ROSELLE, NJ — Five people were sworn in as police officers entering the police academy for the Roselle Police Department on Saturday, Jan. 23., at Roselle Borough Hall. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there were no attendees; the occasion was recorded and broadcast to the public.
“We’re assembling here today for a special day,” said Roselle Mayor Donald Shaw at the small ceremony on Saturday, Jan. 23. “It brings me great pleasure to have the opportunity to swear in to the police department our five newly selected officers.”
Adrian Fernando Gomez, Tevon McLeary, Antonio Cortes III, Amanda Tracey-Ann Grizzle and Edwige Gasnal Gedeon were sworn in at the ceremony.
“This morning’s ceremonies are a lot different from what we’ve done in the past, due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Police Chief Brian Barnes said on Saturday, Jan. 23. “I wanted to make sure that our staff, our mayor and council, our community, and family and friends were still safe during this time. Therefore, I made a change on how we presented this. This is the first time that we’ve done this in this order. I know it was a little chaotic in the beginning, but I hope you understand why.”
Barnes said the additions were essential due to how short-staffed the police department was right now.
“I want to thank my background unit for expediting getting these backgrounds done,” said the police chief. “The background unit, led by Lt. Olivera, and my investigators, Lt. Ferreira, Sgt. Odom, Sgt. McGrath, Detective Romero and Detective McGriff, did an outstanding job on making sure that these candidates met the requirements of not only the state of New Jersey but the requirements that we here at the borough of Roselle demand from our officers. They’re being added to our family, so we want to make sure that they follow what our family does.”
“We went through an exigent background process and we’re ready for them to start the academy, which they will start next week, Friday, Feb. 5,” Barnes continued. “Again, during this COVID-19 pandemic, it’s going to be a different academy than what everyone else has gone through.
“Again, I want to thank you for taking the time this morning to sit with us while we welcome our five new candidates to the Roselle Police Department.”
Shaw mentioned that he was excited to have the new officers join the Roselle family and hoped to see great things come out of the incoming officers. With these new personnel additions, the department will no longer be understaffed.
“We are understaffed a little bit, and this will bring us up,” Shaw said. “We look to see good things from these officers and from my police department as always. Thank you again, Roselle, for accepting them.”