MAYWOOD POLICE DEPARTMENT

The Maywood Police Department is proud to recognize its officers or telecommunicators who have executed outstanding police work or have gone above and beyond their duties in serving the community. Below is a brief description of their actions. These actions are what we train for and what we are expected to do, but to complete these actions under extremely stressful or life-threatening situations is something that you cannot train for and is why we commend them. The incidents below also do not represent the total scope of police activity that our Departmental members perform on a daily basis with professionalism.

 

 

February 2021 – Homicide Investigation

 

On February 16, 2021, the Maywood Police Department received reports of a stabbing that had occurred in the parking lot of the Bergen Town Center. Telecommunicator Samantha Campoli dispatched Sergeant Peter Donatello, Detective Christopher Nichols, and Officers Timothy Cook and Andrew Mulligan. Upon arrival they located the stabbing victim covered in blood and lying in the parking lot. Sergeant Donatello determined that the victim’s injuries were critical and life-threatening and established an on-scene incident command post. Officer Cook was detailed to follow the ambulance to HUMC and remain with the victim. Officer Mulligan was detailed to establish a perimeter of the entire area and maintained a crime scene log. Sergeant Donatello made the appropriate notifications to the Bergen County Sheriff’s Department BCI Unit, Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit, Maywood Police Department’s Detective Bureau Supervisor (Det/Sgt. William Phayre) and our Department’s Administration.

 

While processing the crime scene, Hackensack University Medical Center had pronounced the victim deceased. Detective/Sergeant William Phayre, Sergeant Peter Donatello and Detective Christopher Nichols continued the investigation with the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, after processing the scene. They logged approximately 24 hours of continuous investigations, which lead to the arrest of the suspect responsible for the homicide.

 

One of the most important roles our department has is to investigate incidents that involve the loss of a human life due to violence. These investigations of homicide are critical for ensuring that perpetrators are identified, apprehended, and brought to justice for the victims and their families, and for protecting the safety of the community. A homicide Investigation is one of the most difficult crimes to solve and the teamwork and professionalism of all parties involved with this incident lead to the finding, charging and indictment of Mr. Perez for homicide. The actions taken by the initial responding officers and the tireless effort given by the further investigating officers greatly affect the success of this investigation. 

 

 

April 2021 – Structure Fire

 

Officer Benjamin Singer was dispatched to a multi-unit apartment complex for a reported smoke condition. Officer Singer responded to a second-floor apartment in the structure and located a fire in the bedroom apartment and was able to extinguish the fire using a fire extinguisher.

 

Officer Singer’s quick actions prevented further fire damage to the apartment building and prevented a tragedy and loss of the building. Due to these actions, he is commended for a job well done.

 

 

June 2021 – De-Escalation of a Suicidal Party

 

Sergeant Jason Liaban and Officer Matthew Della Bella were dispatched to residence for a report of a suicidal party. When they confronted this party in the residence, she attempted to barricade herself in a bedroom, but the officers’ quick actions prevented her from securing the door to the bedroom. While in the bedroom, the suicidal party grabbed a knife threatening to harm herself and the officers.

 

Due to their training and experience they were able to verbally convince the suicidal party to drop the knife, which de-escalated the incident from the possibility of serious bodily injury occurring and the use of deadly force. Unfortunately, after the suicidal party dropped the knife, she continued to threaten the officers with physical force and the officers had to physically use force to take control of the patient so she could be transported to the hospital for a medical evaluation.

 

 

The de-escalation of this incident exhibited a high degree of sound judgment with their ability to perform what they have been trained to do under an extremely stressful and life-threatening situation. Their combined teamwork and professionalism led to the de-escalation of a dangerous incident.

 

 

July 2021 – CPR Save

 

Lieutenant Derek Smith and Sergeant Jason Liaban were dispatched to the Maywood Municipal Pool for an unconscious elderly female being removed from the pool by the lifeguards on scene. When Lieutenant Smith and Sergeant Liaban arrived on scene they took over the lifeguard’s initial resuscitation efforts and immediately began CPR with chest compressions to keep the oxygenated blood circulating through the victim’s body until the arrival of the Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics from Hackensack University Medical Center. The victim’s medical care was turned over to the E.M.T.s and the Paramedics, who transported her to Hackensack University Medical Center.

 

The victim survived her cardiac arrest incident because of the teamwork of all the parties involved in the rescue effort, but this commendation is to recognized the officers in our department. Lieutenant Derek Smith and Sergeant Jason Liaban are commended for their quick response and their actions of performing CPR which led to saving the life of the victim.