Honor Guard is praised by township proclamation

MANALAPAN - The township Police Department Honor Guard was formally honored by the governing body last week with a mayoral proclamation.

The proclamation was drawn to cite the accomplishments of the Manalapan Police Department Honor Guard for having been chosen to be the host for the 2007 National Police Week ceremonies, which will be held in October in Washington, D.C.

The event, being held in a series of ceremonies starting in the nation's Capitol, is being coordinated in order to honor "those officers that have paid the ultimate sacrifice of duty," according to the proclamation read by Mayor Drew Shapiro.

The Honor Guard members being honored in the proclamation and who will attend the Capitol ceremony include: Sgt. David Castellani, Detective Thomas Mantle, and patrolmen Robert Mullin, Leonard Maltese, Robert Herring, Richard Gallo, Steven Turner and Jonathan Suydam.

At the Sept 27 public meeting it was wall-to-wall supporters as the membership of the department, including Police Chief Stuart Brown, gathered to celebrate the officers that make up the Honor Guard.

In the proclamation, the Honor Guard was also recognized and thanked for providing the Manalapan Police Department with a specially trained ceremonial team to "render honors, preserve tradition, stimulate esprit de corps and instill pride."