Police Explorers earn honors, promotions

MARLBORO — Promotions and awards in the ranks of the Marlboro Police Explorers were presented to the youths in blue during the Feb. 4 meeting of the Marlboro Township Council.

Marlboro Township Police Explorer Post 105 was founded in 1982. The program is open to students between the ages of 14 and 21 who are interested in learning more about a career in law enforcement.

The Police Explorers assist police officers at township events such as Marlboro Day. The students have the opportunity to go on ride-alongs with police officers and to assist with various calls for assistance.

The post has 26 members and is guided by Patrolman Stephen Levy, Patrolman Andrew Goldberg, Patrolman James Ferraro, Dispatcher Callen Figarola and retired Sgt. Luann Tansey.

Over the years Post 105 has seen 34 of its members go on to work in law enforcement, including the U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Air Marshals, Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and the New York Police Department. Eleven former Marlboro Police Explorers have joined the ranks of the Marlboro Police Department.

During the Feb. 4 council meeting four Police Explorers were promoted to new posts as each young man saluted Marlboro Police Chief Bruce E. Hall.

Shay Caravella, a junior at Marlboro High School, was promoted to the rank of sergeant. Caravella is also a junior firefighter with the Marlboro Fire Department.

Frank Gyimesi, a senior at Manalapan High School, was promoted from the rank of sergeant to lieutenant. Gyimesi will be a member of the first graduating class of the Freehold Regional High School District’s Law Enforcement and Public Safety Academy at Manalapan High School. He is

also a junior firefighter with the East Freehold Fire Department, Freehold Township.

Matt Spadaro, a freshman at Brookdale Community College, Lincroft, was promoted from lieutenant to captain. Spadaro is majoring in criminal justice and is a probationary member of the Robertsville Fire Department, Marlboro.

Mark Cosentino, a sophomore at Monmouth University, West Long Branch, was promoted to the rank of chief with the re- sponsibility of overseeing his fellow Police Explorers. Cosentino is a political science major and works as a Class I police officer for the Belmar Police Department.

Eight Police Explorers were the recipients of the newly renamed Capt. Douglas Van Note Community Service Award.

Van Note was one of the founders of Post 105 and served as an adviser to the Police Explorers for 27 years. The captain retired from the department in September 2009.

To receive the community service award a member of the post had to volunteer for at least 65 hours at events.

Receiving the community service award were J.P. Maloney (65 hours), David Kaplan (67 hours), Sgt. Ryan Cerankowski (67 hours), Capt. Matt Spadaro (70 hours), Natalie Hecht (71.5 hours), Sgt. Shay Caravella (77.5 hours), Jordan Beshloss (80.5 hours) and Samantha Goldberg (99.5 hours).

The post’s advisers also bestowed the Law Enforcement Award, an honor that has been available for seven years, but only presented three times. Police Explorer Alexander Fay became the third recipient of the award in recognition of his assistance during an accident which occurred on Township Drive at the municipal complex.

In May 2009 as he was returning from a Police Explorers event, Fay and his fellow post members were getting out of the group’s van. At that moment a 9-year-old girl darted out into the driveway at the municipal complex and was struck by a vehicle.

Levy recounted how, without hesitation, Fay ran to the scene and helped direct traffic away from the accident. Fay also kept onlookers away from the victim and the young man was able to direct emergency personnel to his exact location. He did all of that after being with the post for only one month.

Caravella was named the Cpl. Robert E. Tossie Sr. Explorer of the Year for his contributions and outstanding performance to Post 105.

Tossie was an integral part of forming Post 105. He was a 25-year veteran of the Marlboro Police Department who died of cancer in November 2004.

Caravella was presented with the award in recognition of dedicating 351 hours to Police Explorer work in 2009. Caravella did not miss a single community service event for eight months.

Also during the Feb. 4 meeting, a new police officer was welcomed to the department. Officer Michael Pecoraro will join the ranks of the Marlboro Police Department.

In other police business, resident Shital Rajan presented Hall with a U.S. Secret Service Counter Assault Team patch and pin that he received while working with the government on Air Force One.