Newark Cops’ Brave, Lifesaving Acts Earn Awards During Police Week

NEWARK, NJ — Multiple local police officers from Newark earned awards during National Police Week earlier this month, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office reported.

Read about the acts of courage that earned accolades for the high-achieving officers below, courtesy of the Essex County Sheriff’s Office. Don’t forget to visit the Patch Newark Facebook page here.

LIFE SAVING AWARDS

While off-duty, Sergeant John Sherwood (2nd from right), a resident of West Caldwell, responded to a neighbor's backyard on June 17, 2016, where he observed an unconscious and unbreathing pregnant female on the ground.

Sherwood performed life-saving CPR techniques and after a third cycle of chest compressions the female finally began breathing and regained consciousness.

Mother and baby are now doing fine.

For his actions and initiative, Sgt. Sherwood was presented with a Life Saving Award from Sheriff Armando Fontoura (left) during Police Week ceremonies at Veterans Courthouse on May 17th. Chief John Dough (2nd from left) and Captain Peter Corbo (right) were also on hand to commend the sergeant.

Officers and EMT's Louis Duran (center), a resident of Newark, and Danielle Russo (right), a resident of Belleville, were presented with Life Saving Awards by Sheriff Armando Fontoura (left) during Police Week ceremonies at Veterans Courthouse on May 17.

The officers came across an unconscious male visitor in the hallway to the courthouse who had stopped breathing and collapsed. Assessing the cause of the situation as a possible drug overdose, Duran and Russo utilized Narcan and oxygen to resuscitate the victim.

Undersheriff Amir Jones (2nd from left) and Captain Jeffrey Chambers (2nd from right) were also on hand to comment the officers.

During Police Week ceremonies at Veterans Courthouse on May 17, Sheriff Armando Fontoura (left) presented Life Saving Commendations to Officer Michael Johnson (2nd from left), a resident of Irvington, and Officer Raqeulin Perea (center), a resident of Newark's North Ward.

The officers earned the awards for their actions in preventing a juvenile female who became distraught after a Family Court judge's ruling for further injuring herself by repeatedly banging her head against a wall. Johnson and Perea further calmed the young girl while sheriff's EMT's treated her for her self-inflicted wounds.

Also on hand to congratulate the officers were Undersheriff Amir Jones (2nd from right), a resident of East Orange, and Captain Richard Smith (right), a resident of Newark.

MEDAL OF MERIT, AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

On May 17, Detective Abdullah Holmes (2nd from right), a resident of Newark, was the recipient of two of the highest police honors, the Medal of Merit and the Award of Excellence, presented by the Essex County Sheriff's Office during Police Week ceremonies at Veterans Courthouse.

Sheriff Armando Fontoura (left) presented the Medal of Merit to Det. Holmes for his capture on an armed homicide suspect who shot and killed a male victim and wounded another male passerby outside a grocery store in Newark's North Ward near the intersection of Bloomfield Avenue and Garside Street on February 1, 2017.

Det. Holmes, assigned to the Newark Police Special Enforcement Bureau earned his Award of Excellence for his multiple arrests and the recovery of 15 deadly handguns since last October. Captain Gary Nash (2nd from left) and Chief John Dough (right) were on hand to applaud Holmes for his valorous services.

K-9 COMMENDATION

During Police Week Ceremonies at Veterans Courthouse on May 17, Sheriff Armando Fontoura (left) presented departmental Commendations to K-9 handlers, Det. Carmelo Vinci (center), a resident of Belleville, and Det. Tahir Brown (right), a resident of Montclair.

While on duty with the United States Marshal's Fugitive Task Force, Vinci's K-9 "Chex" (pictured) and Brown's K-9 "Yuma" used their amazing olfactory powers to root out a semi-automatic handgun, three pounds of marijuana, drug processing materials and $3,000 in drug cash that were secreted at a Newark drug den.

Undersheriff Kevin Ryan (2nd from left) and Lieutenant John Tully (2nd from right) were also on hand to commend the officers and their canines.

‘EXCELLENT POLICE DUTY’ AWARD

During Police Week ceremonies at Veterans Courthouse on May 17, Sheriff Armando Fontoura (left) presented Excellent Police Duty Awards to members of his department's Detective Bureau for the arrest of a major narcotics distributor and for the recovery of a fully automatic machine gun and a sawed-off shotgun.

Among the officers who live in Essex County to be honored were Det. Shai Carr (3rd from left), a resident of Montclair, Det. Joseph Leon (5th from left), a resident of Bloomfield, Det. Stephen Dellavalle (2nd from right), a resident of Newark, and Det. Abdullah Holmes (right), a resident of Newark. Also receiving awards (from left to right) were Lt. Benvenuto Delgrande, Det. Robert Scarrillo, Det. Paul Blake, and Det. Giuseppe Forgione.

During Police Week ceremonies at Veterans Courthouse on May 17, Sheriff Armando Fontoura (left) presented Excellent Police Week Awards to two members of the department's Bureau of Narcotics, Det. Ricardo Richards (2nd from left), a resident of East Orange, and Det. Jimmy Rodriguez (2nd from right), a resident of Newark's North Ward.

The officers were responsible for the capture of an armed drug dealer and the recovery of 847 bundles of heroin, 247 vials of 'crack' cocaine, 58 grams of bulk cocaine and a cache of marijuana.

Also on hand to congratulate the officer are Undersheriff Kevin Ryan (center) and Captain Vito D'Alessio (right), both residents of Nutley.

During Police Week ceremonies at Veterans Courthouse on May 17, Sheriff Armando Fontoura (left) presented Excellent Police Duty Awards to Officer Ryan Udvarhely (2nd from left), a resident of Belleville, and his partner, Officer Dominick Petrucci (2nd from right) for their capture of an armed drug dealer who was also in possession of 15 vials of 'crack' cocaine.

Undersheriff Kevin Ryan (center) and Captain Vito D'Alessio (right) were also on hand to commend the officers.

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Photos: Essex County Sheriff’s Office