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Westfield Police Department at Highest Staffing Level in History, Chief Says
By Jackie Lieberman,
4 hours ago
Town Administrator James Gildea, Chaplain Keith Gibbons, Officer Christian Albanese, Officer Keith Sivetz, Officer Thomas Sharfetz, Mayor Shelley Brindle, Officer Irene Sarris, Officer Benero Bernal, Assistant Town Administrator Heather Re-Ferratti and Chief Christopher Battiloro. Credits: Westfield Police Department
WESTFIELD, NJ — With five recent hires, the Westfield Police Department now has 63 full-time, regular sworn law enforcement officers — the most in its history, Chief Christopher Battiloro said Friday.
The following probationary police officers were sworn in on Thursday, July 18, according to the Westfield Police Department:
Officer Irene Sarris (appointed on Jan. 1), 27, a resident of Linden, is a 2014 graduate of Linden High School and a 2018 graduate of Union County College in Cranford with an associate degree in liberal arts. She was most recently employed by the Westfield Police Department as a 911 Police-Fire-EMS telecommunicator.
Sarris attended the 130th Session of the Basic Course for Police Officers at the John H. Stamler Police Academy of Union County, which she graduated from on June 13.
During her basic training, Sarris earned the number-one ranking in her class of 42 graduating police recruits. At police academy graduation, she was presented the Union County Police Chiefs Association Academic Achievement Award for having attained the highest academic score.
She was also presented the John H. Stamler Police Academy Leadership Award, presented by Crimestoppers of Union County in memory of Sheriff Ralph G. Froelich, for her exceptional leadership during training. The recipient of this award is determined by the Academy Director himself.
Sarris is currently assigned to the Westfield Police Department’s 16-week Field Training and Evaluation Program and, upon completion, will be assigned to the Patrol Services Bureau.
Officer Benero Bernal (appointed on April 19), age 24, lives in East Orange. He is a 2018 graduate of East Orange Campus High School in East Orange. Bernal attended Kean University in Union from 2018 to 2020, earning 60 credits towards a degree in criminal justice.
Bernal was previously employed as a police officer for the City of East Orange Police Department in Essex County since April 2021.
He completed the Basic Course for Police Officers at the Essex County Police Academy in 2021, and was most recently assigned to the East Orange Police Department’s Detective Bureau.
After completing an accelerated four-week Field Training and Evaluation Program, Bernal has been assigned to the Westfield Police Department’s Patrol Services Bureau.
Officer Thomas Sharfetz (appointed on July 5) , 27, a resident of Fords, is a 2015 graduate of John F. Kennedy High School in Iselin and a 2019 graduate of the University of Mount Saint Vincent in New York with a bachelor’s degree in sociology.
A former New York City police officer, he was most recently employed as an armed security officer by a professional security services company serving the NY/NJ/NYC area.
Sharfetz is currently attending the 131 st Session of the Basic Course for Police Officers at the John H. Stamler Police Academy of Union County, which commenced on July 12, and is scheduled to graduate in December.
Officer Keith Sivetz (appointed on July 5), age 25, is a resident of North Brunswick. He is a 2017 graduate of Immaculata High School in Somerville and briefly attended Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison.
He was most recently employed as a stagehand by the State Theater New Jersey in New Brunswick.
Sivetz is currently attending the 131 st Session of the Basic Course for Police Officers at the John H. Stamler Police Academy of Union County and is scheduled to graduate in December.
Officer Christian Albanese (appointed on July 5), age 24, is a resident of Piscataway. He is a 2018 graduate of Union Catholic High School in Scotch Plains and a 2022 graduate of the University of New Haven in Connecticut with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.
He was most recently employed as a public safety telecommunicator for the Borough of Hasbrouck Heights Police Department in Bergen County.
Albanese is currently attending the 131 st Session of the Basic Course for Police Officers at the John H. Stamler Police Academy of Union County, and is scheduled to graduate in December.
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