COURT HOUSE – The Cape May County Sheriff’s Office promoted nine sheriff’s officers from the Corrections Division to the rank of sergeant and two to the rank of lieutenant in a Feb. 24 ceremony at the Cape May County Public Safety Training Center.
The ceremony included awards to officers who displayed achievement or heroism in the course of training or duty.
Cape May County Correctional Facility Warden Don Lombardo acted as master of ceremonies, announcing first that of the 21 county jails in New Jersey, seven are under the authority of the sheriff.
In Cape May County, the Sheriff’s Office has two divisions – Law Enforcement and Corrections. Lombardo said legislation passed within the last several years designates corrections officers as “corrections police officers,” with full police powers.
The Corrections Division now includes Lt. Steven Prince and Lt. William Weatherby. The newly promoted sergeants include Sgt. Patrick Netherby, Sgt. Louis Taylor, Sgt. Matthew Kilroy, Detective Sgt. Kourtney Perry, Sgt. Joseph Tallerico, Sgt. Erin Sampson, Sgt. Bradly Caldwell, Sgt. Jesse Farrell, and Sgt. Michael Sharp.
New corrections police officers distinguished themselves while attending the Basic Course for County Correctional Police Officers (BCCCPO) in Atlantic County. Lombardo noted that corrections officers are now sworn police officers.
The first officer recognized was Officer Alexis Alvarez, who was Class 29 president at Atlantic County BCCCPO. Officer Taylor Anderson was recognized for receiving the High Academic Award, Firearms Award, Excellence in First Aid, and Merit Award while in the academy. Officer Richard McHale received the Physical Intensity award, and Officer Katie Rolik received the High Academic Award.
Accepting Honorable Service Awards were Sgt. Joseph Tallerico, Sgt. Michael Sharp, Officer William Lear, Officer Richard Baker, and Officer Quashawn Kendrick. These officers were awarded for restraining an inmate during an “agitated chaotic event,” while preventing injury to the inmate and emergency medical services (EMS) personnel.
Four officers received Lifesaving Medals. Officers Erin McPherson, James Quinn, and Glenn McNenny were recognized for saving the life of an inmate who was suffering from a drug overdose Jan. 15, 2020. Officers administered Narcan and first aid until the effects of the drugs were reversed.
Officer William Berry was awarded his medal for a Nov. 13, 2022, incident when he was still in the academy. Berry saw smoke coming from a house in his neighborhood. Berry broke a window and pulled an elderly woman from the house where she had been trapped by the fire. He carried her to safety and rendered first aid until EMS arrived.
Officer Richard Baker was awarded an Exceptional Duty Medal for assisting with a mentally unstable patient in Cape Regional Medical Center’s emergency room Jan. 7. Baker was awarded for protecting the safety of hospital staff until Middle Township officers arrived.
The Sheriff’s Achievement Award was presented to Officer Mark Howard, who assisted in the apprehension of Gerald White, the individual charged with causing the deaths of two people, Sept. 24, 2022, during a pop-up car rally in Wildwood. Howard saw White leave the vehicle and run between two buildings. Howard followed and notified detectives on the scene of White’s location, allowing them to make the arrest.
Five officers were awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for an Aug. 8, 2022, incident where an inmate attempted to escape from the Cape May County Correctional Center. Sgt. Michael Sharp and Officers Joseph Hoover, Dustin Wagner, Joshua Quinlan, and Pedro Longo responded to the inmate’s attempt to escape through a service hatch in the Medical Close Watch Cell.
The inmate gained access to the ceiling and found a 3-foot piece of threaded metal bar, which he used to damage glass in the cell. The officers entered the area and were able to restrain the inmate without any injuries.
Officers who received awards but were not present included Officer Joseph Payne, Firearms Award; Officer Daniel Morrison, High Academic Award, Excellence in First Aid; and Officer John Smalley, Firearms Award.
Cape May County Sheriff Robert Nolan said the department had gotten away from publicly announcing awards, for whatever reason, and he wanted to make the announcement of awards and promotions an annual event.
“We will hold these ceremonies once a year to honor officers who go above and beyond the call of duty,” Nolan said.
Nolan joined the Sheriff’s Office in 1984 and worked as a corrections officer for four years.
Contact the author, Christopher South, at csouth@cmcherald.com or 609-886-8600, ext. 128.
