History was made April 15 as Nayshon Obey, with his family in attendance at the Municipal Complex, was sworn into the Gloucester City Police Department.
A 2017 Gloucester City High School graduate, Obey took the oath to protect and serve the citizens of Gloucester City from Mayor Daniel Spencer while his future fiancé, Madison Long, held the Bible.
“I feel great today,” Nayshon said. “Ever since I was a child, I wanted to make it into the National Football League or become a police officer.”
“I am super proud of my son,” said his mother, Nadaya Obey. “I am very ecstatic. I have supported him all along, and he worked very hard.
“Children are a gift from God,” said Nadaya, who was beaming during the ceremony along with Nayshon’s four brothers. “We do not possess them. They have to choose they own life journey, but we do the best for them and give them a good foundation.”
“This is an historic day for our City,” said Mayor Spencer, as Nayshon became the first-ever African-American patrolman in the police department. “We are so proud of you, and hope you have a great career here.
“It is not an easy task to be a police officer in today’s world. But, my faith is restored in society hiring a fine person like you,” Spencer said.
While at Gloucester City High School, Nayshon played football, basketball and ran track. He broke the school record in the 100 meter dash with a time of 11.4 seconds.
After graduating, he attended Rowan University before joining the U.S. Army National Guard and going to basic training in Fort Benning, GA.
He then graduated from the Camden County Police Academy in Blackwood on Jan. 7, 2021, and was immediately sent to Washington, D.C., with the New Jersey National Guard contingent.
“We patrolled the capital for several days after the events on Jan. 6. Then our company was assigned to protect Vice President Mike Pence’s home,” Nayshon said. “I got to meet the vice president when he came in on his helicopter. He was very nice to all of us.”
He is excited to begin his career as a Gloucester City police officer, and will juggle his schedule once a month for National Guard training.
“Welcome aboard,” Mayor Spencer said. “We have a great Police Chief (Brian Morrell) and a great police department respected by the citizens.”
“There is a great chance for advancement here,” Chief Morrell said to Nayshon and family. “We are proud to have you as a member of the Gloucester City Police Department.”
