutalo

During Thursday’s ceremony, Chief Thomas Bryan also honored retired Edison Police Sergeant James Kenney with the Medal of Valor Award for engaging an armed assailant in a gun battle in defense of two other officers on September 16, 1971.

During the incident, Officer Frank Papaianni and Officer Bill Gorman were answering a silent hold-up alarm at the First Federal Savings and Loan Bank located on Parsonage Road adjacent to the Menlo Park Mall, when the assailant ambushed their vehicle and shot them both at close range.

Officer Papaianni lose his life after and Officer Bill Gorman, although badly wounded, survived his injuries. Off-duty at the time, the 26-year-old Kenney arrived on the scene and exchanged fire, mortally wounding the assailant.

Dr. Vincent Codella was also honored during the ceremony and presented with an Outstanding Recognition Award for his support and medical care of the Township’s police officers and their families.

Over the last year, Mayor Sam Joshi’s administration has hired more than two dozen new police officers, directed the installation of more than 60 license plate readers on police vehicles, launched Live for 911 dispatch to facilitate a real-time view of emergency calls, and added a departmental K-9 Unit with two K-9 officers.