FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP – Officers who serve in the Freehold Township Police Department have been honored for their service during the past and present year.
The awards were presented to the officers during the Township Committee’s June 22 meeting.
Recognized for their efforts were officers James Lasky, Jonathan Baumann, Adam Nimick, Michael Ventriglio, Alexander Fay, Justin Nunno, Jason Nodine, Sean Foley, George Baumann, Charles Lasky, Richard Gregg and Thomas Goetke, and Sgt. John Tacopino.
Nimick, James Lasky and Jonathan Bauman received the Meritorious Service Award for helping to subdue an armed individual in a non-lethal manner during a domestic incident in August 2020.
According to the award, the individual was armed with a large butcher knife and demanded that the officers shoot him. The three officers managed to distract the subject long enough for a Monmouth County sheriff’s officer to deploy a non-lethal device, which allowed the officers to gain control of the person without sustaining any injuries or causing any harm to the individual.
Tacopino and Ventriglio received the Star of Life for saving the life of a 74-year-old man in March 2021.
According to the award, the man had no pulse and was not breathing. Tacopino attached an automated external defibrillator (AED) to the man, while Ventriglio administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Following several rounds of CPR and two shocks from the AED, the man regained a pulse and began breathing.
“Due to Sgt. Tacopino’s and Officer Ventriglio’s quick response and lifesaving efforts, the victim was stabilized and transported to the hospital,” the award reads.
Tacopino also received the Excellent Police Duty award in recognition of his arrest of four suspects who were being sought in connection with high-end motor vehicle thefts that had occurred throughout New Jersey in October 2020.
The award states Tacopino took a lead role in the investigation, which led him to find and arrest the suspects after they attempted to enter vehicles in the Clayton Farms development.
“If not for his dogged determination and dedication to the community, it is very likely multiple vehicles would have been stolen that day,” the award reads.
Fay and Nunno received the Star of Life for saving a 2-month-old infant who was unresponsive and not breathing in December 2020.
Fay administered CPR, while Nunno suctioned fluids from the infant’s mouth, according to the award. The officers continued their life-saving actions until paramedics arrived and transported the now-breathing infant to the hospital.
“Due to Officer Fay’s and Officer Nunno’s quick response and life-saving efforts, the infant’s life was saved,” the award reads.
Nodine received the Star of Life for saving a victim of a motor vehicle crash in February 2020, according to the award.
After determining the individual was seriously injured and trapped in the vehicle, Nodine applied two tourniquets to the individual and kept him stabilized while firefighters freed him.
“Due to Officer Nodine’s calm and quick response, he undoubtedly saved this person’s life,” the award reads.
Foley received the Excellent Police Duty award in recognition of his efforts to arrest two suspects who were wanted in connection with multi-state ATM thefts in August 2020.
According to the award, while on patrol, Foley spotted a suspicious vehicle that matched the description of a vehicle that was being sought.
After Foley stopped the vehicle and arrested the occupantsfor being in possession of controlled dangerous substances, he retrieved evidence from the vehicle that connected the individuals to the ATM thefts.
George Baumann received the Excellent Police Duty award for arresting an individual who was found to be in possession of a 9mm handgun with an illegal magazine and hollow point bullets in January 2021.
After Baumann stopped a vehicle because the driver had committed traffic violations, the individual who was in possession of the weapon attempted to flee the scene on foot and was arrested by Baumann, according to the award.
According to the award, Baumann subsequently learned the individual had an extensive violent criminal history, including weapons offenses, and was granted a search warrant to search the individual’s vehicle, which led to the recovery of the handgun.
“This is an outstanding example of good police work and sound investigative practices,” the award reads.
Charles Lasky and Gregg received the Excellent Police Duty award for locating an apparent stolen luxury vehicle that was occupied by five individuals in November 2020.
Following a pursuit, the officers were able to arrest four of the suspects and collect evidence relating to the fifth suspect without causing injury to anyone involved, according to the award.
Goetke received a Letter of Commendation for extinguishing a fire at the Vitamin Shoppe, Route 9, in August 2020. According to the award, Goetke extinguished the fire by himself before the business was seriously damaged.
Goetke)’s “quick actions that day undoubtedly prevented a substantial loss of property and is a credit to both himself and the Freehold Township Police Department,” the award reads.
