NJ Police Officers Win Monmouth 200 Club Bravery Awards
The Keansburg Pharmacy, located on Main Street in Keansburg Township, which has a population of nearly 10,000, was sent to a unforeseen whirlwind on January 6as a knife-wielding man took employees hostage, sparking a frenzy of panic and a flurry of 911 calls.
The employees escaped physically unharmed and the alleged attacker was killed after attacking an officer with his weapon, security footage showed.
On June 3, four officers who responded to the hostage situation: Patrol Officer Jillian Putkowski, Lt. Dennis Valle, who was stabbed and suffered multiple gunshot wounds, Detectives Richard Johnson and Christopher Rogan were among those who received awards for bravery by the Monmouth County 200 Club, an organization that provides financial assistance to officers injured in the line of duty.
A pharmacy worker said the ‘officers really deserved what they were getting’ as they declined to be questioned further saying ‘no one here wants to relive that day’.
“They deserve, and have earned, our utmost respect and appreciation,” said Benjamin J. Lucarelli, president of the Monmouth County branch of the 200 Club. “These remarkable men and women served with distinction, and we recognize their heroism and dedication to the community.”
The club also presented bravery awards to Officer Omar Akel (Middletown PD), Patrolman Eric Voorand (Manalapan PD) and Officer Daniel Murphy (Howell PD) of the Emergency Response Team of the Monmouth County, as well as to Stephen Borchard of the Monmouth County Narcotics Attorney’s Office for their efforts in a Long Branch clash on November 5.
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A murder suspect pretended to surrender, then, while holding a baby, opened fire on the officers.
The suspect was killed by officers, but the two-week-old child was rescued unharmed.
In addition to bravery awards, the organization has honored more than 30 first responders with merit awards.
The Monmouth County 200 Club has been helping local first responders and their families since the 1970s.
In 2021 alone, Club 200 distributed a total of $88,000 in scholarships to 68 children of first responders and gave away nearly $2.5 million in total.
Winners
Value:
- Patrol Officer Jillian Putkowski (Keansburg Police Department)
- Lt. Dennis Valle (Keansburg Police Department)
- Detective Richard Johnson (Keansburg Police Department)
- Detective Christopher Rogan (Keansburg Police Department)
- Detective Stephen Borchard (Monmouth County District Attorney’s Office Narcotics Bureau)
- Patroller Eric Voorand (Monmouth County Emergency Response Team/Manalapan Police Department)
- Police Officer Daniel Murphy (Monmouth County Emergency Response Team/Howell Police Department)
- Police Officer Omar Akel (Monmouth County Emergency Response Team/Middletown Police Department)
Deserved:
- Detective Connor Mullan (Long Branch City Police Department)
- Officer Francis Sheldrick (Long Branch City Police Department)
- sergeant. Nicholas Morgan (Neptune City Police Department)
- Patrolman George Williams IV (Neptune City Police Department)
- Detective Sergeant. First Class Erin Smith (NJ State Police)
- Patrolman Tim Walden (Middletown Police Department)
- Patrolman Kevin Mahon (Middletown Police Department)
Congratulation :
- Lieutenant Craig Hausmann (Aberdeen Township Police Department)
- Police Officer Alex Mabe (Asbury Park Police Department)
- Detective Sergeant. Ryan Meixsell (Brielle Police Department)
- Patrolman Francis Wood (Keansburg Police Department)
- Captain Michael Deaney (Keansburg Police Department)
- Captain Bryan King (Keansburg Police Department)
- Patrolman John Murray (Keansburg Police Department)
- Detective Robert Hagerman (Neptune Township Police Department)
- Lt. Jason Petillo (Neptune Township Police Department)
- Lieutenant William Kirchner (Neptune Township Police Department)
- sergeant. Vincent Mazzaccaro (Wall Township Police Department)
- sergeant. Amy Drackwicz (Wall Township Police Department)
- Patrolman Thomas Dowd (Wall Township Police Department)
- Patrolman Frank Kuhl (Wall Township Police Department)
- Patrolman Vincent Reinecke (Wall Township Police Department)
- Patrolman Jerry Baker (Wall Township Police Department)
- Patrolman Cole Kennedy (Wall Township Police Department)
- Patroller Joseph Phillips (Wall Township Police Department)
