Hamilton Police
Benevolent Association Local #66
Past Officer's if the Year
Officer David Barlow
2018 Hamilton Police
Officer of the Year
Barlow is Hamilton's Police Officer of the Year.
By Michelle Dryden
For The Times of Trenton
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David Barlow has gone above and beyond the call of duty for his community several times.
The Hamilton police officer has earned this year's distinction as Officer of the Year by his peers, who cite his exceptional service to people of all ages in the community.
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"He's truly a community officer," said David McWilliam, retired principal of Hamilton High West.
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Barlow has held several positions in the community and has received numerous other awards over his 24 years of service with the township's police department. He's been a school resource officer (SRO) at Hamilton High West for the past 14 years."He's the kind of guy that makes our school feels safe," said McWilliam.
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Barlow often looks beyond Hamilton though."When 9/11 happened, he was one of the first police officers to go to New York City to help other officers and firefighters. When (Hurricane) Sandy happened, he went down the shore to help relieve other police officers," McWilliam said.
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Apart from being a senior police officer, Barlow is also a past fire commissioner at the Whitehorse Fire Company and a life member of Whitehorse Volunteer Fire Department.A 1983 graduate of Steinert High School, he was owner of Hamilton Auto Body from 1986-89. And he was a corrections officer at New Jersey State Prison from 1989-94 as well.
He's been a field training officer and spent two years as an undercover narcotics officer.
Over the years, he has received several service awards from the Hamilton Township Police Department. These include:
Two meritorious service awards for pulling victims from a fire and evacuating residents from building fire, exceptional duty medals for apprehending car and house burglary suspects, two life-saving medals for saving drowning babies and an honorable service award for evacuating residents from a smoking apartment building.
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Barlow will be honored with a ceremony tonight, April 20, at the Kiwanis Club of Hamilton Township with the awarding of the club's 43rd Annual Hank Leverence Police Officer of the Year Award.
"This is a big honor for me," said Barlow. "You're not doing the job for the awards, but it's definitely an honor to receive them. I only wear the badges to funerals, etc.," he said.
Detective Frank Palmieri
2017 Hamilton Police Officer of the Year
Lifelong Hamilton Resident Named Officer of the Year
(From NJ.Com 7/8/17)
BY OLIVIA RIZZO
For NJ.com
HAMILTON -- Career change is never easy but for one local police officer, it's become a truly rewarding experience. Frank Palmieri was an assistant golf professional for over 12 years before he made the switch to law enforcement. "After 9/11 I had a strong pull to work toward the military or civil service," Palmieri said, "so I took the civil service exam and was lucky enough to have been placed in hometown." Now a detective, Palmieri has been serving his hometown community as a police officer for the last eight years. And this year he was named the 42nd Hamilton Kiwanis Club Officer of the Year. The award has been made all the more special this year as Palmieri is lifelong Hamilton resident. The Kiwanis Club of Hamilton Township honors an officer from a group of peer-nominated officers who have shown their dedication to the community and the police force.
"If I was an officer anywhere I'd still do my job to the fullest, but it's a special place to me," Palmieri said, "I've been able to give back to where I grew up." Palmieri said he was, "honored, and excited, and shocked," when he found out he was selected as this year's award recipient. He describes the experience as a humbling honor, especially because he was selected by his peers. "We're a big family," Palmieri said when describing the camaraderie between his fellow officers. His favorite part of his line of work has been helping the local community, something that many residents don't get the chance to see in the day to day operations of their police force. "You're not just out there looking for criminals and trying to lock people up," Palmieri said, "we're counselors for marriage disputes, and we're mentors for kids." Palmieri said his career and life would not have been possible without the love and support of his family.
Olivia Rizzo may be reached at orizzo@njadvancemedia.com.
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http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2017/06/lifelong_hamilton_resident_named_officer_of_the_ye.html