Jersey City swears in 22 new police officers, including one who created SIDS foundation

By Michaelangelo Conte/The Jersey Journal
December 18, 2012 at 4:34 PM

The Jersey City Police Department swore in 22 new police officers at a City Hall ceremony Friday morning.

Sworn in were Alberto Vasquez, Joel Chaviano, Michael E. Sanchez, Gina M. Sandwith, Jose A. Mendez, Carlos M. Melendez, Ruben G. Munoz, Sergio V. Ortiz, Andrew M. Lane, Frank De Los Santos and Giovanni C. Bove, officials said.

Also taking the oath of office were Jonathan Hernandez, Kevin C. Geib, Nicholas R. Kenny, Roger Fritsch-Gil, Dignora M. Aquino, Joseph T. Murphy, Paul J. Tamburelli, Asif Y. Riaz, Matthew M. Ramos, Matthew G. Scalcione and Jennifer M. Szymanski officials said.

Rookie Officer Aquino lost her infant son to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome a year ago and has founded the Matthew Anthony Scarpa Foundation, aimed at creating awareness of SIDS and raising money for SIDS research.

"The loss was horrible, unexpected, hurtful," Aquino said yesterday of the death of Matthew Angelo Scarpa, who was 3 months old when he died on Jan 3. The child's father, Aquino's husband, is Jersey City Police Sgt. Michael Scarpa.

Aquino and Scarpa turned their tragedy into a positive force with establishment of the foundation, which is currently offering a full academic scholarship to a private Jersey City high school.

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