In a tribute to service, sacrifice and community, Gloucester Township police hosted their annual awards night on May 7 as part of National Police Week.
Held at Camden County College’s Dennis Flyer Theater, the ceremony honored officers and civilians who have made extraordinary contributions to public safety and the well-being of the community. The event was free and open to the public and brought together local leaders, law-enforcement agencies from neighboring towns and community members for an evening of recognition and reflection.
Lt. Paul Fisher opened the ceremony with a simple but heartfelt message: “This is a memorable event for officers, and I want to thank you all for attending it.”
He then invited the audience to stand for the national anthem.
Among awardees are:
- Police supervisor of the year: Lt. Jason Fretz
- Officer of the year: Ptl. Shawn Kelly
- Dispatcher of the year: TCS Nicholas DiEttore
- Special officer of the year: SLEO I Nicholas Cinalli
Police Chief David Harkins welcomed attendees and introduced guests, including Mayor David Mayer; Camden County Council President Orlando Mercado; Councilwoman Helen Albright Troxell; several township police captains; and representatives from the Berlin Borough, Runnemede and Somerdale police departments.
“It is a great thing to have this award ceremony, where we have the honor to show what we’ve done,” Harkins noted. “Also, to those citizens who have stepped up when we needed them. This is our motivation, this is why we are diligent in our duties.”
Harkins asked the crowd to join in a moment of silence for officers across the nation who died in the line of duty, drawing attention to the emotional core of National Police Week.
“We recognize our officers, partners and civilians,” Harkins emphasized. “I want to acknowledge our awards committee, who are in charge of approving or denying awards.”
The chief also extended gratitude to the township administration and other officials for their continued support of the police. He closed with a reminder of the values at the heart of law enforcement.
“Compassion is the heart of a policeman,” he said, “it’s the patience shown and humanity. Honesty is the foundation of trust between officers and the community they serve.”
