Crime & Safety
Honoring The Officers Who Answered The Call Of Duty
Law enforcement officers who served Stafford and Long Beach Island Communities will be remembered
by Patricia A. Miller
Long Beach Township Police Chief Angelo J. Leonetti didn't hesitate to answer the call of duty during the great March Storm of 1962.
Leonetti and two other township officials took off in a military vehicle to rescue survivors in the unforgettable three-day Nor'Easter that pummeled Ocean County more than 50 years ago.
They never came back.
Leonetti will be one of the fallen officers remembered at the 35th Annual Stafford and Long Beach Island Law Enforcement Memorial Service that gets underway at 10 a.m. on Thursday.
The Stafford Township Police Department is hosting the event at the Stafford municipal building courtyard at 260 East Bay Avenue. It will honor all deceased law enforcement personnel who have served in Stafford, Long Beach Township, Beach Haven, Ship Bottom, Surf City and Harvey Cedars.
The memorial service was first introduced 35 years ago by Chief Larry D. Parker, who served as Long Beach Township police chief before he took over the Stafford Police Department in 1974.
"Chief Parker served with the Stafford Township Police Department until his retirement in 2005 and continues to be an integral part of the annual Memorial Service," according to the Stafford Police Department's Facebook page. "All are welcome to attend to pay homage to these fine men and women who served these amazing communities."
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