Two from Livingston Graduate from Auxiliary Police Program

Two Livingston residents were among 30 graduates at last week's graduation from the Essex County College Police Academy Auxiliary Police Class #144.

Ryan Manger and Louis Mangiaracina were among those celebrating on Thursday night the end of their 12-week basic training course at the police academy in Cedar Grove. The event, which was organized by Sheriff and Office of Emergency Management (OEM) Coordinator for Essex County, Armando B. Fontoura, saw the graduation of officers from Maplewood (5 graduates), Roseland (8), Summit (1), Nutley (8) and West Orange (6).

The officers—who will work as unpaid volunteer staff in the respective police departments of their home towns—underwent intensive training in almost all aspects of police work, according to State Auxiliary Police Coordinator Sgt. First Class Joanne Harrison. In a phone conversation earlier on Thursday, Harrison described a training program including lessons in traffic control, crowd control, foot patrol, criminal law, court procedures and demeanor, processing evidence, seizure, due process, HAZMAT awareness, first aid and more.

Although each town's police department determines the extent of service an auxiliary officer can perform, Harrison said that the supplemental officers can be assigned to help with anything from special events to natural disasters.

"The officers are very proud, and we're very proud of them," said West Orange Police Cheif Jim Abbott, at the graduation. Volunteers heeded the call of the police website, according to Sgt. John Palardy, who said the response to the website's push for Auxiliary Officers was the biggest the program has seen.

After an invocation by Michael Festa, Ph.D., Sgt. Richard Colabelli spoke to the graduating class, noting they were a wonderful group, always on time and asking excellent questions. "The only bad question is the one you don't ask," said Colabelli.

Class speaker Philip Crowley of the Roseland Police Department spoke to the graduates, quoting Teddy Roosevelt and ending his speech by turning to the class and saying, "Good luck, y'all."

The keynote speaker for the evening was Roseland Police Chief Richard McDonough, who started his 37-year police career as an auxiliary officer himself.  He said that when he signed up as an auxiliary officer, it was "in [his] heart" to become part of the police force. "The end result of my efforts? I'm chief!" said McDonough, to a chuckling audience. "I honestly believe there is no more rewarding profession."

"I can not emphasize how important it is for you people to come aboard," McDonough said to the volunteer officers, referring to the economic downturn and slashed state budget. 

All the graduates have a lot of work ahead of them, but, for one night, they relaxed and celebrated. Thursday evening ended with light refreshments and mingling with officers, their families and friends. 

"I'm really glad you're doing a story," Sgt. First Class Harrison had told Patch earlier in the day. "They deserve attention."

The full list of graduates:

Livingston

• Ryan Manger
• Louis Mangiaracina

Maplewood

• Craig Goldstein
• Lewis Mahaffey
• Stanley Chery
• Makir Jean-Charles
• Benjamin Ero

Roseland

• Michael Adamo
• Philip Crowley
• Alex Majewski
• Robert Majewski
• Andre Massop
• Barry Pesaud
• Ryan Poges
• Andrew Sikorski

Summit

• Issa Williams

Nutley

• Jonathan Acevedo
• Manuel Cepedo
• Michael Gordon
• Abby Jacob
• Ali Kheir
• Michael Latona
• Chris Mazzini
• Ravinda Persaud

West Orange

• Charwin Wanryck-DeGroot
• Locksley Haynes
• Robert Garretson
• Pedro Lopez, Jr.
• Yohana Osorio
• James Wicks