A ceremony was held at the Stevens Institute of Technology on October 19 to honor the recipients of the 2023 Hoboken Police Department Awards as well as four recently retired officers. Hoboken Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla, Public Safety Director Ken Ferrante, and Police Chief Steven Aguiar were present to offer their congratulations.
The HPD acknowledged more than 50 members for their commitment and service since 2017 in front of their families and colleagues. The awards celebrate the commendable professionalism and often life-saving actions of detectives, sergeants, lieutenants, officers, among others off recent years.
“I am a strong supporter of our police force and the brave men and women who serve our society,” Mayor Bhalla asserted. “I would like to commend all the award winners for their well-earned honors and emphasize the importance of recognizing the risks they take, the lives they have saved, and the devotion they and their families show to Hoboken city.”
“I extend my congratulations to this year’s awardees who courageously strive to ensure our community’s and city’s safety,” Public Safety Director Ferrante pointed out. “Our dedicated officers, from every level, ceaselessly work towards the security and wellbeing of our whole city, often at the expense of their own safety.”
“We have finally gathered after a long time to express our gratitude to those who put their lives on the line each day,” Chief Aguiar affirmed. “While recognition is not the main motivation for becoming a police officer, those who go beyond their duties, making the department and the city proud, deserve to be acknowledged.”
The awardees include almost two dozen officers from Hoboken who swiftly responded to a domestic terror incident in Jersey City on December 10, 2019, where Detective Joseph Seals from Jersey City and three civilians tragically lost their lives. The officers were praised for their immediate intercession, evacuating school children and civilians during the shooting, managing the crowd, taking charge of communication responsibilities, among other heroic actions that were vital in preventing more fatalities.
Four officers who retired last spring were also recognized at the event. They were Capt. Michael DeTrizio, Capt. John Petrosino, Sgt. Arbend Drishti, and Sgt. Michael Miranda. They were acknowledged for dedicating decades of combined service to the Hoboken Police Department, the City, and its inhabitants.
For a detailed list of award winners and award descriptions, view the full program here: https://hobokenpdnj.gov/2023-hoboken-police-department-awards-ceremony/.
A few awardees at the 2023 HPD Awards Ceremony
Address by Police Chief Steven Aguiar to the attendees
Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla talking to the awardees and attendees
Retd. Captain Michael DeTrizio
Retd. Captain John Petrosino with Public Safety Director Ken Ferrante
Retd. Sgt. Michael Miranda receives a congratulatory embrace from Chief Aguiar
Retd. Sgt. Arbend Drishti
