Con Amicizia e Simpatia: Polizia di Stato Visits South Orange

What started as a class trip a decade ago has turned into a long lasting friendship as the Polizia di Stato made their seventh annual trip to New Jersey.  On their itinerary was a Columbus Day visit to Reservoir Restaurant in South Orange to visit some old friends.

When John Pasquarosa, then an Essex County Sheriff detective, went with Seton Hall Prep teacher Tony Lupica’s class to Italy, little did he know that it would start a chain of events that would lead to the Polizia di Stato coming to America to be honored on a yearly basis.   Pasquarosa met Italian officer Alberto Caraccillo on the trip during a visit to Florence.  Caraccillo took his American counterpart on a tour of the city and then when Caraccillo came to visit America, Pasquarosa returned the favor.

Pasquarosa started coming to Lupica for Italian lessons so that he could speak to Caraccillo more frequently in his native tongue.  The deal was Lupica would teach Pasquarosa in return for dinner.

“The deal was we would pay for his dinner and he would give us Italian lessons,” said Pasquarosa.  “We’d have wine with dinner and we told him, ‘the more wine we drink, the better Italian we speak.’”

It was during these dinners that the idea was formed to bring the Italian officers down to march in Columbus Day Parades, including the Hackensack, East Hanover and New York City parades.  The officers pay for their own airfare, while Pasquarosa leads fund raising every year to pay for hotels and accommodations.

This year, the group marched in the Ocean Grove, East Hanover and New York City parades.  Afterwards, the 28 officers came down to Reservoir Restaurant for lunch and to mingle with their American counterparts.

“It’s very important, the connection and friendship we have between both the state police and the cities and municipalities like South Orange in New Jersey and we get tighter and tighter,” Caraccillo said through translator Tony Lupica.  “When police from two different parts of the world are friends, you’re able to work better.”

Since the yearly trip began, the officers always make sure to visit Reservoir, where owner Billy Agnellino welcomes them with open arms.

“This is very important to me because in my two trips to Italy, their hospitality is absolutely unbelievable,” said Agnellino.  “We like to extend that courtesy right back to them.”

During the visit, many local officials gave speeches and gifts to their Italian friends.  Chief Jeff Markey of the South Orange Fire Department gave the group a plaque commemorating their visit.  Chief James Chelel of the South Orange Police Department gave each officer an official SOPD patch.

Local elected officials were in attendance as well.  Village President Alex Torpey was there to greet the officers to South Orange.  Assemblywoman Mila Jasey took time off of her busy campaign schedule to give each officer a legislative proclamation welcoming them to the district.

The Italian officers responded with a special personalized banner for each of the officials.  The banners read “Con Amicizia e Simpatia” which is Italian for “with kindness and appreciation.”  In addition, they presented Agnellino with some special gifts and a plaque to thank him for his years of hospitality.

“When they come, they come as friends and they leave as family,” said Agnellino.  “That’s just the type of people they are.”